The New York herald., 1875-01-03
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

| THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW NOW IN OPERA
T1oN-ITs ACTION IN RELATION TO THE CITY
DEFERRED FOR FEW WEEKS.
| The Compulsory Education law legally came
unto eject on the 1st OF January. The Commis-
sioners OF Education state however, that its prac-
| tical application must be deferred for several
weeks. The initiatory steps for carrying out the
| law are largely dependent upon the police, who
have not yet completed the census Of the vagrant
children OF the city. The Police Commissioners
say that this will be completed in the course OF
two or three weeks, and then the Board OF CON-
misstOners OF Education can perfect the plans
+ that they have now under consideration and IN
process OF development.
THE DIFFICULTIES.
The Commissioners Of Education sta te that there
are many practical difficulties that must to a
large extent be met as they arise. The most
prominent Of these dfnculties Is the lack of ade-
quate school accommodation for the present pu-
pills OF the schools In both New York and Brook
lyn many OF the schools are overcrowded. The re-
suit is that In addition all the educational disa
bilities that the children are subject to they are
liable to contract, from the fOuness of the atmos-
phere, many OF the diseases incident to childhood
1t is said that "diphtheria and other diseases
tant the air and make pest holes of the crowded
rooms" Under these circumstances 1t Is useless
children to any large number OF the ward schools.
The other difficulty is that even If the present
school accommodations were sufficient 1t IS
deemed undesirable TO introduce vagrant children
to the ward schools OF the city, lnasmuch as they
are attended by children OF parents who are re-
spectacle and whO as rule, take great pains to
preserve unlmpaired the physical and moral con-
dltlOn OF their children. The contact of children
OF various grades and conditions OF social lie Is
already regarded by some parents as great grew
TINS obiectlon by introducing children OF lower
social condition than the schools have yet known.
HOW THE DIFFICULTY WILL BE MET
When the law Is put into operation the truant
agent and the police Will nave orders to take the
children to certain designated schools These
schools fOr the most part Will be the industrial
schools and the great Charity schools OF the city.
schools connected with the Howard Mission, Five
Points House OF Industry Children's Aid society
and other organizations VIII be asked to receive
these children, and arrangements Will be made
q certain compensation All this detail mas yet to
be arranged. but the Commissioners are OF an
opinion that when they have ascertained cor.
have to provide Tor there Will be very little Diff
Guilty in making the necessary arrangements with
the institutions.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.
The law Is very mandatory IN It's character, and
Commissioners say it viii be their endeavor to
obey the law, with Q que regard to the spirit Of
the institutions of the country. They therefore,
propose to use moral suasi0n with the vagrant
children as lar as they can; but, falling in this,
they will use the law with all It's penal clauses TO
accomplish the end sought to be obtained by this
legislation.
NEW YORK NAUTICAL SCHOOL.
The Commissioners OF the Board OF Education
are now prepared to receive applications for
admission to the New York Nautical School,
opened in the harbor on board the snip st. Mary's.
The act OF the Legislature OF New YORK authorizing
this school declares that 'sthe Board of Education
for the city and county OF New York Is authorized
TO maintain nautical school for the education
and training pupils in the science and practice
oil navigatlOn," and ''the Chamber OF Commerce
of New York is authorized to appoint committee
Nautical School incorporate with the Board of
Education In the management OF such scnOol."
To extend the aid and encouragement of the gen.
eral government 10 an undertaking OF sucn great
national importance, Congress- in an act ap-
proved June 2 1874, authorized the use OF certain
OF our national vessels Tor this purpose, rs well
the detailing OF naval officers act as superln.
tendents and instructors IN such Schools Dut with
sentenced TO or received at such schools as u pun
ishment or communication of punishment for
crlme.n Under this act the Navy Depart
ment has kindly extended TO the Commits
sloners tue use OF the United states ship
st. Mary's and has, At the special request OF the
Commissioners, detailed Commander Robert L.
Ply than, United states Navy, to act as super
intendent Of the school. The main object OF the
New York Nautical School is to train up and edu-
cate American boys to be good scamen Tor the
merchant service. In order to give the intelli-
gent and industrious ample opportunity to rise to
the highest positions offered by our mercan-
tile marine, and to famtliarze all docking to the
possible contingency Of war; with the gene al du-
ties OF men oiwar's-men, the discipline and rOu-
tine OF the navy win be observed TAR as appli
cable. Having passed successfully through the
prescribed term, from eighteen months to two
years. according TO the apti ude Of the pupil each
boy will be awarded certincate bearing his rating
lcved Will always insure employment to the pos
seSs0rs