New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-20
OvER-PRESSURE IN SCHOOLS
MIR. WOOD ANSWERS Mr.. DEvOE.


familiar for fifteen years. not only the Board OF Ed
cation but TO most OF the school children OF the city Mr.
Wood does not agree with the views Of Commissioners
Devoe a. publ ihcd THE TRIBuNE last Saturday. lie
does not believe there any great marked defects
In tho present public school system Of the city that
there "a an pressure OF study either in the schools
the Normal College he Ia the chairman of the College
Committee, AMI also OF tho Committee on Course of
sthny In the schools When called on Ivy TRIBUNE re
porter In relation to this subject. Mr. wood said:
81 think 1t would have been In better taste for Com
missioner Devoe TO express hs opinions In the Board "
Education. who're No has frequent and ample oppotuni
ties Tor DONG and for having their soundncss tested
ny discussion the spot rather than 10 rush into print
where readers who know better may take tine crude
opinions he states to he his for law and goapel they
p's' Tor n time ut least without any contradiction.
"oud mnch rather give uerance ~ opinions before
my Fellows IN the Board OF Education. IL IA part OF my
"hN " 10 than place them IN print In opposition to
thuse N fellow commissioner before public which
ma neither tme inclination o stulv out dcaia aud
"h'h ar too Frequently looks upon tho discussion "
educational ma,tersa bore Of the hrst magnitude.
However 80 you wah tho oltc-t mcmner Of the
uoa', ahd chairman of tho Committee on Normal
'"llese, to give my vlcwa regarding commaalouer no
Nooa aainmrn, Ahall hesln by replying 10 tho auea
tehn Witch you askei him,
t "ho Nou roaai tho preaent methods ~ our puhie
Hoh''h - meeting the true purpose NJ common aohool
odnohllonl' do, " elementary geometry Tar
To tho Revolution OF i77d were added To the course,
IiiE couRsG oF STUDY NOT roo sENsr.
GU Ia tho course of study In any OF the schools too
seveor do not think that IA, and say this with
long AMI wide eXl ercnco the subject from 1869 down
To tho present time AZ honring upon this question.
beg to mention that in 1874 the following
subjects wero taught In the highest grammar grades. IN
addition to those now taught Geometry algebra
| astronomy, bookkeeping and evolution OF square and
oube roots. Yet from Mr.. Devoo's utteances you
would suppose that the present and recent commissions
had been png tho agony the unfortunate scholars
instead OF thus restricting studies From returns recently
sent to from 1913 principals OF female. male and
mixed grammar schools only 80 In favor OF cOnnu
Ing the present 90 In favor Of adding to
| IT, one other Of then two or three OF the
following additional studies Geometry. algebra, rer
| sIectiye drawing. bookkeeping aud astronomy.
The above your third well your second
question Your fourth question Isl Is this true o: tho
last year In the schools and OF the course OF the
Normal College So far my personal experience goes.
aud it Ia not confined to any school o. district OF
the city, DO not think believe that the health Of the
girls in tie last year OF the grammar schools njuri-
ousy affected by the OF Study for that year. aud
that the Normal College studies do affect the health
the young ladies' OF that Institution vouched for by
the testimony OF physicians in good practice. BY by
law OF the Board. page 81 OF the Manual Of 1884, No
license Ito teach shall be issued the candidate
shall present certificate Of physician Of the city Of
NewIOrk In good AMI regular standing, certifying tat
examined candidate and nnds him her to BIO
| In sound bodily health In June 1884. 238 young
| ladies graduated from the Normal College and re-
ceyed their licenses to teach after presenting the re-
| CURED physicians certificate.
$40 your nth question reply that am not ac-
duanted with single instance Of scholars being Affected
by the severity prescribed Of studies and
NY tine Is almost wholly devoted school matters
should lie certain to hear OF them IL sncb existed
| PRIMARY SCHOOL METHODS SATISFACTORY.
