The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
MIMIC CITIES IN SCHOOLS.
A PLAN TO INSTRUCT CHILDREN IN
SELF-0OYERNME

Experiment Made successfully Already.
Unless the expectations OF the Patriotic
League OF this city are disappointed an inter.
esting experiment In teaching tho principles
Of sell. government TO children win be estab.
lishod in a number OF the public schools OF this
city at tho beginning OF next month, and later
perhaps the scheme will no extended until
every school in Greater New York is the thea.
tro OF a school City" Tho idea of maintaining
discipline among school children or others.
whothor they be young OF old, by placing q
largo share OF the power Of making and cnforc-
ing rules In their hands. Is by no means new. but
tho manner In which IL is proposed to do It in
tho public schools. in combination with a
course in municipal politics. is novel. The idea
In said to have tho approval of Mayor Strong,
Theodore Roosevelt, Police Commissioner An.
drews, Charity Commissioner Faure, Street
Cleaning Commissioner Warning, Health Com.
missioner Wilson, and Of n large number of
other influential persons. including n number
Of tho leading members Of the Board OF Educa-
ton.
Tho present scheme Is tho outgrowth Of an
experiment made during the summer in the
Norfolk street vacation school Tho vaca-
tlon schools are held In the public schoolhouses,
hut are not under the control and rules of the
Board OF Education, and 1t is therefore per
INVISIBLE to mako experiments during their
sessions. Before the vacation schools were
opened this year II occurred TO Wilson l.. GIN.
the founder of the Patriotic League, and other
members that the chief purpose Of the league,
the introduction OF the study OF citizenship,
might be advanced by the erection OF n mimic
city government within each school. They
knew of an experiment of a somewhat similar
nature which was carried on during the pro-
vious school year by Vice Principal Crouson
In tho West Farna RrhOnl In thts gr1opl In.
stead Of a municipal government, they had a
President and a Congress-. elected by the pu-
pills, and a large part OF the school govern
ment was turned over to the administration of
these young Legislators and their executive
hoad. The result was very satisfactory. The
school before that time had been unruly and
extremely hard to manage. Under tho rule Of
the organized pupils themselves 1t became or
derby and easy OF management.
The Norfolk street vacation school opened on
July 10 and within a couple of days its pupils
had all been turned into citizens of a School
City" and they were governing themselves
under a Mayor and Common Council elected
by themselves. Equal rights prevailed among
the citizens and equal responsibilities, and there
was no distinction because OF sex. either as to
voting or Office holding. Each class was an
election district. The beginning of the work
OF organization was the holding Of primary
elections for the selection OF delegates for a city
convention. At the convention two candidates
were named for each of the offices of Mayor,
Comptroller and President OF the Board of Al
dermen. Then followed the election, each class
casting its ballots in its own boxes, and after
the installation of the successful candidates.
heads of executive departments and mem
beers Of their forces were appointed. The Mayor
appointed a President of the Board of Health,
n Commissioner of Etraat Clanninn , Co,,
missioner of Police and three Judges. The
Board of Health consisted OF its President. a
teacher. and the Commissioner Of Police. The
Board of Health appointed its inspectors, the
Commissioner Of Police selected a Chief, a Cap
tain for each class, and policemen, and tho
Judges named a clerk of the court. Civil SER
vice rules were to have been used to regulate
ali appointments, but they were not ready in
The experiment lasted until the close of the
school on Aug. 20. and the results were all that
Mayor q boy some IA years of age, with Mr..
ellie help. composed q letter to the Mayor OF
forthwith to the City Hall: Mayor ssoS
ssro1 pEe wss lmm t@ I'D d In a heap &c ,o Of Official pa,
Beach that afternoon. But upon reading the |
letter from the other Mayor Els face relaxed.
he vas Fastening off 70 visit the experiment.
AitSir bndhlnB nhnub Win inc Mayor he in |
sisted upon meeting all the other city officials,
and then Inquired as to tho process Of law In
the city. He was hugely delighted when he
week before. that u police Captain, accused OF
dereliction of duty. had been the prisoner, and
tho service. Thereupon Mayor Strong asked
that the court be brought before him. His
amusement was great when he saw that one OF
the Judges was a girl. But tho browning fea.
tnre to Mr.. Strong was when the police force
was assembled for his benefit, and he discoy,
cred Thai more Than hnlf nf tho nnli,a,,a ,..uo |
girls. The offence of which the police Can.
tain was convicted was conduct unbecoming
was off or, a picnic. His was the only breach |
of the public peace serious enough during the
Mayor Strong was SO much Interested BY III;
visit that he spent his evening at Monmouth
Beach in describing the school city to his
to him with a scheme for such cities to be cs.
tsblished In the public schools and asked him
he spoke OF Q charity department and sent Sir.
Gill to see Commissioned Faurc.
Tel him l want him TO help you." Mayo
Such was the beginning. Tho cities which
II p now proposed to establish in the schools
the Norfolk street school, but much more eiab. |
crate, In each OF the departments It is In.
the actual work and purpose Of the real city
whose name It bears. In order
inent has been asked to aid in preparing the |
rnle5 Tor Tho mimic city government. Com
FHure was Interested at once when
MT. Gill laid the scheme before him, and he is
now engaged In preparing a draft for IA chart |
Lies department TO DO Incorporated in the con
stitption Of the first of the school cities en-.
tablishcd. W, Bayard Cutting and William
Jay sehiefielin. two Of the Civh Service Com.
missioners, have promised TO aid In preparing a |
set OF suitable civil service questions for the
ONCE seekers. under the new municipalities
and under the guidance OF Mr.. Andrews. |
Sergeant, Smith. who 10 In charge of the New
YORK police school. Is preparing n scheme for
tho policemen OF the CITY. Col. Warlng has
promised TO have ready "a street cleaning de-.
parrtment, modelled on the lines of his own.
The organization OF these departments and
OF that OF the Comptroller has not been entirely
worked out and adopted. Each OF them Is ex. |
pectot to DO as comprehensive as tho plan OF the |
Hoard Of Health, which Is now complete. Under
tho INSTRUCTIONS OF Charles e.. Wilson, PresI. |
,topL, Alfred L. Beebe OF the division OF bac.
terology, an expert IN the matters Of santa. |
;ton. has sketched opt II long outline OF a minia. |
lire health department on.scienttar and practi |
cal lines, for tho use OF the school cities. and
has added a 6anitary code somewhat like thai
under which New York city Ia controlled. and
which has serycd. ~ ainOdcl for other Amerl,
can cities, but adapted to children and their |
aeaaS IN the public schools.
mus, not BIO forgotten for n moment that
nothing about these school cities Is intende ed M |
play. ~ Is all serious study. and tho children |
are iearring actual government, law, and mans