The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-06
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL MEDAL CUES
TION.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Your compliant Book" OF the "a inst contains a
page from 81. A. NJ" lin answer to my note OF the
Both ult apropos OF what termed "Gambling In Our
Public Schools &C. A. N. apologies Tor forestalling
the Board Of Education In reply to $50 grave and
important matter,'' and assures your readers that
amer s.mature deliberaton" he she (see the diff
Guilty OF handling pronouns when anonymous corre-
spondents are referred toy has arrived at the concu
sion that the lottery system employed by the teachers
OF our public schools the disposal of medals pupils
is rot At all Synonymous with terms indicative OF
games chance, but is 1.-The most equitable and i'm
partial that could BIO pursued by the teacher
under the circumstances. "
Your correspondent objects 70 my phraseology,
which he or she (note again the dIiemma) terms
"rathcr strong language" and qualities the same us
knowledge having been viiuperatve IN the sense OF
'he uttering or writing OF censure but lai 70 dis
cover wherein have been "malicioua" have
simply. through the medium OF your excellent 'Com-
plant Book, called the attention OF the public and of
the Board OF Education TO lottery system practsed
medals by means Of game OF chance. In the words
OF Voltaire, ''J'dppete un chat nn chat. Your
respondent makes himself or herself tohl ye anony-
nous wrters the apoogst oil the lottery scheme as
practlsed In our schools, and oppose It.
We have here two conflicting opinions this grave
anu important matter''-en attendant, tho opinion Of
the Board OF Education, which eventually, lot US
nope, may 6nd vehicle Of expression. beg leave TO
call In an umpire, Mr. Noah Webster, recoenzcd
authority Who in the first edition or his Dictionary,
thought fit to append to his definition Of the word
s.otteryn expression OF opinion Of the Deini-
ton and opinion read ne foll0ws:-
..Iottery-A scheme for the distribution Of prizes
by chance or the distribution Itself.
lotteries arc often authorized by law but many
men deem them immoral In prnciplc, aud almost all
men In the opinion that their effects per.
ncious.''
In answer to the suggestion of your correspondent
that should INFORM tho public what rule should
guide the teacher In her distribution OF medals have
but propose that which has no doubt already sug.
gested itself TO all rational persons who have given the
question thought. Let the Board OF Education pro-
vide sufficient number OF medals for all deserving
pupils leach medal costs but lew centsl, or II they
cannot afford this outlay let them abolish tho medal
system altogether AT all events lot them abolish the
lottery system, &c. A. d." TO the contrary notwiih-
standing JOS POZNANSkL
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE GAMBLING QUESTION.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In reading your valuable paper OF last Sunday
notice your generosity IN giving considerable space
an article OF very little consequence, entitled Scam
bling Taught In our Public Schools" | read again an
answer to aforesaid article, and encouraged BY the
attention gwen to SO unimportant and exaggerated
letter as Mr.. Poznanskrs. beg leave TO crticise
most shameful aud more i'm ortant way OF gambling
when is practiscd board large and especially
French steamers during their voyages. sympathize
strongly with the feelings OF the victims Of such gam
bling, the wives and children whose misfortune II
would be Unfair here TO describe, as II would take
more than the space you so kindly allow TO your
"Complant Book" Gambling should be stopped on
the steamships. FOREIGN LADY.