The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-24
DIR PUBLIO SCHOOLS.

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
| With an aggregate debt of $3.50, 900 on their
| hands, and with the annual expenses of the
schools exceeding the fund for their mainte-
nance to the amount of $4,000, the School
| Commissioners have at last realized the neces-
sity of economy and Of reducing expenditures.
| Their efforts in this direction, however, will
hardly meet with the approval of the majority
of tax-paying citizens. 1t has long been evil
dent that certain members of the School
Board cherish a special fondness for
certain departments of the school sys-
tenn and for certain branches of
study. These they are careful not to
disturb. With single exception, the pro-
posed reductions are those which will affect
the lower grades. A saving Of ST, 000,. they
agree, may be effected by dropping one teach
er from the High-school faculty; but further
than this they will not 60, for fear of
Gripping" that institution. Instead, they
propose to crowd the students in the district
schools, and to limit their advantages to the
extent of dispensing with thirteen teachers.
They also propose to forbid the attendance of
children during the year who have not reached
the age of six years at the time of the open
ing of the schools in September. This prop
osition has not yet been agreed
to, but as it will effect a
Saving" of $4,000 it will doubtless
be considered favorably at future meeting
Such an opportunity to economic will hardly
be let slip. The two very able suggestions
that no benefits should be paid to sick teach
ers, and that a limit might be made in the ex-
| penditures for repairs, were not concurred in,
but that they could be made under the cir
| cumstances shows the expedients to which
prejudice will resort rather than to curtail the
privileges Of favorite department. A hint
that they should lop off superfuities at the
| top Of the system excites the declaration from
the Commissioners that they will not so "crip-
ple' the schools. Do they not realize that in
attacking the system at the foundation they
| do more to impair its efficiency than they
would do by cutting off even all the high-school
and all the extra branches Of study
The idea of the founders of the public
school system was to provide children with
such an education in the common English
| branches that they could transact the ordinary
| business Of everyday life. The plan did not
include instruction in foreign or dead Ian
guages, in higher scientific and literary
| studies, nor did it contemplate the training of
teachers at public expense. The value and
| excellence of the High-school as an institution
is not to be questioned, but it is a very costly
| and burdensome addition to an already elabo-
rate system of education. If it could be
maintained in its present condition without
running the city in debt, and without injur-
ing the lower grades, no objection would
be urged to it. AS it is, it is luxury,
| and it is there that reduction should begin
Many students profit by its existence, but the
| original end and aim of the public school is
schools; and the greater number of children
go no higher than these grades. No one ex-
poets or would suggest the adjustment of the
| High-school; but when economy must be
practiced let it begin there. The Sout Inside
| High-school should be united with the
other. The training school should be
| done away with. There is no
good reason why teachers should be
a privileged class, and educated
at public expense 1t is convenient for the
young women, of course, but it would be
equally agreeable to young men who wanted
| to become lawyers or doctors to obtain their
training without cost to themselves. The
public has no more interest in fitting out one
class than the other. The School Board might
with equal propriety undertake to provide the
higher education necessary for the superin-
tendents and scientific instructors as to train
teachers for the lower grades. Teachers
should educate themselves, and the position
| be open to competition the same as other call.
| ings in life
German should not be taught in the public
schools. 1t costs the city Sc, 900 in the lower
grades, and even there comparatively few
are able to profit by it. AS it is not taught
in all the districts many are deprived of tie
opportunity to take it up Being an excres-
cence, however, as we'll as an advantage to
but favored few, it should be dropped. We
understand that the law provides that it shall
be taught; but the attorney of the board has
| given an opinion that, as between English