The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-02
Advantages of a Less Nu-
merOuS Committee.
The Present Organization OBJ
S0lete and Cumbersome.
Address by Thomas w. Bicknell
Before the School Committee.

|
address in support OF his resolution t,
apply to the General Assembly for or
amendment to the charter providing fol
a board of education to replace the pres
ent school committee organization. The
address briefly reviewed the ssta bIishe
precedents and the tendency In educs.
tional circles in this direction and pre-.
senied arguments setting forth the ad.
vsntsges of the system OF body Of few
members ss contrasted to the ward COM
mittee organization in this city. The
ddress in full was as follows:
The city OF Providence Is entitled to q
well organized and q wisely administered
system OF public schools and oil the
children to good common school educa-
tion. Our schools are now a century old
ana were founded on the wisdom of such
pioneers as John Howland, Moses Brown,
Thomas L. Ives, DR.. Gsno, and President
Msxy of Brown University. This school
plant has grown to the assessed value Of
two millions Of dolisrs in school lands,
houses and other property. A corps of
572 teachers, with salaries amounting to
s372, 1927, instruots 10000 pupils, from the
kindergarten to the college. Our evening
schools, at cost Of $50, 900, under 200
teachers with 1900 pupils, afford added
J opportunity to those unable to attend
day schools. Free textbook, stationery,
and supplies cost annually over $50, 900.
lne total annual cost of education, (uew
school houses not included) is $3.50. 742 or
a per capita cost of s25 for each pupil
under instruction.
Such facts attest the interest and spirit
OF the people of Providence relative to
their public schools and entitle shem to
the best results that . school sytem can
afford. Money is spent without stint In
school Buildings and supplies, a hard
working corps of teachers IL EMPLOYED.
an adequate force of supervisors is con-
slant In it's exaraination and direction of
the work, and yet the results in the pro-
duct of this great expenditure of money
and labor are not commensurate with the
investment, not satisfactory TO the pat
rons OF the schools ana the tax payers of
the city. Ii is fair to say that there never
has been time in the history of Proyi-
dence schools when there was 40 deep
seated discomfort as to the workings of
the school system. The most intelligent
parents are not satisfied with the schools.
Our teachers have never worked go hard,
were never so thoroughly overworked
to their nerve centers as now, with 20 lit
tie satisfaction in their labors. The SUPER
intendent in his report OF June, 1898,
says, ut is common belief that our
chools do not provide that thorouqhs |
education that 10 desirable and that the
public has a right to demand" and he
says, "We ought to begin by admitting
this, that the results of the schools do |
not satisfy teachers, the school officers, or
the public" 1t IL not my purpose to |
point out the defects and the short com.
ings of the schools Of Providence at this
time, but am free to say that 1 believe
he children leave our Grammar schools
today not as well fitted for the duties of
youth and manhood as they did 20 years
land that their deficiency in the three
RS which are the fundamentals of their
life work is a matter that is truly alarm
/
nent on all hands, and may be easily OBJ
aimed.
Three agencies are directly responsible
or the education of the child. The
school Board, the Superintendent, and
he teachers. The Board of Education
ldopts courses OF study, supplies text
books, elects the teachers and the SUPER
'isors, and manages the finances OF the
chools' The supervisors examine the
workers and their work and report on its
legree OF efficiency. The teachers work
lnder the conditions ests bished by the
irst two agencies and are responsible
o both. The school committee is the
'ower that makes both the superinten-
ent and the teacher and IL either is
nfaithful or incompetent, the committee
nay make the change necessary to secure
aithfulnsss and competency. In the
fairs in our own city, the weakest part
4 our educational system is in the School
committee, its organization, and methods
I work. In fact the Superintendent
,ildly calls attention to this point In his
eport OF June 0, when he says, "rhe
Is not as definite and effec-
I've as IL ought to be-" We have long
nougb laid the faults and failures of
ur schools at the teachers doors. 1t Is
ign time that we ceased to make them
he scaregosts for the weaknesses of other {
apartments of the system. DIR. Rice, In {
Is work on the Public Scnool System OF
he United States, well Gays, "As tine I
over to sppoint both superintendent \
nd teachers in the vast majority of in {
ances lies In the hands OF the Board of [
ducatio7, this body Is ultimately tho I
rongest factor In maxing or destroying |
20 schools, and be further says that \
One half OF the work of placing the \
hools oi any locality upon heilthful Z
has been accomplished when 1
le members of the Board OF Education Z
,come endowed wi.h desire TO improve O
le school, n desire which. however, o