The New York herald., 1878-02-07

comprising each three departments No nnd three
principals and three vice principals buiidin 2
ns n onra t v rSs, some
commends itseli 10 the judgment Of the Board IN.
ferred from their resolve 10 appoint no new wee
principals That some margin exists tor reduc'
ton IN salaries, al least IN Tho case OF new
appointees would be inferred also from the following
Official statement on page "a OF the report Tor 1876
''Ths number OF applicants Tor positions teachers
Due IN measure 10 the depressed financial condition
Of analrs indicates tn at true policy would ad-
vance In oil respects the copdnion OF appointment |"
The naJve admission ncxi succeedng-''the average
rate OF compensation Is larger mere than IN any o'her
city'-does not necessarily involve the concius on
ha, excessive pay gwen to all teachers In every
grade alike We ADVISED from reliable sources
grammar schools 5000 10 $500 is not TOO bign, but
that the SO called apprentice teacher Is not fairly
bs Ur ns 10 h ns' ss OF no
where Two or more are employed. 81 b52, ana where
one only, 81, s5sl the pay is somewhat excessive.
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
We quote from the report Tor 1876, page 25;-"The
primary school teachers have lower rse oi pay than
our grammar school teachcrs-and the primary
schools ssed training places for the bet
ter paid positions N the grammar schools. lnstruc-
toa and discipline are no more diicnlf IN the gram
mar schools tnan IN the primary. The majority oi
pupils receive all the education they have 10 the pra
~ aud never enter he grammar schools This majority
deserves the fret consideration We ASK, Do these
pupils over .0-100 Of the entIre NUMBER receive the
hrss confederation? Let ~ gee. fbe number OF
schools, male and female. SO; primary department
OF grammar schools, 40; primary schools. 40 DO
these aOOrlOus toAcneFS ID the primary
receive sufficient considerations Possibly while
gazing up at the top Of Tho system VIC are overlook
ing these bard worked and scauty paid teachers ana
the 7O-l00 OF all the pupils at the bottom.
JAyiToks.
Tho salaries of jani,ors tor 1915 were:-
In the grammar and primary schools $l22.06l 63
Normal College
Jautor..... ............. .*3,0oo
Assistant janitor and engneer.... l,5C0
Trailing schooi. l9U
Total sl27, 757 90
A reduction OF twenty-five per cent would effect y
saving oil about $32, 900 some reduction is contenl-
Of janltors combine vita the cesnag OF tho
buildings the duties OF engineer in managing The
heating apparatus but many residing In tho buildings
without charge Tor rent, iue and lights are unsxlled
lab0rers ana receive compensation largely in excess
oil the same class oil labor IN other positions.
CONSOLIDATION SCHOOLS.
Il is evident that tue Board OF Edacat,oa sensi-
bly, reduce The cost OF maintaining the public school
system. SO far, however, as the reduction ein ex-
penditure will DO accomplished by an arbitrary re-
duction OF the salaries PAID 10 teachers
without Discrimination, st Is unwise aud un.
schools which by reason OF locality doubtless have
small average attendance OF puDils In these schools
the principio OF consolidation may be safely applied
In schools where the boys department. Tor example,
includes fewer than 200 pupils-Nos b, Il, 23 "a
nnd 29--and where there are also lower than
go girls IN the female department, the force Of
principals may be safely reduced without mpairiug
The machinery OF administration Que prIncipal
with cnici assistant teachers IN each depart meat
could readily accomplish the labor OF supervision
Tie and largest schools in the city relatively
seventh sew s,rees here are lo4 eadrsa, asa ,o
cost ior tuition per capita Is $40 70 year.
