The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-16
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Reports of the Committees of the
Board of Education.
CRITICISMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Favorable Review Of the Work
Done in 1875.

The reports Of the different committees having charge
of the several departments under the Board OF Educa
ton will be presented to-day and acted upon by the
Commissioners The HERALD has already given resuHts
Of the reports of the suDerntendents, and it will be
seen that there is complete harmony between tho
Commissioners and their officers The report on course
OF study states that the OF instruction during
the past year has not been essentially modified The
recent OF the Board in dealing with the question
of German the schools sufhces for comment on the
study of German and French in the schools Commits
sioner Goulding. in his report on the truancy and
compulsory education Subjects which causes some
doubts its ultimate success reviews the question
as follows
rRuANoY AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION
Under the law Of May IL, 1874 passed by the Legis
ature of this State, entitled SAN to chill
dren the benefits OF elementary education " the Board
OF Education appointed eleven agents OF ruancy at an
expense $l4 $50 per annum Owing to the fact that
the duties of the present officers very IL is
contemplated TO increase the force to sixteen, beng
two for each school district These sixteen agents,
with the districts fairly divided and the duties of the
agents distinctly defined, will enable the Board moro
thoroughly to carry the provisions Of the law into full
effect. II, IN addition to this the Commissioners o.
Police could be required to specially detail officer
each district to assist the agents the work the Boart
would be rendered still more effective. When the Com
pulsory act first introduced in Prussia met with
decided opposition. and great difficulty
perienced in obtaining from the provinces
and particularly those on the Rhine the exc
cution Of that article OF the law which imposed
parents, under penalties, the obligation OF
sending their children TO school The Ministry had the
wisdom TO suspend this part OF the law in these prov
nces aud to labor to bring about the same results by
persuasion and zeal When desire for instruction had
been thus gradually encouraged and the population OF
those provinces had appeared sufficiently prepared foi
such measure, the law was rendered obligatory. Tha
took place in 1875 and from that moment TO tho
IT has been steadily and vigorously enforced.
similar law is our statute books and under it
1t duty to proper instruction for all chill
dren of the proper school age and to prevent the
poorest among them from growing up in ignorance,
onh tn fha VII Rhi md fnCl
At the present time there exist two great evils In our
system, which the proper enforcement OF this law Will
overcome If not eradcate-vz irreguarity Of attend
ance and absence To accomplish the true in
Of the law relative to those who attend
and part sustaining themselves by manual labor, 1t
will DO necessary establish truant schools similar to
the licensed minors schools OF Boston In the report
OF the Superintendent OF Boston schools for 1874 page
1853, find the following description of the working
of the licensed minors schools
"Tnese schools, which have now been in successful
operation for several years, one in North Mangin
and the other in East Street place. sort of
half-time schools for the benefit Of shoebacks and
newsooys who are part of the day occupied in their
calngS
'The average attendance in both schools last year
was S. each being taught by female teacher
"The cost of carrying them on last year was
$2,2s5 49,
on condition that they attend school
Some attend the grammar schools, where they are
obliged to be present both at morning and evening
sessions, but some choose TO attend tho licensed
minors schools, as they required to attend only
session of two hours daiy,he bootblacks attend
licenses is the penalty for non attendance"
These schools have done mnch good and deserve en-
ing two truant schools for incorrigibe pupils we'll
habitual truants, where they may be detained for
tain period from their parents and the influence Of
former companions, Is under consideration.
THE EVENING HIGH SCHOOL,
This school opened in October, 1885, and has
been complete success. 1t is the pioneer school OF
its kind in the United States The latter portion of the
ninth term of the school commenced on January T. the
attendance that evening being ,057. From this
finish the term, which always consists Of 100
nights the balance Of IS nights Of instruction
having been given during the period embraced
between the first Monday in October and
the Esd Of December both inclusive in the year 1874
The term ended the evening CT April 8, with tho
closing exercises at Steinway Hail. The average at
tendance for the rst week in January e44 and for
the last week of the term 752, and for the whole 65
nights 1872 The average age of the pupils 20 years,
ranging from IA to So years The average register
number for the first week in January 049 for the
last week Of the term $685. and for the whole 65 nights
S6a The tenth term of the school opened on Monday
and register number Of ,737. During the two weeks
preceding the examination for admission was con-
Quoted by the principal and six assistants About
$500 applied for admission, OF which 1877 found
able to pass the required examination Most of the
jected ones found admission TO the other evening
schools.
EVENING SCHOOLS
The evening schools constitute of the most
essential departments of the common school system
a1ordng they do the means of instruction to all
whose or avocations prevent their attendance az
the day schools These schools are opened the first
Monday In october of each year, and continue their
sessions during eighteen weeks with intermission
between Christmas and New Years. During the term
which ended in February last there total average
attendance OF 43 of aggregate enrolment of
% 54s OF whom 10, 700 males 6506 females, and
1873 colored persons principally males The number Of
these pupils who were under twelve years Of age was
comparatively quite small amounting TO only e52, and
the number twenty-one years Of age 2S70,
about eighty per cent OF whom males But very
few of these pupils were totally tcrate at the time OF
admission, the number who were unable to read
being only 1872, and who unable to WRITE,
l. 1876 OF the whole number Of pupils admitted,
2,264 were foreigners chiefly Germans, who
attended the schools to receive instruction in the
English language
The Nautical School was opened for the admission OF
pupils the l1th January on board the ship St
On the I'd OF February the boys board-70 in
number-were examined in arithmetic, English gram
mar and geography. Academic studies and profess
sIona course were then arranged, and the boys daily
exercised in them The ship went on cruise from
July % TO October in Long Island Sound. The aver
age daily attendance for the year o. After
from the 18th of October TO the 18th Of November
About the st Of october next is expected that about
40 pupils will be graduated The Chamber OF Com
taken steps TO the assistance OF ship
and masters In obtaining for these boys good
positions on board of good ships
SITES AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS
During the year ending with the date OF this report
several applications from boards OF trustees for the
purchase Of sites have been considered by this Board
None however resulted adding 70 the Of sites
One lot has been purchased 10 be added to three
purchased in 1874 East Seventy 9TH street. making
the entire plot 100 feet 'front.' On the 18th OF Decem
Der, 1875 the Commissioners OF the Sinking Fund OF
this city apart for common school purposes four
lots being unitedy 100 feet square, on the southeast
corner Of Lexington avenue and Sxtyetghth street.
The the control OF this Board not contain
ing buildings, follows:-0ne purchased In 1854,
on Sxtvfrst street about 100 feet OF the Boue-
ward being 100 feet square on East Seventy NTH
street. and the OF Lexington avenue and
Sixty eighth street. both above described one pur-
chased in 1874 on 15Tth street, between wash
ington and Courtlandt avenues, being 100 feet
front by about 1876 feet deep. During
the past nine years the Board paid $40S 700
for sites for buildings The new buildings one on
First street between First and Second avenues, and
ono on 12sth street. between Sixth and Seventh
nues were completed and ready for occupation the
1st OF September last The former Is now occupied by
primary school No and the latter by Grammar
school No 6s The new building on West Fifty fourth
street will be ready for occupation by September
Tho building on Ninth street. between and
D. erected in 1865 at cost OF 500 600 and known