New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-07
OPENING THE SCHOOLS.
THEY WILL. BEGIN THE YEAR WITH lNSOf-
FICIENT SEATING CAPACITY. But UNDER
THE REFORM SYSTEM

One week from to-day nearly 100000 school
children of this city will gather in the primary
grammar and high schools ut the annual opening
of the public schools. All of the buildings IN use
last year have been undergoing extensive repairs
and renoyations during the summer vacation
Will. n number of additional sitiings have peeh
provided Work on a number of new buildings mas
been pushed rapidly as possible IN oro''i '"'''
they might be ready for occupancy at the pesih'is
of the school year. but owing to lack OF 'uhus anu
unavoidable delays it is not propaDie tha' 'he
number Of sittings will be materially hcFeaseu
TN TIM lack OF sufficient accommodations for inc
constantly increasing school populations Vi .'c
downtown districts. especially those on the i;aS.
Side, a condition that the Srhool i rS 4,
have been trying 10 remedy for seNer"' sc9''' 80
vet the problem is far from solved. but IL te coh
pusory education aw recently passed by In" p
aure Is to be enforced rlSids AGAINST u u'h,9 ~ g.
a problem for which solution must be i9ui.u !.
the future. with thousands o, cmi'"arn no No
school age the streets because ticic a. AZ
nares for them i'm the schools. speedy remedy
must De found. either in holding extra sessions 4l
In erecting number OF new DuiiuitSS IN, IL ',i III
connection is important to note the tact mat al,
though only IS per cent OF the total atteIaice -
the schools below FOurteenth-st, more man ,. PEI
cent of the non-admissons through lack OF room
we're found In those schools last year The whoIe
wear 1885 was 1860. Of which more than HOO were
in the downtown wards: 2.29 were in the seventh
oss in the thirteenth In these four wards the av-
erage attendance OF the schools Tor 1888 showed an
Increase of "A per the average attendance
for the vcar 1890 The growth OF the Twelfth, Nine
tenth. rwenty-second and Twenty-third wards also
has been great and calls for the erection OF several
school buildings. ., . 49,.
Notwithstanding the serious drawback TO enec;-
i've work In the classroom caused by oyercrowdng.
the schools will open this fall with brighter hopes
Tor Tho future than they have ever known before
owing to the radical rciorms in the admins ration
of The school system brought about by the FaVey-
Page law which went into full effect on July ast;
The old school wards. some OF them having severn
schools within their limits ana others nGne al az,
ara tho local boards OF school trustees with an inc
evils OF the patronage system in the appolntmtrh'
nj teachers and the ordering OF repairs nave us
anncared entirely. Now the city IS divided ac-
cor,ing to the territorial distribution OF the schoo
into v-five inspcctorial districts with Doaru
If INSPECTORS in each. who have no power otner
vents. the authority to appoint and promote teach
ers is given to a new Board Of school Supern-
tendents with the City Superintendent or SchooSS
y, lis head and the making OF all repairs anu
alterations old buildings as wei as tn me- scbool
Ruildng Department, OF which Superlntehuem,II
SNYDER is the head. The Board OF EDUCATION VIII
have final power TO at in these matters