New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-18
THE WORK or SCHOOL Reform.
MRS WILLARD PARKER URGES GREAT
CARE IN THE APPOINTMENT OF
TEACHERS

Mrs Willard Parker, of No. 50 F.fth-ave.. said TO
a Tribune reporter day or TWO ago In referring
10 the Compromise School BIZ which has recently
become law: Il have felt for long time that
the present school system was en'!re.y wrong
The trustees who have had a large part Of the
responsibility of caring for the schools. have been
men whose time has been largely occupied with
business engagements and appointments. TIE fact
that they have been unable u give anything IKE
an adequate amount of time to the work which they
were supposed 10 DO as trustees has resulted N
many serious evils aside from :Ae evils resulting
from the large amount Of patronage whi,a has
been distributed by 80 trustees.
Il have felt that those who have these important
duties 10 perform should be Non and women 'fho
can give their entire and Undivided attention 20
the schools. AS tn, very best wo:knen are secifed
when a high class Of manual labor is TO be per
formed so the very best educational experts should
he secured for the public schools of New-York in
these DAYS of paid labor. The best possible educa-
tional system should he given 10 the chldreh that
can be devised. and this IS what We shall nave II
the provisions OF the new law are carried out IN
their entirety
THE present system is exceedingly compllea'eu
and involved There too many people VINO no"
,hara tho responsibility of caring for schools
The Board Of Education SHOULD become directly
responsible for the appointment OF teachers anu
for their control This is 10 be the case under the
new law except that the new Board OF Supern
tendents Is to share in this responsibility could
wish that the new law called for the appointment
Of paid Board Of Education, as / believe the
school commissioners should be salarled experts
This Will come later I feel confident.
81 regret very much the cry that the opposition 10
the COMPROMISE bill raised that the local Boards OF
Trustees were needed to keep the people in touch
with the schools My experience as trustee mas eu
me to believe that this is an entirely mistaken IDEA
However If this is So 1t is the strongest argument
mothers should know about the instruction that
their children receiving by actual contact with
the principals and teachers In the SCHOOLS where
their children in attendance This. peHeVe' j.
the source from which the majority OF the parents IN
the city obtain their information about the schools
In fact know OF a number of cases In the wooster
ST. school where parents have come directly to the
PRINCIPAL and teachers get information or to make
complaints without even knowing what men n OF
women composed the Board OF Trustees IN thelr
The great danger under the old trustee system has
office who had outlived their usefulness. The ch!I-
dren and not the teachers are the ones 10 De Scl
sdered. In them lies the hope OF SUI orishi ie
future for this city. and nothing should be consid-
cred too good Tor ne children in our schools Many
of the principals have been and are now dolnb eH-
celent and conscientious work. and Ii is reInarkabe
that this is the case under so cumoersome system,
No teacher who has done his or her WORK IN satlT
factory manner. according TO the standards winch
fear removal The new law offers the greatest pro-
lection to all capable teachers; care shou1 De eN-
erclSed that over very young cnlIuItH nO
ers whose methods are of date. shall be placed
In authority. go a.,
Young teachers, whose sympa thies will naturally
be In accordance with those OF their classes. should
be placed in charge Of he classes of the primary
departments. 1t will be much easier for such teach
ers who bring enthusiasm 10 their work, combined
with the most modern ideas OF teaching, TO interest
little folks and TO mpart TO them some OF their own
enthusiasm for the work.
II glad that the city has been divided into
thirty-fve school inspection districts. Fifteen such
districts the smallest number mentioned in the bill.
would not have been enough and the inspectors II
limited 10 this number would have had far too much
to accomplish to have done their work well. The
Board of Education should not depend. however too
much on the inspectors for their knowledge OF tho
school system The fewer people who come between
the Board and the schools themselves the better II
will be for the system.
This I believe. is to be the opening OF new era
for the public schools OF NewYork. yet II behooves
all those who have the interests OF the schools at
heart TO watch closely the methods that will be
adopted by the Board of Education for II must be
remembered that majority OF its members opposed
the passage OF the Compromise bill. and remains
to be seen whether or not all OF them Will fall into
line in carrying out the reform methods"