The New York herald., 1875-12-02
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
STATED SESSION YTsgERpAY-THE NEW PLAN
or TEACHING MUSIC IN THE PUclIc SCHOOLS

STATED SESSION YEsgERDAY-THE NEW PLAN
or TEACHING MUSIC IN THE PUSIIc SCHOOLS
PRACTICALLY KILLED.
stated session Of the Board Of Education was held
last evening al the hall corner Of Grand and Elm
streets, President William II. Nelson In the chair.
The members OF the Board, trustees Of tho Collage
OF the City OF New York. passed lhe following resolu
ton, which was offered by Trustee Man.
Resolved, That the Comptroller DO requested to
place Win me CITY Chamberlain the OF $500,
being tho balance OF the raised support OF
the College OF the City OF New York for tie wear 1875
subject to the draft Of the trustees
The report OF the Faculty OF tho College for the yoar
ending juno, 1875, was presented, accepted and
ordered to be printed The meeting then progressed
the members acting Commissioners OF Common
Schools Commissioner Dowd called upon TO pre-
side Mr.. Nelson being compelled TO leave account
OF illness in his family.
A PRINCIPAL COMPLAINED AGAINST
Superintent Kiddle complained Of John NJ. Forbes
principal OF Grammar School No IS, having violated
certain sections of the bylaws in dismissng pupil John
Apman and refusing to reinstate him, as fully pro-
vided for Statements In the were read and the
matter referred to the appropriate committee.
The monthly report OF Superintendent Kiddle was
submitted and read Schools IN the Second Ninth aud
Sixteenth wards and the colorcd schools had been
amned OF 247 classes 1856 found 10 be excellent
80 good IL fair and Indifferent bad the discipline in
ALL except eleven was found to be good. Grammar
school No is excessively crowded. particularly in the
primary department.
VACCINATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Commissioner Wetmore offered a resolution TO the
effect that all pupils in the public schools should be
vaccnated at once either by the physicians appointed
by the Board OF Health or family doctors. The Com
missioner thought the prevalence of smallpox in the
city required this action Commissioner Patterson
opposed the adoption of the resolution the ground
that radically wrong that this wholesale method
OF vaccination should Phere were many reasons
why this should not be allowed the principal fear be-
ing the chances Of noculatng the children with dis
eases that they may from. The resolu-
tlon however, was adopted.
M Euperfntendent of Trnancv
reported that the total number OF investigated
since last report was GAL or this number 25S were
kept from school by various minor causes and Ill
whose residence could not be found leaving 2S truans
and non attendants OF which number 270 have been
placed in school, committed TO the Of the Com
missioners Of Charities and Correction, committed
TO the care OF the Society for tho Reformation Of
Juvenile Delinquents and withdrawn from school
petition was received from Mr.. William r Rogers
asking that free reading rooms be opened in every ward
in tho city. Referred 70 the appropriate committee
"MUsIo IN THE AIR "
Tho Board then took up the new plan OF teaching
the public schools The lengthy report of Com
mssioners Wood, Kamroth and Jenkins Committee
read by Clerk Herman Mr.. Klamorth argued in
favor OF the further progress OF the matter and the
election Of musical director and assistant directors be
gone into He said that there could be sound argu
ment against the principle. Ee wanted the Board to
back up its own action, and deplored the feeling that it
could be overawed. Commissioner klamroth, in con-
clusion nominated for the position of Musical Director
George \. Bristow.
Comm issioner Halsted opposed Mr. Klamroth He
said that there many errors in the ingenious
port Of the committee and proceeded to point them
out Teachers and principals in the schools were op
posed TO the change, and there seemed 10 him TO be
the following reasons, among many, why the proposed
change should go no further:-
There is no rule or law that makes music study;
It is only optional and as at present employed simply
exercise or pastme
2 The burdensome number OF studies in all the de-
partments forbid the ofthe time class study.
Want of ability Of the majority of the teachers to
impart musical instruction effectively even satsfac
torily.
frha tpire,,ra roneacpept frorr lowering tha ran
average OF class and teachers excellence by being
required to teach branch Of which they have prac
tlcal personal knowledge and no personal interest
Injustice to the present teachers OF music, who, at
sacrifice OF time and money have fitted themselves
for the places
Injustice to the poorer children who obliged 10
leave school at early age, by taking their time from
more important studies.
T. Public schools not designed to give classical or
musical education
s. General impracticabty Of the scheme proposed
from the lack OF knowledge and interest the part OF
II a class study.
o The expense involved to supply books or musical
charts, &c
Each Of these points Commissioner Hasted COM
mented upon at length. making great impression
upon his fellow members Finally he moved to lay the
whole matter ON the table The yeas and nays being
called IL took this by Of IL to & Com.
missioner Klamroh, however. moved that the music
question be the third matter in the regular order Of
business the next session Of the Board. This
also laid upon tho table by the same vote. Commls
soner Mathewson did not think that this question
yet death blow should be given II at once, and that
this might be done, he moved that 1t again be brought
up at the next meeting This proposition was also laid
upon the table
WARD TRUsTEBs.
The following persons we're appointed trustees OF
common schools IN the wards as named:-
First ward John N Merrill NJ D.. Second ward,
William d. Graft Third ward, John Gilmour; Fourth
ward, Michael J. Duffy, Fifth ward, Hugh King
Sixth ward John Mitchell; Seventh ward. George G.
Hallock; Eighth ward Charles H. Housey; Ninth
ward, David NJ. Earle; Tenth ward John Wiamsoni
Eleventh ward, John c. Lumbeck; Twelfth ward, John
l. Tonnele; Thirteenth ward Frederick Germaun
Fourteenth ward, Franklin smith, d.. Fifteenth
ward Charles NJ Earle Sixteenth ward, John Castree
Seventeenth ward, John NJ. Reynolds; Eighteenth
ward Andrew Warner Nineteenth ward Myer Thai
messenger; Twentieth ward, William KIlhan; Twenty
FIRST ward, Joseph 4 Skidmore; Twenty second ward
Joel W. Mason; Twenty third ward, Nathan King
NJ. d. ; Twenty fourth ward, Ferdinand Meyer The
Board then adjourned.
THE SCHOOLSHIP MERCURY.