The New York herald., 1869-03-24
Public Education-The Row Between tho
Ins and the Outs.

Public Education-The Row Between tho
Ins and the Outs.
We published yesterday a communication
from San ex-School Commissioner in rela-
ton to the affairs of the Board of Education
and the objects Of the proposed change in its
organization through the bill now before the
Legislature; and the writer took strong ground
therein in favor Of the proposed new law, and,
of course, dealt severely with the present Com
missioners. Now, the fact of the matter is
that the subject has some merits in it; but the
public will be deluded If they look upon the ex-
pose as anything else than a contest between
two factions of Tammany for the control-not
of education, but Of the moneys which are con-
trolled by the Board. The disbursements and
funds of the Board amount now annually to
about three million dollars, and are well
worthy of the attention of political cormorants.
whereas ten years ago they were not So the
present dispute has arisen between the Sins"
and ''outs"-the former wing being marshalled
by Thomas Boese, the Clerk of the Board, and
the latter'by George w. Mclean, of the Street
Commissioners Office. The introduction of
the bill by republican member was effected
so as to take away the sting of an appearance
of strife in the democratic ranks.
The question therefore arises, will tho
people be benefited by the contemplated
reorganization Public education, it would
seem, could be as honestly and prudently
looked after by one set of democratic man
ayers as by another, particularly when both
classes of aspirants emanate from the same
common fraternity. If the present Board is
guilty of extravaganza or fraud, by all means
let us have change; but it could scarcely
be worth while delegating their powers to
another body of men who would be as bad as
their predecessors. can ex-School Commits
sioner" says that as to the provision of the
bill for the filling by appointment of the places
of the present incumbents, it is the design to
select men of the following character
John T. Agnew, Robert B. Roosevelt, Henry
Hilton, Richard L. Larremore, Peter Cooper,
Isaac Fl. Bailey, Thomas Murphy, Augustus
Schell, James L. Lewis, Isaac Sherman,
Timothy Brennan and William H. Nelson.
If such men as these were appointed they
would doubtless be acceptable to the commu-
nifty, and under their administration Of educa-
tional affairs no one would expect to have
occasion for complaints of inefdciency
or excessive expenditures. And If they
do succeed the present Commissioners, let
the law be so framed that the Board
will not again fall into the hands of politicians;
for there are thousands Of men who do not
identify themselves with any clique who are
the superiors of those who do, and who would
be willing to devote at least some of their abil-
ity to SO vital subject as public education.
''It's an i'll wind that blows no good" and at
least one good result may follow from the pre-
sent feud in regard to the Board, as in most
instances "when thieves fall out honest men
get their DUE" The writer of the communica-
ton referred to evidently understands some
thing of the subject, and may be the means Of
enlightening the people on the question of how
their system of public education is conducted
and by whom. The agitation of the question
can do no harm, and the perturbation Of the
puddle may bring good many impurities to
the surface. In any event. let us have so inn
portant branch Of the public welfare as edu-
cation administered to the best interests of the
community, even if the ''rings" do clash and
shatter each other.