The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-20
EDUCiTION INMATES.
The School tommis.ioners Arguing Before the
Beard OF ApportIonsient.

The School Commissioners appeared be-
fore the Board OF Apporiionment. yesterday. TO
urge the retention in the financial budget for
1878 81 the 81 $40 500 which they asked for tho
support OF the schools in that year President
Wood Of the Board Of Education explained the
several items In their estimate. and argued that
the schools conid not be- efficiently conducted
for less sum than they had asked. should
their appropriation be reduced to So. $50. 900, as
the Board Of Apportionmcnt had suggested.
some schools might have 10 be closed. That
would. Of course. be detrimental 10 the cause of
public education. There were not schools
enough now 10 Accommodate the children
II the cty In many Of the wards the
schools could not receive the children when
they were brought there by the Board OF
Edueations truant agents. Economy in the
infringement Of the schools was necessary but
efficiency was more essential. Every dollar Of
the sum asked for salaries was actually re-
quired. Tho average salary paid to teachers
was 1917. The average as,, al which children
lett the schools WAS ID years. lilo had always
been IN hNor of making The primary schools
especially efficient a. two.thirds Of The chill
drrn did not 20 beyond the Primary Depart
meht. me graduate "i those schools was able
To rrad and write. and understand the rudi-
mcnls Of other branches Of study.
Comptroller Kelly asked the Prcsldents opln-
ION ~ 10 IA" utility OF teaching the French ana
ine German languages IN the schools. Mr..
wood replied that those languages were now
taught IN the two upper classes Of the grammar
schools only. and IN the normal college. In the
grammar schools they We're not compulsory
studies. He thought that they might bc abolish
eel from the grammar school course, rs the
study Of them tended Ia I'M Amcricani2o tho
children. The Latin language should be taught.
A. a knowledge of II gave To the student a thor
uugh knowledge of the construction of the Eng
lsh language lie favored the abolition of tho
nautical school as II was useless to teach bows
seHmanship when no ships were built IN this
country on which they could utilize what they
had learned.
Al the Board ~ Education meeting last even
ng. communication was received from the
Board of Commissioners and Appointment
about the statement 10y tn Commissioners of
Accounts That since 1870 taxation for p 'huol
purpose, has been il,G15 >H2 in excess of the
tlo a pupll, the maximum allowed hy law. II
was roltrrrt 10 the Committee on Finance.
tpmmisspner Walker said that a conference
the Board ~ Education and the Board If APP
time To his knowledge that the Corporation
Counsel had IN July last given II rs his opinion
that the law limiting tho amount to SO per
pupll was not now in foroc, hut Ind been super
seeded hy the charter OF 1914. giving the entire
control 81 the matter 10 tho Board II ApuOr-
iionment Tho office of the Board of Education
he considered. was only advisory, and not
limited by the SlO clause. The Board Of Ap-
poruQnmgnt might take the opinion Of tho
Board OF Education into account hut need moi
be controlled 10y 1t. MI Walker said the Board
ol Education was prepared TO show that the
estimates of tho Board OF Education for III,
years referred To had been $1,000 900 less, in
stead OF ti,65O.OuO more than allowed by law