New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-29
SCHOOL REFORM.

If it shall be asked why Dill has been III
troduced in the Legislature, the intention of
which is to place the whole of our school
interests in the hands of a commission, we have
only to refer the questiOner to few facts
notorious to those who have interested them
selves in our school system, if not well-knOwn
to the public at large. The wild and perniciOus
spirit of rivalry between the local boards, and
the self-interest gTeedily at work within them,
only tend to keep up system of Ignorant, wllltul
wastefulness most damaging to education and
to the city. It.has been seen that, for the pur-
pose of throwing away the public money, the
School Boards can break the law with as much
zest and GOODNESS as can a Councilman.
The twenty-fourth section of the Amended
School law for the City of New-York provides
that Upon decision favorable to the estab-
"lishment of q school or schools in any of the
"wards of said city, it shall be lawful for the
"schoo officers of said ward to proceed to
"organize one or more schools, such as may be
"authorized by the Board of Education, and
procure a school-house, by purchasing or hiring
the same, or by procuring site and erecting
"a building thereon, according to plans, and
specifications, and contracts which shall have
"been duly filed with and approved by the
Board of Education; the erection of which
said building, and the fitting-up thereof, and
al the fitting-up Of any hired building, shall be
"done by contract, proposals for which shall be
advertised for two weeks previous, &C., &c.
"unless such ftting-up shall not exceed the
" sum of two hundred dollars"
BY reference to the proceedings of the Board
of Education, juno 81 of last year, it will be
seen that Mr. James Miller presented a re-
port from the Committee ON Buildings relative
to the condition of one of our grammar
schools. Thereupon it was resolved that
the sum of $4,000 be appropriated for the ex-
tension of the main school building and for
alterations and repairs, the bills therefor to be
paid on certificate of the Committee and Su-
perintendent of School Buildings. In Deem
Der following the same Mr.. Miller reported
another resolution that the sum of S19,04S 81 be
appropriated, in addition to the amount afOre-
said, for the same purposes as formerly set
forth, and that 1925 n be given for the pur-
pose of providing such new furniture as may
be required, including pianos The extraya-
gance of appropriation did not end here; for
$500 were added for the repair and purchase OF
stoves. Thus, altogether, $G0,i5J were appropr1-
ated and spent in repairs and alterations of a
school building, which could have been bullt
for the same sum, and with fair profit to the
builder. Does this school-hOuse job look very
unlike the new Court House swindlei and II 1t
does not, what is the difference, If any, be-
tween the Board Of Education and the Board Of
COuncimenf
| Here, then, we have not only a fragrant
abuse of power, but plain and palpable vio-
lation of the intent and meaning of the law
1t will not do for the Board of Education to
take the ground that the law-makdng power
intended only to hold them to strict accounta-
bility for all sums over $500, expended for the
erection of new school buildings, or the fitting
up of hired ones, and give them unrestrained
liberty with the public money in rebuilding or
fitting up old ones. This view would be too
absurd to be sanely entertained. The simple
enforcement of the law might remedy many of
the troubles of which we complain; for it is the
constant setting at taught 0t lew, as vel y