, 1866-05-28
OTlx CON ElOS SCHOOLS.

The Board Of Education have asked the
Common Council to authorize the Comptrol-
1cr Of the City to Issue S1U0, 900 In certificates
Of Indebtedness, for the purpose Of erecting
school buildings. At present there nre about
seventeen thousand children enrolled in the
common schools, but there is not adequate
accommodations for more than twelve thou
sand, md the result Is, that nearly all of the
present buildings are slamcfnlly ovcrcrowd-
cd: and in many Of the districts, the children
ure permitted to attend school only one hall
the usual time, So as TO make room for other
pupils TO attend the other half. It is well
known rule that no teacher ought to be taxed
with more than sixty pupils, and yet there
are some rooms in this city, In which arc
crowded from one hundred 10 one hundred
and forty children! Apart from the sanitary
objections to such system. it cannot be cx~
rccted that the teachers eau do their duty to
such large number OF pupils, and tho time
Of both teachers and Children is not 1ufrc-
qncutly entirely wasted.
But this is not lhc worst feature Of the
case. There arc in our city at present proba.
bly, Ten thousand children who arc unable TO
gain admission TO our public schools, and
several thousand Of these are running wild
throughout the streets, entirely deprived OF
edncation- In Il mere economical point Of
view, this is poor policy These children
are learning vice in the strtcts, and 1t will
cost us more 10 punish then, for breaking our
laws thnn 1t would to give each uf them
collcSiate education. But, aside from this,
We arc moFally md legally bound 10 furnish
every child over the aSc Of six years good
common-school education, and 1t Is disyrncc-
ful that such state o1 things should exist as
is here recorded.
AT present the Beard of Education are
powcr1css. A year aso it was in debt to the
other funds Of the city about $4,000, This
| debt has been taken out OF the school fund
during tue fiscal year just closed, uud the
| treasury Is now empty. 1t Is true, the last
Legislature authorized the Comptroller to
! issue bonds to the amount Of 81, 900 per
nnnuIn for four years for the purpose oi
erecting school buildings; hut the erection
Of The Wells School during the past year has
nearly consumed the entire quotas OF 1865 aud
| 1S6G-so that, unless immediate relief i:
granted by the Common Council, In the man.
ner indicated, 1t will be impossible to crcci
any more school buildings till next ycar.
Since the last meeting Of the Common
Council we have heard II mooted that some
Of the economical theorists In TINT body were
determined to oppose the passage Of the order
before alluded to, Oh tue technical ground
that they have no power to authorize tht
Comptroller to issue certificates of indebted
ness THIS is the same argument that Wa:
urged by the rebel sympathizcrs a2ainst the
Issue OF certificates OF Indebtedness for The
purpose Of aiding The General Government Il
sub1ue the rebellion. We trust, however
that whoever makes such IN objection, ii viii
not CONC from the lips Of any Republican. II
would be strange, indeed, if there arc men i,
Office so blind to the best interests Of the cit,
as 10 make single movement 10 delay III,
erection Of more school buildings one siusl
moment.
To place this city in even respectable po
eition with regard 10 schools and schoo
buildings, will require an outlay Of at leas
$500, 600; and II Is designed .. the next meet
Ing Of The Legislature to urgc the passage o
an amendment TO the city charter, auihoriz
inS the Comptroller 10 Issue bonds for ,tha
amount, the Interest aud principal Of whlcl
will have 10 he net l.y q SPECIAL tax. It i
absolutely necessary, however. that some
thing should be done Immediately to cscc
branch l'uildings in some sections OF the cit,
now entirely destitute Of schools, 50 as Il
save our city and citizens from further ii:
| Eyacc,