New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-16

executive oilcer 10 the Governor only In the first
instance. and provides that thereafter-in con-
tempiation-after eight years the Regents shall
eject the executive Chancelors; but It is not
likely that many will seriously expect the polit,
ical usefulness OF the first method OF selecting
chancellor to be less apparent to future polit-
icaliy controlled Governors and Senates than
now IL Is safe prophecy that II the Governor
appoints the first Chancellor. none ever will be
eiected by the Regents; nor will the State
always have, as now, a Governor to whom the
people may safely intrust the execution Of any
powers But even he cannot wisely set bad ex-
amples
Among the cavill;ngs, Mr. Sexton continued.
usually insincere. against the Board Of Regents
has been the complaint that their appontees
were too independent-could not be got at"
No obvious political Interpretation of that ex-
preston will incline the people to sanction plac-
ing almost autocratlc control of the entire edu-
cational system OF this great State where It
more easily may be got at" Is there any
reasonable doubt to who would usually do
the getting at" or for what purpose? Even If
the men, Mr.. Sexton declared who have given
the scheme unwilling sanction have had no
thought Of opening the door to evil, It would
surely foster It, STILL 1t may be recognized the
offspring OF minds Of partisan rather than patri-
otto conceptions.
They are of those who" he continued ~ they
can help It Will have no educational uni1catiol
for The simple purpose of safeguarding and i'm
proving our schools, but such men are not deeply
politically wise; the genuine reform will come.
the spurious will find no Judgement in our educa-
tional system. The Regents have clearly shown
what desirable educational unifcation means
and how easily 1t may be had. The demand for
1t will constantly strengthen; the politicians had
no use for secret balloting. nor for Civil Service
reform. Both became established institutions at
the irresistible demand Of the awakened people.
who will not long be baked OF their evident In
tention to place all Of their public schools under
the same protection against political interference
and exploiting which the Regents OF the Unlver-
sity, in execution OF their present powers, have
so long and effectively given 10 the high
schools and academies of the State
Mr.. Sexton said he did not care to comment
at present upon other features Of the Unifca-
ton Commissioners proposals; they were Of less
Importance than those noted. Some seemed TO
have been born simply OF the uncomfortable In
cination which such commissions so often have
TO make changes simply TO satisfy themselves
that they have done something. Certainly, IL
not otherwise Objectionable, az some Of the
changes are, they are needless and inopportune.
The statement submitted by the Unifcation
Commission to Governor Roosevelt outlining
its plan of unifyng the school systems Of the
State is given herewith:
THE COMMISSIONS PLAN.
The Commission has agreed upon plan OF uni
fication which provides for the establishment of
a Department OF Education, consisting OF the
University and the Department OF Public In
struction as heretofore existing. The executive
head Of this department is to be called Chancel-
Tor of the University, and he is to have all the
executive powers now vested in the Superlntend-
ent Of Public instruction and in the Regents OF
the University. The University Is continued as
the legislative head of the department, the pres
ent Board OF Regents remaining undisturbed as
TO its personnel. with the exception that the
Lieutenant Governor the Secretary Of State and
the Superintendent OF Public instruction are no
longer TO be ex offico Regents All Regents
above the age of seventy years are hereafter to
be honorary Regents with all the privileges that
members of the Board haze bHt with no vote.
No vacancy shall hereaftersb be filed In the Board
until the number has been reduced below fifteen.
Hereafter vacancies are to be filled by appoint
ment OF the Governor, by and with the advice
and consent OF the Senate. The Chancellor shalI
be elected by the Regents.
The functions Of the Board Of Regents have
been increased by the power OF passing ordi-
nances governing the administrator Oh tne Ds
partment OF Education. limited by statutory
enactments. g.
The department shall have the following five
bureaus:
ond the Bureau of Higher Education: third. the
Bureau of Home Education; fourth, the Bureau
OF Law, and fifth. the Bureau or ADMINISTRATOR
and Finance. Each bureau is 10 be presioeo
over by a director who shall be appointed by
the Chancellor and removable by him. me
bureau directors shall appoint and remove their
subordnates, subject to the Civil Service law
The first Chancellor is TO be appointed by the
Governor within twenty days after the passage
Of this act by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate. He shall hold office for eight
wears AT an annual salary Of $4,000. The pres
ent Superintendent OF Public instruction liz con-
tinued in office as director OF the Bureau OF
Public instruction until the end of his term
The Chancellor shall have the power 10 uesis-
nate two of the directors OF bureaus as MS
deputies The Regents shall elect their own
president vice president and secretary.
The Commission is Of the opinion that TINS
plan accomplishes the end of a real and practical
unification of the educational systems or the
State in the most conservative manner possible.
The Commission has carefully avoided taking
sides in the differences heretofore existing be
tween the two departments of education out
both are embraced in the single department.
The power and dignity OF the Board or Re-
gents have been increased. and II is hoped that
its general efficiency viii be promoted by the
rule making members above the age of seventy
honorary members with all powers and priv
ileges. but without the duty or responsibility of
a vote This preserves intact the personnel OF
the present Board 1t gives to the State and 10
the University the advantage OF the couhsel anu
experience of every member once appointed, ana
all the advantages OF life tenure
chief among which is the removal OF the action
Of the Board from the influence OF partisan poll
tics on the other hand. II has been deemed
wise that the first Chancellor, upon whom VIII
devolve the responsibility OF starting. so TO
sneak the machinery now created, should be ap-
pointed bv the Governor, by and with the adj
vice and consent OF the Senate, rather than by
board no member Of which was elected with ref
erence to this duty. In this manner the jealous
care with which the people regard all measures
relative TO the management OF their public
school system is duly safeguarded.
On the much mooted question OF the manage
mcnt Of the high schools the Commission feels
hat the plan as adopted will meet every just
expectation on both sides. While the fiscal man
agement Of all schools supported by public tax
alton is intrusted to one bureau. all advantages
TO high schools from their present con-
nection with the Regents or the University are
preserved intact, and no reason exists for any
actual separation between the course or study
and the educational management OF the school