The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
SETH Low AND THE SCHOOLS.
How He Has Tried TO Make the whole System
Subservlent to Columbia.

~ ~ nv NNeohS -
subservient to Columbia.
Seth Low, tho educational octopus, with
tentacles reaching out in every direction to
grab the public school system of New York.
and make all its branches tributary to Co
lumbia University! Such has been the repu.
tation OF Seth Low for several years past,
among friends Of the College OF the City of
New York, any way, and tho ranks OF the peo.
pie who think so Of the present Cit candidate
for the Mayoralty have been swelled during
the Strong administration by reason of facts
which obtrude themselves on the least observ-
ing
1t was a friend Of popular education and an
opponent OF the boss system as applied TO the
schools who spoke in this way yesterday. Mr..
Low. it appears, has been working stcalthily
during the present city administration to Sc
cure such an assignment Of instructors in the
schools and such an arrangement OF public
school affairs in the city as should enable his
university to the school system as a
Columbia preparatory course. Such at any
ratio is a widely prevalent opinion, although
it has not been publicly voiced to any great ex.
tent. because heretofore there seemed to be
little chance to get the attention Of the whole
people of the city.
"Why. do you know that the dominant fac
tor in the administration Of the Board OF Edu-
oNiob ~ ~ Ai 40 ~ 70 ohV'lCu ny LIZ
Mayors act Tor 4nhP last three years has been
Seth Lowl' said The Suns informant. Il
venture to say that il you look into the matter
you will have no difficulty in finding out that
two-thirds Of all the appointments Mayor
Strong has made to and through the Board of
Education have been dictated or instigated by
Seth Low. If you will go a little further you
will be able to learn that Seth Low now Is
practically at the head of the Board Of Educa a.
ton acting by proxy. the proxy being Nicholas
Murray Butler. known as a Kid PROBES sor' Of
Columbia where he Is Seth Lows chief aide.
You will be able, I think, to learn that rela-
tions are so intimate between Morningside
Heights and the personnel Of tho appointees in
the school system owing place to Seth Low,
that there are conferences. frequent II not reg
ular. between these supposed representatives
or servants of the city and the direct represen-
tative of Seth Low. Nicholas Murray Butler.
This man Nicholas Murray Butler Is detested
by the school teachers OF the city. He has been
very ~oficious in school matters, and has made
been writing in a magazine articles which are
! opposed to the best interests Of the common
supporters and instruments, and it has been
said that Low will 'Butlcrize' the schools"
o, It Ed is a matter Ssd Of pT rsc2rd that do when the heb Board rs1!
f aeiRsis siSe i ias the E%Sf Ss% City e cs shs eG %sSos
~ ohk aIi CcoNi q = " Nhhl loS l1hlt
Hubbell, President OF the board. urging that
the old Columbia site in Madison avenue be
recommended. 1t was the surmise OF persons
interested in the affair at the time-an infer
ence drawn partly from the obvious fact that
such Il Recommendation would inure so largely
to Columbia's intercst-that Mayor Strong had
been instigated by Low to take the action lie
did. That II was not his best Judgment be-
came clear afterward when he did all he could
to help the board get the Convent Heights
site, and might almost be said to have won
their battle for them in the Board OF Estimate
| and AppOrt1Onment,
At he same time that this matter was under
discussion. Abram S. Hewitt, a graduate of
Columbia University, was active in urging
what 1t is said would have amounted TO a dis.
ruption Of the City College. making of 1t a school
OF scientific instruction, part of which should
be conducted in the old Columbia College
buildings and the other part merged in Cooper
Union, the city paying the bills.
The proposal that the City College go to the
old Columbia site was frankly said ny a Harlem
a certain clique of men who are trying to OBJ.
tain control Of the public schools OF the city.
no rights"
One Of the points to which stten'io IN Is dt.
rectod in the conversation as TO seth Lows al.
legged desire to run the public school system for
the benefit OF Columbia University, is the rela.
tive efficiency or success OF the teachers gradu.
ated from the Normal School and from the
Teachers College, an adjunct OF Columbia. Ii
is said that the records In Superintendent Jas.
graduates are much the more successful, and
therein ia found an additional reason for what
Is believed to be Seth Lows aim of n public
school system run on the boss principle.