New-York tribune., 1892-01-06

DUUlC mUT
The affairs Of lk-'Nyernment should Ge naps cha41c'
with the same hoiiesy economy and zeal as ohai"'
tcrize the management Of private business
TO REVISE TIE CONSTITUTION.
In 1886 the people Of the state voted emphatcailY
for a convention to revise The Constitution The Leg
stature has vet failed provide for such coi'ci.
ton. 1 that public opinion has chahsen
with reference to the desirabhy Of revision oil tho
Constitution. and respectfully commend tne ''o'o
u the further consideration Of the Legisn'urc' FL
forts are continually being made In the Hssa'"ie "
submit proposed amendments 10 the people anu "H"e
that method Of constitutional revision has ue nierl'
Of conservatism /, +, believed to be pa'ch"orh
met bod desired by the people and not yieihg '"c
best results. convention composed 0i ;,e men ,
and thoroughly repre- entaiive would uhnoupu's pu, @
ter Subserve the public Interest, ana preSc bepe ,c
proyal a more comprehensive and pfnctlchl scheHe
Of amendments The dslnclnntion OF the Legislature
to ndcrse the revision Of the JUDICIARY aruce sno
proposed by the Constitutional COMMISSION ol looo
would seem ~ make constitutional convention u1ir
necessary than ever and trust the Legislature at It's
present session VIII make the proper provision lor one
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Reports received by the superintendent OF Public In
structiol indicate that the number Of children In TIC
state Of school age d e. between I'VE and wcIty-onc
yearsl in 1881 was 62l.773. The number OF children
attending :he common schools in the same year was
1O54,O44 More than $4,000 children Of school age
therefore wev. either not In school at all or ~eNcu
instruction els wher' than at the public schools Inc
proportion of pnOic school children IN 1871 c"ise
oucnty was about per cent OF The total number be-
tween the aces OF i've and twenty-one The total cost
of supplying this c,ucauOn tO soAicwit IOlc lhh hs
thc children Of school age IN the >thic was $500,
H. 20. Tho greater part OF thI7 amount was i'' Nv
state and local taxation. -, c ,o,
Cons dcrd with cther statistics these lgurc' ssgrs'
some seriGm, reflections In le5i. forty wears ago
- per cent OF the entire school population a'tnu'r
Ihe public schools. During thJse oTl years the STU
ha, done improve and strengthen HN op'hhioi'
.rb,. tn mere - their efficiency and to compel at
tendance. vet during all that time there ha eccn ,a
steady dcCieasc Of attendance III pFopor on I" the
school population and nearly 20 per cent fewer chl
drcn y op Irronltely attend the rubUc -ch ole now
than attended them forty years ago IN ne s'me
intrvtl The cNnon,c has ncrea "a from $.5siS26 To
$40 0odp,II- ior c,ch pupil who attended the pubic
school, a,y part If The wear in l-'l Tire aFcIaEt -.
- %: in I-'i il va~ Fl0 22-'hc increase D''"S
1thc.c figure, are acrurlc. and they ac based upon
oAcal statements and reports they are Siatt'npG W rus
c.s,vc II true they mean rairogadIns lnnnei,,e
Nnch Of the incrca' cost per ctpta y u"u"ir9 ul,i
exp.aHDd by the erection. OF new Nch"l hnihiil-,
N, "a attractive snrriundingS But the surprising tng
that tbs son oi eNp'nGtTe rt, not incr"',ed a'e
priIccs. bu: la been ac'ompinltd w 49, ~ - ''% i
dminuon. should the same ratio of dccrca@t W
numbers aud the same ratio OF nCrTaor Tor NJ Hil e 10
actually taxing H. citizens many p,illonS "i dollars
each ycar-morc than j, needed now aiI one pa,
poseS Of govcrnment-to supply All cduca'i'n 10
minority of t. children. MT, e..
