New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-17
rNrlRpnLsE N ScH0oL W0RK.

reelection 10y the constituencies.
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ENTERPRISE N SCHOOL TORK.
There is some encouragement to be drawn
! from Che fact that the Board Of Education has
aroused itself % examine q subject outside OF
fine routinc work transacted at its regular meet
ircs. 1t may be conceded that the course OF
,lldy. viii IA is now tlc matter under invesiga-
ton, needs no serious revision But when ON
cial persons break away from the shackies OF
custom ard are moved TO discuss the prcpUrty
of modifying one part Of q system to winch they
! have grown fast, they are likely to be in mood
| to treat other questions in a fairly rational way.
! The Board itself plrulyzed by rout ne. The
! vast machinery which has been devised moves
on with pond Ious regui Iity The machine
! itself, mdepend ut Of It's results comes to be
! looked uuou with revcrential awe, and any at
tempt of an cntolpIis.ng member TO interfere
with ifs steady Ong0ipC is counted rs saculcgC.
The dcadeuing effect Of this relentless pressure
is felt throughout the system from top to bot
tom. II nanOWs supervision down to details
ISL ich can be mathema icaily measured. 1t
brushes out individuality in teachers It
makes instruction mechanical. 1t converts the
pupils them elves into set OF puppets all dane
ilq TO the same tune aud looked upon as ac
cOmpliSiiing the purpose for ch they exist
i'm die fullest measure when al are rcciting the
same table or spelling the same word at the
same tick Of the clock indeed, it is now pro-
posed to connect every sch0o-rOom with the
central office by telephone, 50 that at the word
of command from headquarters every pencil
can be sharpcucd and every pen wiped at
given instant.
Iftue Board undertakes to do some think
ing Of its own, it may conclude many
other people have concluded already, tlat the
entire work Of superintendent as now con-
due "a is radically vicious. The system has
grown up under the direction and influence Of
executive officers who were too small for the
place they were designed to fill-mcn capable OF
interesting themselves in tides while falling in
power to grasp essentials. The so-ca led exam
liners in their fitting visits never accomplish
ANYTHING IN the way of scovcriug Che condi-
ton of the schools in their vital points. For the
examiner, thcms Ives are under the same m
fcyible and drpIc sing rule as are the plinci-
pals over whose actions they are doing a sort of
detective duty. TIE activities OF a Spottcr n
horsr-car are not restricted within narrower
limits All the examiner can pos IDLY d. is to
learn whether certain mech meal detail 3 are
att md led to according to tie strict letter of the
manual, and his reports to the superintendent,
whose functions ar akin 20 those Of a boss de
tcctyc, mean only this: thai in the schools
where percentages and averages rule high, the
children are probably growing more stupid I'M
Ter the hcaItlc>s dill of martinez. We say
"pT0bably' because it must bcamatter Of guess
work by examiners who d. not and cannot come
INTO any actual mental contact with children
OF teachers Whether the pupils show well be-
cause they are crammcd for the occasion or not.
Principals and teachers know this Instructors
wi,h more cunning than conscience soon learn
the weak points of the examiner and become ex-
pert IN turning them to account. Teachers
with conscience and no cunning arc aware that
for Their best work they get no credit, and that
opportunities Tor doing hen hest work arc de-
nied them under the casl-iron restrictions OF
the manual.
Now, beyond the manifest fact that princi-
pals are degraded in the eyes OF their >uDOr-
dinates by the espionage to which they are
subjected that enthusiasm is chilled in teachers
while legitimate indictments to professional
advancement are replaced by temptations TO
dishonesty ana eye-SefNlce mat the Faculties
OF the children are benumbed rather than
awakened and developed under the pitilrss
rule Of enforced competition for marks
the most serious evil in the system, and
the one which in a measure covers all the
others, is the suppression of individuality. No
Onr connected with the schools, from the super-
iutendcnt to the infant class, is allowed TO be
himself. Every manifestation of distinct per-
sOnality is discouraged and the glory of the
system is that in every grade the individuals
are like machine made watches, every one an
exact duplicate of every other 1t must be adj
mtted that the problem is not easy of solu-
ton There must be order and system in q
scheme of such proportions as the education of
800, 900 children demands. And yet a work
can be organized to death. There Is mean
which affords complete organization III matters
material and yet allows a free play for indie
pendent activity within safe limits. Why not
begin the reform by recognizing the fact that
some principals, by reason OF original capacity
and acquired training, are superior to Others,
and able 10 render more efficient service if left
to prosecute their work in way of their own
choosngf A live superintendent could easily