New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
SCHOOL ISSUES DISCUSSED.
JAMES B. REYNOLDS LECTURES ON THE
UNION BILL.

HE FONTS OUT TIE DEFECTS IN THE PRESENT
Trr,srcE SYSTEM AND GIVES IILrsTRA-
TON OF lNJUsTIcEs IT BRINGS ABOUT
CONNECTIONS RECOMMENDED.
In snite OF the rain yesterday morning the Wom-
ans League for Political Education assemo4ea III
f force 10 hear James g. Rcynoldss lecture on '''e
Union school bill. which is before the Legislature
MANY school teachers present, and the League
numbered among its guests prominent women whose
names are always identified with movements pc
tanning to the public good. Mrs. Loril,aro ape"0'
Mrs. ". S. Rainsford. Mrs Schuyler va"
laer. Mrs Edward Lauterbach. Mrs Jacooi anu
Mrs Sanders were noticeable in the audience MIS-.
Adele NJ Fyelde. the secretary and instruclfess %
the League. chairman of the meeting .,.
Mr.. Reynolds although a school trustee hin1se',
earnestly advocated the abolition OF the office anu
the appointment of fifteen boards OF inspectors III
r,oco a, eight When he spoke OF the emDarraSS-
nente and perplexities which beset the pain OF te
trustee his remarks savored of such good-huinoie
irony tnat his listeners laughed aloud ana apPN"'V
him enthusiastically. Regarding the nohl"a"o" "a
teachers Mr. Reynolds said that many who were
undeservIng got into the system. not through any
purpose!y wrong intention. but simply because INC
trustees to whom they first applied were coi'-
fcssedly unfit Judge Of their capaDihues from d
pedagogic point OF view. If young woinah ooi'0'
IN me from the Normal College seeking position us
teacher" he said, II Judge of her general Mt
ness for that or any responsible position, or her
energy amiatdlity department. etc, put as 10 hei
mental ability peculiar aptness Tor the Calling u
a teacher, can have no manner or Idea. a super
tntendent a man who has studied that especai
phase of the subject, Is the only person VINO shouu
be allowed to Judge as to her qualincatlons' anu
her name should not be entered the list OF appl-
cants until she has first passed a SATISFACTORY eA
animation A case pertinent to this point Is that
of the principal who recommended certain te"oioi
rs possessing high qualifications for the once ou'
Tod her
Don't appoint her 10 my school. Though
In the matter OF redlstricng the city. the speaker
alluded to the evils resulting from the Independence
Of the separate wards under the existing system
"Not long since" he said, "a certain teacher' IN
this city, was a thorn in the flesh, not only 10 p'i'
c,n,ls but TO all in authority in the particular
ward in which taught 1t was judged mat shc
was unfit for the position, and some OF the 'ruS-
tees advised that she be expelled. otheTs "o'o
indugcnt counseed that she be permitted to tender
her resignation which latter plan was pursued
Now there is a distinct difference between pelhS
expelled from a position and resgnlns one cidi''i
70 it, The teacher recognized this difference anu
acted accordingy She applied for and secured
place In another school district. at an ao'ance VI
saIsry over that she had received formerly. Ihose
teachers her previous associates. who mad peen
daily witnesses TO her imperfections came to us ana
asked feelingy If that kind of thing was 'he OH!
reward we had in store for faithful ana uns"erVs
snects was doing better than her colleagues VINO
had strayed not from the rigid path marSeo O on
Iniustices such this are inevitable as os az on1
ward is in ignorance Of the doings Of the othe ana
each and every district is permitted to ADJUST It's
Mr. REYNOLDS also alluded to the difficulty of oh
tanning suitable and eicent eacer io ieach amid
peasanter associations and no matter now ,OnE o
Teachers exceeded the demand, sometimes as much
as six weeks would pass before o vacancy III
downtown crowded district could be hled. .,
The inordinate amount of red tape and cumbrouSS
detail which nvoved IN the paying 81 %
animation and over-examinaton which the Simplest
bill underwent were matters OF astonshment. one
Bill returned 70 him after some time with d the i he
junction that it must be revised beioge nneeed ~,
Il was found that the day laborer had computed
the cents wrong the 0e h Workman
to wait four or five weeks for his money s ,a0roa
after due supervision by those who had the
work done was returned with the reques nn
screws used. and the ong-suffering trustees
scratched their heads to know how they were to
Nj Reynolds described graphically how - when he
had first begun his duties he had had II urged upon
people in immediate proximity to the school inter
in M r this aSe w9sT JOB Gr
able outlay. he had engaged the services Of local
m ocoSer as the by
him had been presented IN proper fashion to ane
yet though nearly five months had passed since Its
rendition. The carpenter whose interest and
thought that he had aided In repairing that school
building evtcted from his rooms In a tenement
house In default Of rent, and although many appii-
cations had been made at the Controllers office
and at the haunts Of others in authority the un-
lucky workman still waiting for his cash and
doubtless denouncng the school building In no
elegant language whenever he CHANGED TO pass by
As an alternative to employing the local work.
men, the trustees In the habit OF securing the
services of large firms who could afford to wait for
their pay The firms charged higher prices on this
account but they did their work satisfactorily and
the interest on the public money made no particular
IN
Mr. Reynolds advocated the concentration OF all
control in financial matters under one head. and
the uniting Of all the Independent school wards In
system He considered the matter of the
superintendents term Of Office referred TO the high
schools needed TO relieve the strain of the later
grammar course, advising that the last two years
Of the grammar be dropped. and spoke
forcibly of many amendments plainly needed
In closing his address. ne expressed the belief
that. with the strong feeling that had been aroused
the subject of these school issues. and the good
judgment almost to prevail. wave OF reform
would set in in the school system and that
with the over-compex machinery simpfed and
super1uous issues gotten out of the principals
and teachers and those appointed to supervise them
would be able to pay more attention to the vital.
legitimate aims OF education. I'VE want less
theory and more practical work. said the trustee;
more genuine interest in child study and more
enthusiasm In the search for the best methods by
which to obtain the most satisfactory results