Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-02-15

AHu Tue uHu lHttnI Ol tue podTu Ol
Education from 1890 to the present day
is shown by the history of the school
house bonds as follows:
In 1884 a law was passed authorizing
the issue of bonds not exceeding 81, ,000,.
| 000
But nothing worth mentioning was
done.
In 1895 this law was amended increas,
ing the rate of interest to 81 per cent.
Again nothing worth mentioning was
done.
In 1886 it was further amended ex-
| tending time of issue to 1887, 1888 and
| 1899.
Still nothing was done.
In 1888 another amendment followed
allowing the issue of $1,000, 600 addition
al bonds at 81 per cent.
This was still farther amended by
law of 1889 allowing the issue of $2, ,00O,-
600 more bonds for the same purpose.
This makes total sum of $6 900 000
| of which less than half has thus far been
| expended, the present board continuing
the criminal dilatoriness of its predeces
sors and taking no adequate steps to
| provide temporary schools for the pre-.
sent or permanent ones for the future,
| though the plea of poverty cannot be
entered in justification of their course,
seeing that wealth has increased in a
greater ratio than population.
| That this course cannot have been in
spired by "sound economy taking
this expression in its arowest pecu-
mary sense-is evident from the fact
that the longer the purchase of school
sites is delayed, the more must be paid
| for them in consequence of the constant
and rapid rise of the value of real estate
in this city.
That there was no financial obstacle
to the raising of a sufficient sum to pur-
chase all the school sites that may be
necessary for a number of years to
come, and to erect schools thereon as
the same may be needed, is plain
enough from the fact that the q per
cent. interest. bearing bonds of the city
| of New York can now be sold above
| par.
That there would have been no legis
lative obstacle to the issue of such bonds
may be -resamed frb,r the readiness
with which, in recent years, the State
Legislature not only authorized three
such issues of two million dollars each
for school purposes, but also the pui-
chase of vast tracts of land in the new
wards for park purposes, and the un.
limited issue of bonds for armories.
| That if any obstacle had been inter
posed by the Legislature, the city au-
| thOritles had it nevertheless in their
power to provide all necessary school
accommodations, will not be denied in
view of the fact that they could have
temporarily rented buildings and fitted
them, as they did in a few instances;
expenditures of this character being met
by ordinary taxation.
In the face of this criminal inactivity
the Mayor actually speaks of the expen-
diture of $lSS, 900 appropriated for rent
ing buildings and paying teachers dur
ing the present year as: Liberal expend-
iture for educational purposes the highest
form of enlightened economy"
"Llberdt" i"
Point 3-7he appropriations for the
schools hare borne no proportion to the M
crease IN ,ceuM or population.
Since 1880 the assessed valuation of
property in New York city has grown
| by more than half a billion dollars. Dur
ing the same time the annual expenditure
for schools has increased by less than
million dollars and is now less than five
millions year out OF $35, 600 900.
In proportion to the value of real
estate, the public school property of the
metropolis is less than in any other city
or town in the State having more than
1000 inhabitants, except Cohoes, Herk-
inner, Hudson. Lansingburg, Lockport,
Long Island City, Rochester, Tariytown,
Troy and Yonkers.
| For supervision and teaching she ex.
pends each year, per capita of the aver
age attendance of her schools, d less per
centage of the assessed valuation of
! property, than is reported from any
other city or town in the State, except
Canandaigua, Catskill, Cohoes, Geneva,
Hudson, Rochester, Tarrytown and
| Yonkers.
The total population of the city of
New York in 1880 was ,206,0 900, and the
average attendance of children IN its
public schools was 1893 or 9.3 per
cent. of the population.
While the population increased 550,-
000, of whom 100, 900 were children be
tween the ages of 5 and IA. the average
attendance of the public schools increas-
ed only u $50, as follows:
1881. 346 1885. 153
1882. S2..........2,9s 9s3 1886. .........2,7 756
| 1888. 295 1887. 1874
| 1884. 4........,6 ,6,814 1888. ........ 3U4
In 1899 there was an actual decrease
| of attendance of about 600 And this
was caused exclusively by the failure of
the city to provide accommodation pro-
portional to the growth of population.
Point 4-The number Of children receiU-
ing no school training during the present
year must e.rceed one hundred thousand.
The number of children between the
ages of 6 and IA in this city is about
] 40 600