New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-13
THE CITYS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A TALK WITH COMMISSIONER DEvoE.
METHODS, COURSE or STUDY. HEALTH, OVER
STUDY. REMEDIES, ETC.

Mr. Devoe has devoted great study and attention TO
these questions To the following questions tho Com
missioner made full and unrescrved replies;
DO YOU regard the present methods Of our pnpic
schools meeting tho true purpose OF common sc"oo'
educatiOnf
is the course Of study in any the schools too seycre'
Are they sufficiently to affect the health OF the
pupilsi ,,
and OF the In the Normal College!
Are there any uDdOubed instances OF scholars Being
affected by the severity OF The prescribed COURSE VI
what do you think of tho methods in the primary
How would you propose to remedy any of these evils
OF de ectsi
Said the Commissioner: "You must allow me to
ypur important questions in my own way TOOK
office ss Commissioner OF Common Schools In January
1881 aud began school visitation in the month follow
ing. inspected about l40 schools, examined tue Dui"-
ings anL class '0oms. and addressed the children anu
talked freely with tho principals soon the fahm con-
vction grew upon that much harm was Deiis "oh'
In this great department Though II trying RESPONSE
bty. my duty became clear namely to attempt
remedy for what seemed the greater evils Win
this solely in view. In October 1881 at meeting OF tho
Board OF Education offered resolutions that tc courses
OF studies be revised Tho committee to whom thcSe
were referred in December reported revised course
which was promptly adopted But the most important
OF my resolutions reported adversely and the report
VIVA slstalnod by vote OF Is g. This ~ follows:
Res,ircd Thatb the Committee on tho Normal College
be lucscl 10 consider ana report 10 this boa'u IN
the pcdiency Of making II requisite Tor all cahdhtes
for admission Normal College tn lie at least ltecn
YEARS Of ago. instead of fourteen years as now pre-
scricd' Had this been adopted II would nave doho
something toward easing up on the overslrdin OF ram
and body OF young girl, OF eleven, twelve aud thirteen
wears OF aco vino striving day AMI night Ia rcpr-
in for tue examination necessary To enter tho cocSo
own TO disappointment In tho defeat OF TINS r's
luton set my mind to lind some other way To accom-
psh what seemed to me 50 benevolent m object An
last
other matters 50 eNacted my attention a. 10 conpo'
delay until tue present season. In my Jnd Snent ths
question of age should he considered also III rcoh W
the mimay schools. The state law allows the "i MS
sion children at five years OF age Inc classes arc 700
large and the rooms crowded TO the sure peril OF
health to tho children and trachcrS Ana oven t"'eo
teachers are many Df thcm entirely too young with tho
appropriaton OF money made last year by tho Board OF
Estlmatc and ApportionmcDt. and tho Sch0o.-houSo
Bond bill passed 10y the Legislature last WINTER 'h'hN
We shall soon have enough Ia prevent GROWING 7"
cass-rpons. provided the Controller dsposcs oi t"oso
bonds. have sometimes felt Ike advocating an ahohu
mcnt to the law. that children should not 10 "u"''o"
under six years Of age.
rusuINc the CHILDREN FOR EXAMINATION
." think Jules simon says we'll; we 40 ho' P'"P'''
our pupils for Ito. but for examinations Az Any
rate doubt II this could he said more Truly OF "ny
pupils than those of our public schools VIII GU" ''o
words of ono who is professionally connected win thc
know OF the inside working % something Hho oho
hundred classes; and in every ono there IL ono ""
.rr,ble FROM nine to three (oftencr from nine To ou
not 10 teach children thoroughly grannay' r'''o"
aly according what thoy are ready to assima'e""
10 have every child OF tue thirty or fory ~ 'e '''
randy to give exactly the same to the examiners
at any moment that they may walk H. Possibly no ""'
bnt teacher and an earnest teacher knows tine dier
epce between class taught thoroughly AMI ratiohay
without any thought Of examinations, ana class taught
with tho object constantly in mimi of passing al oN"
nation Examinations OF some KIND are no do""'
sary II the work laid out possible to perform uh
honest capable teachers were always appohte"' 'e'0
won be- no need of the present system OF espionage
There should be tho greatest freedom and confluence DC
tween teachers ana superinendents so tha weh re''
d icultie arise. the teachers should ieei Tree W o' "
tho superntcndcnts for their judgment ID inc "'''o
serious evil this general drive Is the pnshhs OIL t"o
children They pushed from one grade 10 announcer
before they ready for promotion ms Is enicny e
In the fact that upper grades must be Literally leo py
the lower ones. tho GROWING glory the GRADUATING
| class will he seriously small. as many or the o"ei
children in the higher classes drop out IL must Do men
toned too that this evil OF premature promotion Is
considerably aggravated by inuIicious PARENTS ""o
either by personal visits or messages 10 the 'eo"e
importune to have their children advanced against the
Judgment teacher even going so Tar ~ I"
10 take them other sch0ol-a threat 100 oiI'"
effective especially in the schools having moue'"'o az
| tendance.