ITO your sixth question rerly that am now salts
led with the methods In the primary schools. When I
Joined the Board in 1869 only slate writing was taught
IN the primary schools. hut ten years ago had
booh-wrtng introduced into the three highest grades
prmares and instead OF having the youngest and
poorest teacher instruct the gallery In the
primaries, WAS the case when came INTO the b9irl
so the present bylaw enacted, page 1913 Of the Manual
81 issi rhe nfth and sixth grades OF the primary
schools and departments shall be under the supervision
capacity render them especially rteh for this duty
IA to your last question. do not admit any special
evils or eecs aud therefore do propose any remedy
To he sire. have not. IKE Mr. Deyoe. perused the
saying 70 the effect that we do net prepare our pun ia
iile but for examinations what they do IN Franco
don't know. but 10 know that the French and English
come 10 NJ with regard o popular edlca
ton aud admit that we are far ahead OF them
NOHMAL COLLEGE ENTrANCE Plantations
.Now with regard to the Normal College examinations
for admission last jane and with regard to Mr. DE Woes
criticism. thereon in mind that be IL not
An expert. His testimony Is mere heresay testimony,
and therefore OF little value In the questions for
adnlsson 10 the Normal College. what would Mr. Devpe
want Questions easy that they would not constitute
test does ne want questions 80 simnle mat children
NJ the seronl grade could be admitted The fact that
7ai ran'liites passed the examination ~ - per cent
AMI upward proves mat we qnr'Voh' Wese nov tDo
dncnIt Had they been little easier every one ~ the
wund have the test ~ fitness These questions
eere r0nsrrirr ~ ~ require ne e,rr'e ~ thonch
in r4nn, thHy asO rs prick the sotr-buhbr ~
rr,n,ng rhis tvs or tifpe rnsirrrssin tirhets who
inspire Jonms'ianrr bevel io not trii'h W be-
1 a. "
| ihr CNmnu,rp 80 ,pnree % stndr tfrphwl entirely
hr aint ~ httr4 ihy tbs wr stjiira ~ hisiniy
lac pAtin .as vs. rfitpnt rhte r'bmnprre Neinr
ti,rn 90 1t'pa Nn' 'n 'rnnir lNpi ao'ee'hFt i 3mnt
h,,,a,f rAras Nt iaat irNa vApstNH ~ I "a ''Ha
ass Msi tsts Na st anl saei rtfs asa eNt,'lwi ~
G ff,A TIA a.1ate a,lai " -,yp tte Aaie Aua Neaa
tao pihus pa''s she NpNhl nave NNp" p"''lpt
oaasun wAs 10 pnr coat Tue daepYHrf el tao hulsm
nyor o the me stones ,n the slnhi pl hl'nlf
put Commissioners hoi 30 Is 40 hai"Ahulf snn'n"p"'"
that he wnnd not lax the minhs OF the poor ohdtn of
fear tho h-res l6oO misht create inflammation 81 tho
hrco parts, ani Que dae IS asked ior Tue hiIu lura
ton is 4 vdcd three parts, and one data very I'M
is asked for bat had the candidate failed to give
date she would have lost only per cent ine uhy
dles mat furnish shtlp oi H.usu lo Ifr az
the daes ~ The admission OF Vermont kentuoAy and
tennessee IN l70l 1892 aud 1885, ana yet thest are 50
correlated that II a student remember one she can
readily remember all. Had the candidate iale Ia an
eshtn question the dates Tor beginning aud the end
ing OF the three great wars were required l was GER
the War OF ISl2l5 began 1872 and ended IN 1919,
that the Mexican War began IN isio aud ended III 1870
and that Of the Secession began IN 1851 ana
ended in 1863. But had the candidate failed ia these
d,tes abe would have lost only per cent All the
dates asked for even missed could only have caused
lOs OF 10 per cent ont Oi total Or 100 por cent hId
me candid TO answered correctly everything except the
dat a. ,he would have entitled 0 y per cent Less
than oue-seFenth OF tho history examination was de-
voted 10 dates Surely this not ton much.
QUESTIONS ABOUT MILITARY MOVEMENTS.
NOV az to the military movements to which someone
, Ar Devo.'. in,prers object IL will be found that
,.s oucstion Of the nature OF military movement
WAS a,keI prior Revolutionary War and to that
WA attached valic OF per cent. In the Revolt
tiouary war but three battles reqUired-Bunkcr
nm Long Island aud Saratoga and the candidates
we're tod 10 describe them briefly surely II student
uow anytHlns OF die history OF the United states she