The sun., 1894-06-14
The Nav Yori Public schools.

Mr.. STEPHEN II. oL!l,, one OF the Com
missioners appointed to revise the
school laws OF this city. writes for the
Educational Repiep an article in which he
expresses reasonable vexatlon because the
able labors OF the Commissioners we're
brought to nnught by the failure OF the
last Legislature to listen TO their recon-
mendations and pass the bill drafted by
them to reform and simplify the cumbrous
school machinery OF New York.
The Commission was appointed by tho
Mayor under an act passed In 1893. and for
many months 1t gave thorough investiga-
tion to the whole mass OF laws governing
the school system. diligently comparing
them with the educational systems OF other
cities, both domestic and foreign, very few
OF which are not far more scientific than
our own. No other great city in tho world
is 30 liberal as New York in its expendi-
lures for free public instruction. but
this outlay is made on plan SO bungling. so
complicated. and 80 inefficient that lament
able waste results. The schools number
more than three hundred. The force Of
teachers aggregates nearly five thousand.
and there are more than three hundred
thousand pupils under their charge. The
cost to the city OF this educational system
is about five millions OF dollars annually.
and the amount Is steadily increasing.
New school buildings must be erected every
year, and the number Of teachers grows
proportionately. The school expenses are
rolling up all the time. but they do not
keep pace with the multiplying de-
mand for school accommodations. As
the town grows In tho upper part
more especially. new schoohouses are re-
quired in tho neighborhoods newly devel-
oped, while In others from which the resi-
dent population has departed the school
accommodations exceed the demand. For
instance. Mr.. OLIN refers to the Twelfth
ward. where the trustees ARE burdened with
the care Of twenty schools, enrolling more
than 10000 pupils. while in the Third ward.
abandoned to offices and warehouses. not a
public school is found. and the trustees en-
Joy o sinecure as complete as the steward
ship OF the Chiltern Hundreds"
Under our present plan these trustees are
appointed in every ward. without regard to
the need for them. Then the city is divided
into eight school districts. for each OF which
set Of so-called inspectors is appointed by
the Mayor. Finally. there are twenty-one
School Commissioners. forming tho Board
Of Education. as 1t is called. All OF these
officers serve without pay. the only salaried
places being those OF the teachers. OF a
city Superintendent OF Schools. and certain
subordinate officers associated in the man
agement OF the machinery.
Mr.. OLIN's Commission proposed to do
away with the inspectors as a sort OF fifth
wheel to the coach. TO limit the ornamental
functions OF the ward trustees. and to ex-
tend the powers Of the central body. or the
Board of Education. 1t also provided for
the appointment OF paid Superintendent
OF School Buildings and Supplies. in whom
would be lodged large part OF the
voluntary powers now committed to
the ward trustees. This plan had
the merit Of simplifying very cum
bersome system. though whether 1t was
the most desirable for the purpose Mr..
OLIN does not undertake to say. At
any rate the Legislature took no heed
whatever OF the suggestions and recon-
mendations OF the Commission. 1t did not
even give these able and Industrious men
the compliment OF attention.
The bill framed by the Commission was
not even reported by the committees OF the
Legislature to which 1t was referred. Mr..
OLN and his associates were not treated
with even decent respect.