New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24
KEEPING THE PUBLIC OUI.
MR. JASPER's UNCALLED-FOR REVIVAL
OF AN OLD RULE.
THE ORDER THAT VISITORS TO THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS MUST HAVE PERMIT DE-
Nnf.,-ct.n A. A TAMMANY TRICK.


SCHOOLS MUST HAVE PERMIT DE-
NorNcED AS TAMM.>NY TRICK
4 large number Of people in this city Interested
in the welfare OF the public schools have been
greatly exasperatcd IN the last few weeks by the
order issued by Superintendent Jasper which re-
ouirea that people visiting the public schools must
first get a written permit from Commissioner OF
the Board OF Education trustee. or from Mr.
Iaspor himself The order Is not new one, but
il has been practically a dead letter FOR some
time and its revival by Superintendent Jasper at
a time when a new interest in tho public schools
mas been awakened mas caused much inconvenience
T., many people ana not little harsh criticism
II is openly charged that the revival Of tho rule
ls NOT Al all IN the Interests 81 the public schools
a. IL Is alleged 20 bee. bur Is merely a preieXt on
the par, ~ the Tammauy ring dominating pubic
school matters - conceal as much as possible the
real condition % the schools from public scrutiny.
one man greatly Interested In pubic schooi mat
tors said 10 a Tribune reporter: This is one OF
The most outrageous anl arrogant assumptions OF
authority ! ever heard u The preicxt on which
II ls issued g. an impulcnt and malicious Ic II
ls claimed that the schools ar. Ovcrrun win Visl-
tors who interfere wiki the school work know
This is not the case or n IL Us the case II is 'he
r,,,l, 81 the prnclpal or teachers Tor allowing
visitors - Interfere with class work II certainly
cannot bc called an Interference with class Work
D., have Il lady or gentleman enter a classroom
,rt ou..tly witness the work ~ the clis' Few
minutes ami then rctrc or course. II such visitors
attempt 10 ask questions - The scholars or teaoh
or or take an active par, IN me proceedings thh'
We an admit would bee highly improper ana shou'l
NOT he tolerated. BIt 10 ls as much the fdHit o'
.h teacher a. the visitor u such Interference with
il. class WORK i- fiutt'i. ...t...,,to,. r,s
49,. ,,l..r thaf teachers cannot 10 their work "a
,.,u m tho presence OF visitors as when alone.
,.h,v s,v mat some teachers get ratified when
d. ,1Ia,
10 me - worse than no 'Nc!s. al an. ~ IN az
,ritii. schools \ teacher who cannot conduct
her cllsswork as VOL ~ IN" prrsen,r Oh a. quhl".
ana respectable visitor as when alone with hes
pupils would better get out OF IA" business a., az
ana should be- done IN public ana under the pup"'
Tint DO not believe that any considerable por-
A Visitor oofn.- into their classroom. In ia't, !
nothing better than showing their work TO intel
lIg.nf parents arI frifrt+ ~ inc lulNr nave
found thi. To- b., m. case with nr@f-ct-s teachers
In Vas only llsf year when attended the com
mar schools ANA particularly remember hearing
ON" female pili',lHt max Np,iut" SslY thc
school during school hour SEQ they could see for
th~u.eltc. how the children were being taught.
She complained bitterly that The parents did not
visit the schools enough ana dd not take interest
iu their pupils She certainly dd not believe mat
teachers became ratified by the presence OF vsi-
Another man said. u regard the order Of super
intrni.nt Jasper a. no more than low Tammany
trick % discourage people from visiting The schools
parents in this city To- take day from work and
Visit q school. School hours AZ" Of course from ,
a. m. to 3 j. m JUST tn hours "h,h mos, p'pppI'
are a. work Now. suppose some good parent thinks
II Is Ms duty 10 Nsl, school %hcre ms cn''nrgh are
attending. Ninty-ninr ln one huuui'u WI .' t
know OF this order requiring permission to visit me
school They get dressed up and 20 70 the school
and are told 81 the order I'D You Sunp3s' 'n,s are
going chase AL over the city 10 mr. a trustee,
in order 10 get the desired permit Not bit ~ II
These officials generally are away downtown engaged
l..s Inn sal ln
before they could De found and the permit secured.
to say nothing " the money spent IN car fares
would not have their permit blanks with them ana
would Ak the parents Won to.mGrr9w no JUST As
tho well mcanins parent from making the attempt
cntirc day in the tolls OF this senseless red tape"
Superintendent Jasper said To a Tribune reporter:
II nnl this rule necessary because the schools have
been ovcrrun with visitors. who interfere with class
work We hay" had women enter elias SrOoms ana
take the boon ont % the teachers hands and ask
the pupils to stand up and answer questions Many
of these visitors are busyhOdes. who hav" no good
object IN visiting the schools cNrepl 40 medic WIN
things that they do not understand We nave had
Other visitors who enter the schools for no other
purposr than TO adverts" certain articles OF SpoIs
when ~ were Introducing manual training IN the
schools So hal sM1rms oi people from Nr"-Jrrsry
visiting ih' schools >" as - lealn thr system ana
be able to pass an examination IN II. some visitors
m"uis nrr o. take place ~ a 4p"Il''I t"'' tl'u
place. ~ this. II course. is hshlY improper J have
cstcl I'm the schools visiting them whenever they
choose to DO so such people Will have no trouble
no Eftllnt PERMITS bul W. ''iliN"i do" 'N'i AD"'S
unfortunately.
\ well known citizen OF this city said: MI Jas
prrs sudden epasm Of anxiety to keep undesirable
visitors out OF the schools comes at most unfort
innate time. II will be impossible 10 make people
believe that the revival Of this rule Is not 10 blind
the people rs to the real condition of this depart
mcni. We have learned much about the cOrrup
ton IN the Police Department under Tlmmlny
rule that the cnorl Of the Tanmany Superintendent
of Schools to keep visitors out Of the schools only
increases the suspicion that AL Is not right In the
schools. II b. strange that this trouble about adj
vrgtiscrs visiting the schools dii not disturb Mr..
tpIl % efOp'