New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-25
PUBLIC SCHOOL IMPLICATION.

Governor Roosevelt has responded TO the re-
puest made unanimously by the Regents OF the
University al their convOcatiOn in June, that he
would appoint special commission TO draft
or assist the Statutory Revision Committee in
drafting, bill for the unifcaton Of the school
system OF the State by selecting 10 perform that
task seven citizens OF excellent standing In their
respective communities and Of much more than
local reputation FOR intelligence and sound judg-
ment. 1t is reasonable to expect that their con-
illusions will command general respect and carry
weight with the coming Legislature, 10 which
their report will be submitted II is high time
that the agitation which IS periodically devel-
oped out Of the dual system Of public school
control IN this State should be rendered impOssi-
be hereafter by the adoption of such a wise
measure Of unifcation as will quickly Justify
itself 10 the approval Of the people. So long as
the question remains unsettled. and until II has
been settled in the right way. It Will inevitably
cause trouble and tend 10 mix education and
politics in an unhappy manner
Five wears ago the Committee on Education
Of the Constitutional Convention reported that.
"thc University Of the State being recognized
"hy Section Of our proposed article. and thus
"hcing put beyond the reach Of hasty or Ill ad-
"visod legislation" all further steps might safely
be left 10 the Legislature. This decision was
regretted az the time by most Of those, we be-
Nevc who We're competent 10 form valuable
opinion upon the question: and experience has
confirmed their Judgment II Is true that dur
jno the intervening years hasiy and Ill advised
LEGISLATION has been prevented hut the margin
o. safety has more than once seemed 10 be dan
ecrously small. and nothing has been done tow
and bringing about that unifcation which Is
commonly regarded rs highly desirable In us
original form the White Educational bill, which
became the subject Of warm controversy at
ALBANY last winter threatened no serious harm;
but il was quickly amended into n shape which
caused deep alarm for the integrity Of the pub
lie school system. and toward the end Of the
session alterations OF a radical and wholly de-
plOrahle character were pressed with some pros
peCi Of success. Thus the mischevOus pro-
roSal 10 create a Department OF Education.
with q Commissioner at IFS head, and 10 place
under it's authority the high schools and acade-
mics which the Board of Regents has so long
and so wisely fostered and directed was fol
lowed by the astonishing proposition that the
educational system OF the State should be
crammed full OF politics by means OF a provision
for the election of the Regents by the judicial
districts OF the State. the present members Of
the Board to hold their places during good be-
havior, but to have no successors appointed by
the Legislature. Thus the Board was ult-
mately TO consist Of nine MEMBERSHIP Coy
ernor, ex oficio, and eight others periodically
elected after political contests-and II was act
ually ntimated that by that device the Board
might he expected 10 retain permanently a Re
publican complexion. Certainly the educational
activities Of the last session supply an instruc-
tive commentary upon the assurance which the