New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-27
s,s,ard Democrat. while Rumph belongs to Inc
Machine Democracy.
RROOKLYN'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS'
THE REPORT OF THE ADVISORY EnuCA
TIoNAL COMMITTEE.

TIoNAL COMMITTEE.
LARGE AMOUNT OF WORK CAREFULLY AND
GEOGRAPHICALLY poxE-How THE RESULT IS
pEGARpEp-A BILL THAT SHOULD
BE MADE LAW
, r, ~ tho Advisory Committee appointed
nv Mayor schieren last summer to suggest c'a"se
ona ,mnrovemcnts in the public school system y.
prooklyn iusties the wisdom OF the course aoop'eu
nv the Mayor and the good judgment snow"
salecting the members Of the committee. IL "ou''
have been difficult to choose seven men IN pIooN
Ivn better qualified to do this important WORN 'o'
=, them DR. Backus Dr. Cochran. and LIT. Le'ri-
-. oro al the head of the three principal educa-
,o,ai institutions OF the city-the Packer INSTITUTE
,h. poIvtechnic Institute, and the Adeipni acau-
emy: three others have In former years peen ''o'
hers Of the Board OF Educatlon-naniey. MessrS'
Hardness. Creevey. and Kelley; and the remain'hs
member is the president Of the Board OF Educa'on'
Mr. Swanstrom The professional standing Oh ''e
arst three especially fitted them to act as reVserS
~ the school system and the practical kno"ieuse
Of the other members was undoubtedly OF the s'e"'
est value In evolving new system 10 take Inc paee
of one that Is confessedly antiquated ana inaue'
ouate to the needs OF the city at the present ''e'
The recommendations of the committee arc "
many respects radical. Under the system PROPOSED
there will be fifteen instead OF forty-hve members
OF the Board OF Education. and there - W NC
clean sweep at the beginning OF July next. nat 10
n most important and significant change' Inc pres
ent board IL large as to be cumbersome anu
responsibility much divided that IL Is 'r'uay
dIeslpated BY the change proposed the local COM
mi,tees are done away with altoSether-a FEATURE
~ tho existing system that unquestonaoy mas peeh
the source OF much evil. 1t Is contehded ny Tue
, advocates Of the local committee system that py
this means the schools have been kept IN close
touch with the people That SOUNDS WELL Out ''eie
IN little truth at the bottom or H.
A COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATlON.
A still more radical change Is the proposed ap-
no,ntment OF a Commissioner OF Education. VINO =
., ho tho responslble executive head OF the scnoo
svstem He is 10 be a saared officer, and WILL pre-
sumab,y devote all his time to the ADMINISTRATOR
NJ the schools He Is 10 have complete charge
NJ the business OF the Department OF Educauu'
while the supervision Of the schools themselves -
IN no under the direction Of the Superintendent OF
! public instruction. A division between the bus
! noes and the scholastic departments OF the educa-
| ,,o,,l administration Is thus provided for Inc
| Commissioner is not to be a member OF the boaru
Of Education but IL to atterd Its meetings ana ac'
| NJ a member OF It's three standing committees
His standing will be the same as that OF other heaus
~ city DEPARTMENTS and he VIII be MEMBER OF
| tho Mayors cabinet. Thus the Department OF
rauca,ion will be brought into c.ose relations with
| the city government
concentration OF authority and responsibility on
both the business and the educational sides OF Tue
school system If thus assured. In furtherahce u
mis- idea the powers OF the Superintendent or fuo
lie Instruction are enlarged In various d'recuonS
| Tho number OF assistant superintendent Is IN
creased from two Ave. and II Is providen tha' q"
leas, two OF them shall be women ana proV'rion
| Is also made for increase In the hummer OF
snpcrintendents to keep pace with the increase Il"
| the general school attendance
| IMPORTANT RECoMMENpATIoNs.
4, presen, II is almos, impossible to get rid OF
| incompetent and careless teachers. 'h'er .ne ~
| TON, nronosel by tho committee this Is made inucn
/ - a,1 oven prlnclpals may be suspended or
removed by the superintendent at any time ana MS
action is nna unless reversed by the board changes
or. also recommended IN the internal management
| Of the schools which will reduce the cost OF aaih'n
| ,stratlon and increase their efficiency.
! The committee urgently recommends the nlro
auction ~ k,udergartens as a part Of the public
| scho,t system az early as possible though u Is
frankly confessed that the nrst demahd 10 pe me-
IL the providing OF sufficient room ior 'he o"'''''
wbo are crying for admission to the primary @''
| lower grammar grades. Win the h"oJee.' Vi '
nal fraInlng and military drill the committee oee'S
-, .,r.ornv no recornme nda tons In their favor
being offered. - 49,, ar,,
IN order 10 carry the proposed changes into ehect
the committee submits draft OF Dill WHICH, IL II
meets the approval Of the Mayor VIII De 'e"' ="
Albany with his Endorsement. IL Is sish'hcan' '"a'
| a., .c,,o, OF the committee. a. IL stated In the
| ,enort was unanimous on every point cohsiao'e''
A, ,h. nresid, nj q the Board OF Education was I
member OF ,he committee the agreement OF that
body IN the changes suggested ought 10 De '"he'
for granted. Whether II can he or not ~ hho'he
question. That there will be strong opposition 70
the bill In some quarters ~ 10 De ehpec.eu ",
conservative element Will naturally cry out asa,n,
the radical recommendations OF me con'', - -"
the general principle OF let well enough 1 Enr
/ p,, thngs as they are not well enough Every
body knows that the school system OF brookyn
lar from perfect and Is by no means accomplishuis
nh,t n shou:d The work OF the committee VIII be,
vond doubt be approved by the great majority oi
| intelligent citizens
AN IDEAL COMMITTEE.
citizen who has given careful attention to
| ouestions OF school administration expressed NM
,, inns after reading the report Of the committee:
| Ell seems to me that this committee has done us
work with grea, care and thoroughness. The COM
nIttee was an almost ideal one for the purpose.
schodls was guarantee that 1t would proceed on on
the broades lines and the other mempsrs, ".rs s,s
men IS, spg needs II WAS pre-eminenty put
the c9mmiee Mr. swan'Ton the president n OF ,d tine
| experience as a member OF the board gives me
highest value to any opinions he may express on bns s
considerable experience as members Of ,ns soap
ON a the Mho sure .n that II has left nothing undone
the direction OF obtaining Information ana suSses-
THE report shows that careful inquiries were
made regarding school systems In other cities and
all the principals OF schools In Brooklyn were CON
suited and their suggestions carefully noted. IL Is
especially significant that the president OF the Board
| OF Education has given his approval to all the
| changes recommended This ought 10 mean that the
| hoard OF Education a body Will approve the bill
SSa to snf to be- Out Office The
New-York bill: you VIII notice, has the approval
! OF the Board OF Education. but the number
| OF members there is not reduced. and II
| IL specially provided that all the present mem
| bers shall serve out their terms But what
| ever opposition may be made by the members
| OF our Board OF Education ought not to be consid-
cred as against the judgment Of our best educators
| and wlsest The members OF this committee
| have spent good deal OF time over their work, have
| carefully studied educational systems, and the re
| suits OF their labors entitled to the approva
which the enactment OF the proposed bill! would sig
| Nifty.
HALF CENTURY BEHIND THE TIMES
| Everybody who knows anything about 1t knows
Droaklyn L. hall q