New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-14
AN IrNwARRANTED ATTACK.
THE TRIprrNE's REFERENCE TO THE MUM
VERNON HIGH SCHOOL JUSTIFIED ~
LAVA REPLY TO A CRITIC

,,r,xov HIGH school. JUSTIFIED BY THE
LAVA REPLY TO A CRITIC.
To the Editor of The Tribune ,,,o
Sir: The following was published III Inc
on september II In the Mount Vernon coiu'""
Tho High School Committee has compIs,tem h tnp
draft OF the curriculum for the fish Scn .t sstah
nrovides for n four years course, ana mus a.
i,sIos a bigh school that will be recognized ny nv
Board of Regents of the University OF t" h action
Vau,york The Board has approved OF the actv '
~ W., ~ on,,n,ttee and the new courses VIII begin
with the school year next week IN au .Lroa vaors
vii he an elective business course OF three ysai >
VIII We AZ, ,.bo want a business education and do
not expect 10 go 10 coll'ge .
One Of the papers published here quotes ,ne aoo' .
and comments in part, thus 1.-THE apoVe IL "oe''
n instrumentation of facts 1t is an ASSAULT upon
a high school. Condensed, 1t IS Il lie III So"'''"N'
wording and conclusion"
,r,n comments made by the paper alluded TO are
NOT only a libeous reflection upon The Tribune nut
they are a serious attack upon your corresponding
hence am glad that you should request s.a'e
ment from me. ! have had the privilege Oh iooA''s
AT some letters relating to the High School la" re-
ICED bv q member of the Board of Education
u.ho s also member OF the High Schooi 'o'""''
tee and am further privileged to quote from 're'i,
r, 10 statcd that the Board of Education approved
NJ the action Of committee on high school 10
omen such school in September l%i Inc SO"oo'
wa opened with only three years course Oh S'uuy
az follows: First year-English composition, ad-
n,oginrinx, Second year-Rhetoric, algebra mVen-
'" 90 ro,rv geometry Latin, German and
c,L Third ycar-English literature Latin, Ger
n,or Crook and mathematics. | have quoted the
classical course the only other being the EnghSii
course of three years
7, would seem to me that to quote from the regu-
lations of the University regents ana from the let
tors from officials Of the University. would be sum-
Client answer to prove that the above-quotcd COM
nonts are an rnwarrantod assault upon The Trib-
une and it's correspondent. on February - 1881
the regents adopted revision Of the regulations 20
take effect August 1873 section teau s iro
fourteen counts for the six prclmlharles are
dropped and four-year courses or iorty-el9hl dca
dcmic counts are required Tor al sraduIths az
demic credentials On another page me tesuia ,
lions read In 1885 the fourteen counts Tor me SIX
preliminary studies were dropped ana tun I ,ur
year courses OF forty-eight academic COUNTS WIZ
first required for all graduating academic creuehs
tials By completing a four-ycar course Oh
study an academic diploma Is gained
ON May H. 1896. Professor James Russell parsons
jr. director of the examination department OF me
University OF the State Of New YORK. In letter 10
the members OF the Board of Education alluded 10.
wrote: For registration as high school four iuli
years OF academic work, l. e, work In advance OF
our preliminary certificate, must be offered We
have however. schools that offer only one year of
academic work known as junior academic scnoos
those that offer two years. called middle academic
schools and those that offer three years called
outlined took effect August l. 1896 The gradu-
ating Credentials, however. require four-year
on July G. 1896, Professor Myron Tracy scudder.
one of the leading inspectors of the University.
wrote 1.-THE regents of the University of the State
of New York believe that education in advance OF
the elementary branches is essential TO the welfare
OF the country; they encourage the Introduction OF
academic branches into our schools. and grade the
schools as Junior, middle senior and high ac-
cordng to the number Of academic counts actually
taught: twelve counts rating junior, twenty-four
middle; thirysix. senior, and forty-eight or
more high school providing the course I'm the lat
ter covers four years of time. They emphasize the
time element very strongly. since they limit the
high school to those who give a four years
don 10 no
pected that soon possible the Board would
to II that students, as rule, did not graduate
without at least serving oryeight counts and at
tending four full years. such the conditions
that entite school TO be ranked a high school -
think that the above explanation fully justiies
the article in The Tribune. that. by adopting a
four years course, the Board of Education has
cured "A high school recognized by the require
mcnts Of the University regents. and that nothing
more IS needed to defend the article.
CORRESPONDENT