New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-17
HE SPEAKS AS AN EXPERT.
SUGGESTIONS FROM ASSOCIATE SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT WARD

sCuIERENs ADVISORY coMMITTEE-How THE
BROOKLYN BOARD OF EDUCATION CAN
BE IMPROVED IN oUALITY-THE
QUESTION OF EXPENDITURES.
| The most intelligent criticism thus far made
upon the bill reorganizing the public school system
! In Brooklyn prepared by Mayor Schierens Advisory
! Committee Of seven wise men," they are some
| times called has from Edward @. Ward. one
OF the two associate superintendent OF public In
struction Mr.. Ward is thoroughly familiar with
the public schools of Brooklyn in all branches and
| departments. having been class teacher a prln-
| cipal and now for several years superintendent.
| BY some oversight. apparently his views and
those of his associate Mr. Walsh. we're not laid
before the Advisory Committee. although 1t APP
pears from what Mr.. Ward says that the commit
tee might have obtained valuable information from
| their experience
Mr. Ward says frankly tina; he Is no. altogether
pleased with the committees plan, although /; con-
tans several wise provisions. He thinks there
should be an absolute separation between the bus'-
ness department OF public education and the pro-
fessional department. and therefore he would not
have the school superintendent owe his place TO the
proposed Commissioner OF Education. Nor would
he have the associate superlntendents hold their
PAGES only at the pleasure Of the superintendent
this would tend make them simply rehec-
lions OF him and his opinions. Again, he thinks
much power over principals and teachers. He
would establish council OF associate superlntend-
ents 10 have charge OF the educational department.
and would allow them 10 choose their own president
to for a certain term. The president would
be the executive officer Of the council and perform
the duties of Superintendent Of Public Instruction.
The council should examine teachers. etc; vacancies
In principals positions should be filled BY nomina-
ton by the council and confirmation by the Board
OF Education. and vacancies in teachers positions
should be filed by nomination by the principals and
confirmation by the council. Accused members OF
the council should be tried by the Board Of Educa-
ton. any member committee OF the board being
the accuser accused principals should be tried by
the board. the council being the accuser; accused
teachers should be tried by the council the prnci-
! al in each being the accuser.
Mr. Ward has reached his conclusions after care
ful and thoughtful study, ard while he does not
expect to have them adopted in FULL he hopes that
they may receive serious attention.
THE PRESENT BOARD \ GOOD ONE.
In the course Of further conversation on the
subject, he was asked what he thought OF the pres
ent Board Of Education.
ION the whole" replied Mr.. Ward. at is an
cellcnt And what - true Of 1t now has been
generally true Of it since first entered its EN-
ploy. over fifteen years ago. IL has. OF course
made some mistakes: but doubt II you find L
board anywhere. constituted like this that has
made fewer"
What do you think Of the proposal to cut the
board down TO membership OF hfteen?" was
asked.
II should be sorry 20 such measure adopted"
why so?'
Because IL seems to me that whatever the COM
position OF the board might be. it would be easier
to swing eight men into line for wrong or foolish
measure than twenty-th-ce
but has not ;hc present board OF forty-hve
proved cumbrous and uDw.eliy?'
do not think AZ has. though | have often heard
IL asserted that 1t has When persoSs who make
this assertion are askci Tor facts to support II.
think Il viii oe found either that they have no
facts and are merely repeating what they have
heard others say. else that they are m!sinter-
preting facts. In my opinion. whenever this board
has been long in deciding question. as, for In
stance the color question. the question whether
German should be taught In the schools or not.
the question OF manual training. etc. Its indecison
has been simply a reflection OF the condition OF the
popular mind the subject. And this reflection
would have been inevitable with board OF hf-
teen as with a board OF forty-hve. Then. again.
take into consideration the size OF our establish
ment We have now over 100 schools. am OF
opinion that however tho building and other de-
partments may be organized. II Will ultimately be
found necessary TO have some kind OF supervision
exercised over each school By at least member
OF The board. With the number OF schools l have
mentioned and membership OF only nfteen. every
member would have less than seven schools 10
look after In addition TO his general duties This
sonable burden OF work"
CAPABLE OF IMPROVEMENT. HOWEVER.
You seem to be very well satisfied with the
present board as regards both numbers and quail
ty."
Il am indeed. But good as the board is. l
think ii Is susceptible Of Improvement"
How would you go to work 10 improve it?'
why starting with the present good board. or
with such "A portion OF 1t pending changes may
leave. | would provide that all future appointments
thereto by the Mayor should be made subject TO
confirmation by the board Itself by II two-thirds
vote. BY this means, would make it impossible
for any person not acceptable to the members al
ready appointed to enter the board. can conceive
of nothing more certain to create and maintain in
a wholesome esprit du corps. and lead to member
ship in it being regarded as one OF the highest
hOnors open TO any citizen. IL would feel sure.
absolutely divorce politics and education
CONTROL OF EXPENDITURES
Now rs regards financial matters-do you think
that the power exercised by the Board OF Es
innate the expenditures OF the Board OF Edu-
cation Is fair one?'
Il consider II neither fair safe. Sufficient
power &c prevent reckless expenditure should OF
course. be lodged somewhere but the absolute
power exercised by the Board OF Estimate Is an
extremely illogical and absurd thing. Why. do
you know that II this board chose to do So Il could
cut down the appropriations for public instruc-
as to close every school In the city? 1t is no
to say that since 1t has not heretofore done
AIRY unreasonable thing OF that sort 1t never WILL
II should not be able TO- In point OF fact. 1t has
treated the schools very shabblly great many
times II It had not. would there. for example be
to-day about TO- 900 children OF school In Brook
Ign without school accommodation? The Board
OF Estimate has always seemed 10 me 10 act upon
the supposion that every department depending
upon Ii for support IL run by gang or thieves;
and so. even when the demands on a department
have been clearly shown 10 b" most reasonable.
they have almost invariably been subjected 10 the
regular horizontal reduction
How this be remedcd?
Easily enough There are certain expenditures
OF the Board OF Education that can be calculated
in advance with great accuracy Among these are
the expended respectively for salaries. for
books and stationery. and for fuel Now take. for
instance the expenditure for salaries. When ask