New-York tribune., 1880-02-07
4 NEW ScHOOL SrSTEN.

It is not likely that the extraordinary bill
for the reorganization OF the common Schools
of this city, introduced IN the Assembly by
Mr.. Wells. of the Twenty fourth Ward, Will
become law, but it is worth consideration
if only rs n danger signal. AT present the
schools are governed by n Board oi Commls-
sioners. who appoint the ward Trustees. Mr..
Wells proposes that they shall be governed
by the ward Trustees, who are to appoint the
Commissioners. The obvious results of the
change would be CD to destroy all effective
supervision over the Trustees by giving them
the selection of their supcriog officers, ana
(2) to destroy the character OF the schools
by making all appointments in connection
with them mere political prizes. As the law
now stands, the Commissioners are selected
by the Mayor, and they are gentlemen OF
reputation and ability, chosen III most cases
for their standing in the community and their
interest in the cause of education, without
reference to partisan interests. The trustees,
selected by this supervisory and governing
Board, include many very capable and
estimable citizens but rs q general rule
they are an inferior class Of men to
the Commissioners, and ward politicians
have strong representation among them.
Mr.. Wells proposes that the present incumbents
shall hold Office until the close of their terms.
In future the Trustees shall be appointed by
the Mayor for five years, and there shall be
five for each ward, one-Gfth of the whole
number to be appointed annually, beginning
with the close of the present year.
The present Commissioners are TO retire inn
mediatcly and the Trustees now IN Office are
to appoint their successors, one to be selected
by the Trustees of each ward. The COmmis-
sioners are to serve for three years, one-third
retiring every year, beginning next December
Nobody shall be Commissioner who has
not served for two years a Commissioner,
Inspector or Trustee of Common Schools and
nobody shall hold any school Office except
upon the condition OF residence in the ward to
which the appointment belongs. We do not
understand whether this restriction is or is not
intended to apply to teachers Consistency
seems to require that it should, and indeed
such provision would be quite in
the line of the bill brought forward
by Mr.. Mccarthy week ago, compelling all
teachers to live IN the city. The COmmis SION
ers are to appoint the teachers, but only on
the written nomination of a majority of the
trustees OF lllt MNlus nt liNNiftN dIt lNlN
made the real power in the administration of
the schools; aud instead Of a Board of
respectable and wcll-known citizens, directly
answerabe to the Mayor, We have hundred
aud twenty small politicians, divided into
twenty-four ward clubs, dispensing the local
patronage and sending delegates, generally
from their own number, to represent them in
the Board OF Commissioners. AS for this lat
ter body, everv member of which will be
owned by his five Trustees, 1t is difficult to
see what function it can perform except 10
draw money and scatter responsibility. The
deterioration in the personnel of the various
boards. and consequently of the teachers, will
be marked and immediate and when the
efficiency and morality OF the schools
bavo been impaired 1t will be impos-
sible to find anybody aDswerablo for abuses.
Not the Commissioners, for they will prove
| that they have been stripped of power by the
Trustees. Not the Trustees as a body, for
they will show that the twenty-fOur local
boards are practically independent. Not the
local boards fosthey will send us back to the
fictitious authority of the Commissioners. Not
! the Mayor, for as the appointments are TO be
made in November and to take effect the next
January, no Mayor will have the selection OF
more than one fifth OF the Trustees in Office
during his term, and those he Will generally
have to accept at the dictation Of ward poiti-
clans. The tendency of ail municipal reform.
during late years has been in the direction OF
simplification and responsibility. TLis bill
violates both the recognized principles OF adj
ministlative efficiency, ard the friends Of the
schools should see that its character is pror.
crly explained at Albany.