New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-02
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

EFFECT or THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION AT ALBANY
UPON THEIR CHARACTER AND EFFICIENCY-AD-
DRESS BY MR. JAS W. GERARD.
Stenways Hall, Fourteenth-st., was well filled
last evening by number Of children and their parents
who are opposed to the proposed change In our Public
Schools. Upon the platform were Mayor Hoffman, eN-
Judge Roosevelt Peter Cooper members OF the Board OF
Education, Dr. Webster Of the NewYOrk College, Jas l.
Brady, and many other well-known citizens. Mayor
Hoffman called the meeting to order. and proposed the
Rev. Dr. Burchard Chairman After short speech,
Mr. Jas. W Gerard the orator OF the evening" was lh'lo
duced, who spoke substantially as follows a., 4,
The great audience he saw before MN showed tho III
tcrest he people took I'm the bin now before the Legsa
ture at Albany relative TO public schools lie had
prepared any set speech, hut had simply framed
skeleton which nc intended filling mp as ne Wentaong I9r
years he had been connected with the public schools OF thus
city, and every morning at 81 or o'clock he had seen
number Of young people in motion with their lunchpo4
under one arm and their school books under the other
Some Of them from the palace and some rom
the tenement-hOuse Yet all had one OBJECT ana lni1
was instruction. All naonaitics and all forms OF fe
giOn were represented there was no social
the rich and the poor were treated alke ana eac na
the opportunities for obtaining learning Inc moran
discipline incucaed makes the schoohouse more IKE
place OF amusement than place OF Instruction. MOheis
take pride in having their children look neat and tdy
attending school, and endeavOr 10 insti into the
feature for not alone arc the 100000 children who attend
public schools benefited by this but the parents
who, in teaching their children to be neat,
tidy and regular I'm their habits cannot but help beng I'M
bned with the same idea Our present schoo sy3em u Us
old rs our Independence. George clinton was te olig
ator OF our public schools, and the system nhder WGn
saying perfect 1t nowproposed that the entire fabric
beswept away-a pretty bold stroke tpresent there are
q Inspectors members Of the Board Of Education and
10 trustees and for these l5I men was SUGGESTED .t
seven should do their work at salary OF 5000 year.
He had heard Of the wise men OF Greece u never
OF the wise Of Gotham. He had no intention
OF talking politics. il would be in bad taste n he dd; yet
cal machine. No doubt Gov Fenton would select
10 men for the position of Commissioners but those
Fcnton had visited many Of the public schools
with him, and had made addresses to the
known before what the system Of our schools was.
Seven men are to be appointed TO conduct our cur
times sevcn-and that makes 49, BY the wording OF TINS
new law 1t cannot he forced upon me people OF Ncst
chester County Yet II must be forced down the Threats OF
the people Of NewYork Never day passed but he saw
one-thrd of mile OF boys and girls. IL an te eiu I
allowing two feet TO each they would reach distance
of human beings! What can do and know
pccng ClassrOoms Of Ibis city, unless they have 0mihs'
cence and ubiqiquiiy combined lie could not
called out by some prattlng niue one he
Commissioners that IL proposed To appoint there are 10
be number Of Curators who instead Of receiving pay
Jury duty would shrk school duty This Is the most
mOpolitan city in the world onehuf Of the inhabitants
Now than In either Of the Cities ~ Berlin Vienna.
Another element the good strong Irish element and
Dublin alone excepted there are more lrlsh IN NV.
York city than IN any other Irish town. Foreigners
come 10 our schools who cannot speak word oi Engsh;
others with the splendid broad lr,h accent Ihey are
put into the hopper OF the mill and turned ont American
citizens In four wards or TINS cN, out ui drItfence
to religious belief Of the inhabitants the exercises do not
commence with the reading Of the Scripture. The Com
mission would have power 10 enforce the reading
OF it,, which, II done, the Catholics wOuld have
power 10 rcnd asuuder the whole system. Ivy the
appointment Of such proposed commission II
takes away the popular element Of the public school
All participation Of school Officers with the advance
menf OF tile Young would he at an end, and the
children would forget they had any school To go TO-
Ii this bill passed NJ the recent election they would
rattle The ballots about their Now there gloom
and melancholy where lately most happy gather
ing Rags were hung az nan mas a. warning TO me
hang your harps upon the willows Grape upon the
arm for there viii hc wailing and gnaslng Of teeth. In
conclusion Mr. Gerard said universal education was the
life Of Liberty.
Mr.. James 4. Brady. being called for. made few
remarks in the strain as the gentlemen who had
preceded him.
II was moved and adopted that vote " thanks BE-
rendered 10 Mr.. Gerard, when the meeting adjourned.