The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08
The School Machinery.


Under law passed last year Commits
sion was appointed by the Mayor to report
to the present Legislature comprehensive
revision Of the laws affecting the public
schools Of this city. The Commission SO
appointed consisted Of Messrs. E. ELLERI
ANDERSON. DAVID MCCLURE. OSCAR s.
STBAus. STEPHEN II. OLIN. and THOMAS
HUNTER; and Its report was submitted to
the Legislature last month. together with
bill for the purpose Of carrying out Its
recommendations
The reason for the appointment Of the
Commission was that the existing school
laws create o conflict OF jurisdiction and
complicate unnecessarily and injuriously
the administration OF the system OF public
education, causing vexstious and almost
disastrous delays. and so far dividing re-
sponsibility as to make 1t next to impossible
to fix 1t where 1t belongs Justly. In no
other Of the principal cities Of the Union IL
the machinery for the management Of the
schools 90 bunglingly constructed as here
In New York.
The main purpose OF the scheme Of adj
ministration recommended by the Com
mission and embodied In Its proposed bill.
Is to correct this evil by the establishment
Of four distinct bodies. to each Of which
u intrusted definite executive function.
They are Board Of Education; . Board OF
School Superintendents Trustees Of School
Districts. and. finally. . Superintendent OF
Buildings and Supplies. The ONCE Of In
spector OF Schools Is abolished. as being un-
necessary. fifth wheel to the coach.
The Board OF Education Is invested with
10 int Nltv Qur int andapf Of
Schools and the other officers Of the re-
naming departments provided for. 1t also
has the final voice In the appointment and
removal for cause Of principals and teach
ers. discretion as to the establishment or
discontinuance Of schools. and the selection
OF sites and erection Of school buildings. and
power to fix all salaries and regulate ex-
penditures. subject. Of course. to tho ap-
propriations determined by the Board
OF Estimate and Apportionment. But 1t
has nothing to do with the regulation
OF the course Of instruction. the manage
ment OF classes. and the investigation Of
the qualifications Of teachers. These duties
are intrusted 10 Board Of School Superin-
tendents. consisting OF q City Supetn-
tendsnt and twenty Division Superlntend-
ents. corresponding to twenty continuous
and contiguous divisions into which the
city Ii 10 be divided. This Board IL
to nominate principals and teachers
for appointment by the Board Of
Education. thus greatly restricting the
present functions OF the local Boards OF
Trustees. whose duties are confined TO visit
ing the schools Of their several districts and
Offering advice and suggestions. and max
Ing reports Of their observations to the
Board OF Education. Each Of these district
Boards is to consist OF three members with
three school buildings to supervise.
1t will DO seen that under this proposed
system the most important function. or the
determination Of the character OF the In
struotion furnished in tho schools is In
trusted to the Board composed Of the City
Superintendent and the twenty Division
Superintendent. appointed by the Board
OF Education and receiving salaries de-
termined by It. Nobody Is eligible for
such an Office unless he shall have
been a professor In one OF the colleges or
higher educational institutions of this
country for period OF three years. or shall
have had charge OF a graded school for
a like period. or shall have been q first as
sistant in such graded school for five years"
OF course. therefore. the sum OF the salaries
OF the twenty-ons men must be large.
Moreover. 1t may be questionable whether
men OF that experience are always the best
qualified to effect such radical reforms as
are needed in the course OF instruction here.
But undoubtedly the removal OF the au-
thority from the wrangling Board Of Edu-
cation. with no special competency for the
exercise OF It. Is in itself decided improve
ment. Unquestionably. too. the bill cor
reefs the worst vices OF the present system
OF administration. and enables the public to
fix the responsibility for bad management
where 1t rlghtfully belongs.