the same results from children who differ Widely Ill 'he
| p,.,taI faculties Probably the cram Is greatest Iii
the two highest grades think this is especially 80
since the revision OF tine course OF stury IN 1881 o'
the lower grades made lighter; Dul tere wis "o'
much easing up the higher grades except as
and the SQUARE and the cube root in arithmetic h
told that the present In history as the Mahua
os IN Indicate requires the memorizing OF the dates
and some particulars of about hundred battcs' ls
cram or high pressure process must oeglh carry "
the year and DO pushed steadily But puplis hc so"o
| ally I'm such q dazed condition when they reach 'pe
higher grades from long continued hurry anu worry III
the several grades that revision OF all the Studies ana
this in memory studies only. cxacts an immense nervous
strain nj the most critical time the physical crisis Oh
| girls life-at thirteen or fourteen years OF age
| UNFAIR EXAMINATION PAPERS.
"Tlc Normal College examination papers gwen W '"e
graduates the grammar schools last June resau ~
| unrnir I'm history and some other Stnhles' 'N"o
says in conn unicatiou: We were told atter 'ho III
vesiynt,ons Of 1892 that no military movements ana
vary few dates should be taugt yet these papers ma
| many questions Of battles and dates In grammar we
Mer o,nrs were null The amount study necessary
Io mass ihiS examination that Is TO reach SZLtne new
| st,n,,,d required 10 enter the Normal Coheg"-Was
i,"niv s,uncfying TO n Young girl. Now II should De
| remembered That. tor reasons wen uhucrs'oou ~
tcnrhers and examiners there IL at least zen nst oeh
JG.perr, in the marking at school on examinations ~
which the questions almost necessarily kel w tnr
hnoks used, and the examination Tor ohtince y" t I
rolgr IN winch there ia shaping o the BOOKS stnneu
h tse candilao. Hence IA compared win lne gta"
| INN examination exercise, the girl nn't ret WIZ ~
rtul Ia nhOut % per cent "a I've able ~ passh Hn"
| these Young pcrsOns. Tina examiner IN June uu ho
| ,,,rn fnnrtrrn YEARS until Srptrnbet. Shuui snch
ennl strain be borne Ivy any Que unler sixteen }taso
arrl snne time ago Our rnuise OF sluiy was auonu
| . Instant riir. nn a had nhhile was tire iesii,
prrpnti, a NEW snprrinrn Dnt an able anu cohlwien
man took riipp anu he insists mas hr Wpn l ~
ia ~, rnirse IN the upper grades cannot be nome NY
| wiUnal mrthul9
~ tfis-is US aektih
ain rieteani, uhiu ~ i7s2. there WA great e'ete
al it,,l a
| p,,eg,ns ppnn VIA ain,eil the superintendent W
| ,ah.,l, was guaestp,i an ehanse mhle W the rrh
i,,t ~ tne spA,ml analis ~ ihphp,h,ai W ts' H'i
wIutu ,hVs. w. hNnlp thp lapi tha ph'lN 70 sum
and 10 ggW,ug -ihp las s'inN 80 tNp' q 'insnnr' "
u.e g,u,uln1 uneHnRlpHa vi RnWl mo pNlN 70 HN''e'
,s nnisn Il Guuld Nps 40 uanl hnula 40 80 ppsgiit