The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-06
GERMAN IN THE SCHOOLS.

IMPORTANT. MEETING OF THE BOARD or
EDUCATION
The Board OF Education held stated meeting
yesterday afternoon at the hall corner OF Elm and
Grand streets. President Nelson IN the chair.
The front OF the Presidents desk was draped in
mourning, IN consequence OF the death OF
Commissioner Farr. communication was read
from His Honor the Mayor, appointing Mr.. William
Wood TO I'LL the vacancy caused by the death Of
the Commissioner, and the President then ap
pointed Commissioner Wood on the Committees
OF Supplies, Course or study, Normal School, Nom
nation OF Trustees, Salaries and Economy and
the Joint Committee on Parochial Schools, on each
OF which the late Commissioner had served.
Accommodation read and referred request
ing the establishment Of a new colored school in
the lower part OF the east side OF the city, the ola
colored school at No. 95 Alien street ueing now IN
process OF demolition. communication was
read and also referred from Mr.. Dufry, Principal
or the Grammar School In Greenwich street, CON-
plainlng that new building is about TO be erected
Immediately adjoining the school building which
will completely shut out the light from the school.
Tire school house is leased from trinity church, as
so the adjoining property.
ne superintendent Of Truancy reported that
fl ON April 81 to May investigation had been
made in 500 cases, the child being sent TO school IN
l23 cases. in two committed BY the police magis-
trates, in thirty-three, Withdrawn from scAool
for various causes, and IN a nber OF cases
the children were sent to reformatores the super
intendent recon mendng such course.
munication was read rom the mother Of two chill
dren that had been sent 10 Randa IS Island under
the Iruanc y law, and 1t was eierred to the Com
mittee m Bylaws, with view to having the by
laws so amended that cases ike the present one
may in the future be dealt with by the ordinary
recourse to the police courts.
Another protest against the amalgamation OF
the public and the parochial schools was read
which had appended a long list OF names
The document has been already circulated
and was referred by the President to the Joint
committee the subject OF the amalgamatIon.
The special order OF The day was the considera
ton OF the teaching oil German In the pubic
schools. on motion Of Commissioner Herring the
Board resolved itself into a committee OF the
whole, ana the President, having appointed Com
missioner Dowd as chairman Of the committee,
lett the char.
Commissioner Baker then read lengthy docu-
ment IN opposition 10 the Introduction OF German
IN the schools. The greater part OF the paper,
however, was personal reply TO a pamphlet pur-
porting to be a report OF the proceedings OF the
Board or Education during debate IN the intro
duction OF German III the schools. which report,
II was supposed Commissioner Klamrotn mad
inspired. the report CT Commissioner Klam-
roths part IN the debate put tnat gentleman
up 10 The highest advantage, and represented nlm
as speaking IN very Uisparaglng terms OF Com
missloners Bsker and West, ana to all these per-
sonalitIes Commissioner Baker had something to
say. After ne ha1 got through with these points
he argued that the teaching OF German IN tne
schools was altogether 100 much for the pupils
Already there We're TOO many subjects taught
even with the reduction in their number made
some time ago. Ii was better 10 have q good
sound tratDing In English branches than co have
time wasted IN getting smattering ~ German
and French. The schools were intended for prt-
mary purposes, and 10 give good English edGca-
ton 10 pupils, by tue aid OF when they might
make living
Commissioner Klamroth replied TO Commissioner
Baker Dy reading nom some letters he had pro-
cured from principals Of schools, 20 the effect that
the teaching OF the German IN the schools helped
to make the learning OF English studies more easy
to me pupils Commissioner Klamrotn meantime
had been striking back at Commissioner Baker,
though not as forclblJ as he mad done in the %.
noxious pamphlet. In reply 10 4 question from
Commissioner Fuller, asking n Commissioners
Klamroth hao not known all about the publication
OF the pamphlet glorlfying himself, toe latter de-
cned giving an explicit denial.
Commissioner West and Commissioner K,amroth
then mad a brief Tit As to the allegations made in
the pamphlet about Commissioner Wesf ana the
nght ended BY Commissioner klamrOth declaring
that he tklamroth) would dare almost anything
that was not against reason or conscience
commissioner Man mere rose and said that the
BOARD had had TOO mucn OF these personal
renc0ntres, and 1t was time 10 speak about the e.
port OF the committee. lie had nimseif come 10
some conclusions about H. and was ready TO say
that he was IN favor OF the German language be.
lng taught IN the schools, as tho Board uan before
PROVIDED Tor Its beng taught In the report some
Amendments to the bylaws we're proposed winch,
he believed, b ADOPTED, would DC benefit 10 the
present system and some II adopted would, in bis
opinion, be detrment. He was IN favor OF intro.
ducing the following amendment 20 section ~
as recommended by the committee -
Whenever the parents guardians Of at least thirty
Ia reduction q French Or German nc trustees the
gcnarimeat. Lut no ehid IA, LIZ eompaed ~ ~ sag
German French contrary TO the wishes Of its parents
and whenever tae average attendance Of pupils engaged
ha .s a bsio nsan ~ or ths ne any ,h
such study snail thereafter be discontinued in de-
partment
he was in favor or adopting that amendment,
because many persons nae an erroneous idea that
the stud. OF German and French Ia the public
SCHOOLS was or would be compulsory. the only
doubt he had m his mind about the section was as
TO the propriety Of chasing the French and Ger
man in the same category. La his opinion the
CLAIMS OF both, In a theoTetc sense, were the same;
but then there was no demand made upon the
Board for the teaching or French IN the schools,
while there was decided demand made upon the
Board for the teaching of German. lie believed in
bring into the schools tne German children, many
OF whom were being taught either In private or in
sectarlan schools The Germans were very tena-
OF their love FOR their native country and It's
institutions, ana naturally wished TO nave their
children taught the mother tongue, and ne was IN
favor OF allowing tnem TO DO so, subject, OF course,
TO restrictions which would not allow anything TO
interfere with their neglect OF tner Instruction in
English lie thought the amendment proposed to
section seyentT-eig1t was also good, TO Wilt
Whenever the study OF French or German shall have
been ntrodneed as shove z snail be pursued according
been hereafter 70 prescribed BY the Board and
shan be required show the proficiency assigned
each grade before being promoted 70 higher grade
the language.
Nor was there any objection TO the following
whch was the proposed amendment to section
79:-
The City superintendent under the direction Of the
Committee Teachers sbal he authorized to license
teachers specially give instruction in French
The number OF recitattons In French German
in each class pursuing the study Of either Of the~e Ian
gua.es shall be OF twenty-five minutes each per
week and no pupi shall be permitted to pursue the
study q more than one q these languages at the same
time.
The Commissioner. however, objected to any 1
change in sections 80 aud ~. The nam polnt Ia 4
both these sections as they stand was TO INDUCE i
teachers OF schools to prepare themselves to De
competent TO teach German as an ordinary Il
ii .nch and already they mad several teacnera Il