New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-10
THE CITIZENS, ASSOCIATION AND THE BOARD OF

THE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION AND THE BOARD Oh
EDUCATION.
The Citizens Association recently requested
the Board of Education to appoint Committee to confer
with the Association upon reduction Of the cost OF pup
lie instruction; but President Mclean politely answered
The Associations note and the Board. without consulting
any other body fixed its estimate for 1853 at s29OOOOO
claiming that while the attendance at the schools IL con-
stany increasing the estimates Of expense for 1868 are
not so large as those for 1867 by S39 The Citizens AS
sociaons officers may say that the Board OF Educatons
figures are erroneous the fact beng that upon basis OF
2OsG4 pupils attending the schools In 1885, the Board es
mated the expenses for 1867 at S2221 or whe WIN IN
attendance OF $40 in 1861 the Board asks s2OOOO Tor
1863 The Citizens Association calls the BOaru a'enIion
to other facts, thus:
IN addition 10 the amount received from the State the
ike amount the City and 2oth Of per cent on tie
entitled by the law OF 1867 10 sOfor each pupil who shall
have actually attended and been taught the preceding
year i'm the schools entitled 10 participate III the apor
Torment" 1851 and up to 1868, the amount was - Tor
each pupil. In 1863 the amount was raised 10 80 IN 1000
glage OF this provision the different laws j. identical
II would appear 10 this Association that the language OF
the section allowing $40 per capita Is susceptible OF Two
interpretations, and Is difficult to say when 0 te %o
Interpretations Is correct The one is that the SO II 70 PC
for the attendance "A scholar for whole year-tha ls
that the Board 10 be allowed $40 each Tor inc average
yearly attendance The other interpretation Il that te
Board entitled &c $40 each for every pupil who snail
have attended the public schools during the preceding
year. although that attendance may not nave Deen Tor
have counted four five times during the year. ny
changing from school school This latter nterpreta
ton OF the law Is the adopted by the Board OF Educa
ton would however that the other Is the more
since the expense OF the system
depends upon average attendance for the year III
this ambiguity existing In the law is the result OF acct
dent it should be corrected The statement III the es
mate the Board for 1861 that the whole number OF p
pills taught public schools In 1867 was 2OIs49 Is cal
culated give the public an incorrect impression me
number OF children who then attended Oh our pubic
schools did reach Si9 but about 10000 This latter
is the number requiring daily instruction, for which
$4,000 is required for 1905 $4,000 pupils are TO De
educated. Now, IL $40 per capita, in addition to the
other amounts allowed by law - not suicent let the
price be raised els $50 per capita for $4,000 Instead OF
Keeping the price apparently down and making up for te
difference by taking tho number of children TO be taught
as over 100000. instead OF what it actually Is 10000
n we take the average attendance the amount at slO
each would be 100000, instead Of over 2OOOOOO Inc
Association would also call attention TO the large amount
Of 1868 600 asked for for the purpose OF purchasing Sites
erecting buildings &C. for the year 1863 Ihis seems
very large amount especially as In the year 1867
was raised this purpose, aud IN 1860 sJ6o As
IL appears from the esaste that the number Oh children
that attend viii be about the same as attended
I'm 1851 the Association cannot see how sOOO can DC
necessary for purchasing new sites, &C. Tor 1865 when
the number Of pupils to be taught Il the same Ine
Association would also call your attention 10 the large a
int t.g afofE