New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-08
THE SCHOOL FIGHT.

THE SCHOOL FIGHT
The ward trustees want to retain their power
over the schools and the influence Of one sort and
another which 1t gives them. Some of them. we
do not doubt, believe that their support OF the
existing system is consistent with sincere de-
sire to promote the efficiency Of the educational
establishment, and are cOnsceniously opposed
to political interference with the schools The
singular fact about their devotion to the old and
outworn system is that they do not perceive how
inevitably it subjects the schools to political
manipulation. If they are willing to be con
vinced, they need only to fix their eyes on pro
cccdings at the State capital.
After long discussion the Board Of Education
sent 10 Albany the socalled Strauss bill. which
was expressly designed to preserve all the char
actrr,sic features of the present system and TO
make their eradication more difficult hereafter.
That would unqucstionaby be the effect of its
passage for it is long and detailed. covering the
whole field Of public education in this city and
bearing the appc france or Il new ana carcfuly
considered measure. II ii should be enacted.
another Legislature would be likely 10 say to
those who might demand a change that the law
had been IN operation only year. that it was
bad policy to keep tinkcring with the schools anu
that the new system ought To have Il reasonable
trial before being condemned. This would be
plauslhlo bur wholly fallaciouS argument. For.
rs We have said. the Strauss bill. though new in
form is antique in substance. 1t proposes an
Increase and read JUS mcnt Of school districts.
and in one or two other particulars makes bad
system more symmctrcal and that is practically
all that Il does Of IN original character. These
improvements if In any sense degree they are
improvements could and would have been Sc
cured through short AMI simple measure, II
the intention had not been 10 intrcnch the old
evils by an elaborate prclcnce II reform.
In opposition to this scheme. Mr.. Pavey in the
Senate and Mr.. Iaimbecr in the Assembly have
introduced bill Of only two hundred words
which puts the school establishment on rational
basis. concentrating authority where it belongs
and where It could be efficiently exercised. 1t
makes the Board II Education the source of all
power and consequently the bearer of all respon-
slblliy. 10y aboshlng the office Of ward trustee
and nsiructlng the Commissioners Of Common
schools 10 perform or cause 10 be performed
through the Superintendent OF Schools and his
assistants and the superintendent OF School
Rnlldings and his assistants all the duties now
assigned to the trustees. The bill authorizes the
appo!niment If additional assistants 10 the two
Supcrlntcrdcnis and preserves the tenure OF
principals and teachers now employed III the
schools This j. all that the bill contains. ara
this Is all that is needed for the purposes OF a
radical and far-rcaching reform. For less than
this. rs 1t seems 10 US the opponents ~ the
Strauss bill ought not to be satisfied 10 strive
the situation being what it has now become.
Tia. bill advocated 10y the Committee OF Seven
IL year ago substantially following the lines
drawn by the excellent commission which Mayor
Gllroy appointed. proposed To retain the trustees
with powers OF visitation. inspection ana recon-
mcndation only. That concession to supposed
nclghborhood sentiment was generally accept
able 10 school rcfOrmcrs not few or whom,
moreover. then thought, and until recently nave
continued to think. that trustees So restricted
would do no harm and might do considerable
good by stimulating local interest ana pride in
the schools Of their respective districts. We
think there would have been no general and
strenuous objection If the present Board Of Ed'l-
cation had embodied this view in Il bill other
wise sagacious and salutary. But 1t is evident
that the nght IS on between the old system winch
WAS long ago outgrown, which is producing more
and more disastrous consequences and which
| for personal and political reasons the Tammany-
Plat alliance is ardcntly defending ut Albany,
and The radical reform measure which Mr.. Pavey
and Mr. Iaimbecr have introduced In the Legis'
! laturc There is no doubt on which side intclli-
gent and disntcrcsted citizens will stand in this
contest We are not sanguine Of their success;
and vet II is difficult TO believe that the Repub-
lean majority at Albany will deliberately con
sent to keep the schools OF New-lork subject to
4, combination which yields them as political
force and in so doing dcgradcs them.