The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-24
Efforts to Defeat the Bill Tor
It's DiSendoWment.
IT'S FRIENDS AND FOES.
Views of President Webb and
Superintendent Riddle.

collegiate education for any one He also asserted
that the great majority OF tho students attending tho
college tho children Of wealthy parents, who
could auundantly afford to pay Tor such education
elsewhere, and who were thus educated at the ex-
pense OF the poorer classes. who not able to
avail themselves OF its privileges. As these
measures proposed there immediate cry
raised against the bill by those dependent upon
Interested IN tho college, and they determined to
tight the measure with all tho means IN their power
Many thousand petitions wore circulated all the
city for the signatures Of the citizens to be sent 10
Albany as protest agains tho bill.
PETITIONS THE MEASURE.
The following Is u copy OF these petitions:--
To THE ASSEMBLY or THE STATE OF New YoRK:-
\ biii 10 repeal the act establishing tho College OF tho
Cy OF New York has been presented honorable
s o w that the C9ssc
years.
sss's Spss 10 the e and eS9r all SSs
wheming majority OF the direct popular the decision
That It is naiarai outgrowh Of our common school sys
toni aud. In connection with the Normal College for
females completes education OF IN our cIty
seen in the steady increase OF Tho numbor applicants
s q i.is De- ppa By the
pupil, Of public schools Of the city through any other
sa y ys s s s rS us & Of Ss YsI o
uireet OF the people, Is with the u
mo DANGER to irse education not only in this city but
WE the una sSe rs, Of New f0s therefore
so@s yS' '0'S 'n tue SAID bill do not be-
Blanks are Lott under tho petition for the signatures
OF citizens aud their residences The petition euia.
mates from tho College OF tho City OF Now York where
tho blanks are returned when signed. The means OF
circulating IT are very varied. In ward 1t Is said
that the students In the public schools arc compelled
to take copies OF tho petition around tho streets for
ala rha llv
in tho circulation OF the papors among thor friends
Copies have been sent to all the public institutions
tho exchanges and the newspaper Offices. In this
way over thirty thousand signatures havo been Sc
cured
THE BOARD or EDUCATION
Tho great majority Of tho nonbers OF the Board OF
Education IN favor OF tho College of the City of
New YORK and against the proposed bill. only two OF
the twenty-one members Of the Board lavor OF
aboshng the college. These are according to Presi-
dent Webb Messrs. stephen A. Walker and William
H. Wckham. Mr. Horny Kiddle City Superintendent
OF the Board OF Education, whom questioned yester-
day afternoon by HERALD reporter as to his
regard TO the institution entered into long
saton on the SUBJECT the substance OF which was
follows
REpoErEE-Mr Kiddle, l have called to obtain your
views concerning the bi that Is before the Legislature
TO abolish the College OF the City OF New York.
Mr. kIDDLE-l know oil the bIll but do know
what arc the grounds for its INTRODUCTION The COL
egc represents not only higher grade of education
but IT exers most important stimulating innueace
on our common schools
REPoarrR-In what does IL differ II ON the Normal
| School?
Mr. KIDDLE--The Normal College is a professional
school Tor teachers. but this offers business educa-
ton well professional The College OF tho
City OF New York has worry large introductory de.
partmcnt for those studying for business and com.
mcrcia pursuits II Is the oply institution where n
higher education can DO given to n poor mans
son without his assuming the position OF a
ranper. IL Is urged that they cannot
raui
that that tho smallest part of the work tho college,
The grad yates rumber about alty while the entire
number OF pupils receiving instruction is about eight
hundred. Thc question whether the state should pay
for higher education has been considerably discussed
The same principle which makes IL tho duty OF tho
State TO support elementary instruction II It's
duty to support the higher education also. Talents
society. They arc just as likely among the
OF the poor OF the rich, and 1t certainly the
interest OF the community to train and develop thcm
wherever found. Tho records Of the college viii show
that great majority OF tho young men who havo
graduated from tho College or the city OF Now York
would never have received a higher education
had II not bcon Tor that institution We have, OF
course, large number who 90 not graduate, but If
tho college Is TO be condemned on that principle tho
public schools should be condemned because in tho
lowest class wo begin with 20 coo and srd in the high.
est with 500 or 600.
~ the GRADES
Mr. Riddle here handed the reporter his last annual
report containing tables OF the number OF pupils IN
each grade. IL showed that gom the lowest classes to
the highest there was gradual decrease tho
schools the sixth class continued 1851; the nth,
1901 the fourth, l2o9l tho third, l,lo4; tho
ond, 10, 399 aud the first, $780, In the grammar
schools the numbers were:-Eighth class, g4I2;
SEVENTH $40; six,h $50 ht Dol fourth, 45J;
third 800; second, 1880 and nrs, 1 9O2 Thus IL
will be that IA little over ten per cent pass
through tho whole In the college about hvo
hundred enter the regular course and dty gradnue
| or nearly the same proportion. Superintendent
Riddle said that Us lar regards the male teachers
in the pubic schools their selection confined
to those who had graduated ut the College OF The CITY
OF New York. The Board could grant IT'S certificate
to any QUO who passed The required examination.
PRESIDENT woUD's VIEWS.
| President Wood, OF the Board OF Education, when
spoken to on tho subject read to the reporter tho io
lowing extract In favor OF higher education from
| inaugural speech this year.
"Gs may called upon to see that
in Eng that Dir william Curtis Alderman o London
rsre dictan rssardins reading. 'ritins aud ritnme
would % hopeless there 10 bring tie de'en.
for the pfessivati9n Of mon"ehy; win all It's
middle wall OF partition, between classes should DO
sr we hno% I ne oenee Of aS @ n"I
n,nn prevent tic children Of tho rich and the
% terms oil gese, equally III tho arena Of the co@men
trsct the ehiilicn OF the direct taapsyer tbs
children Of tho wesi.hsr classes, % our com '
providing only with thoroughly good primary
a. is point Of lac. done In our aammar schools aud m
on. College ., The cay Of New iors Tor yHans men and IN
tase 10 suppose that With thoroughly schools
children to ths SCH OILS aud thereby
save tho great expense OF priyat, tuition
lie thought tho present movement against tho col.
ege WIS only tho elimination OF the persistent at.
tacks made upon II during The past year. lie SAID
that he did not believe the OIL would pass. TIC main
oUJcci o TIE College OF tho CITY OF New York was TO
give higher education to young men. The question
WIS whether 1t WAS the duty OF tho state or munich
paiity to support H. Wnon proposed II was put to
popular vote whether sucn college should DO
erected and the result was 1900 TO 600 favor Of
IL. There u few students IN the colog, but
tho great majority wcro from The middle and lower
classos.
''BkGiS REFORM ELsEwnERE."
| Commissioner Bcardsiec, oi tho Board of Educa.
| ton, very warm IA support OF the college aud
uerccly attacked Governor Robinson Tor his suppos
favorable feeling toward the bill at they want ro-
iorm,r DO said, "ct them reform at mo right end.
Lot John Kelly say he viii take $1,000 year salary
instead OF 10000 and Mayor Ely So 600 But do not
reform by cripping our educational Institutions
The people oil this city established that college by