New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-03
EDUCATIONAL CONSOLIDATION.
NEED OF BRINGING THE DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION UNDER THE
AUTHORITY OF THE REGENTS.
From The Brooklyn Eagle.

From The Brooklyn Eagle.
\ measure TO consolidate the State Department
Of Public Instruction with the Board of Regents
Roa upe Of Regents Th ' the sae %
Iuo4c INSTRUCTION? some one may ask Because use
IS unaDoishable and unconsolido table, and the
Why consolidation at all? others may ASA Be
cause where there Is only need Tor one orsanika
and complicating. A portion or the educaU9haI
field IS IN part occupied by both departments. rms
makes double visitation d3uoe Inspector ma, ana 10
fluffy. but confusion. extravaganza and friction. ,
The iact has been apparent toF many years nso ~
years. l. il unscicnt.fc. Illogical and clogging
is not hard to answer. The superintendent is elect,
ed for three years term by the TWO houses OF
chosen By politicians for reasons Of politics His
appointments and the whole power Of his once
They are not unlikely 10 be made themselves pay
part in politics A superintendent IL apt 70 De
70 that end This Is not unnatural II Is eLninsnuy
natural It is also preiudicial TO the best educa-
tional motives and methods. "a,
The men connected win the schools have felt
rayers are beginning to feel Il: The former lncum-
bents and the present incumbent 81 me sePT rt
tendency Of public instruction admit Il is fact Ihey
are for the merger az the two departments nov
only for unity precision ana economy out also co., 10
Ca,oH notn e ms i Nv he incornoration OF the
Of Pceents a constitutional body Of officers VINO
serve for lie. The ADMINISTRATOR OF me e3atu
law ~ spch Iav; can be passed unless both de-
partments are In favor OF IL. Both are In FAVOR
tsu and Of amor ionment or composition Of powers
still % oe arranged But the general pToPo-
stion meets the approval Of both departments.
They lately in Joint session voted that uninca-
ton was desirable that # should begin with the
bv the Board OF Regents: that il should be marked
4 q respect autonomous
that Department as they now are: thaj the poln.s
of contact I'm work between the two Department.
suggest the natural boundaries and DIVISIONS, OF
their really mutual work. that WnercNer ti.LeI
Department has tronched on the Held OF the, othet
It should withdraw 10 us proper sphere. ana IN
the LEGISLATURE be asked 70 consohdate me t"o
departments by law. under the foregoing pan. An.
appointed by the Board OF Regents would owe no
sure Of a tenure as long his fidelity and eicen;
cy lasted lie could name all his otical s1nn @ o
preserve all the statutory powers now deVoYsu Ul
his Office. He would issue all the licenses ahg o.I
tncates now issued In the name OF thT s'1 De
touching the QUALIFICATIONS OF teaCmeis. ne e. o.
gents now have authority to certify teachers LOT
secondary or higher education In me eye a s %
consolidation, that would be dcne over me PIX
nature and under the seal Of the state Superin-
tendenl' and rfGoFGTe ms opevs ~ The state to
all schools maintained by taxation. well as TO
IN The sGperiHfendents Office would be the only
through which II would be done. Inc power WIN WIN
tendent over some normal schools would he wholly
given to the latter. though normal and teachers
reports 10 the Regents. Such academic depart
ments OF union schools wish admission TO me
roll Of the State University would have 70 secure
The naturalization of the Superintendent for that
purpose. All academic departments NOT so ao os
mlrtcd would not be able 70 claim the name OF
high schools but would remain under inc eN-
academic departments in union schools nave al
ways by law been under the Regents. by, me pro-
posed change they would be transferred 70 te
Superintendent and remain under him III thel.
and constrained him - have them rated "a Hlsh
schools under university contro. ..-.
A. this point the only hitch in any conferences
that have been going on has occurred ne gu
perirteudent or some friends advising him, NOT
70 his welfare or 10 that Of the State have tri'd
to get him TO take stand for the transfer or al
kept them under the Regents-as well as the acade-
nias-since they were authorized AZ AL Ihey are
tho children or wards of the Regents. The Nio-
lence Of the proposton 10 cIt mem OF IN 81, ,
sihle Tho high schools would never permit II
The legislators who attempted II would start nIe
, consume them. High-schOol relationship 10 the
Board of Regents is high-scbool right hish-school
pride high-schO0l distinction and high-scnool pros
perity. In the transfer sugs' sted Woulu ne -
definite fact OF reduction OF rank and impairmen n
Of welfare the denial OF right akin 70 natural
right and practically as !naienable Inc idea
The friends Of unlhcatlon seek only high PUBIC
ends from, wholly public motives They DO not seek
10 denlete or 70 aggrandlze either or the Two oe-
partmcnts Each must take its chances for me
It's mowers and its fate the approval by tne peo-
ME Of the things that ought 70 be. II either de-
partmeut approaches the project IN tucA4ii. IA
arrogant or huckstcring spirit. the lroJe,i VI,
f9il and those who make such mistake Will ma
Il a serious and probably 10 them fatat tlhInE
with benign opportunity and with pgolc lnle .1
friends Of Il can carry 70 honorable success or 20
equally honorable temporary failure