New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-28
TEACHERS SALARIES ~ BROOKLYN.

Under the lead Of Mayor SchercI. the Brook
lyn Board Of Estimite on Tuesday made an at
tack on the large salaries paid to teachers III
some Of the Brooklyn schools. This was certain
10 arouse "A storm Of criticism; and That result
nromptlv followed II would be unjust. however
10 represent Mr. Schicrcn maintaining that
the teachers rs a whole are excessively compeh
sated The object If his attack was the large
suln paid for salaries In the high schools. IL APP
pcors that in the Girls High School there are
s.ventv-onc teachers. whose annual salaries
amount TO S1U2. $50 and In the Boys High school
thIrty-four teachers with salaries aggregatng
s.;7.2JO Mr. Schicrcn declared that these sums
were too large. but after hearing what members
~ tho Board Of Education had To say on the sub
icct the Board II Estimate on Wednesday re-
ycrscd It's action ~ the previous day and restored
the item for teachers salaries to the figure orgi
nally named II was maintained that the salaries
paid I'm the Rrookyn high schools are no higher
than are paid in other schools for the same class
OF work and that any reduction would lead TO
tho resignation ~ number OF the most valuable
members 81 the teaching corps
Nevertheless. many people will be II the opn-
ION that Mayor Schiercn WAS right In his conten-
ton that too much money Is paid for salaries
I'm these two schools. In both these cities
there Is tendency 20 expend money free
Is nj the upper end 81 the ciucational scale
while ncgcctlng the lower grades. In New
York Just now We have the spectacle or the
city spending m enormous sum for new site
and new building for the city College. while
snn,D children II school age are not In school
largely because there is no room for them. III
Brooklyn within the last ten or dozen years
fy, enormous high school buildings have been
erected: and yet thousands ~ children are unable
T., gain admtiance 10 the primary schools ana
other thousands are taken in for half day "hly'
their seats during the remaining half being "ccu-
pl,,l by children who would o'hcrwi>" get no
schooling AZ ALL II required courage for man
In Mayor Schicrcn's place boldly 10 attack the
costly high school system, which Is the pet ana
nriI. ~ many members Of the Board Of Educa-
tim. and even his courage was not equal 10 carry
Ing through the task which he imposed upon him
self II is grave question. however. whether
"A city has any right 10 give high school ana cot
l.cio,e education at the cost of the taxpayers;
few will maintain. a all events. that 1t has any
right 70 do this while the primary and grammar
schools are ovcrcrowdcl. and even when filled
:, their utmost capacity are incapable Of meet
Ing the demands made upon them. If things
were seen in their true perspective by Boards or
EducatIon kindcrgar,cns would be provided In
connection with the public schools before attcn-
ton was turned 20 education In the high school
grades. No one familiar with the public schools
Of our sister city can doubt that much money Is
uecdlcssly spent for salaries In the grammar
schools. where supcrfuous heads of departments
abound The Board OF Education is not gno-
rant on this point for the case has been fully
and forcibly stated in Superintendent Maxwclls
reports With the new blood which the Board
Is 70 receive next week there ought to be Il sweep
ing reform here.
II was a mistake for the Board of Estimate in
BROOKLYN TO couple the Training School for
Teachers with the high schools In this rercnch-
mcnt scheme The work of the Training
School Is to recruit the teaching force by
fitting young women who intend 10 teach for
that vocation This Is work Of the utmost i'm
portancc seeing that many teachers and
wouldbe teachers are wofully ignorant Of pe1a
gogic principles. Another mistake was TO reduce
the amount allowed for sites for school build
ings Brooklyn Is sorcy In need OF more public
schools. and liberal appropriations are required
therefor The contemplated bond issues will not
meet the demand; and 1t should be borne I'm mind
that the demand Is steadily growing from year
to year.