New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
CITY SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

A REPLY TO " CITIZENS LETTER TO THE TRIBUNE
COLLECTIONS TO THE WELLS BILL.
To the EditOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: The communication published in your
Issue Of the 18Th inst signed Citizen relative TO MI
wellss school bill pending in the Assembly may be
summed as IN attack Commissioners Walker, Man
west. who happened 10 give their views to
reporter of THE TRIBUNE regard TO said bill Presi-
dent Walker It seems, fails to please Crizen" owing
to his active law practice and disposition TO dis
prove the value OF Browns Grammar as text book
Notwithstanding fine scholar and Of marked
abilities Commissioner Manierre is in like manner dis
tasteful Citizen" because be could doubt make
important revelations as to what he knows about the
police business OF this city" Who knows but
Citizen may have been in the clutches Of Commits
sloner ManeIre when Police Commissioner. But the
surprising thing OF all Is that Commissioner Man
ierre is not acceptable to Citizen when it is known
that he has visited every school and classroom in the
city. and been over two years a school officer and
thereby up the standard in the two important fea-
lures necessary in the opinion of Citizen" to make
specimen School CommissiOner-such one as Assem-
byman Wellss bill contemplates.
Commissioner West Is not liked by Citizen" al
though in the service Of pubic schools for quarter
OF century more-upwarAof ten years trustee, aud
over fifteen years Commissioner. frequently elected
trustee and Commissioner bY the people OF his ward and
district by almost unanimous vote. He always
be found at the meetings OF the Board OF Education.
and committee meetings, and has the reputation OF
being most active. Intelligent and energetic
school officers | conclude that " Citizen" would be
much better pleased with Commissioners Walker.
Manierre and West II they had given hearty support
TO Mr.. Wellss school bill.
Inasmuch as "Ct!z,n " has failed to give any sub
stantia reason for supporting the bill in question,
propose point OF its main features. Among
other silly ideas fouad the bill is representation
in the Board OF Education each ward being entitled to
one representative without reference to population.
For example. the Second Ward with population OF
about 900, ana average attendance OF scholars
yearly Of about 150 IS given equal representation In
the Board OF Education with the Nineteenth Ward,
which has at the present time population of between
100. 900 aud 100000 similar inequality be
shown by comparing the population and yearly average
attendance OF scholars OF the First Ward with
that OF the Seventeenth Ward. The population
OF the former ward Is about $4,000, and the
population o. the latter ward over 100000. The
school attendance Is in proportion to the population
I'm each Of those wards. The Third Ward has a popua-
tion OF about 5000 while tn Twentysecond Ward has
a population OF between 10000 and 10000. This f.
what Citizen would call popularzing our public
schoo system when in reality II Is merely putting into
practice the Old rotten borough system OF representa-
uOn. obnoxious 10 thinking men monarchy itself
Under our present school laws each ward has board
Of Eve trustees. which board appoints all the
teachers in the ward. except principals, which
II nOmnates 10 the Board OF Education for
approval Each school district has three school In
spectOra. clothed with important powers under the
statute. These trustees and inspectors are appointed
after the schools OF their respective wards and
districts and report from time 10 time TO the Board of
Education tho wants and condition of their wards
district schools Their authority Is limited to wards
and Districts hence they have no legislative functions.
The Board ~ Education j. legislative body, ana not
n Board of Visitation. us some seem 10 Imagine" Cli-
zen" among the number. That Board reviews the acts
OF the several boards Of trustees when appga alcd 10 by
any person feeling aggreycd; apportious and appiOpr
atcs the school money authorize the purchase OF sites
and erection OF new buildings FOR school PURPOSES
government Oi the whole school system OF the
city. What would become Of our schools II
the central body Ike the Board OF Education
should become -ubscrvicut and subordinate totwenty
four petty kingdoms governed and controlled by ward
lines and pOiitici ins
The labor ~ tho members OF the Board o Education s
very great ~ times from four 20 five hours are taken
up In committee and board meetings, IA discussing
quesiOns and arranging pressing business coming be-
fore them This valuable time Citizen " would have
consumed IN visiting the schools, and hav-
ing the Commissioners write their names
iu the visitors' hook for fear II would
br forgotten that they there. And IN call
wns made after 3 O'Clock D. m. Saturdays when
heating apparatus tho building. Citizen" would
doubtless suggest tat the lHor should keep book In
order that Commissioner. might not omit that import
dnty Of signing their FOR the benefit Of future
generations. CITIZEN No. =.
Scr- York. Feb H. lss0.