The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-16


Board Of Audit properly claims arising ont Oft
proceedings OF 1871, which have not yet been iully
settled. The total amount OF expense for the year
III w " probably DC e ann apoye
by bonds for the building and furnishing OF the
Normal College and Model Primary School.
mate for general purposes at $3Ol7,265. The Board
OF Audit and Apportionment have appropriated TO
them $2ses, 100 For the College Of the CITY Of New
is $l25,OoO. The increase in the sum asked is &C
counted for by the increase in the teachers
ofthe number or schools. Some classes OF teach
ers were certainly undergrad before, and the in
crease seems not unreasonable.
The average attendance in all the schools enti-
tied to receive aid from the city was In 1871, l03 23
falling Off from the average attendance OF 1870 OF
deceptive statstic), was 234, 6Se-a falling or OF
over live thousand from the previous year..
an Of n e ne o
fell from o6,6s3 to 95,622, and the total number
taught from 2ao,44l to 2i2ss7. Excluding from
these the normal schools and evening schools, the
average number registered is l01 1888, and the aver
age attendance S4.603. For the accommodation OF
these there is classroom for 10s,475 children-not
large excess, when 1t Is considered how widely the
attendance at times varies from the register. and
how largely the classes differ In numbers. With
city Is nOminaly only second to that OF Boston. In
which one-eighth OF the population Is reported as
attending pubic schools ana possibly ahs arises
1t may be added that In Massachusetts there are
laws making some schooling compulsory on AL
children employed at work. An attempt made to
enact something similar in the laws Of our own
State failed last winter.
The school year differs from the financial year,
and during the past school year, which is not yet
quite completed, 1t would appear that the average
attendance has considerably increased.
The new school buildings in process or actually
completed will do something to relieve the pres
sure on the present schools. These new buildings,
are regarded as permanent additions to the wealth
of the city, and are paid for out OF special fund.-
When completed and most OF those now IN process
school year, they VIII relieve the city In some cases
OF the payment OF rent for contracted and isuited
buildings.
Complaints haye reached the Mayor that In many
of the schools repairs have been greatly neglected,
SO that the schools are not only unsighty but I'M
healthy and that in other schools the provisions for
heating have been utterly inadequate to such an
extent as to drive away scholars. 1t Is the duty OF
the Board OF Public Instruction to inquire into this,
and II these complaints are well founded TO correct
Them Parslmcny Is not economy; and, though
economy is duty in every pubic oheer, IT 10 not
economy to deprive children OF instruction under
penalty OF fit OF sickness and its attendant
DOCTORS bills; nor in a lower sense to suffer
teachers to earn wages without service and
buildings be ruined for lack of necessary repairs.
The total number of teachers reported In Decem.
Der, 1870 was 2,7S7 in December, 1871, 1885,. OF
ing Off-perhaps because the High School was eX-
Guided from the report. 1t has been stated that
the number of teachers has been increased in the
present year.
The Mayor may add here that during the past few
years, and especially during the past year, there
has been quite change of policy in the action OF
the Board of Public Inst uctOn. Originally de-
Tended on the simple ground or giving to each III
dlvduai OF our community sufficient education to
enable him to follow or not as he pleases, further
training at his own eXpense-ln other words TO give
him merely elementary educaton-there is q
strong feeling evident to give every one ut the
public expense such education as she or he is capa-
BILE Of This Is shown in the establishment of the
Normal School, the Evening High school and the
made In the course OF studies during the present
year. AS Chief Executive officer, without being
called on for individual Judgment the Mayor simply
invites attention to the discussion, so that every
constituent may for himself express mis- wish upon
mourning expense for u benefit which he may de-
A movement has been made beginning as 1t
should among the citizens but continued by the
Depa!tmcnt OF Public Instruction. for the estab-
lshment of pension system for teachers of long
standing, who are untitled by intrmites for active
work. The city and the department have no power
over the matter The State must act upon 1t; but
the Mayor commends it to the Common council and
through it the Legislature. Two of our departments
are practically provided with retiring system EN-
longs properly to the good sense OF our people,
Fire Department..
The many subjects requiring consideration in his
last Message compelled the Mayor to notice more
its great importance to the city would Justify. He
cOntented himself with saying that "no suggestion
of complaint had been made throughout the year
against it.n The commissioners charged by the
Mayor under the authority of the charter with its
control, after another years administration, now
merit fuller notice OF the results they have ac-
complished as shown by their report.
No change OF system In any department. OF the
city government has been SO complete as tnat Tor
teer Department cherished In its associations with
the boyhood Of every old New Yorker had 0utllved
its period OF usefulness. Steam had gradually re-
placed the hand-brakes on which for generations
Its members had CALAMITY exerted their muscle
:. of a nar Of oF e
came substituted by progress for the enthusastic
crowds who filled the ropes with their willing
hands, and the air with their shouts. AS an attend
ant consequence large numbers OF members were
no longer requisite in q compact paid department
In a cOmmun ty where so many were educated fire.
men under the old volunteer system, and were
proud of the achievements to which they mad
belonged, the transfer OF the duty to companies
organized under the new system was watched with
ajeaous and preudccd eye, with little confidence at
the outset in the result. 1t required to become
a complete success to inspire the confidence OF
community where the education of fireman Is as
general that of soldier in some OF the countries
Of the Old World; and when 1t could be said at the
end of its sixth year that ''no complaint has been
maden it may be considered as having received the
highest praise that could be given, especially In
period OF general criticism of all civil affairs.
At the time OF the change OF system I'm Jnne,
1860, the Volunteer Department consisted or 10
engineers, 1859 members of engine companies, l0I5
members OF hose companies, ana sos members OF
hook and ladder cOmpanies-a total OF 1881 fire.
men, divided into SO engine companies, 81 hose
companies and Il hook and ladder companiesma
ssts Of one chief, assistant chief and eleven ell
gineers, $3.50 members OF engine companies 147 of
hook and ladder companies, and GO hose and ladder
men attached to suburban companies-a total Of
COB, divided into 81 engine companies and Is truck
or hook and ladder companies. To these are to be
added in each case the watchmen In bell towers,
telegraph operators and line men, and other en-
ployes of the department.. With so large reduc-
ton of force the duties OF the firemen have
essentially changed, and discipline and constant
attention to duty supplies what is lost in numbers.
II Is Indispensable that everything connected with
the service should be the best obtainabe, and that
apparatus horses and machinery should all be In
constant readiness for action, when time Is often
the main element to safety. To ensure this each
man is selected for appointment after physical ex-
animation by the surgeon Of the department., and
must be thirtyive years OF age, or under to avoid
his becoming at an early day, superanuated on the
hands of the department. lie must also be able TO
read and write to enable him TO perform the duties
OF an officer, to which he becomes eligible. That he
element OF fitness, but not an absolute requisite
No man Is admitted to the rolls OF the department.
however recommended, who is not qualified for the