The New York herald., 1876-01-31

In 1874 the whole number OF pupils suspe nded vVas
eighty-eght, OF whom twenty six readmItted It
Will thus be that the number OF suspended pupiIs
Is increasing and that this year there seventy nine
pupils who have been expelled from the schools and
not again heard rom The changes made in the course
OF instruction last year in the direction OF smplin
cation or reduction OF studies, have been followed by
good results. In some OF the grades OF the grammar
school course, It seems TO me advisable from the
perience OF this year make still further reduction
of the prescribed branches for simultaneous study.
very desirable TO retain in the whatever
TO train and develop the intelligence OF the pupils az
well as to sec that the children have the time oppor-
tunty and instruction needed for their thorough pro-
nciency in reading, writing and arithmetic believe
that at present they have that opportunity and that
with but few exceptions, the pupils OF our schools
have made good progress in these rudimenary depart
ments Of education while other branches of instruction
have not been neglected
oRowDHG OF THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENTS
Besides the defects In methods referred TO there are
others of different character, which operate as .
serious obstacle to the legitimate work OF the primary
schools and particularly of the primary departments
of the grammar schools In the first place they are
much too crowded In some instances the manner In
which young children packed--lterally packed
together in these schoolsis really appalling since It
is in direct violation of every well known sanitary law
1t has been with the utmost difficulty that have been
able to enforce the rule OF the Board which fixes the
maximum number OF pupils in class at se7enty.fve
Sometimes indeed after the most peremptory notice
and remonstrance TO principals and local officers gross
violations OF the rule have occurred In some cases
the bylaw limiting tho employment OF general assis-
tans assistants without casses) has diminished this
evil since in order TO the teachers new classes
formed. Tho natural desire of trustees and
principals TOT larger SCHOOLS, the inquiry or
for the admission o their children popular schools
and the competition among schools tor the larg-
est numbers, have all concurred intensity this evil
by congregating larger Of pupils into certain
schools at the expense OF others in the vicinity often
having largo proportion of their vacant Indc-
pendently OF this however, the accommodations for
the primary school children are inadequate Tho
buildings are constructed q wrong principle too
much space being sacrificed for the morning asscm-
bage, and the class rooms too small and are fur
nished with more seats than the space properly admits
Besides this the rooms are generally furnished with
seats only; while, except in the lowest grades per-
maps every child should have desk and seat With
out efecting reform in these particulars II would bo
vain to diminish the number Of pupils to teacher by
general rule, since there would not be q sufficient
number of rooms TO admit OF the employment of the
teachers that would be allowed The only remedy in
my Judgment is entire change in the mode of
structing the buildings, TO afford more spacious
class rooms and to admit OF furniture better adapted
to the purposes OF the primary school than
that now in use.
GERMAN AND WRENCH.
During the year 431 classes have been examined In
German-202 in the male and 239 the female gram
schools or these the instruction 254 was re-
ported excellent 134 good 40 fair and indifer-
ent The character of the instruction in the female
schools reported very superior to that In the male
schools. The character OF the instruction and grade
of progress according to the German course OF in
srucon, will be by an inspection Of the follow
ing tablet
GERMAN SCHOOLS