New-York tribune., 1895-06-30

public schools. That is false impression OF course
but have doubt that i exists and VIII cont,hme he
as the result OF what has taken place this week
I'VE all realize the situation in which tne May 6nJ
and his associates on the Board OF Estimate mn
themselves They are bound to keep the appropr, ,r
within certain limit That a,ns mases 70 ems me an
altogether wrong thing that in city IKE thls sne
people saoud have TO 1 Pay nor ther schoos
know that some object to high schooi & h ois
10 accommodate all the primary children but in my
opinion ought to have botn ~ any Ia'e, " 40
now committed to high school education. ana | 90
not think Rrooklyn ought TO fall behind other cities
In this respect
SUPERFLuOUS HEADS OF DEPARTMENlS'
1t has been suggested that the Board OF Educa-
ton might wisely economize to the extent OF nous
ands OF dollars yearly by reducing the huinoe! "a
heads OF departments in the schools a heau vi ="
partment is a sort OF sub-prncipal these oi1cers 90
no teaching but their work Is that OF SUPERVISION
of other teachers Under the present rules each
school is entitled principal who does no, 10
class. school OF seventeen classrs md an addi-
tlona head of department may be app1ii.eu o,ar -,
school for every twelve classes more thah sesem
teen "rroyIded. however. that where school hav-
ing not less twentyfour classes ana 'nte ~ iii III
be entitled to two heads OF department in the main
school" AS matter OF fact. there Is a. T FOR
every eleven classes in the schools This NUMBER
is entirely too large IT l. n'STesng go said on this
subject in his report for 1891 He gave the results
OF the system follows: -. .,.ss
teaching many nnS OF our bs teachers and has thus
lcssened the efficiency OF the teaching force as
"S"cond-lt has created the feeling that office work
hnnoraiie than the active work OF teaching; II
teachers have due moral hiiuenSr on irhes,
pupils their Office should be heid III '"c ''7"
rhird-The struggle for the prizes that are he5
IN before the eyes OF our teachers In the snape o'
baaad of den,rtment places. involving, as they 40
in most cases considerably less work ana cosIusi,
ably 6Gi'er PAY haT fgs'Tn evil always
deprecated in the administration OF puohc school
"Fomrth-Thc multiplication OF superhuous heads
Of departments has resulted IN vIs,Vn @ 90 fcaosy in
bllity in school management, in petty yaio.Ss ss
much harmful interference with the WORK Oh o''''
"Fifth.The Unnecessary increase In the number
or heads OF departments has led to mucn %, anf
.vils Of cramming and nervous prosraton. that
though now much less than In former years, st"
hurts our school work ,.,,...,,o,
Sixth~The cost OF this supervision Is withdrawing i
each year a vast amount OF money that Is sau''
"A close estimate would show that not less tnan
10000 per annum Is expended on sup'tl,ohhs h so"nd
Of departments. Surely better use might oe iou'u
"Fo, Instance. It would pay tho salaries Of skilled
kindergarten teachers for all the chhNrrh n,'"''"
The ages OF i've and six years in The egos yc,r
There the register at IN" close ot i'St s' -,
PTS children between those ages Al @ ,nr I,'' nb
sixty class thirty coming IN the Iorrnop' orniI rn az
thirty in the afernoon-r.sl per year %on', lrb lrb-
vide q, average salaries Of $3.50 kindergarten t''V"
crs for all these children. ,.
Again this would PROVIDE Irol'S9loH'I V''.'.
ing for AZ least ono year for every person applying
FOR n ,eachers license who had not had previous
experience ,,. ,.,r,.s
dor again with this money childron's hpfari'; !;
might hc placed in every school. and much necdei
APPARATUS and material for natural science "p,h
ami physical culture together with a Thoroughly
efcirnt corps Of special instructors In these sub
jccts might be supplied" o.
Supcr.ri endcnt Maxwell believes that the sIper-
visns force within tho schools should be cur h9"h
until the number OF supervisors not teachihg no'.
not exceed one 10 every twenty classes. ann ,"at
the purely clerical work II the schools should 20
done hy a clerk Mayor schiercn's Advisory Com
mitfec on Public Education made similar recon-
nendations last winter. II the women members OF
the Bonrd apply themselves to this Work ana sue,
cceA In bringing about tho needed reform. thcy WIZ
accomplish something both useful and meinofaD'e'