New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-01
NEW Works. SCHOOL SYSTEM
SIGNS OF PROGRESS UNDER THE PRES
ENT ADMINISTRATION.

ADDRESS OF PROFESSOR NICHOLAS MURRAY
BUTLER BEFORE THE CITIZENS UNION
LINES OF DEVELOPMENT SUGGESTED.
Az a meeting OF the Citizens Union held On
Wednesday afternoon at the headquarters OF thS
Union No 20 East Twenty-third-st., professor
Nicholas Murray Butler spoke on the publc-schooi
system and the policy of the citizens Union !"
regard TO It. Professor Butler said:
The condition Of the public school system OF
great city is certain test of the profess thi si nns
Suished from a barbaric, municipal administration:
Ii the schools of great city are lnautlua,e ~
number unsanitary and defective in appointments
divorced from the intelligent interest ana Sympa
thy of the community; If their instruction Is aou f
study narrow and petty. and their teachers ~
pointed because of personal p9hn9Gu o, pd compe
affiliations rather than for scholarship ana trn,n
tence then that city has not yet emeIseu iio' rd
state of semi -barbarism The wellrIGGO W
their children to private or endowed h corn
and the common schools Will no Longer De on On
mTm cass" schools and their value the COM
munity that sustains them falls pitifuly short OF
For at least generation the public schools SO, OF
of the whole country Here and there ambitious
principals and enthusiastic teachers have ssr4g
g,ed for better things. but the dead weight OF lne
much-vaunted system" has held them down an
TssTs or has SSgh a3 from above or
kindly and constructive-not critical ana l hr
The public schools are huge machine, managcd
by a board of clerks; they are not an army organ
ized and led by competent generals. .. ~.
The agitation of the last five years however mas
laid the basis for better things souh b an. d,1a IN
ton is being built up, The Reform School law 10, of
nossible. and Mayor strongs admirable, appoint
Inents TO the Board of Education have AZ last SNel
disinteresied public spirit and its prosressvenness
Since the organization of this Board IN J audiS 70
new tone has been impaired the whole schooi syS-
TEN: that Is omen Of what would happen II th 1s
Board of Superintendens INHERITED b pc caT Of
Education. Diligence has displaGed sion nn,9i ~
stupidity S snd Ssd Sne s df the
protection of the power OF clique.
NEW AGENCIES NEEDED.
The Citizens Union believes in and has declared
for progressive pubic school policy. This pohcy
however is not satis ID with the patchng-up OF the
old: il looks forward TO the development OF rev
agencies TO meet new conditions. The SoOo"oW
granted by the Legislature Of 1895 and The SoVoVVVo
granted by the Legislature OF 1884, for schooi SITES
and buildings will enable the city 10 escape the re-
proach that of thousands of It's children were
compulsorily In the streets. because there we're no
school accommodations for them. when by law they
should be compulsorly at school summary, 'he
s2OO0OO Just authorized to build high schools VIII m
crease fvefold the efficiency OF the elementary
schools as high schools always do and also take the
first step toward making New-York's school system
really democratic For under present conditions the
children of the less fortunate parents must either
cease their formal education with the meagre
knowledge afforded by the e!emehtar! sCHOoi' VI Nc
mend upon private philanthropy. pay heavy tut
aon fee for hgh-school education. The connection
between a really democratic Civil Service open on
T ySra Ie and 70 p all Of the spos system and nigh
school education freely offered 10 The chhdren Oh
the ab0ns is diTsf ana ad city
needs si Of all sG SS e9 nssca ag6
schools not pressing want: the other NPe 30 T
at the example Of Europe England france Sr anu
Germany are protecting their trade with Dra rams
M Crefeid that for the industrial arts at Roubais
those for at Geneva ana SHd the
schools at Bradford. Leeds. birmingham and else
wheTe ia yPGi of THIS e %s anq
hind Europe in this respect: The New-l OK OK ldea
and then to trust luck to his finding something
to do for which he IS competent. The Europeaaa
It we'll 10 ON Wv '' -, ,,. nr,o
tical education the Citizens Union expects 10 see
its success at the polls followed by regularly or
tecbn6I buidings as neighborhood centres Teachers
need and must have long sumner YaG f t6d vss
mass of the children cannot leave the city Thelr
summer is too often spent wholly in the streets.
and many of the good habits formed at school are
weakened or lost before September comes again
Ing much could be accomplished before the hottest
part of the day competent !ehChn nv a9 ion
service from the regular staff me nelghe 0Is
city of Newark has. for a number OF years, s3Iveu
this problem successfully and private funds 1aye
enabled small beginnings 10 1e nIbn nolicv has
set to be worked out
FREE LECTURES AND CONFERENCES
Then too the people should be taught to use the
schools for all gatherings and meetings not OF
purely private political religious character Inc
splendid system of free lectures under Dr. Leip-
ziger's direction is indication Of what can be
done in this direction. Conferences OF parents and
teachers boys and girls clubs. literary societies.
debating unions etc. should not only be permitted
hut invited 10 the public school buildings Inc
Journalist may think this great innovation. but *
he would inform himself as TO what Is going on IN
other parts of the world and what Is being accom-
plshed for civic life by such means as these, he
would change his mind. -
AS 10 the school system Of Greater New-Y0rk
as the charter is in many ways its educa-
tional chapter is admirable. Inc essential Pllh-
ciples gained In the legislative victory or 1896 nave
The Citizens Union may be depended upon 10
watch the schools closely and to spur on the au-
1horities to every reasonable advance. y progress
sive school policy money; but II Is money IN
vested, not spent 1t pays larger return TO the
city than any other form of investment. some
OF the millions that go to help the unfit, the
ehiftess and tho incompetent would be saved. II
our school system really trained men and women
for the kind Of life and occupation that confronts
them and let go its hold tradition and mediaev-
alism.