The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-20

SUPERINTENDENT RIDDLES REPoRT-coNTnUA-
TON OF THE DISCUSSION ON THE TEACHING
or GERMAN IN THE SCHOOLS.
The Board OF Education held a stated meeting
yesterday afternoon, at the hall. corner OF Elm
and Grand streets, President William II. Nelson
in tue chair. Tae following paper was read:--
err suPkRSrEsDESr's OFFICE,
INV York, May 10 1873
GESTlrmrs compance with the requirements OF
law have The honor report that during the month Of
schools suatea IN the sixth, seventh Ninth, Twelfth.
n these schools 40 classes were examined in all the
ana M WAS tonna 10 have bsen eieent and
III all except eighteen Ia which. TO greater
order and dscipnne in all Of II Glasses except
manasenent Il, ali the Schools examined was also com
mendable. In twenty eight o. these IT was excellent
ths 3Oth the whole number OF pupiS enrolled in the
Inc Model >cnoo,; that the average attendance dur
the month 81 526 showing increase the
corresponding month last year Of z6,l pupils enrolled
and Ss3 ~ the average aendanee 70 WI ca t me AZ
The whole number OF DAYS absence of teachers during
the month 1856 which Is ia less than those during
append hereto list Of all teachers whose classes
the rae q abse ntees was in excess OF 20 per cent
HENRY RIDDLE, City Superintendent
The Superin tendent oil Truancy reported
that from May 10 May Is the agents had made
Sol Investigations; 327 children were prevented
from attending school on account OF sickness,
poverty and other causes; PA truants aud nom
attendants were lound, and OF these 1877 were sent
to school, eight committed 10 the custody OF the
Commissioners OF Charities and Correction and
twenty-nine were Withdrawn from school.
An invitation from the Grand Army OF the Re-
public TO the Commissioners to participate in the
parade on Decoration Day, May 81, was accepted.
SIN further protest from the Metnodists,
signed by members OF the committee appointed
70 draw representations on the subject, was read
strongly condemnatory Of the attempt on the part
OF the pdrochial schools to become amalgamated
with tne public schools under certain conditions.
the communication was referred 10 ne JOINT COM
mittee on the amalgamatlOn question.
rne special order oil the meeting the consid-
Grafton Of the teaching OF German In the puollc
schoos-was next taken up, me Board gong into
committee OF the Whole Tor discussion, Commits
sloner Dowd taxing tue cnalr
com missioner Fuller addressed the COMMITTEES,
ana SAID that no apprehenslons need be enter
tanned as 10 tne merging oil the parocnial schools
Win tn , wpS,cn the Boari was caed IN now 10
considcr-namey, this attempt 10 introduce Ger
man as special branch o. study III the common
scnDoIs. Toe CITY superintendent had been won
over TO the side OF the Germans, although that
important ot1cer once thought differently from
wnat he seemed 10 think now. The schools were
for the purpose OF Imparting a sounu English
education, ano IL was well known that puplls
VINO nad been instructed IN foreign languages In
the SCHOOLS were lound TO be def lent in English
branches. IL was not true that the great DUdy or
tue Germans Of this city wanted 70 nave the Ger
man language taught In the schools. Tais ne
knew beyond ali DOUBT, Tor ne had been at pains
10 dnd out tuetr opinion. German children needed
especially TO be taught English. III was not true
that 10000 German children would march out OF
the public schools II the German language we're
nor taught them, nor would 1000 cnlidren leave
the schools Tor su n reason. Ana wncre would
they 20? TO the par0cnidl schools Just at the
very Time some few German gentlemen were
tnreatening the Board with tue parocaiai schools
the pATocnlal schools we're making ready 10 Pc
tiiion TINS Board 10 be ADMITTED into mem
bersnlp with IL. TINS attempt OF these rev
ness es $50 Il was gotten. no FOR the pursose
ing houses and 10 put into once some German
citizens. the English language was TO-DAY tue
commercial language oftne word, aud though We
were tod that we mad no national language. ne
would say the greater tue reas N why we should
get a national Language ana cement our people Dy
such Donu. Gne commissioner tnen presented
several arguments was tue puolc schools should
not be tempered with BY the Introduction Of any
foreign LANGUAGE. our schools were American
SCHOOLS handed down to Us by ne brightest minds
or the country, ana the commissioners should
stand togetner shoulder to shoulder IN SUSTAINING
Commissioner Wood spoke next and went into
q historical dlsquistion OF tne question. he went
erlan0s aud wnen the Dutch preferred 20 nave Eng
lsh spoken IN tneir churches rather loan Dutch.
lie glanced briefly a. 1873 and Isles, Wnen IN the
latter years the irish people were decimated oy
famine and came 10 TINS country aud scattered
tnemsetyes all over it. In TIE early days scotch
men were In the ascendant hereaDout, bat when
superior numbers CROW ded them out they TOOK a
back seat without mnrmur Neither tue SCOT Gu
MOI the lrisn-tne latter, however. sometimes per-
sisted Dy wav Of JOke-ever asked 70 nave tner
dialects introduced In this country. And why
should the Germansg de was willing TO ac-
knowledge the nooe sentiment OF love OF
motner iand and mother tongue, but when
men came 10 this country they care mere TO
be Americans. The grandchlidren OIL the pre-ent
generation would not think OF speaking the Ger
man language. That language must naturally die
out, so far as Americans OF German origin were
concerned. For ms own part, he believed that
the study ~ Latin would be much more im-
an NQ n all hprE
herman. Commissioner Wood spoke at CONSIDER
abe length on the question before the committee,
ennyenIng MS remarks ~ alluslOns 20 ms own
DerSonal experiences, but IN all ne SAID DelnR
thoroughly patriotic as an American citizen. lie
was listened 70 with great ATTENTION ~ every
member OF the Board. In conclusion he moved an
amendment 20 the report already before the
Board 70 tue effect tnat either German or french
should he taught only ia me three ngner grades
OF the grammar schools. No acton was taken on
wDicn, IA the Comma sst0aer's opinion, might he
made la connection with these special branches
in The course Of studies.
Commissioner klamroth next addressed the
cOmmft;ee, ont satisfied himself with Drlet de-
Mai or each OF ne points made against him oy
same time, that ne snoun get another opportunity
10 make more extended remarks.
On motion OF commissioner Matnewson, the
Committee or the Whole rose ana the chairman
reported progress. some commissioners lnti-
nj ited that toe whole matter might as well pe
scttieI now, out Commissioner Bcardslee SAID he
desired 10 say few words ia THIS DISCUSSION, and
IL was then determined mat the question De maze
a special order Tor next regular meeting
Amer the TRANSACTION or some routine business
the Board ADJOURNED.
THE COMMISSIONS,