The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-02
High Time for il TO Go.

High Time for il to Go.
The trustees Of our free college, or College
OF the City Of New York, as 1t writes itself on
Its diplomas, voted last week to admit to the
institution any boy of New York who shall
pass the preliminary examination. Hitherto
candidates have been required to produce
evidence that for at least one year they had
been pupils in the common schools.
1t seems that this action of the trustees
was not unanimous, but was taken by ma
jority in spite of decided opposition on the
part Of the others. 1t is contendcd also that the
innovation was made too hastily, and good
deal OF breeze has been stirred up by it.
The reasons why admission to the college
was confined to pupils from the public schools
were that ambition to earn college honors
subsequently, would, it was supposed, stimu-
late the boys to greater diligence, and that
more parents would send their sons to the
schools If that was the only way of getting
them into the pretentious Lexington avenue
institution.
But instead of being benefit to the gram
mar schools, the college has really tended to
hamper their usefulness so far as the run Of
pupils In them are concerned. A compare
lively few boys must be crammed for the col
legiate examination every year. and special
care must be expended ON them by the
teachers, who accordingly have their atten
ton withdrawn from their duty to the great
mass of the boys who have no intention OF
undergoing the test in Lexington avenue.
Nor is there any need of stimulating
parents to send their sons to the public
schools in order to prepare them for college.
II the youth go there for that reason alone,
they are not the ones for whom the public
school system was especially intended 1t is
for the elementary instruction OF boys in
general, and more particularly those who
cannot afford to pay for their education. 1t
Is maintained at the expense OF the city, in
order that we may escape the evils Of illite-
racy among the people, and that even pow
erty Of the severest kind may not be made
an excuse for ignorance Of the A B Cs.
Why should we attempt to do anything to
overcome snobbish and other prejudices
against the common schools on the ground
that they are freQuented by children Of all
sorts and conditions Give the best and the
most thorough elementary training possible
at them, keep up their discipline to the high
est point, see that the great mass Of boys and
girls are in them; but pay no regard to the
squeamishness of those parents who are shy
about sending their children to free schools
simply because they are free and for all. We
don't want boys in the public schools who
are taken out Of private school, perhaps,
and sent there for year in order to get q
chance OF going through college without cost.
The restriction regarding admission to the
I,nHinDtDn
been Of no practical benefit to tho common
schools. Some OF the college people, how
ever, seem to think it is the cause OF the pal
try numbers OF the higher classes there
"The direct result of removal Of this re-
etriction to admission" said one Of them g
n H., aid reporter, would be n larger num-
Der OF STU tents in the graduating class" By
that he means that boys woula go To me
college directly from private schools, and
their parents, having been able to pay for
their tuition previously would be better able
to support their sons while in Lexington ave-
nue. for five years than the run Of parents
whose children now make vain ATTEMPT to
go through tho long course.
Probably that is so. But why should the
city support college for the benefit of peo-
pie who can afford to pay for tho luxury Of a
college education The tuition fees at prl-
Nv schools are fully as large
vaUe prcparalo..
as those at our city colleges In many cases
they are larger. Parents who can pay the
ono can afford to pay the other. Even though
the free college gives his son an ornamental
education without cost, and supplies him
with books and tho other implements OF
study at the expense OF the taxpayers,
o poor man finds it hard, generally impos-
sible to keep the boy there. He cannot
afford to maintain him for five years during
which the youth earns little or nothing fol-
his own support II ts necessary for the boy
to go to work. Hence 1t is that after the first
or Introductory year the classes at the free
college rapidly diminish, until finally only
two OF three score OF the five or six hundrel
students admitted are on hand TO take sheep
skins on the graduating day. And Of this
pahTy number how many arc the sons o
poor men enable TO pay for the college cdu
cation of their boys, and how many the sons
OF wcll-to-do fathsrs who have sent thci
boys to the public schools year FOR no othe
purpose than TO get them into this lnsutu
ton and procure for them college educa
tlon at the expense Of others?
II the restriction was removed it Is thought
more rich mems sons would enter, and consc
quently more pupils would be able to sta,
the course through. That Is the explanation
OF the action Of the majority Of the trustee
last week, The college faculty are a7hame'
OF the smallncss Of their graduating classc: