New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-22
NEW-YORK'S SCHOOL SYSTEM
PRESIDENT WALKER, OF THE BOARD or EDUCA.
TON, OPPOSED TO AGITATION WHICH MAY DC

PRESIDENT WALKER, OF THE BOARD or EDUCA-
TON OPPOSED TO AGITATION WHICH MAY DO
HARM.
I'm the Board of Education yesterday, Stephen
A. Walker the newly elected president. delivered adj
dress on the present educational system OF this city
He said In part:
We not only have two colleges, whose expenses are
every known subject Of academic insuction but IN tic
course OF study OF our grammar and primary schools.
OF course embrace many which neither essential
nor elementary. Never having been able 20 give full
prove the propglety OF making academic cdu-
cation public charge. ] am ready. end even
afairs. and TO say to the champions of what is called
HIGHER and to the les eloquent ara
alone forcsee dangers in agitation and disturbance
sec much good in things az they are II those VINO sin
cerely believe that the Government should be So
tai aud munifcent AS TO place within the reach OF every
professional education Will only rest content with the
large measure Of they have already gained with
the crowded OF advanced learning endowed beyond
All dreams OF private munifcence, by legisaton which
subsidies their support the properly, real personal
anu mixed of the whole commonwealth they will not
hazard the attanments already made. IN pushing
more there is judgment, possibility OF srosnc
power In the community OF great Yelght ny reason OF
s wealth its clear Judgment, it, cgnservatie and lO2
cal methods, which snail rns AL me osce oil argument
ind capital against the exisence ~ Puoc expense OF
academic education In any iorm
In regard to proposed introduction OF mechanical
| and industrial education, bc said:
II may be that resdlt OF one OF all these demands
we sban the time when the turning lathe and the
sewing machine shaH DC parts OF general school sup
plies The point make is that agitation and discussion
OF this subject not incumbent upon us who are
called 10 administer the school system nd u,
to revoutionze its Fundamental principles or work ex
perlIpcnrs Hhen the time comes for sncs changes
Snail all hear OF H. 1t will DC Of the sound Of
many waters. The school system aud It's methods and
subjects OF instruction are surrounded by almost const
tutiona guarantees The people created and cherish
this system and these methods and the existing mod
cations thereof IL Is not the part OF executive aud adj
ministratye officers 10 venture upon changes that affect
the substance Of the system itself and challenge ITS
stence. There enough 10 do IN correcting Of
administration and detail, excessive expenditures and
imperfect results. without mootng questions which im
ply doubt whether the common school we know II
| ought 10 exist at all.
Tho Committee on Course Of Study was Instructed "a
consider the ACCESSIBILITY OF extending the course OF
| primary instruction from three 10 four years. The
chair then appointed 4 Finance Committee, Commits
sioners vermye, Besrdslec, Dowd, Bell and Kelly
the course Of study and school books Comm
Donnely, KatzenDerg, Place Pelew and Trsnd the
Normal College, Commissioners wickhan, Bell Kelly
D0nnelly ana Pelew ana On evening schools Commits
sioners BeardsIec Bel, Nehrbas, Mamerre ana Place.