New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-25

most improbable Whatever may be their ,,i1. IN. me
In this respect. however. II IL rnahilest .m me- 10
Sommon schools Is the interest always manilested
bv the two or three hundred thousand paIen.s VIZ
throuch their children are brought into dsliy coii
tact With the detailed workings Of the pedagoe''ai
part of the schoo, system -.,o,, T., tho minds
'Thcre seems TO be impression IN me ~,
OF many who favor the so-called strauss Dl,i ' S
no can naye % b Prop ev hmess he has had
practical experience OF tru9'ee or SOM I'd
oiiica. connected with the system OF ma, ~ civ Of
New-York All other persons are ciaSse "a - is
r nre,,y peneraiiv admitted that there are broad
principles and theories underlying an r1a;n
rork and applicable alike II children or SeIta.l
aees whether thcv be residents of New-Nork ClF
or elsewhere To say that men and women. , VINO
nave made a study of these principles ana OF ,nTiI
are not competent to judge as to the me bi citv
system which would be applicable u TINS ~.
seems 10 be quite narrow-mlnied not 10 say s'l's'
COMMISSIONER PEAsLEE's VIEWS.
commissioner Edward H. Peaelce said: Whatever
the intentions Of the trainers OF the so-caiied
Strauss or Board of Education bl the result j.
bill which continues for those trustees, VINO WISH
10 enjoy il. that same patronage Which mas n''''
fered In the past, and does now interfere WIN ,c
Improvement Of the system Of education III 'his
CITY ! do not admit that We have by any means
the worst system in the United States, Dut we
ought to have the very best. and II ought 10 10
constantly improved. 1t can only be constantly I'M
proved by securing the best possible teacher 10 Hi
each vacancy, without any SuCn Iil'lt"tioH9 a. -
suit from family. social or political aihiatohS'
The Board of Education now has the power to re-
iect those who are nominated as principals by
boards Of trustees and finds it necessary to eXer-
else that power in quite large proportion OF such
nominations perhaps large proportion as one
in five Yet the Strauss bill protects the same
trustees in appointing teachers of a lower grace
than principals, and there are between loui anu
I'VE thousand such teachers. and only about two
hundred ana fifty principals. IT is fair to assume
that they exercise less and discretion in select
ing teachers than in selecting principals
'.The proposed eligible list does not by any means
secure the appointment of the most sultanic up
Dlcant The utmost il can guarantee Is tne re-
lection of the most inefficient and unsultabic
Neither the boards of trustees nor the boaiu on
Education should appoint teachers. nut TINS shouId
bo q p3rt of the duty of the Superintendent ana
his assistants AS we hold these officers Responsible
for the methods OF education and their results we
should also require them TO select the TOOLS ny means
OF which these methods are to be folloWeu anu re-
suits are TO he reached. There should be 10 81
vision of responsibility and opportunity given Tor
those directly IN charge Of the educatloha INTERESTS
OF the CITY TO urge excuse for Imperfect
results that those through whom the methods OF IN
struction are carried out not UP TO the re-
auirements for that purpose. A., ,.,s
''If the trustees are be retained they snould
have the same powers that the inspectors now nave
and no more, in appointing teachers, entering mo
contracts or ordering repairs. l know That con-
siderable number of the present trustees nave this
opinion also | am of those members OF the
Roa ri of Education who hope that the Dill OF the
Board of Education will not pass.