The New York herald., 1876-03-09
A Surplus of Thirty Thousand
Public School Children.
OPINIONS OF EMINENT SANITARIAEs.
Frightful Exhibit Of Primary
School Life.
Apathy Of the Board Of Education In A.
fOrding Relief.
Official Acknowledgment Of the
Danger Impending.

The Board OF Education is about to adopt measures
which shall place the common schools OF this city in
IN improved sanitary condition While IL must be ad
mitted that, far the studies In the schools
concerned, the School Commissioners have done all
that needed to supply sound education to the
children and that their efforts have attended
marked success, still upon a vital point they
have been aggard deferring from time time action
upon matter which on no account should thoy have
been dlatory about or course the Board Educa-
lion constantly changing in its members, the blame
does not belong to the present Commissioners
than to those who preceded them; but though there
many to be offered for the present
srowding, there be excuse given in mitigation
Of want OF determined nsstance on the part OF the
Board to protect the health OF large a number OF
children us daily fill the public schools.
Among the most prominent reasons in explanation
Of the Of the schools and the
quent of adequate ventilation many Of them
lt is alleged that the Board has been unable keep
pace with the increasing population OF the city, and
that the appropriation each year not being
sufficient to do more than merely keep the
schools in state Of proficiency in studies provi-
sion could be made for the constantly increasing num-
bers The estimates Of expenses for each recently,
prepared by the Board with Wow economy has
been cut down by the Board Of Apportionment Moth
Ing more 1t is claimed could have been done by the
sducaton department in its expenditure of money than
has done, fact which Will scarcely be questioned,
considering the high integrity OF the Commissioners,
he voluntary labor they bestow upon the childrens in
nruction and the undoubed perfection to which the
system has been advanced. Then again, the perplex
Ing fact has always stared the Commissioners In the
lace that If they were to adhere strictly to such
latons the sanitary rules prescribed, they would
necessarily turn out of the schools about
THIRTY THOUSAND CHILDREN
Considering that leading ambition OF the Board has
always been advance the schools to high stand
ard that the advantages of attending them would bs
manifest and that cardinal principle of its working
has been, not educate particular class Of children
but all classes the Commissioners chose over
crowd the schools at the risk Of the chdrens health
rather than that pupils should be left without
ton at all that they should go to other schools TO
obtain it. But, beside this there the law of the
State which mandatory and this clearly prescribed
that every child the ages OF sixteen
entitled receive instruction in the public schools
1t is said that of persuasion the part OF
the principals Of schools Of teachers induce
parents to that 1t better send their children
some public school other than the crowded in the
nearest negbborhood. The parents invariably re-
fuse TO upon this advice, insisting upon their rights
citizens and taxpayers, and hence overcrowding be-
comes an inevitable necessity. These difficulties have
been increasing with the increasing population, and
the Commissioners of Education that they have
been powerless meet ihe fully Last year tho
Commissioners asked for appropriation OF 1856 00e
and cut down to So, 766 5OO the previous year
they asked for ss,esS, 600 and were cut down to
$365S, 900, inclusive Of a special appropriation OF
$4,000 for the erection OF a school house
place that had been burned down. II this
of money is needed for the ordinary working of the
educational department 1t follows that the remedy for
the existing evils requires appropriation especially
to be applied to the securing OF additional school ac
commodatons-
SUPERINTENDENT KrpDLE's VIEWS
In conversation winch the writer had yesterday
that gentleman stated that he believed $3.50 600 would
go long way toward the ameloraon of the wretched
sanitary condition OF many OF the schools. He
further said that he entirely agreed with The recon-
mendaton OF President Wood in his inaugural remarks
In January last that the age OF admission the schools
in this city ought not to be under six years. whereas It
Is at the present time legally fixed at four In the
In Massachusetts and New Jersey IL is also ye and
in Pennsyvania and Ohio and Of the other States
II is six II tho proposed change OF from four to six
were made IN this cty II would relieve the schools or
about 10 900 children, who learn very little and whose
displacement would make room for others OF such
age as to be able 20 attend school with profit 10 them
selves Parents IN this city not unfrequently send
children Of tender years to school with brothers and
sisters merely because they don't know what esc TO do
Tue PARENTS CHIEFLY TO BLAME.
In reply to question 10 whether tue principals In
Bomo instances allowed the schools to be ovcrcrowdod
as the larger attendance tends TO increase their
salaries Mr. Kddle SAID that he thought such was not
the case; that invariably 1t the parents fault
A change, however, would be desirable for, II the
capacity OF the school was determined and admissions
restricted accordingly then IL would emulation
principals 10 secure promotion to schools having
lhe largest attendance The present arrangement was
that male principals paid 81 $50 year Ia schools
having attendance OF $50 or less 81, 500 in those
having attendance OF from $50 to 800; 81 $50 wncn
the attendance from 800 TO 500 and So when up
ward oil 500 Female principals were paid from 200 10
ST. 700 accordance with the SCALE and primary
principals from ST. 900 TO 81 800 ltwas therefore plain,
said the superintendent that II schools were limited
according 10 their capacity It would be an advantage
DANGEROUS SCHOOLS
There are the school buildings at the present
time much overcrowded that the health OF the
children is in constant and serious danger 10 name
few will suffice TO show the average condition Of the
worst of them
Primary Scnool No ~, in Allen street has an attend
Of about COZ children daily, with accommodation
for only 200
Primary school No 90 Chryste street. has between
LOCO and 100 pupils daily, with accommodation Tor
Primary School No !. in West Tenth street. has 900
pupils aud should not have l50 This school Is Tegu
Primary school No ls in East Houston street. has AN
attendance Of 900 and loo children, and has
room Tor only $50 at most
Primary school No. ls in East Fourteenth street,
has LOU pupils daily, with room for only 100
The three departments of the school In fiity-sevenh
street have about 500 pupils, without accommodation
for more than 1000
Grammar school No 80, in West Twenty-eighth
street, has an attendance OF LOCO children, with
accommodation for 500
Primary school No. al, In West Fifty second street.
totally UNIT for school purposes has attendance Of
500 In this noighoorhcod, however, new school
house ~ being erected capable Of accommodating 1000
children
Grammar and Primary School No IL in Forty
seventh street. near Ninth avenue has 900 children,
with accommodations Tor only ], 500
Grammar School No 81 has l. 800 daily attendance,
700 more than there is accommodation Tor.
The above selection OF schools shows how tho chill
ircn are crammed together during many hours
,vcry day.
APPEALS TO THE PUBLIC.
Supcrntcndcnt kiddlc has repeatedly called the
tcntOn OF the Board 10 this danger the schools and
his remarks alc appeals TO the public look into
the matter well tho Board OF interest
here In his report Of lSc4 hc says
Probably the serious eyi connected With ystem