The sun., 1890-11-02
TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOLS

At the latest meeting Of the Board OF Educa-
ton letter was received from Col. Jasper
suggesting that some Of tho assistant superin-
tendents should visit other cities and learn
what Is being done by other communities In
the matter OF manual training, the size Of
classes and class rooms, methods OF manage
mont. courses of study. and other things per-
the line Of what THE sun has repeatedfy sua-
gested. 1t would be good thing for the as
sistsnt superlntendents 10 pass several months
would be much better il some Of the mem bers
Of the Board Of Education. whose opinions
company the assistant superintendents and
find out by personal observation what the
to
ports presented By the assistant s2perin-
after theft TesgrP aome There
perfect. school system. but there are
many that have N, faE ~. better nh methods than
as Ns% q
maintained With regard to- to the Quality iS'e q
beef rf eeud
not afford to take any one city as it,, model
found @ In ten or dozsn Of the larger % Cities tie
,S SDIld present re-
seneTsl imProysment; e III; .,I ~ 0Ol Jasper RECON-
"
sapesintepaents Should 20 asked from .she
at ao ssd he ae
tie wages to b paid the scrub%en ana the
sshe%s was Doseponsd s Ge esti%ated pthas
the inspection would cost 5000.
In the midst Of all the criticism passed upon
tho New York public schools 1t ia gratifying to
find that there Is one bureau In the depart
mont wherein work OF the highest grade Is
being done. From all over the country vlsi-
tors are coming to INSPECT the school houses
which have besn ersotSd yfhn tho past
sendent @ K Of School Baildines. ID6 Mr. DebeVoiss % Is
stands. what the reQuirments are in respect OF
Bosd 81 gssnp
tied with giving 70 pupils In the lower grades
tho higher grades from ninety to 100 cubic
aS
and In some cases even more. In other cities
feet q air space for each puDii was long ny rscos. %
loo cubic ieet. there viii before long be- sum.
a se %
eIas las ns
At least two members OF the Board of Edu-
cation have under consideration schemes for
general reconstruction OF the public school
system. Their plans involve changes In the
size Of classes. q remodelling of the course Of
study, the establishment OF schools which will
cover part Of the work now done by the higher
grades In the grammar schools and the lower
grades In the two colleges. and finally trans
formation Of the. Normal College 80 that Q
thorough course In pedagogy may be carried
on there. Whether either Of these plans will
como fully before the Board OF Education will
depend upon circumstances. The controlling
body Of the school department is in such
generally unsettled condition that the most
intelligent Commissioners hesitate to present
any serious plans. They feel that there are
too many members OF the Board who are
practically untitled To- debate purely
educational subject. When II 10 remem-
bered that there are some Commiesioners who
can neither write nor speak the English lam
guage without violating many rules Of gram
mar; whom It 10 remembered that there are
some Commlssionsrs who think that the OBJ
pentsrs, "a, and Girls cooke; when Il 10 remep.
Board solely to Advance their personal ends
the school laws to accomplish these purposes,
1t 10 evident why tue better class OF members
are postponing action upon some OF the sub-
jects demanding attention. 1t IL confidently
eEpectsd. however: that the new men whom
MSyor Grant viii! place on the Board will be
men now there and bring to satisfactory
causing trouble.