New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-01
>cHUOL EOIED OEGINIIiTTON

IN February. lNg;. The Department of Super
ln'culcncr g rae National Educational Assoc
citation appointed Committee ~ Fifteen 10
consider certain important educational aucN-
unu. This committee WIS divided into three
sub.,omuftr,'> whose reports W"r" presented
an The meeting Of ihc department. held at Clcvc-
land last month With the report II one Of
these suhcommitic,.~ We wish to deal partcu
llrly at present: bur to enable the general sub
ircr 10 hc rightly understood We may remark
illr The Department Of Superintendent com
pri>c> 'hc leading school Supcrntcndcnl> Of
the country and thai The Committee Of FIT
teen taking abundant time. has done lis work
with thDroughuc~>. md the reports II the sub
committees constitute Il contribution Of the first
Importance 10 The clucidliion Of some Of III"
vital educational problcmS If the time.
The report which now demands our attention
{, that of the sub Committee Oh the OrGaniZa-
ton Of City School Systems. composed ~ the
Hon. Andrew :. DrIpcr formerly State Sill
pcrnfcndcnt ~ Public Instruction for New
York more recently Superintendent of Schools
IN Cleveland and now president of Illinois
state InivcrSily Mr. ". Il. Powell Supcrin-
tcndcni If schools ~ Washington. -. C.: the
Hon \ L. Poland. State Superintendent of
Public instruction for NcW-IcrS'y; Mr. Edward
l.. Scavcr. Superintendent Of Schools in Boston.
and Mr. Albert q. Lane. who holds a like office
I'm Chicago These gentlemen sought advice ana
information from all available sources. and their
conclusions may be- accepted rs possessing cX-
ccptiona value and authority. The sub"com-
mltcr, in the first place lays emphasis on the
necessity of discriminating between legislative
and executive action in organizing ana admins
icring school systems. ana asserts very properly.
that 1T is idle Ia suggest that ccnlring cxccu-
tive functions is unwiscly taking power away
from the people. \ representative legislative
body-I Board of Elucaion-iS conceded 10 be
a necessity and the first question To be answered
relates 10 the method of lis organization. In
recommending that the members Of this body
be appointed 10y the Mayor of the city affected.
the committee Is careful To affirm that the
school system should be- absolutely enamel
"patcd from partisan politics and completely
"dissocacd from municipal business" At
the same time, the School Board must either be
elected or appointed by some official body of
officials
In this ncighborhood no argument Is needed
In favor Of giving the appointing power to the
head Of the city Government. but in many Of
our cities, especially in the West, other methods
prevail, and In one or TWO there is no Board of
Education except Committee Of the Common
Council The subcommittee takes a sound posi-
ton also in saying that the members of School
Boards should he representative of the entire
population, and should not be chosen 10 rep
resent wards or any other municipal sub-divi-
sion The number Of members has evidently
received careful consideration. On this head
snmmiftpn cay 'frhn uunbpr nf mpnbprs
"of Board Of Education should be small. In
"citics Of less than 100000 II should be not
"morc than nine. and preferably not more than
five. In the very largest cities 1t may well he
extended 10 fifteen" The conclusion reached
is in accord with general experience There is
IN unmistakable tendency in this country in
the direction Of small School Boards. This is
clearly seen In the newer Western cities. 1t Is