New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-03
SCHOOL REFORM QUESTIONS
GOOD RESULTS LIKELY TO FLOW FROM
THE PRESENT AGITATION.
OPPOSITION or THE PRINCIPALS AND
r.,..tIIpc Pee

TEACHERS Is REGARDED.
The question OF reforming the school system Is
still attracting a good deal of attention In BrooK-
lyn, and while think the passage OF the biII
now pending the Legislature is unlikely. at least
in its present shape, there is growing belief on the
part of the true friends Of the schools that good re-
suits will flow from the present agitation The
opposition of the teaching force to any general
scheme of reform may be taken for granted For
some reason they are constitu,onaly opposed to
changes that mean improvements.
4 man long connected with the Board Of Eiuca-
ton remarked a day two ago that In the course
of his experience he had never known a reform TO
be proposed in the Board that did not meet with me
opposltion of the principals and teachers. Every
body who Knows anything about the brooklyn
schools knows that the teachers TO a woman are
opposed to Superintendent Maxwell and would nave
been delighted at his defeat when ne was '"''''-
date for reelection last summer The cause OF this
oDnosition is that he is a live. progressive man.
who keeps in touch with school matters, ana ~
seeking all the time TO introduce changes ana IN
movements But the teachers arc content WIN
things as they are or as they have been. Th"y
don't want any changes: least OF all do they want
a REORGANIZATION Of the entire system ana the IN
PRODUCTION Of new blood and new ideas
one Of the leaders of the opposition "inohS IN"
teaching force is said have declared before the
committees report was made that whatever sche''
was proposed would be beaten AT Albany IhIs man
Is known to have intimate relations with w iH"ushDy
Street and It Is supposed that all the power OF WI
loughby Street will employed 10 prevent the pas
sage Of any reform measure that viii place IN the
hands OF Mayor Scheren the power to remdKe inc
Roard Of Education. II is mos; unfortunate that
some intelligent citizens who realize the heeo oI ~
forms have allowed themselves be put In the at
titude Of aiding this opposition. although they nave
not the slightest sympathy with It's motive.
Thus far the Board OF Education mas taken no d'-
,bo only three OF inc
members have EXPRESSED any opinion on II Tor the
public |, would have been a fortunate thing u .he
most intelligent and progressive membefs oi ele
Board had seen their way cIcai, az som an Pn a
ticable after the Advisory Committee b "aH
made public 10 indorsc II either In Whoie or IN 70
Some Of them i Is known did noi approve oe
features Of the BILL in spite OF the fact nlt me prs
ident Of the Board vas member OF me HurIroS
these members had taken Favorable action. even
whe Gssen;ng from s :ome 4 inf mH ha
allowed for the opposition to 1Iganze se If aga pr
pose to beat It,, while on the other mana niue ~
said ia favor Of it,. ,.,-...,.,. .,,,,,
ne mi have been canvassing the city In order TO
work W public opinion on their side and to secufe
hcnn talked OF FOR the sake OF making an impression
on the public and on the legislature II would 9i
cnurse he very easy for the 200 teachers to MI
Tho Academy Of Music with themselves ana Inc
members OF their families. but that wo'hl he no
criterion OF public opinion on the question OF s'hoo
reform generally recognized by those who believe
q, The need of reform that il IS OF IN" hlgEtsi I'm
N ,, T ,hat biH should be passed by the present
Legislature IN ord"r that inc new system wna %
Is hn I n AZ hierans term There viii soon IT
is y be 50 ay9T9g as s 9fSr4 ,h year,
1Irnro the need OF prompt aci0n II DlI u /" p'
noted AT The present session. 1htie are I'" VINO
tia;;tv tbat me bin In It's present shape VIII be
passod but certainly 1t is yet possible 10 hihenn !, 80
a. 10 secure some deSIet OF I'IoIin d, ~ , ~
the 1sre,atD %. rio"'"'''' ~
" c'I - member Of the Advisory COMMITTEE. when
. t., ,,,nr No crneral subject yesterday u DO not
IaN,ie I'ast question the right Of the May 20
h.cDo or amend the Bin which presented 10 any
49,, vhir1 h saw TT. though ttink me mcasui'
ne II len the committees HANDS ought 10 nay gu
~ Albany The bill az l. stands J." hot we con- ~
nt,anie Iii although the committee dd yleih 10 INC
Mayors wishes and consented 20 on " ~, =, ~,
r a. natter Of courtesy that tie Mayor chl!ei
them together. ~ matter o. Ie s,ped he rnnort
and presented It to thc Mayor The report then o.
came the Mayors properly aa tbni T,ehi 70 The
extent Of nearly doubling the number OF hepe" a. ~
the Board and making other chans's h hs made viii
DO not think that the concess!ohh ne -, mo- ND ~
tend 10 accomplish the purpose ne hau III "''''' "
Gisarming opposition to The measnf Consistent sa,ls
AS prepared by the committee cohhiStee''' 9"t.n
factory and practicable scheme was worken our, az
II the bin had been passeGI ana havs co romrncd IT,
SELF 10 the Judgment Of the people ma no Ih,
Mayor no matter what ms natu,a III, il or attempt
TO IL for political ends But we cai'Io, "a has,
The bill az II stands would work numerous III.
provemens In our school system Vu' o ~ mo 10 In
necessary to modify II stlll fnftHeI !" W
sure It's passage a little Improvement Woui1 pc
better than none and Of course II IS OF eIea h III
portance that any system that ~ secured soun
be put In operation while Mayor Schcreh II al '"'
head Of the city government. ,., ..o. "a
"As for the opposition Of the prlnclpars, tnd.
well understood by those the INSIDE ne PIN III
pals control the teachers. and so there II soni
array OF opposition. and the politicians AZ VI. neau
OF II using every means In tneir po~e' ~ a.
nuencc They constitutionay opposed TO n"
forms of AL knds hgy nayg he
sitions and all that Of thing. |, II merely taiS
ing a dust TO hide their real purposes Inc opJo
OF the committee was TO keep politics OUT OF lne
schools Politics are in the schools now 10 an ~ rh
tent that the general public Is not aware OF -, u.
frantic cries OF those VINO that this DIN VIII Pu!
the schools politics amusing, In view OF WIN
the men who utter them know full well IL may De
necessary for some Of the well Informed 10 SPEAK
out and tell the public what they know IL tnat u
done there will be some startling revelations
THINKS IT NAY BE CORREGGIO