New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-18
sCHoOL-TEACHERS ALERT.
DISCUSSING PROPOSED CHANGES IN THEIR
Work.

/ A MANNED D1tfExENCE OF OPlNlON-fiEWs Wv
BOTH sIpEs-Is THE OPPOSITION DUE TO
DESIRE TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN
Or TO SPARE THE TEAcHEnsa
| A marked difference Of opinion exists among ths
| public school teachers in regard to recently pro-
posed changes in the Board of Education. The
report Of the Committee of Eight which suggests
these changes has been discussed at two meetings
of the Board. Its leading proposition was to
divide the teachers into two classes. maximum and
standard; all teachers having received for five
years the highest record to be placed In the first
grade and their classes to become exempt from the
yearly examination Of the superintendent. h
the work of the teacher retrogrades provision IL
made for placing her back in the standard grade
The object of having these grades was to do away
with the constant examinations of pupils which
were regarded of little value to the school. and
even injurious to the pupils. At the last meeting
Of the Board, amendments to this report presented
by the chairman Of the committee making it,
abolished the terms maximum and standard.
There are 1000 teachers in the public schools,
and meetings Of their associations have been held
almost daily for several weeks to discuss this
report. More than 5000 Of the teachers are
women, and more than $500 are reported to be
| opposed to the report The amendments, it is
claimed, do not change tb' main Objectionable
feature of grading, the classes having been merely
changed to exempts' md non-exempts' On
Friday it was said that petition 10 the Board OF
Education against the report had the signature
Of 1900 teachers. This petition viii be presented
at the meeting on Wednesday, with a proposed
substitute for the report The report on the other
hand, is supported by many of the most active and
capable teachers of the schools To obtain their
individual opinions, Tribune reporter called on
several Of the most prominent teachers, repre-
senting both sides of the question.
oUTsPoKEN IN OPPOSITION.
| Miss Mary f. Tate, the principal Of the GirB
Grammar School in West Twenty-fourth-st., Is
| one of the best-known teachers OF the city. her
school for more than two years has raLked among
| the first Miss Tate does not approve OF the COM
mittee's report. 1t means, she thinks, not simply
o change in the present methods, but revolution
| which must be disastrous in its influence on the
| schools. She said:
We do not want reform in our methods Improve
ment can always be made, 1t should be gradual and
continuous In such system as this not spasmodic.
Now there is outpourng Of IDEAS fsctious opposition
present methods, which would make it appear tnas
the public schools in most dreadful condition But
the teachers talk the and best are not the
best teachers great body Of quiet teachers are
occupied fully with their work It is only within
few weeks they have been reused to ascertain what
| all this talk was about The opposition TO the repors
Is due TO the the proposed plan win divide the
teachers distinct classes and that to such ds
tinctOn Discrimination unnecessary ana un"ise
prominence given. One class OF teachers Is composed
OF those who after certain date, are exempt from
examination by superintendent or his assistants while
the class is subject to frequent examination OF
ysations The two virtually the "exempts'
and the 'non-exempts." but matter how they are
designated the is drawn which marks classification,
depIored alike by principals and teachers whose expo
| rience has been most successful
Those who object to the eommitbse's plan ars nos
| fhafoo teach ara
others ana would not be possible to have 1000
OF equal talent and attalnments. They will naturally
classify themselves among themselves but under tho
present system special prominence H. given 70 this
by official action proclamation Under the PROPOSED
plan would be public recognition OF this cstncen
Many teachers made excellent records because OF
conscientious devotion to and iaudaeie pride In tnef
work but there can be no douM that they have been
| strengthened in their ambition TO do wei BY them
accountability superintendent Then, too, cir
ounstances may occur such as promotion TO higher
grade, or appointments under new principal whose
standard be different from the former
one which may exempt" teachers such disad-
vantage result in demand for superintendents
examination for you bear IN mind that "exemp'
teachers are only such until the principal makes com
plant their lack of success Almost as many standards
Of excellence wiz arise there are principals
EXAMINATION A REFLECTION.
The mere fact that their would Be examined BY
the superintendent after period Of exemption would be
reflection upon them which associates their pupils
and the parents az their pupils would not be slow to
notice weald regard evidence that they had retro
graded They would lose, in consequence, to greater
OF loss extent respect and confidence OF their pupils
and parents without which success is impossible Exam-
nations will thus degenerate into punishments
The comnee's report expresses great solcitude for
the young nervous or inefficient teacher Such would Do
doubt be mainly "nonexemps" and instead OF an annual
examination would be subjected frequent ysations from
the superinendent thereby attracting the unfavorsbo
attention world, and perhaps causing the
unkind hey must be teachers, or they
would need be superintended so much In con-
sequence their chances Of success would be very much
lessened.
BY the proposed plan, . large proportion OF the
teachers would subject the principals examinations
only superintendent OF schools is In better position
to give an unbiased Judgment upon the work Of the
schools than any principal can be. Annual examina-
tions by dSnterested superintcndents, who not only
examine. but suggest Improvement in methods excits
special attention or comment do not disturb conf
dence OF pupils parents in the teacher, and make No
Invidlous distinction between teachers.
EXPERIMENTS ARE DANGEROUS.
Experiments dangerous when applied to stsystem
educating 125 900" children and I trust the commits
soners will be slow to advocate any change the success
OF which would be problemauc.
1t would be assumption my part to propose
any the change advanced by the repore
it appear to that the great body Of teachers
like the faculty Of a college, might be in some way
consulted In regard to measures 50 vital TO their n-
erests. / do not be exempt from examination.
Supentendens and commissioners pass away but teachers
remain long timc and their good work may DO
forgotten want my record just stands from year
to year. net In the minds Of superntendents COM
missiOners but where can turn to t.
UNFOLDING THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
The report of the committee is opposed by most
of the older and conservative teachers of the sys
tenn, whose schools are generally pointed to as
examples and whose work has been regarded as
the most satisfactory. One of these, Miss NJ
Louise Clawson principal of the girls depart
ment of No As, in West Twenty-eighth-st, ex-
pressed herself earnestly in condemning the
changes which would result from the adoption OF
the report. She said:
believe there many excellent suggestions IN
the report which Will result good to the schools II tho
,port itself Is entirely rejected by Board They will
quicken thought among the teachers ss weA as the
ocas so that we get the spirit Of their
..ht.h s,rnrovarnent advance. schools