a Se IS IS s sn s rss so 1
IN the boys' and 5l in the pr mary department. LAB
IN all, costs s27 year per pupil. In No Al Twelfth
mum Nos Is and Il lin Guy Hall pa ,ace e. ana nd Elm i'm
stree with about zoo children each, return $35 and
$34 as the annual cost per pupil
IL would be unjust, without a careful and cxhaus-
tive analysis OF all the schools and the consideration
OF special circumstances which compel a temporary
excess Of cost over the average antained
in the best and largest, to CLAIM that
the Board OF Education s reckless and ex
truvagaut in the management of tue school
must not be overlooked. The engagements OF the
teachers caDnotbe terminated without regard 10 their
rights, legal aud moral Assuming That the policy Of
reducing the number Of principaships IS
ceplsi-aud the Board have resolved to discon-
principai-tho compensation cannot be cut down. at
least curing the period iJr which the engagement
was MADE IL Is quite possible that people may
demand reduction IN the expenses OF our system OF
educat,on and yet DO honest and utterly Iree from
secret hostility 10 the cause.
In England there are writer's OF eminence who
boldy oppose all Tree education. But in this State,
and even IN this city Of New YORK, beyond doubt the
principle OF tree education for the pcople
rooted and grounded In the CONVICTIONS Of though
fuf men-a cardinal article OF faith. underlying all
conhdeace In the security df republic resting tree
suffrage.
We nnd before our birth as a nation In the colonies
OF Massachusetts and Connecticut, public schools
the jealous soictude OF people who never once wa
vered in supporting thems although well nigh crushed
by tner load Of taxation. The Governor OF the lat
ter colony in 1870 reports fourth OF
laid out In maintaining tree com mon schools Tor tue
education St its children: and aztec the
Of the Revolution, the State of Connecticut amid The
exhaustion Of tho long struggle noby consecrales to
this purpose from the proceeds OF her Western Reserve
lands 81 900 II would be absurd TO doubt that in
our tax ridden city Of New York to-day this prn-
cple Of Tree elementary education is deeply rooted
IN the affections oi intelligent people, ready as ever
10 respond 10 all reasonable lcves tor its support or
that IN this crisis In our municipal AFFAIRS any reform
So called which should serve 10 cripple tho common
school system proper, would be deemed dear economy
indeed They look, not only tor It's contndancs but
Tor its extension to meet ne demands OF iucreas-
ing population. But while conseutng to be taxed
to furnish zach untaught chrd IN this city good
common school education, large numbers are begin
ming 10 wake up and ask Tor clear understanding
10 what are the proper limits oil public education and
that these may not be crossed. they ask If there
may not be some steps TO retrace II there has not
been drifting away iron hrst principles; whether in
some way, We may not lay hold OF these again:
whether funds raised at such heavy cost cannot be
more wisely applied; whether, IN TACT, II calnot. by
inherent right, De CLAIMED that AN elementary Eng
lsh education, and that alone, shall be furnished
from taxation. They see that the mass OF the young
Tor whom they are wiling TO be spent, ask
for no more, and they are beginning TO believe
that IL broader ana higher education Is wanted IT
should be mad at private expense. IL is their un-
derstanding that, as Tree Institutions could long
endure save on the foundation OF enlightened
people, the common school was established to oppose
elementary education TO ignorance IN order that
grounded IN the elements OF an English education,
hted through discipline and habits OF industry Tor
least selJ-sustanDg service In his waIK IN nic aud
for safe membership ID society and tho State.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
Their notion OF the sort OF training requisite for
this end and o the false tendency OF the present
TEN hnds partial expression IN the following preamble
and resolutions, adopted at meeting OF tho Board
OF Education, January IL, 1S76:-
whereas numerous studies having been from time to
time added TO the of instruction which
lated TO Withdraw the pupils tm and attention from the
important subjects spelling and
arithmetic--and TO encourage in them habits Of
thought of tho most superficial character. and
consequence many OF the children pass into
the active pursuits of lite without being aUe
discharge the duties demanded of them and whereas
II t. well known fact that the majority OF pupis
receive all the education they obtain In the primary
schools aud the instruction and discipline of
these schools should be made perfect and thorough there
tore,
Resolved. that the Committee Course of Study
and school Books be requested to examn into the matter
at the earliest moment and and reduce the sub
ects III the couse OF study to enable the pnrs to
devote their time with greater to the attainment
of knowledge OF the elementary branches OF English
education
Taxpayers remark that little by little have built