New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-24
TO REVISE SCHOOL LAWS.
THE WORK BEFORE THE COMMISSION APP.
POINTED BY MAYOR GILROY.

NAY BE REMEDIED-Ir is TOO CUMBEK-
SOME NOW. AND RESPONSIBILITY
CANNOT BE FIXED-sKETCHES
OF THE COMMISSIONERS
School officers and teachers for the last few days
have been considering what will be done by the new
school Commission which Mayor Giroy has Just APP
pointed. 1t is probable that few Of the men,
hers Of the Board OF Education have recognized the
full limit Of the powers OF this commission. When
q resolution presented in the Board OF Educa-
ton by Commissioner Charles Strauss asking the
approval OF the bill which to be introduced In
the Legislature. 1t received an almost unanimous
vote and 1t was presented in Albany passed in both
Houses and signed by the Governor within ten days.
Mr. Strauss has always been active in school re-
FORMS and his word taken by his associates on
the advisabiy OF this law. There was not
time for opposition to form against the bill before
t had become a law, and only one or two mem
bers recognized that II similar measure TO that
proposed three years ago In the Board OF Education
by Commissioner Frederick W. Devoe At that time
it received with disfavor. and Mr.. Devoe was
treated with so little consideration that he retired
from the Board.
In formulating the measure he had the assistance
Of ex-President stephen A. Walker and Of Gilbert
H. Crawford. who had been associated with him In
the Board Of Education, and acknowledged to be
two Of the best informed persons In the city on
public school affairs. They drew up the original
bill which was introduced In Albany in the spring Of
1890. The Tribune and nearly all the daily press OF
the city gave the measure their approval and sup
port and School," which is the organ Of the Board
Of Education. recommended 1t strongly. When the
Board of Education, however. gave Its disapproval,
and Mr.. Devoe retired from that body the interest
In the bill subsidized, and 1t not again heard from
until Mr. revived 1t last March in the shape in
which it became law. The bin drawn by Mr..
Strauss provided for general revision OF the school
laws, and reads as follows
An Act 10 provide for a commission revise the laws
affecting schools and public education In the city
Of New-York.
The people State of New-York. represented in
Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
1. Within thirty days after the passage OF this
act the Mayor city of NewYork shall appoint five
Commissioners whose duty 1t shall be to prepare and
report 10 Legislature Of the State OF NewfoTk at The
next session OF said Legislature comprehensive revision
Of affecting common schools and public education
in the city NewYork. including such alterations In
existing laws and such enacments as they may deem
necessary and to the advantage Of the said schools
Sec q Said commissioners shall serve without COM
cnsaton Of any kind they hereby authorized 10
incur expenses he necessary In the ochape
of their duties exceed FIVE thousand dollars
the same be paid by the Board oil tstma'e anu Ap'
nortionment on the audit Of said Commissioners
Sec 8. The said Mayor shall have power to NIL all
vacancies that may by DEATH resignation or o'her
wise among said Commissioners.
Sec. 4. This shall take effect immedateN
ar
he had come to the conclusion owing 10 the many '
Acng interests, that impossible 10 brins aou'
measures OF permanent reform from wthn the system
The school system, he said. was bound up by oiu anu
amended bylaws, most Of which had been lraineu
more than forty years ago. some OF 'hem were
entirely outgrown. Others had been aHehueu h"u
Watched and all OF them needed thorough revision
10 fit them for proper working in great schooi
system like that Of New-iork City.
Thirty days were given to Mayor Gilrcy by 'he
statute IN which to name the commission put ne
interpreted this time limit directory rather than
mandatory and owing TO some difhc'lty In securing
.ucb names as he desired II not until last week
that he could announce them lie selected T.. Hheis
Anderson Stephen II. DIN, David Mcclure oscar .
straus and DIR. Thomas Hunter, president OF 'ne
Normal College. Commissioner Strauss OF the boaiu
of Education, It is understood. declined an appon.
ment on the commission, thinking 1t best he said'
that members OF the present Board OF fhncauon
should not be placed on 1t. Mayor GIroy oecueu
also for the same reason not to appoint 'hose VIM
have served recently on the Board. 1t was reported
with authority that appointment on the con''Sso"
was offered 10 President Seth Low OF ,oiu I,
College and TO Felix Adler but that neither conu
rive the time which he considered necessar! ioi
this work. AT,
Anv changes that may be recommended by TINS
commission will be submitted to the next session oi
Tho LEGISLATURE for its approval That Is suDstah'ia!
the only limit to its powers. What "comprehehsi'e
revision, MEANS II Is for the m'moers W say w
when 1t Is remembered that the bylaws nave "o''i
baen thoroughly revised for forty-two years IL may
,naen one school officer said the other day. compete
revolution In the management oil the puphc scooio "
tho ctv IT was ffy-one years ago last spring 'na'
tho state Legislature passed law by whioh ''e
schools were organized substantially as Trey are '"
dav The Public school society WIN 'he So"ooi'
had orranized was subsequently Incorporated WIFI '
existing ward schools, and the bylaws regnauns ',
management Of all the schools were 'heil auop'eu
rh, crea,est defect I'm these bylaws felt toda!'
school officers say, the delay IN the trahSac'oh VI
the business routine In connection WIN 'ne S''
The law provides for central BODY which Is '''e"
+be BOARD OF Education and IL has been from uno "
time elected by the people, or appointed oy 'ie "so'
IFS numbers have been several times chaheeu 1. n''
a. anno;ptment of five trustees In each ward Oh 'he
city and as a check to the powers OF 'he Ceh'i"i
BOARD school inspectors are appointed oy the Mayor
with almost coordinate powers. ,,,
Thare arc eight school districts In each OF winch
,h.re are three inspectors These three bodies oou-
,ss,oners inspectors and trustecs-direct ana COLI
49,, al tho school measures Of the city, or are sup
nosad IN do so. But matter OF iact, Tue ree"''
t,ons have become complicated that u Is ui"'o''
,mnossble to tell where the authority OF one pesi'
r .notber ends President Walker used TO say Una,
4, was utterly impossible under the preseh, sohooi
laws TO fix responsibility anywhere. Inc scnoci III,
noc,or has IN reality become kind Of fifth wheel
and the Office Is regarded as the least dSraDie vi ~
,bree The laws when framed were intehoeo W oo,e'
a CITY OF half a million population whose MINUS
,rsre nroctlcay below Forty -second'st. The same
laws apply to the city which now spreads oeSonu '"e
Harlem and over the Annexed District
go a.. ~ the questions involved In these changes,
,rh,cn tho commission will have 10 have In view III
ts revision. may be in few details Nearly all
the schools in use when the laws were originally
t.osd orc now in the lower part OF the city, or have
been torn down. In one of the wards the rhro' ners
are now no school buildings at ALL ana IN seVeIa -
v =, rrn,,s Is reduced 10 a mere handful In
consequence Of the removal Of the population ana 'ne
change of the neighborhoods from resident mo-, TO a
t.,nass orortsr In these wards including the Third