The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-13
NEW YORK SCHOOL REFORM
CHILDREN UNDER SIX NOT TO BE
ADMITTED As PUPILS.


hDuf I'D AZ BIBIL6.
The Department Of Education about to Act
= upon the Information that has been Gath-
cred by the suns Truthful Repo rters.
The large figure and patrarchal head OF
President Wood Of the Department OF Educa-
tion are well known in every school in tho city.
81 have considered tho subject OF overcrowded
primary schools for many years" said he, and
some OF my plans for relieving them have been
before the Board Of Education and before the
public In reports and speeches until my views
the subject pretty well known On
Wednesday next the Committee on bylaws
will present 20 the board for its consideration
rule which IL intended n measure for tho re-
lief Of the overcrowdcd schools. You know
sanitarlans say that IL doesn't matter what tho
size Of n child H. II needs az much light and AR
rs afull-grown person. II Ia proposed there
foro to regulate the number OF chill iren In the
class rooms by the size Of the rooms. Each
child is TO he allowed 20 cubic feet OF air. and
i've square feet ofroom on the floor. The rooms
will all have to be mca3urcd, and I think 1t
would be well to have the number OF children
that may be taught in each room printed and
put up in some conspicuous place in each class
room. THIS regulation will not be enforced at
once. but at the end Of tho term, when the semi
annual promotions are made, tho requisite
number Of pupils In each room will be nscer-
tanned and no more will be admitted. When
the exact number Is reached, the number ad-
miited will lie regulated by the number pro-
II have told YOU how certain schools enjoy
reputation over others AMI are attended hy pu-
pills living two or three miles away. School ~. ~
Thirteenth street, near sixth avenue, Is one Of
these. In many Instances these favored schools
are crowded from basement IL roof while
equa'ls good schools near by have vacant rooms.
This matter has been considered. md Is treated
In the report ~ the Committee ON BYLAWS II
IN proposed that hereafter. when pupils are nd
United TO any soho j; preference shaI be Eiyen
10 the chillten VITO live in the ward In which
the school Ia situated. After all OF these have
been admitted, II ,hcrcis stu room, the children
from other wards ere 20 be received In the order
OF their application. Another remedial move
will be an alteration Of the law IA To the age
a, which 6n,iIieh mhy ,e ad9 ,,eu,, my" tns
enter tho schools at four years OF age, AMI make
the lower clasirs Nero nurseries. IL - estimated
that by riisin- ihc .ct to Fix years the schools
may oc relieved of al least 1000 children. 1 am
astonished tngt senator Il oth has paid no at
tontion TO the letter wrote to him upon the
subject. Another member ~ the legislature,
however, called NY attention to abill which
tina, five was go ID. hut that six would be better
and he n since written that the act has been
altefe TO six years. his bill cannot tie enacted
by the Leg slature out must DO voted upon BY
President wood spoke Of some length upon
Just to give teachers II primary classes nfty
children each and teachers OF the grammar
classes only thirty live children. 1t Il. IN his
opinion, unjust to ray higher salaries TO the
grammar school teachers than @ those IN the
primary CT .sscs. OF tho G0.0o0 pupils that are
laugh In the primary schools. 5000 never adj
vance any further-neyer enter the higher CT de.
strueted IN, the three r." and less atten-
ton should he given to less useful I'm,
10. The number Of children should be
the same In, al departments forty TO a class
and the salaries OF teachers ia each division
should correspond with IN Sc In the otho,s.
~, To ,tgHalz, the clssses, said lreeident
20 pay the teachers Of both grades correspond
ing salari would require ss.JOOo more than we
now expend. THIS should be done, however,
and am prep rea for the howl that viii come
up from the people VIII n they he Of the money
that viii be needed. sh III advocate the meas
ure uoiwl outstanding the howl"
Prof. Hunter, President Of the Normal Col
lege says tn THE Sun has done good work
IN exposing the condition OF the primary
schools. lie was aware Of their overcro~dine,
md had asked himself how they could be
heved President Wood had taken long step
In the right direction by Advocating an ADVANCE
OF two wears ~ the age at which children may
as there are number OF grammar school houses
whose class rooms are not all hiled. fewer new
cspacIous and wel-ventilatcd primary schools
ought to be built in the densely populated wards.
HARLEM COMMITTEES REPORT.
u committee Of the Taxpayers and Citizens
Protective Union Of the Twelfth Ward appoint
ed 70 examine the means OF ventilation In the
public schools have reported the existence OF
overcrowded and badly ventilated schools to an
extent that cores ponds with the facts that have
been made known 10y TIE suN. In the opinion
of the committee not one Of the school houses
has adequate ventilation. When the school
house walls contain hues for ventilation, two
openings-One near the ceiling and one near the
Moon In each rOum-sh Duld DO made. and TevOlv-
Ing turrets, which create current OF air, should
be placed over th3 tops OF The fues. he Gus
tom OF veniilAting class-roOms 10y opening the
windows produces catarrhal and bronchial affec-
lions In the scholars who are exposed to the
draft thus cteacd. Where the walls do not
contain Lues, rotating ventilators let into the
window glass are recommended.
The committee visited school No. 30. in l25,h
street, and learn that sixty-six and sometimes
ssyenty-hye children confined In ground
hoor classroom that measures only l6x2l feet,
has no means Of ventilation, and Is heated by
an old-fashioned wood stove.
The report has been sent to the Board OF Edu-
cation.
APROTEsT AGAINST CLOSING A SCHOOL.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Ii mp
pears that Public School No. 40, situated at
forty-ninth street and Seventh avenue Is to be
closed on the lat uf May and a vacation Of about
Ave months granted to the children until such
tim, rs the new school-hOuse in Fifty-fourth
street, now In process Of erection. Is completed.
We most respectfully solicit your aid In pre-
venting our children from being deprived Of the
opportunity of attending school during five
months Of the most important period Of the
year. when the weather Is fine. and small chill
dren will be able to attend more promptly than
they are In the cold season. in their poor and
scanty garments. PATRICK COLEMAN,
l}5 West Fifty-second street.
&. MURPHY, 1856 West fifty-socond street,
And nifty others.
Affection for his Old Mistress.