The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-28

A Very Important Commission.
The last Legislature passed law provid
ing for the appointment by the Mayor o
five Commissioners to report to the mex
session "a comprehensive revision OF the
laws affecting common schools and public
education in the city OF New York" Mayor
GrLRoY has accordingly selected as such
Commission Messrs. L. ELLERY ANDERSON
STEPHEN II. OLIN. DAVID MCCLURE. OSCAR
s. STRAUs. and DR.. THOMAS HUNTER. the
President OF the Normal College.
These Commissioners held their first meet
ing last Monday, and organized by the cleo.
ton OF Mr.. ANDERSON as Chairman. They
also decided to appoint q salaried clerk to
collect statistics as to public education In
this country and abroad, the net author
izing them TO expend $4,000. The time In
which they must complete their task ID
short, for their report must DO ready before
the end Of the year. but it is long enough
for them to grasp the whole subject and to
make the necessary revision OF the laws.
These laws are old and they establish
conflicting interests. divide responsibility
dangerously. and create cumbersome
school machinery. which prevents neces-
sary reform. The simpliflcation OF the
whole system Is the first need. 30 that with
less complicated administration the simpli-
hcation Of the course OF instruction may
follow. AS it is now. there is. first. the
Board OF Education. consisting Of twenty
one Commissioners appointed by the May
or. This Board has the appointment Of
five Trustees in each ward. The Mayor
also appoints three Inspectors in each Of
otr~l,N - 81 e 4
authority OF these three bodies are con-
fused by a mass Of regulations which
hamper administration and defeat sys-
tematic uniformity. Hence the readjust-
ment Of the machinery will be the main
business Of the Commission. q readjust-
ment which will admit Of the Introduction
Of necessary economies and q more ra.
tional and consistent course OF instruction.
Under the old system. with its vicious
division OF responsibility and confusion
OF authority, methods Of education and
branches of education totally at variance
with the theory on which the schools were
founded, have been brought in by cranks,
hobby riders. and experimentalists. As
consequence. we have colleges and high
school grades. though the primary instruc-
ton. which is the sole justification OF edu-
cation at the public COST is insufficient and
inequitably distributed. The appropriation
for public education in New York is four or
five millions annually. of which the salaries
of more than 1000 teachers consume three
millions: yet there are districts Of the city
where youngsters cannot get into the
schools to learn their A B G. More school
accommodations are required for the
population of the town as it is. and. be-
sides, its rapid growth Is necessitating
school system Is now administered, twice
rs much money 10 needed.
Consequently the great problem before
the Commission Is the devising Of system
OF administration which will make possible |
reforms that will prevent the cost OF public |
from becoming a burden so heavy |
that the whole school system will be in |
danger. These reforms consist in limiting |
the expenditure Of the school fund to It's |
sole legitimate purpose. consistently with
the theory on which it Is obtained from the
people. The education given at the public
cost cannot Justly 60 beyond merely ele-
mentary instruction. that Is to say. the in
troductory training required by the whole
body Of children alike.
Thus restricted, the expenditure now
made for public education would be great
enough for the needs Of the population, and
there would be money to spare for the erec-
ton Of new schoolhouses required by the
growth OF the town. The instruction would
be more thorough. for it would be within
narrower field. which could DO better cui-
fivated. Religious opposition to the schools
would be lessened. II not entirely DESTROYED.
II they thus confined themselves to q
lew years OF merely elementary tenching.
Every scholar would enjoy equal advan-
.ageS with every other; there would be no
special privileges attanable by only the
fortunate few. Tho course would DO the
same for all. The teachers could make
themselves moro proficient by devoting
heir care to smaller range OF studies, and
he attention Of the scholars would not be
Inverted to many subjects. as it is now.
This improvement. OF course. cannot be
brought about directly by this Commission,
INT it can be made practicable by the SIM
OF administrative machinery.