New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-06
TRYING TO ABOLISH GRAMMARs.

AT the meeting of the Board OF Education yester-
day. q report received from Superintendent
Jasper in which, speaking of the vercrowded con-
ditlon OF the public schools he stated that III the
primary department of nine schools, 1923 pupils
had been refused admission in September and Octo-
Der. OF these 633 had afterward been admitted,
leaving 100 denied the opportunity OF obtaining
mn elementary education. resolution calling upon
the Committee on Buildings to consider the pio-
priety of connecting the city colleges and primary
schools with the Elm-st. headquarters by tine tcle
phone system referred TO committee
The consideration of the report OF the Committee
on Course of study and School Books, submitting
list for the ensuing year, brought on DI0tTaeted
and heated debate II wnich great 2esl Oh sPpsu
a minority report, attacking the depot OF supply
system aud the custom of permitting principals TO
select from a large list OF TEXTBOOKS, instead OIL
having the selection made by the Board, and sug-
Nesting that the book OF any class when had oeeii
most used by teachers in 1879 should De selected
nv tne Board as the textbook OF that class lhe
report was rejected In considering the maJoftyre-
port con- ,ersy at once arose upon tue subject OF
Grammar and books of grammar Commissioner
Stephen A. Walker moved that all text-Dooks on
the subject be dispensed with, anu that tne teac-
;ng be done by oral instruction and example. lie
WAS supported by President Wood, who considered
she teacLlnc of grammar from books an absurdity.
Ii dwarfed the minds of pupils and was of no prac-
tical benefit. In the discussion the pet aversion of
Mr. Walker and President Wood. Gould Browns
grammar, which is generally approved by the
teachers. was attacked as an abomlnatlon ana ue-
Tended as the best of books the members using very
strong language 20 express their opinions Messrs.
place Watson Wiclham, Iraub, Walker and Wood
wanted the textbooks dispensed with, but were
ontyoted BY vote of 10 to o. several grammars,
Mr. Browns among them were added To the list III
the report,
ITALIAN PAUPERS AT CASTLE GARDEN
About 200 of the most poverty-stncken Italian
Immigrants that were ever landed at Castle Garden,
arrived Yesterday on the steamship Vaderland from
Antwerp Several of them are suspected OF coming
10 this country TO beg. One OF them particularly
attracted the attention of superintendeA Il Jack
son. lie is a wretched cripple; his lower limbs be-
ing perfectly pOwerless and his hands badly de-
formed so that he only get about on his hands
and feet Officer Chiardi. OF the Society for the
Prevention OF Cruelty TO Children, Interpreter
MACPHERSON and Mr. Jackson conducted an lnvertl-
Uation and il appeared from the fellows guarded
answers that he was Struggled through Tue country
nv some padrOne, without "a passport. lie salu his
name was Vito MuziO and that woman and two
children who were with him were his family. His
wife had supported him Ia Italy by taking IN wash
ing aud she expected 10 90 inc sae heie' WHO Hc
took care of TIE children. .
The wife's story conceded In some particulars
with that of her husband She bad married MN De
cause nobody else would. The man Will be returned
10 Italy, aud the case viii be referred 10 the state
Deparimeut with an urgent request that instruc-
tons NAV he gwen 70 the COnsuls abroad to prevent
the emigration of such people.
Among the immigrants were TWO ITALIANS VINO
had escaped from theIT country, without passports.
Tor fear OF being drafted III the military service.
A DECLINE IN BREADsTUFFs.
The breadstufis market affected yesterday by
very depressing reports from the West. and by I'M
favorable advices by cable. Owing to the condis