New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-18

Kan met ua mime Oogen sfen That's the kind of q
Dutchman l am! And he drew his salary to the
| last"
Here expressions of satisfaction went around the
Normal School faculty; one two shed tear.
Young ladies, between Columbia or Kings Col
lege ana the foundation of the free schools in
1orH seventy-tive years ago, there is nothing
70 interest you. How realize at this mo-
ment that for half century the free schools of
Ne"-lork were directed not by the State or
county. but by two charitable societies Nobly as
the charity was maintained, it still was only
charity aud not right and law. 1t educated on
aims 100000 children. In 1858 it handed oy er its
property to the Board of Education and expired
Ike rich uncle, leaving tender memory and a
considerable legacy. Behold to-day the public
schools OF New-York cover with their room floors
the space of farm of 125 acres. They are taught
by four ull regiments of teachers They instruct
100000 human beings at one time There is q
public schoolhouse to every $500 souls in the
metropolis If the truants were all driven ill., as
by law they should be, the attendance would be
half million! Twenty-one citzens, nominated by
the Mayor, constitute the military council of this
vast army, numbering fifth as many souls as
inhabI ed the United States at the Revolutionw
solitary voice. promptly suppressed
Where is George the Thirdy Where are the
police2 2"
Tins, teachers by profession. you stand in the
the youths of New-York In 1913 the Free Acad-
envy was conceded, giving substantial college
education to the best students of the public
schools; to emphasize that education it has been
called college, as this later normal institution
has been named the Normal College Also While
private academies and seminaries flourish all
around you, educating the privileged and the great
annual contingent from the interior and the West
who come here to get a polish the public schools
are always full and particular schools among them
are beset with waiting applicants, while from Long
Island and New-Jersey a stream Of public school
chiidren pour over the ferries to claim their rights
under taxpaylng parents in this freshened ever
beautiful army of metropolitan cadets. Like the
water of the Croton AQueduct, which began to flow
the year the public school system was ratified this
vast reservoir of education is being ever drawn
upon. ever replenished. full. 1t enters into
every thirst every convenience, every necessity 1t
sprnkes the dust of human life, cleanses the
human nature, puts out the work of incendiaries
and bears away the sewerage of the mind We
scarcely see it, but it is beneath u.s. and every child
is little plug or faucet sprinkler according to
his capacity. Above all moral facts of our times
this small great system marches forward like tho
tide that is ever coming from the sea, raising the
commerce. of the city upon its ripples and kissing
our docks of traffic with its light. Conceive a
moment when these tens of thousands of merchants
could not find clerks to keep their books when
under the abandonment of education the price of
an educated Denman above a bridesmaids
reach! This is but the grossest way to estimate
tho selfish conveniences of general education:
without it we would be republic of Doors and the
countenances which light streets aud
shops would the vacancy of only animal
illumination or superstition There are moments
when we exclaim against modern race of
fellow-men and say that duty and faith and the
older virtues of the world are gone. yet could
see these nearly four thousand teachers of the chill
dren of New1ork City taking up their unintermit-
tent task from original choice continuing it from
year to year. and often for fe and by the union of
zeal and system assimating to one intelligence |
these infinite races, tempers and forms of breeding
we might still that conventional piety and |
patience were sublime in our society. Behold, also |
the insight obtained by these scholars into the COM
munity they are TO enter; the poor escaping for |
certain daily hours the contact of tho tenement |
lodging, the better housed approaching the average
of the class that is to rule them. Divided in youth
they might be divided forever: disciplined to- |
gether they take up the procession of democratic
society with faith, understanding and gratitude |
Colleges often inbibe pride and get tho flavor of |
arist0cracy; they withdraw their students from the
world and end by setting the books against the !
populace skepticism of the masses doubt of the
Republic, ALLEGATIONS of speech ana GOODNESS of |
heart, too often arise in colleges Disgusting the |
fellowman and making unconscious obstacles to his
Here is the leveller, here the republic in
the annual four hundred thousand graduates of the
ctys public schools,-eleven hundred thousand an |
nually in the whole State six millions in the |
Nation! Ninety million dollars q year il spent in |
the United States public schools three times the
value OF all Its college property. The colleges OF |
the whole Union contain only about 80 900 stu |
deuts equal perhaps to the scholars of one ward of
the City of New-York. There are one~tenth the
number of pupils in all the private schools and |
colleges of NewYOrk State that attend the public
schools thereof The wealth of the public school
system puts all forms OF college property into rela
tive poverty. More than one hundred extensive
buildings are the property of the public schools in
This rich city, where every finch of iground must be
covered with silver dollars to fetch its price,
The exercises concluded with calisthonics and tbe
taking up OF collection for the travel worn florist
AS L was walking through Central Park not far
rom the Normal School, a queer old gentleman ar
'ested me in n by-path. He was smoking a china
pipe and he blew smoke between all his sentences
Said he: Bouquet. you have overlooked me %
Anything IN the flower line. citizen 7"
NO, something in the line of truth, Bouquet |
From convenient place beneath the window have |
heard your mornings discourse on the early school
masters of New-Amsterdam. You gave Dominic
3ogardus the whole credit 1t is true that er-o6cio
IS minister, he was also birch wieder over the Meth
rland youth. But he delegated that high duty to
ne, and brought me along with him from Holland
IS schoomaster by deputy. My name citizen. is
lot Bogardus, but Adam Roelentsen, and WAS the |
irst schoolmaster on Manhattan island"
" All Roelen tsen, methinks have heard of Won |
fou were put in the stocks and banished for too |
much gallantry with Dame Sybolts i'm the year