The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-29
SETH LOW 4ND THE SCHOOLS.
Complaint or the Injurious Consequences or
His Interference with Them.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: The pres.
ent campaign OF Seth Low, the independent, dis
interested candidate OF James Il. Reynolds. re-
calls to many OF us who have silently but
inlcntly watched tho Of that gentle
man the occurrences OF the past few years on
the lower east side.
Long before Mr.. Lows chase for the Mayoralty
began openly he sowed a little seed. 1t was only
n few hundred d liars. bu; the seed has yielded
II big crop. He established in Delaney street,
in the most p]opulOus neishborhood, n" Cnivcr-
sity Settlement" Looking around for n suitable
person to properly conduct it. no finally discov-
cred Mr.. James E. Reynolds. then OF England.
The idea VS. purely philanthropic. OF cours .
and the object OF the settlement was 10 get
wealthy people interested, to give large sums
for the purpose OF establishing IA free library,
clubs, &c, fer the benefit OF the boys and girls
OF the nciEhborhood, and to get indirectly at thr
parents. The mex, question was how 10 get at
the children. Accordingly James Is. Reynolds
was made u ecLoo! trustee. This was the open
IN wedge.
crowded, and more room was needed, OWING 70
the wonG er!I! skill! OF Mr.. Reynolds III drun-
ming up children. lie also found that although
he faithfully san; the songs OF praise and adu.
lation Of his patron and superior, there Was
III thc nCishborhood who refused 10 be HOOD
M!nkcd and taken in by seemingly phIlanthruplc
schemes which tended 10 pHutcriEc the neigh
bOrhood. and whose only object was TO help
Along stranded college graduates and to get a
foothold Oh which TO base their future cam.
tod Of the wonderful qualities OF the man who
80 generously faye them the bemei. Of the
in those early days, the corner stone of Seth
| Lows Mnyoralty ambition was laid.
II commenced with the new school law, which
in its apparent simplicity wiped out tho chances
OF every New York teacher, was followed up
with the total omission in the charter OF
Creator New York OF any reference to the Nor
nal College and its graduates, and ended in
tho last successful innovation Of Mr.. Low, the
new course OF study which so perfectly and
evenly conforms with Mr.. Lows and Prof. But.
lcr,s Teacher. College curriculum.
mani is more: he is an octopus. 30, only does he
enter The public school realm 10 place his min
ions, IA" graduates OF ms college, but no also
rirs. &c, where his gigantic influence has
placed Columbia grad mates. discharEing ahle
their duties faithfully and well. to substitute
young lodgings, whose only recommendation
in, our, hospitals, &C. il Sufficient proof OF this,
Finding that his schemes did not work quickly
pamphlets which are SO misleading AS 10 assert
positive untruths. Any one entering into con.
v%crsAtion with Il Schoolhoy in the ,ncighborhood
Of these Low settlements will be aslonlshvd
and amused Mt tho perverted view these
children hold in regard To Low. My father
must vote for Low because he gives us our pub
lie schools was the reason one boy gave. liz had
been told SO by The workers Of the settlement.
I This is indeed All "unpolitical" campaign. when
school officers use their influence over the teach.
crs to tcrrOriLc them into voting their ticket,
and when the boys of tho free clubs are asked
10 distribute campaign matter. DO New York
parent, realize he danger 10 tho children which
the possible election OF Low viii surely carry IN
Is wake The want Of school room in tue past
two years under school reform; he un-Ameri.
can idea of leading school children through the
streets under police surveillance in search OF
school room; tn inability of the new Com
misSioncrs of Education 10 make u busi.
moss contract 80 AS 10 secure us school
crowds of c%hildron after the long vacations;
the purChas by said Commissioners OF useless
land no, needed in the near future and their
neglect to use that money in the nrlghburhOods
studies for the purpose Of creating new places
nj hiul salaries; and last. but certainly not
least. the wrong 10 the child who is retarded
and kept back from entering a llcld OF useful.
while the educational experts are hunting for
the most scientific way of teaching the
language and the psychological definition OF
an impossible condition., are directly traceable
Our public schools belong to us and are essen.
italy The cradle Of A"Icricanism. Broad, clean
and simple as lhrI" course has been, they have
given N. our great men; leave them in the pres.
cut condition in the hands OF srhCmers and
Cranks and under tho surveillance and control
OF a man such "a Sotn Low, and we have n fair
chance Of producing an over and undor edu-
Gated gcncrniion "hn-" n9rIlIhess wllt be 30
practical life.
public schools keen uii i.pw' EAST SIDE.
NEW YORK, Oct. -.
Calling n BIuG-Irs Low MONEY That's Scarce.
To THE EDIToR OF THE SUN-Sir: Apropos
OF the reports circulate! In some OF the evening
and morning papers TO the Effect that two to ono
WAS freely offered on the Stock and Produce