New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-20
THE TEACHERS OBJECTIONS
THEIR POINTS AGAINsr THE sCHOONBlLL
ANSWERED.


COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY TO TIE
SENATE CITIES COMMITTED.
The following communication has been sem ny
the subcommittee Of the Committee OF SeV'nty u
the chairman of the Senate committee Oh N"'''
with reference to The Public SchooI o.li % ,Sa,
New-Yorl<. April 49, 49,
To the Hon Cornelius T. Parsons. Chairman OF ''e
senate Committee on C!tes; ,,,, o., . moot
number the pubAc-sGhooi ieagnv,' vtsberi"o.Iv
.ns he'd April T. passed re<o9Hon5 rs, act Of H.,
conderuning Assembly BIZ ~ ~ ',i Kan IN reI4-
Assembly Committee On Pubic tdHcnuo" J." '''''
ton TO- Inc common schools Of this fiy, hoooad +.
The protest Of the taeSnc ee me, her rights.
49, {i,itv or their respect. Dut II heI 80
domination Of TINS p%' oie me trustees by whom
thev wSr. appolnei from unwn IT, chaug mn
for an orderly ana plined one. tnen the n'sSi
ure should disregard the lro'tsl I,.nInons Assem-;
Of he pody to be reformed. but there IS goo pSa
son 10 believe that many OF me ttSCHgr,l "N9''
The resolutions specify hve grounds OF boy,
to the Pin and an ne PeiG" COMPLAINTS on
The saw first. that the Bill creates d a., - ,he
{wery his On it's lace i taxpayers gTyT
ance i: II is grievance at an ne ~ ne s,,Trer-
nisorv BODY unless it be reluctance TO pe ,, I
quately supervised There are nscdeI in view of
the fac: that there are nearly I'D schools anu a''N
gdUPon these superintenden's new bos ane
STRANGE powers are conferred powers a!he as
to the ndependence and ih rac6e q is made De-
pendent for position and adLanc, n5 ,. w Ip which
Superintendent; in charge OF the district ~
Tho teacher is row dependent FOR poIi do does
az, az SS3re Ic.stn The teachers .nGepcndtnGe "a
sel:rcsiect? The nv 3nn SIt xosisc1 by school
su3e rin;cndcnts. Elsewhere teachers "a their own
haye the pi@AcehSy S Icaccrs Of ms city insist
upon being selected promoted anG CY atioY
BY trustces-yreu without pTo.o ,''..i ciye ~ Tho
ana with little or 10 personal kno"ledse oA INC
'eaTh(rs Nv, woi Hi all recommendations for appoint
ncnts and promotions win he made by NE L9" nT
of Super.ntendents. under ne LII he condrred or
rn{cteJ Nv the board with absolute justice ana
impaytiality. far as tins can oe S''"'V' -
Thrdt places in co2ardy the tenure OF Office
Examination at the request of single supeFih>
tonlcnt or single comm ss'oner. and mis-
T1 5r s'a T6e b 7r61iae for at
the request Of three trustees OF me aU,Si0iI ~ OK
istins law calls for re-exaInination at the I"v
Of hss trustees OF Two ,pd ISwer now exarcss
bv them is transferred to the meppcEH o. ttc
Ioa;a Of E{ncai b MI ThS viii ifnq IN az be NOR
since unter the present. law 'hey may Os -
Fourth-'lt places in the HANDS Of the suPSri an
,endent the PoWTr TO- Tpi cbaTacer Of any
teacher against Whom priya;e m@nGe Or Pu''''
The bill provides that the Ci;y Super.n.endenI
may by cerfcate in wrns, S.sp M
I In snc;h r9se The Board Of Education shIil I'M
mediatey take aet.1n a[hS OF rron ,h dr
cisicn Of the boerd tue teacher may appe2I 10 lrr
ba'l ny no rayer 10 suspend tee Ter and that
he should continue in charge OF his class no mater
,50wer "a, mtst necessarily exist and under The new
biz il is properly lodged with the board OF .Iuod
cused teacher IS assured OF speedy ana adequate
means of vndicaton He can nave no nor liz
at az u"'y'' - ~ . ~,., r.,,,o "a tho
az ar the teacher and their frivolous characer
shows how successful have been the efforts OF me
Pubic Education recognize every r1@sonaGlGS
wish OF the teachers They have been c3nsute d anu
four oses529s "a nth t is ndsea c and by
the teachers but it is one which does nov aIlect
their rights and which their opinion is pre)u-
"Fifth-It che bib sbollshes the present efficient
and painsta king Boards Of Trustees. under whose
ond to that of no other system in the COUNT E an
pointed ara Governed By the trustees and Bound 70
them by ties Of gratitude ana Sel-lnterfs' stoui
10 retain power and patronage. But this question
is one in which the interests OF the community arc
paramount. and is not toF the teachers 70 say ~
T. Is n". tue and the people do not believe that
'the public schools are second 10 no other In the
country" 1t is recognized that N" fl7damen'al O.
i s5od X is is c6mmited to twenty our independent ami
irresponsible boards Of laymen. anu mat me result
is confusion lack Of unity and aniform'y sn'i n
that the teachers appointed by trustees would -
20 keep them in pON-r vii not chanSe ;he IopNaT
intention introduce efficient system o. orSail
cation such a. prevails In the Other cities or tn
United States The city O. New-lo-k wants svs-
TEN of education under competent management. not
twenty-four different systems That some % ~"
principals should find a.yantagc IL the pres'n;
anarchy is not surprising. bu, that TIC great body
OF teachers WIZ gain by modern and rational sys-
TEN Is 4 natural and inevitable cons aqu'ncc
The resolutions Of TIC teachers serve 70 show that
from their Don; Of view the bill is not open to
fair criticism II protects their Nights and tenure
Of Office 1t secures 10 them promotion when mcrieI
and It renders them independen; Of political ni!G-
ence The bill IS in perfect accord with the prln-
Cipes of school administration a Formulated by me
Committee of Fifteen of the National Educational
Association and II emboaes the practice now in sue
cessul operation IN most Of our large cities adapted
10 our local reqnircm ents. An impartial examina-
ton OF its provisions must convinc. every :alr-
minded person that It's enactment VIII tend % i'm
prove the schools and elevate and dignity the
position OF the teachers Upon its merits the bin IL
entitled their support and their own Interest as
well their regard for the welfare OF the schools
should lead them TO give it their approval and sup
port. Respectfully submitted,
STEPHEN H. OiIN.
HENRY l.. SPIAGCE.
fOHE r. PINE.
WILLIAM ". LOCKE