New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-07
TRUSTEES AGAIN REBUKED.
THEY MUST ASK MORE RESPECTFULLY.
THE KINDERGARTEN SYSTEM INTRODUCED INTO

THE CITYS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Another rcbuke was administered u the school
trustees Of the Twentieth Ward yesterday by the Board
OF Education. At a special meeting held on June
20 the Board of Education ceDsured the majority Of
tbs trustees OF The Twcntcth Ward, j. Wesley
Smith, Augustine Healy and James Madden, for pro
noting Misses Annie a. Ilmond and Catherine L.
DoraD from the rank Of thirteenth ana TENN as
sisants respectively to that Of first assistant The
promotion was made over the heads OF number OF
teachers whom the Board OF Education consder'N com
petcnt TO be first assistants. The trustees OF the
Twentieth Ward yesterday sent communication 10 The
Board In which they said that they had been condemned
BY the Board OF Education without hearing Ihey a'Reu
that their case be reopcned and q special committee
appointed to consider IL.
In their communication. which has teen PnDIio"'"
In The Tribune, they said that the action against hei
was traccable the bitter vndictiveness Oh Two VI
the Commissioners, who have evidently mSeu TIE
Board saua,e the petty personal spleen wmch 'nc,
entertained against us" Mcssrs. smith, heaIs ail"
Madden assert that Commissioners Sanger and Williams
opposed them because the trustees OF the twentieth
Ward removed Miss Anna Jackson from hcr pace as
"a teacher Trustees Madden and Hclly were IN 're
lobby 10 await the fate Of their communication yee'cf
day. Commissioner Knox moved that the dNnhe"
be referred 70 the Committee on Teachers. COm'nis
soner Straus champlonod the cause Of the T"enuc'h
Ward trustees and moved that the trustees had had
no trial. their be referred 10 special conhiuee
ain considering this communication" said Com
missioner Sanger. chairman Of the Committee OF
Teachers which recommended the vote OF ceneuIe
g can scarcely cprcss my Indignation can only
consider the of such document. II IS piece
of lmpertnence II reminds me of prisoner con
denlned BY judge asking 10 BE- tried by another
fudge because he docs not like the sentence Inc
only question for the Committee on Teachers 10 de
termne was whether not the trustees Oh 'he
twentieth Ward had promoted certain teachers when
tfxI. L., .in wore
10 I'LL the vacant places The trustees never denied
that they had done So Our Investigation showed mat
the trustees had done this. II this Board Il not sas
fed with the work of its COMMITTEE on 1eacciS' ie'
II appoint a special committee. | VIII not rehiah
on d committee where my conduct ana judgment are
questioned. The request OF the twentieth Nhiu uua
tees is reflection upon the selfpspcct ana integrity
Of this Board 1t Is mpcrtlncnce Itself. How thes"
trustees can say that acted from anything else IMAM
a sense OF justice passes my Understandings
Commissioner Hall moved that the communication
be referred to the Committee on Teachers, Win re
quest that the Twentieth Ward trustees be 1ary 'reu
I" All right" said Mr.. sanger, ave VIII give them
dozen hearings II they want tem and before we ee'
through we will give some facts and figures that Will
sunrise those trustees"
a0entlcmenn said President Hunt this Board owes
something TO itself 1t has business TO noice
any communication couched In language rehecuhe
upon the official conduct of two of its members
,nunication was sent back TO the trustees OF 'he
twentieth Ward with the message that IL they WOMB
present request expressed in respectful language
the Board OF Education would possibly cohSuer IT,
Tho trustees are determined to vlndicae theT aouoh
and to have the vote of censurc withdrawn' III 'neS
fail 10 get satisfaction from the Board they VIII apply
TO the courts for a writ Of mandamus to compel the
poord IN expupge the vote OF censure from Tie
records.
The members Of the Board who have been WORKING
30 zeaIously for the introduction Of the kindergarten
system In the public schools were luDiaht YESTERDAY
afternoon when by a unanimous vote tlat system u
instruction was adopted. The matter has been uhoef
consideration for year. committee co'sisu"s
81 Commissioners Hubbell, Little. LummiS, sanger
Williams Holt and Hunt reported In favor OF aoopuhs
the system. Their report, which was UNANIMOUSLY
adopted recommended the amendment Of the bylaws
OF tho Board as TO permit the system W DC .h',o
duced into the schools upon the application Oh uhe
trustees OF the different wards. Inc apphca'loh must
be made with the approval Of the city superintendent
And of the Committee on Course Of study ana IeXt
Books. The system may be introduced mo any
primary school and the instruction in kindergarten
exercises will be called the seventh grade
The pupils IN the kindergarten classes VIII not be
less than five years old. The system VIII be miro
duced In about twenty schools In different parts OF inc
city this fall. The expenditures OF the first year VIII
be $4,000 Rooms Will be fitted mp In school build
lngs where the space be spared and the materials
used In the instruction will be purchased soon Inc
chief difficulty which confrons the Board is securing
complete Kindergarten Instructors =,
The action of the Board of Estimate yesterday III
refusing to give the Board any money for the erection
Of its new hall took the members by surprise When
Commissioner Lummis presented small bil for sur
yerys made on the site of the proposed hail, IL
was not approved. Mayor Grant said that the Board
would vote to give money to the Board OF Eiuca-
ton until school buildings enough had been built to
accommodate all the children In the city.
Commissioner Lummis IN making his report to the
Board Of Education yesterday said that In many f
the school buildings Of the city there an excess
Of seats and IL WAS hard to fill many Of the uptown
buildings with pupils "1he Board of Estimate and
Appordonment,' he said, has never made any OBJ
lection to our plans With their approval we pur.
chased the site OF the hall and accepted the plans OF
an architect. When the matter has gone so far. they
now step prevent the carrying out of the project
Unless they change their minds. will have the site
left our hands. The Legislature authorized MS TO
build a new hail. and entitled TO the funds
necessary to complete It,"
A plan to establish high schools as an intermediate
grade between the grammar schools and the College
OF the City OF New York referred to the Com
mittee on Course Of Study.