New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-24
CITY COLLEGE CHANGES.
EIGHT INSTRUCTORS TO BE MADE AS
SISTANT PROFESSORS.

SlSTANI PROr ESSONS.
THEY WILL GET LARGER SALARIES AND BE MEM
BEERS OF THE FERTILIZATION BY THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Some changes OF importance are being made In
the internal management Of the College OF the
City of New-York. The Board OF Education acts as
a Board of Trustees for the college. and the az
fairs Of the Institution practically in the hands
OF an Executive Committee of nine members. This
committee is comprised at present of Commissioners
Ketchum chairman. Taft Montant, Little. Maclay'
Barnard, Kelly and Eustis, with General Alexan-
der S Webb president of the college. an ex-offc'o
member The faculty OF the college consists OF tnir-
teen professors including the president and. In the
opinion OF members of the Board of Trustees, IL
has been too much OF close corporation
Some time ago the Office of assistant professor
was created. in the expectation tina; some of the
Instructors would he promoted 10 that rank. with
an Increase In their salaries. 1t was provided that
after serving certain time as Instructor man
might be raised 10 the rank OF assistant professor
and also that. on somewhat similar basis, tutors
might be promoted TO be instructors. Nothing was
done, however. toward carrying the new bylaw into
effect but since the recent reorganization OF the
Board OF Education the matter has been taken up
in earnest by the Executive Committee. and also
by the Board. acting trustees OF the college
The result Is that eight o. the instructors. some
OF whom have been connected with the college for
q quarter OF a century, will soon be made assist
ant professors at higher salaries than they now
receive, and they will also become members OF the
faculty. The action OF the Executive Committee on
these points confirmed at meeting OF the
trustees held last week. but there are one or two
other get be settled before the new
order of things goes fully into effect.
The Executive Committee made careful exam
inatlon of the entire subject before reaching de-
cision 1t hearings TO the president of the COL
lege and the members of the faculty. devoting two
evenings 10 this business and heard all there was
10 be said the salary question and on the adnis-
sion OF the promoted tutors TO be members of the
faculty. Some half-do2en of the instructors had
made applications for appointment TO the higher
rank, and they also were heard in their own be-
half. While IT cannot be said that the members
Of the committee were unanimous in the conc usions
arrived at. there a substantial majority in
favor OF bringing new blood into the faculty and
broadening the work and atmosphere Of the insti-
tuition.
THE COMMITTEES RECOMMENDATIONS
The recommends lions presented by the committee
10 the Board last week were that the bylaw pro-
vlding for assistant professors should be carried
into effect. and that II should be amended by pro-
vidng that Instructors promoted TO this rank should
be members of the faculty. that they should receive
salaries OF not less than S. 500 than $500
and that they should vote In the faculty all sub
1ects except the arrangement Of the course OF
mendation OF mer for appointment TO the ONCE OF
assistant professor. There is also provision that
highest sals-y shall have an increase of $50 from
year 10 yeat until the maximum is reached ,,,
Ii is practically decided that eight instructors VIII
soon be made assistant professors. Some OF them
have been teaching <n the college for twenty-sx or
paid 10 an instructor is g 375 and of them
only 2.ooO. While the salary question is not def
three of the assistant professors will receive the
maximum at the outset, and that the others VIII
get 600, s. $50 and $500 according to the length
of their terms OF service. The men 10 be promoted
Lowe history Robert
Sim. pure mathematics: Leigh Harrison hunt
geometry and drawing; Ivan Sickes, natural i ms
Charles a. Doremus, chemistry and physics; Gus
aye efg2s pure nG Lewis f. Mott
All but two of these instructors put In applica,
a large number of facts and figures showing the
salaries paid IN other collegiate 10 men
difficulty in making out a strong case for them
selves
In talking about the reforms to be introduced in
the City College a member of the Executive Com
mtee said Yesterday In the course o. cohVefsa
A LIBERALIZING INFLUENCE
II think our committee is doing great thing
for the institution The truth is. things have been
carried on there entirely too much on military
basis. The faculty has been a close corporation
and new ideas have not found ready acceptance
The action taking will have hberalZing
and wholesome influence. The faculty has con-
sisted up 10 this time Of thirteen members. and
they were unwilling TO allow any one else TO come
in although a bylaw providing for assistant pro-
fessors was passed by the Board of Education some
time ago. The instructors who are 10 be promoted
are first-class men: of them have been in the
College for twenty-five years and upward. and the
salaries paid them inadequate.
what we have done is to amend the bylaws so
that the assistant professors shall be members OF
the faculty with power TO act on all but Few
matters and have provided salaries FOR them
more in keeping with the importance OF the places
they I'll. Part OF what we nave done mas Deel
already confirmed by the Board of Trustees. and
there is little doubt that our other recommends
lions will be promptly ratified. The Executive
Committee comprises nearly haf the members OF
the Board Of Education, and is charged with the
care and management OF the City College
When the new high schools are established IL 10
the intention to transfer some of the work done In
the college TO those schools and so raise the col
lege 10 the rank which, as a college. IT ought 10
take. This will be done gradually, so as TO produce
as little friction possible.
at Is singular circumstance that Newly ork
has maintained the City College, formerly known
as the Free Academy. and the Normal College for
many years despite the fact that public sentiment
here until recently 10 have opposed the sup
plying OF secondary education at the public ex-
pense That Is the principal reason, so far as
can learn why New-York is so much behind other
the Board Of Education under the old system was
anything but progressive. and IT is wonder that
the schools OF NewYoTk are as good as they are.
There are some excellent schools here, but they
have been made good not because of but In spite
OF the system. The fact is that New York is ter
riby provincial In some things. and new ideas are
slow in gaining a footing here. In some respects
though. are making progress