New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-21
BROOKLYN'S SCHOOL BOARD.
FIFTEEN APPOINTMENTS SOON TO Pm
MADE BY MAYOR sCHIEREN.
SOME MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE NExY
SUMMER LIKELY TO BE RENAMED-LIr-
TIE PROSPECT NOW OF LEGIsLA.
TON ON SCHOOL. MATTERS


Unfortunately, the present prospects Of the paa
sage OF bill reorganizng the educational depart.
ment in Brooklyn are not bright 1t is possible that
a charge for the better may come soon. especially
In view OF the great popular interest In the demand
for the passage or such measures are desired by
tho people who put Charles a. Schieren In the
Mayors chair with majority OF more than Ncp
behind him. and the defeat OF those measures which
are not acceptable to them. But the legislative
session is not likely to last much more than a
month longer, II seems scarcely probable that th!,
subject will receive the attention to which IL I,
entitled
1t has not been for lack OF opportunities that
educational bill has rot been passed. Doubtless
1t is now seen by those interested that II would
have been wiser to insist on the passige of tho
measure prepared by the Mayors Advisory Com.
mtttee without making any attempt to cunclllae tina
opposition to 1t which came from the schools them.
selves. The effort to compromise Ill directed.
What the politicians in the schools wanted-and
there politicians in Brooklyn shrewder than
the who engineered the opposition to the Ad.
vsory Committees bill-was not a compromise but
:he defeat OF all legislation. unless indeed they
could secure the passage OF bill further enarging
:her already large powers.
1t easy for the few shrewd and designing
principals who have often controlled the course OF
the Board OF Education to convince the teachers
that the purpose OF the bill TO imperi. their
positions, and that evil could be greater than
the enlargement OF the powers OF the Superintend.
ent and the purpose OF the committee to raise the
standard Of the teaching force.
Under existing conditions it is practically i'm.
possible to get incompetent careless teacher
out OF the schools and 80 when an appointment Ia
secured the person appointed settles down the be-
lief that she has life position matter what may
happen unless. OF course, a gross offence is com.
mitted. This is radically wrong. 1t has direct
tendency to Kill ambition and to bring about q
~ sbaN
can easily be perceived. The committee made .
righteous attempt to remedy this evil but under
the system proposed the position OF good and
efficient teacher would be precisely as safe as al
present and the teachers rights would be amply
safeguardci. But It easy 10 make this pan
OF the bill a rallying cry for the opposition al'
though to be SUR, this was not the only point EN-
phasiZed.
Then again. the better element In the Board Of
Education assumed an attitude toward the bill thai
was surprising. To all intents and purposes. thu
men composing this element had pledged their sup
port and assistance to the committee in advance
but almost the first declared opposition to the biz
came from one Of these men who had been regarded
as in sympathy with advanced educational ideas
II he and other members Of the Board holding SINH
lar views. when they found the bill not altosethe1
10 their liking had suggested such notifications al
would make II acceptable 10 them. II is probable
that a measure having the approval Of a majority
the Legislature. despite the formidable oppOstio,
con iured UP By the principals and the teachers VIII
followed their beck and call as sheep follow thei
leader.
Any reform bin doing for the schools 81 Brooklyn
wha, ought to he done would De certain to ar0us,
opposition in some quarter. but with the supper
of good citizens in genera. a satisfactory measure
might have been enacted. II the Advisory Commit
tee had been able 70 complete it, work and prepare
10 bin by the time the Legislature convened. poss.
lily something more might have been gained tha.
has been accomplished. That something has beei
accomplished is certain The evils that prevail
under the present system have been effectively madl
known. Public sentiment has been stirred deeply
on the subject OF school reform The Advisory Com
mlttee did a large amour. OF valuable work whict
Will not be thrown away when the subject IL iakei
up again
Notwithstanding all TIE talk that has been hear<
For a dozen wears AT leas, In reference A reorgan
zaton 81 tho Brooklyn Board OF Education, the frs
step in that direction left to he taken by Mayor
Schl,~ l. and was taken when he appointed hi
Advise v Committee last August. Nothing hat
cone Of Il yet but Il is sure tina; something WIZ
come OF It in the future though. unhapply. Mayo
Schleren may no, be the man to start the reorgan
lzed system in operation. as would have been th'
case had the proposed bill. been enacted.
Meantime the best must be made OF things AZ
they are They are not hopeless. Far from H. Be-
fore midsummer Mayor Scheren will have 10 dis
charge the duty Of appointing one;hrd Of the forty
1--WE members OF the Board Of Education; and whe,
this done two-thirds OF the members will be mer
! OF his own selection. With hrst-cass men in the
! Board OF Education. excellent results can be SO
! cured under the existing system.
At present there just twenty-three men-s
/ bare ma jorlty-wh be depended 10 vote fot
/ good measures and act II they had minds q
| their own. 1t by the narrowest majority thai
! the reform element controlled the Board at the
j p,es ing ACT VIII Mr. SW WA
| elected president and Mr. Maxwell reelected TO The
I office Of superintendent OF Public instruction VITA
/ a considerable addition to the better element, which
! Is to come when the appointments are made b
Mayor Schieren. there win be difficulty in carry.
I ing through measures designed for the bettermenl
+ OF the schools.
Some OF the members whose terms Will expire IL
/ June are among the most experienced and capable
men in tho Board. and 1t is confidently expected
D that the Mayor Will redppolnt them. Following are
IN" men whose terms will eal unless rcappointed.
with the dates when they became members Of
the Board although the term OF service has mol
4 IN every case been continuous: J. J. Colsan.
1894: Joan Y Cuiyer. 1872; William NJ. Davis, 1889,
/ Nc.Sol j. Gates 1875; Samuel Goodsteln 1851
/ Coa";es 7. Hubs 1892. John W. Kimba!l 1892; Dr.
/ Henry G. Mclean. 1886: Thomas F. Moran. 1922
Jasper Murphy. 1890: George f. Nostrand lsa5: Dr.
/ J. II! Raymond. 1898: John Il. Thompson. 1886; John
! -. Walsh. 1892. James Weir. jr.. 1886.
! colonel John Y. Culyer Is completing hi,
tweaty-first year a member OF the Board. Mr.
Gates has also been about twenty years a member
Both OF them have done excellent service and thei
reappo!nt ment is in every way probable Mr. Davis
Is another good man. although not one OF the strong
est In the Board. Or. Raymond. formerly Commits
soner OF Health has been member for TWO year.
+ and has proved himself Invaluable.
! Another excellent man In this group i Mr.. Weir
/ his reapponment is not considered certain; but Il
he retlves IL Will be a loss 10 the Board Mr. Weir
! health is such that he Is compelled 10 spend about
two months In the south each WINTER. THIS circum
member OF the Board but his reappointment Is de-
/ sired by many Of the members who have worked
with him FOR the best interests OF the schools and
/ know how devoted he Is 10 their welfare. Although
"a Democrat. no one could tell from his action In Ia,
Board or In committees to which party he belongs
| OF the fifteen members hose term Of office ends
| the coming summer two were appointed by Mayo
| SchIeren hmself-Mr. Colgln and Mr. Nostrand. III,
FIRST In January. 1884 and the second since the be
ginning Of the present year Ii is presumed tina
| they will be reappo.nte1, although MI Colgan ha