New-York tribune., 1873-05-17
THE OHILDREN'S FUTURE.

Viewed in the light OF the increasing con-
alteration whoh given to common school 'educa-
tion as great conserving power In society," proDap no
branch OF the City Government is OF real import
ance than tho Department Of Education, which mas
under its care 40 many who are 10 constitute the czens
of the future and whaeyer therefore. concerns the
gemen Of the public schools and will aid to render
them efficient Of personal Interest 10 every Rool
citizen. In tho upheaya which recently has taken pltoe
In this department, public attention has Deeh urocIed
for few weeks past 20 study OF the schoo system OF
the city, and many who arc Interested In tho cause Of
nonular education are now looking anxlOusy for the
nstItution OF numerous muchneeded reforms and I'm
proyenents by the new Commissioners. In order TO
gather information concerning the defects In The present
pubc school system OF this city which an active e1pe-
rence of years in their management might have
disclosed q reporter OF THE TRIBUNE called upou cx-
Commissioner william Wood, member OF the late Board
Of Puoc Instruction, to obtain such facts and sugGes
tions as from his familiarity with the subject it was
thought he would be able TO give.
PUT THE HOUSES IN ORDER.
Mr. Wood thought that one OF tho most important
thing, TO DO done Immediately by tho department. OF
lueatOn was tho thorough reDltring OF tho school
buildings within and without as many OF them were In
wreched condition. and as the longer they were neg
ected tho greater would be the expense In the end This
IA especially the case with the older bu!dngs which are
not only becoming moro and dllapiiaed bus are
ineonyenient and uncomfortable, an1 frequently also
unhealthy while their rough appearance tends to make
tho children careless and rude indeed he thinks tna In
several cases entirely buildings arc much needed 70
proyide suitable accommodations for the pupils who are
now crowded into small, shabby and badly Ventated
rooms The progress OF the scholars Is retarded UNDER
such circumstances and the formation OF habits OF order
and neatness which arc greatly influenced by
the character of the children's surroundings,
ia obstructed whlio health Is impaired. Sew
eral of the primary schools in the lower
wards suffer the most in this respect ana should nrst re-
ceiye attention In order make what he considered
really necessary repairs aud improvements IN the ou
ings tho department no estimated that at least $780,
900 should be expended before the beginning OF WINTER
For this purpose however the Board Of Ehcation can
make available barely 500 90 OF the appropriation to the
department for the current year3 100 OOOwhchs over
s4OO less than tho asked for by the old Board
aud about less than that for 1872 consequently
much Of the work pugh to be done at once will have
to be neglected for some tme which be thought very
unfortunate for the schools,
In regard to the OF study pursued In the differ
en schools and departments SIR. Wood believed that
several beneficial changes could be made The currcu-
lum n the grammar schools for instance, was too com
prehensiye the scholars burdened with too many
studies at a time and unable to master any OF
them. Thus In most Of the grades as many as seven OF
eight branches were taught which divided tho scholars
time for study aud recitation that sufficient attention
could not be given to anything. -Four studies, he
THOUGHT were enough for any child to study properly,
and he believed reduction to this number would i'm
prove the schools and enable them to accomplish moro
fully the purpose OF their instruction, to afford good
common education TO the masses To accomplish thus
change, he would strike from the course OF study
as now arranged, number OF branches IN the
higher grades, which, he claimed, not only oc-
cuped time that should be devoted to more
thorough instruction In other things but were also, as
now taught practically useless to most scholars Thus,
as illustrations he stated that the three upper grades
comprising children from twelve to fourteen years OF
age on the average natural philosophy, astronomy, and
chemistry were prescribed by the manual Of the Board
which could not taught fully In the time allowed ana
with the means hand and could not be fully under
stood by scholars OF that age, with the pest In
strucon-the same studies not being pursued In most
colleges till tn junior year. while, even they could be
well taught ana thoroughly comprehended, they we're
practically useless to large majority Of tho omldren
and did not really within the functions OF the pub
lie schools. These superdols studies, while Denehtlns
very few scholars and hnpsirng the thorough training
OF ALL affected especially those children who from their
poverty and the necessity OF earning something could
remain only few years school, with time to study
only tae simplest brancboa in which they did not re-
ceye as full instruction they needed account Of
the crowd Of things forced them by the present ar
SCHOLARS oyERwORRBD.
II.
side of school should be required Of the scholars the
strain with the time occupied in recitation and
study altogether too great for health and true mental
growth. He stated that an English Royal Commission,
which examined the subject thoroughly reported that
in view Of every consideration it deemed maximum Of
three hours of study each day fully enough for children
In most Of the schools the usual time occupied is about
five hours besides less study at home. While he
would thus lower 1t the grade OF the grammar
schools would elevate that OF the primary depart
men and make tho Of study In them so thorough
that children who leave them without entering the gram
departments at ALL many are obliged to do may 20
away able TO road toeraby well and TO write their
Names at least, which is more than they can do now.
Mr. Wood would also .place the teachers In the gram
mar and primary departments upon an equality In
regard to salaries, believing that tho work IN the
latter is fully arduous and quite as important as in
the former since the training OF ignorant undscipned
children Is more difficult than their management after
they been brought under restraint and taught TO
think and 10 study, while upon the character of the
foundation laid In the early education of children
depends much OF their future As another arg
ment he stated that about twohrds Of the scholars in
the public schools to be found in the primary de-
partments ia round numbers 6OO)O out OF 80 O and
that the allowance from the State school fund was the
same per child In each department. whereby primary
department really entitled to twice the amount
allowed to the other This not the case however,
FOR the salaries OF teachers lh the PRIMARY scnoos "ero
smaller and the numbers less in proportion to the at
tendance OF scholars than In tho grammar schools This
fact considered preudciI to the interests Of the
younger sohoiars only teacher allowed 10 so
children In the primary department., while in the
grammar department there teacher for every IS,
who, being trained ani able to thnk for themselves,
could better dispense with the personal caro- and aen
ton OF the teachers than the ltto who had to be
taught ,mo5t everything yet they actually were given
more instructions and their teachers werc better pah
claimed that The lower classes should at least DO no
larger II not indeed 3ler, thIn tue higher ones
The relations OF tine grammar aud primary depart