New-York tribune., 1900-03-01
AGAINST EDUCATION BILL.
REGENTS DEPLORE OPPORTUNITY OF
FERED FOR POLITICAL CONTROL.

Ex-JrDGE DAILY AND ST. CLAIR MKEL;wAY
OPPOSE THE PROVISION FOR APPOINT
MENT OF a CHANCELLOR.
Albany. Feb. % (speciaD-The Assembly
Committee on Education gave a hearing this
afternoon the bill Of the political majority Of
the Educational Unihcation Commission. It was
hearing granted the petition of the officials
Of the Department of Public instruction. There
appeared in opposition to the measure St Clair
McKelway. Of the Borough Of Brooklyn, and
DR. Albert Vanderveer, members of the Board
or Regents and a committee representing Cath
olic interests" consisting of ex-Judge joseph F.
DAILY, Edward J. Mcclure and L. T. French
or NeW-York' and eX-Judge George A Lewis Of
Buffalo. There appeared in support Of the bill
Charles X Skinner, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, and his deputy Danforth E Aims
worth.
EA-Judge Daily was a member of the Educa-
uohai Onlfcation Commission, but he stated at
once that the bill didn't meet with his approval
he was member OF non political minority
VINO voted against the adoption Of the bill by
the Commission. Addressing the members OF
the Assembly Committee on Cities ex-Judge
Daily said in part:
n SINGLE HEAD IN CONTROL.
Gentlemen. if there was any prospect of this
blll becoming a law or Of being passed by the
legislature would suggest certain much need
L.
anywhere 10 the uniIication of the school svs-
TENS OF the State, OF the scheme 10 unite two
great educational systems into one This meas
-. ho"sNeI, ooesn / accomplish this aim. If
tnere as to be one department OF education il
eIou-o nave board OF managers at its head,
% ailI nor single head. This bill gives the con-
trol OF the Department of Education TO a single
mead 1t does indeed say that a board of edu-
cStIoh OF board OF regents shall have certain
PoMeTs put they are not administrative powers.
4hcse powers are vested in a chancellor, and
HoI II a Board of regents
Here ek-Ju6ee IA, H.
semolyman Grifnths. who said: IF this bill
should give tie Regents the power TO approve
or TO oisapprove Of the appointments of the
Chancellor. would that be sufficient" mo
quite answered ex-Judge DAILY. He then
added
The bill separates the administration of the
public school system from that of the colleges
and IL looks as if an attempt would be made
TO continue the control OF the public schools Of
The state IL the hands of one individual, and
the Regents would solely have charge Of the uni
Tersity. The hill also leaves out the private
schools OF the State, which if willing should
be permitted to come under the care of the
tions, SO that one school could test its merit
with any other school. l believe that the
Board OF Regents should have some share OF
partnenI OF Education, yet under this bill the
Regents will not have authority appoint the
Chancellor or any Of his subordinates The Re
the Department Of Education This admins
trative power is only dmly shown in this act
power over the Department they have only in
definite power over some of its bureaus.
THE POWER OF APPOINTMENT.
Secondly the Board Of Regepts gh%opIql % ID have N
the power TO appoint the new head of the De-
partment Of Education
Thirdly, the Board OF Regents should have ju-
dicial powers: it should have the power 10 re-
view decisions of the Chancellor and the other
educational officers. If you are going 10 make
this g al expert nent Of cons s1lidating The
school departments, the administration should
be in the hands Of q board don't care whether
you call it a board Of regents or a board OF edu-
cation. In conclusion, permit say that
was IN the minority as a member OF the Educa-
tonal URifcatiCn Commission. and didn't ap-
prove, therefore, OF the act before YOU
st. Clair McKelway then attacked the meas
ure. He said, in part:
Gentlemen: Permit me TO say that the Board
Of Regents received no notification that hear
ing would be granted to-day upon this BILL and
l am here only as the result Of an accident
This measure, notice. differs radically from
one sent to me as a compromise measure which
had been adopted. That compromise measure
provided that the Governor should appoint the
Chancellor and the Regents should confirm the
appointment. This bill of the majority Of the
Cnihcation Commission provides that the Gov
elror shall name the Chancellor and the Senate
SHALL be the confirming power. If any Of the
Regents were lued into a sense OF false secu-
rity, permit to say ii the fault Of
this committee, for from this committee
have received only straight goods There Is
not Regent who has not received assurances
that the bill! before you has been abandoned.
At best il was the choice of only a bare ma
jcrity Of the members of the Unfcation Com
mission, and was adopted by the vote OF a
member who travelled four thousand miles, and
then, after brief consultation of a hour
SO with his colleagues, voted for this scheme.
POLITICS AND BUSINESS.
The effect Of this mixture Of politics and busi-
ness has been to arouse great opposition to this
bill. Already the school system Of this State is
far TOO subject TO political influence. You are
asked, for instance. pass bill which will lift
the school commissions above political influence
In this bill YOU designate two political bodies
select your Chancellor of the Department
OF Education, namely. your Governor and your
Senate. We have had good Governors and bad
Governors. but not that did reach his
Office along political lines. The Senate also is a
political body You have just how great
political party in this State almost wrecked
by a struggle over the appointment Of the head
of great State Department. Added to this you
know there is great feeling the supersedure
of the manager Of one Of our State hospitals.
Eyil will be the day when the head of the school
system OF the State VIII be selected on political
grounds Such A appointment should be free
from political influence.
Would you object 10 the election Of a chan
ceor by the Legislature?' inquired Assembly
man Lewis Of Mr.. McKelway. The latter re-
piled:
Permit TO add, gentlemen, that this bill is
most unjust reflection upon the Regents. The
first Chancellor IS to be appointed by the Gov
ernor and the Senate, and then later this power
OF appon tment is returned to US; moreover, you
have prepared this bill that the Chancellor
selected will be superior to the Regents, rather
than their subordinate. 1t is a bill Of educa-
tional faddists; OF men who have practical
acquaintance with the educational systems Of
the State.
The Regents are. indeed, selected by the Leg