New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-25
SCHOOL SYSTEM CHANGES.
CITIZENS UNION MAKES RECONAfENDA-
TONS TO THE CHARTER
COMMISSION.

Francis c. Huntington George r. Bishop and
Thomas Fitzpatrick, appointed a special committee
of the Citizens Union 70 prepare recommends
tons for amendments to the charter provisions az
fecting the Department Of Education, have sent
report TO the Charter Revision Commission. The
report with several defects Of existing char
ter provisions and says:
The present system aims TO mould into one con-
their individual peculia rites two Inconsistent sys
tens The result is confusion $3.50 -.
i,r ~ conceai fndependenCe II NAV be that
Rro6kIyn had a good school system before con.
sclidation The question is. Is II the best system
WIN coniine it to Brooklyn? Manhattan and the
other boroushs insist that the best is none too
good for them.
Among the recommendations contained in the re-
port the following:
Abolish the borough boards. Have one Board Of
Education unsalaTied) for the entire city, specify
respectively Let the Mayor appoint the members
Ct The Board we DO not believe IN me @ r9
Of Regents as refuge from bad o Mayor Ivy
mateIy the voters who elect him.
Make the Central Board responsible for every
tI;,,t - "a no @ SIS Give the Hoard free
hand to lay down the law to what grades Of
schools shall be tablished and what each grade
shall be-also free hand TO fix salaries for
teachers-with the restriction that salaries in the
Then provide an executive officer the City Super
intendent with salary, 10 be appointed pE me
Board,
this executive officer be expert, coming up TO
Charter, Section ll02l Provide also for certain
number Of subordinate Superintendents to be ap-
pointed by the Board upon nomination by the CITY
Superintendent, and when appointed 10 be d-
reCty responsible 10 the City Superintendent and
under his orders. Give the Board power to increase
the number of these superintendent as the need
for them perhaps within certain limits fixed
In short make the Board with advice OF the
Superintendent fix the general standards Make the
Superintendent bring the schools up 10 the STAND
ards in vogue in Manhattan and the Bronx 1or
example: Let the teachers be appointed by the
Board of Education from eligible lists IN the order
Of merit upon the nomination OF a board composed
of Superintendents. Continue the Inspectors.
The Elsberg bill proposed board OF thlrty-nlne
and made the members appointed from each Dor
ough a borough board. We think this unnecessary
We think that the Central Board may safely be
left to appoint in its discretion not 10 appoint
ils members from a given borough, a sub-com-
Yiittee to take up such matters as II deems pest
10 refer to from time TO time. -
We think the object 10 be aimed at should De
a Wiping out Of borough lines in educational mat.
tiers far possible. and creating central boara
whose object shah be TO apply one system evenly
over all the territory of the city.
We realize. however, that borough lines ana Dor
ugh iaaloUSies do exist. We suggest, therefore,
that the apportionment Of school FUNDS (ooth the
general and the special fund.- between the bor9uSns
be required 10 made in proportion TO scho0i at
tendance. for the maintenance OF eHlsllhB eChoO49
GnCIuding salaries Of teachers ,-
We do not approve of 800 or $500 a teacher since
the number Of teachers at present existing IN me
respective boroughs may be all out or proportion
TO The number Of pupils in those same ooFougils re-
spectiVely.