must for IL own protction and Interest," % zee 'nn,
the opportunities Tor common ~looi eauca,.on ,n
offered - its children. lat II WIN NOT DE Jus",',
in raising lnfge suns o. money by iNalmn lor , ua,
purpose without accomplishing corrc'I'rdInG amount
expcndtur,, Il should be discovered aud checicd Ii
n" present compuor: cducaiion law !. i,h cn~ETM, M
an c evidence !, clear ila, II not sv" the
state cannot AFFORD t. permit thpnsands o is chdrh
% grow up in ignorance. mi. I" incra-" that pppnlh
pochcnSe l wi aS mSrac the integrity Of public
servicc and institutions with th" weapon OF IN
40 one hclIcvcs more thoroughly in oar common
,cool ,y;tcm than a. IL te eas sIe", o nn In.b
English Italian German. swedish. Bohcminn 1r Amcn
can parentase. with their herd!ary ideas and rldcn
sib4slntia qunlncatior Of the American citizen u
Is e the American idea, implanted IN our y'T,n ,1
prosperity IN the ra, and mu> look f.r u" lrc,cr
yaio9 Of her institutions N me ,m'nre oa;cgrs
schO9lhouse may - m;d" stronghold of d.ch''
against the spread OF -0cal.-c and m American idea
- 1c worthy TAX thcelore can IT, HnHG,aEen Eras , y
common school ana make them centres ~ vid"flnr
rather than diminishing Influence. II VIII hr,t he
necessary. however. tn ascertain ~" 'an-c' @' IN"
Ire~cnt unwclcOme tendencies which statistical com
1Iisons demon reratc. II nny 10 found that much ~
The proporionate falling on IN general Attendance
aside from that Which Is explained ly tho in'rc".e
0f private schools. and certainly III" inrra.e In
expenditure. arise from ~" modern tendency t0 -
enlarge the curfirnum a. 'hc mIbc schools TIA, they
attempt too much and involve the state heyond -
oof hlghet c,ncailon nt STAT" cypen-c can expect
nnle ;ymra,ly frum awmalers, when The r,aic even even
merely rldncntary Instruction. and thon sands ~
children are growing u? without any etucation what
sOevcr
UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.
Within the past Two years The movement known a.
University Extension has assumed considerable I'm
portance and great popularity in this con7try. lis
natnre ! understand to he the bringing OF means ~
culture and higher education within the reach of
persons are unable to get collcdae or university
educatiol or. a> Il Il more authoratlvey described
by one Of Il, pronlnen, supporters the purpose Of
TIM Jni ~ ~ : . provide
means Of higher education for persons OF all classes
and of both sexes engaged in the regular occupations
Of life Its methods are hy leeture' class cNcr,h'S
d examinations conducted in vailOu, "ccn'rs
under the supervision Of n central head
The movement haS cl-cd great en'iu.la,m a.I ~
England and IN this country aud ,'ctns o. nave us
complished much good stimulating intecctnM
support Of most leading educators. and the generous
Of Prs ana P To- III mh Ge nS,s Mac " %
actual training in colleges = d unver-itie' arc Pnfc
likely to be disappointed there Is every reason for
OF the people and diffusc more broadly the benefit,
Of higher education. with such purposes ana aims.
ieretoforc however University Extension efforts
have been carried on under the supervision Of some
ciety organized for The purpose. lor lnsmncc' ID
England there have been four great m2vemeni~2ne
that Of Cambridge University; one under That oi The
Victoria University. and the fourth under that Of The
inr In thc United states successful movements
have bec1 associated with tn" University Of Penn
sion OF University Teaching. with Brown University.
with the Now York and Brooklyn Society fIr school
and University Extension, and with other bodies or
associations.
For the first time in the history Of the movement
however direct Government aid sud Encouragement
have been given in the statute which enacted by
The last Legislature ~ this state authorizing the
Regents Of the University 10 act the central head
for the promotion Of tll, work and aDpropriating
$1,000 for their expenses.
AGAINST HIGHER EDJCATlON BY TIE STATE
Inasmuch - this work IS quite likely to be sl
further brought 10 your attention and another ap
proDratl0n asked for. do not hesitate to express nv
oplnion that the assumption Of this bv the state
wa- not only unwise I'm principle. but that II the
movement is as successful here !; has been else
whore II will involve the State In unreasonable obl
cation, and be constantly Increasing object Of public