New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-12
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The address made To the Board Of Education
by President Simmons upon the occasion OF his
reelection to tho chair yesterday is full OF In
terest for the people of this city. 1t is
thoughtful and well considered speech. The
present composition of the Board OF Education
is satisfactory to the people and affords them
confidence that the important interests In
trusted to it will be handled with discretion,
zeal and economy. The public school system
Is as dear to the people Of this country as
liberty itself In fact, they logically asso-
ciate its maintenance and progress with tho
preservation Of free institutions, and they are
willing TO pay all that can reasonably be de-
manded to make the schools sufficient In num-
Der and efficient in work. The present Board
has already demonstrated its sincere desire to
administer the schools affairs to the public ad-
vantage and its labors this year will be
watched with a general sympathetic interest
If it accomplishes all Mr.. Simmons has sug-
gcsted for its consideration, the year will DO
a busy one. Some of the strain upon the capac-
lty of the schools has been removed by the
erection Of three new buildings, but, upon
moderate estimate, at least 10000 children,
and lust those who most sadly need the benefits
the promised addition of nine other new build
ings can be rendered available promptly this
fruitful source of complaint will be removed.
1t is agreeable to be told by Mr.. Simmons that
politics are outside of the Boards business,
and that he means to close its doors against
any invasion Of the insidous arts of the poll
ticians. The Democratic leaders here are
greedily looking for chances to control big
public funds this year. 1t is matter OF small
moment to them whether they build school
houses or iails, so long as the field for patron
age is large We are glad to believe that they
cannot look for encouragement from Mr. Sim
mons.
The work of consolidating the old and SHINY
attended downtown schools that have out
prown their usefulness should be carried on
until there ceases to be waste of resources
and energy in one part of town and want OF
them in the other. The tone OF MIR. Simmons
remarks upon night schools and manual tram
ing is to be commended. Only those persons
who have sense enough to understand and APP
preciate their need of an education will make
a conscientious use of the advantages Afforded
by tho night schools. This is proved by the
UNQUALIFIED success of the night high schools
and the manifest failure of those called Jun
;or, schools The evident fact that hundreds
OF boys and girls arc using these schools as
an excuse and opportunity to be abroad upon
the streets at night is a strong argument Tor
their abolition, or for the adoption OF some
better method of controlling the movements
of the particular class of pupils they are de-
signed to serve.
OF course the experiment of manual training
in the common schools has not yet had time
to develop any results that are significant
Mr.. Simmons is Justly doubtful as to the WIS
dom of admitting the system even as an ex-
pertinent. There is but little time in the
average childs life in which the public schools
can do their proper and conceded work. Men
tai training must be given quickly and while
there is little time for acquisition there Is much
to be acquired. That it is either the duty or
the advantage Of the State to go further In the
task of fitting its future citizens for life may
we'll be doubted. All that the opponents of the
new system can desire, however, for their OBJ
jections touch only its comparative utility, Is
that it shall be tried fairly. President Sim
mons's attitude seems to promise that this
will DO DONE