New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-16
THE REGENTS MEETING.
JAMES RUSSELL PARSONS, JR, ELECTED
SECRETARY MADE.
Tpr TELEGRAPH TO THE ra1BuxE.I

Albany Feb. 15-The Regents of the Uni
versity held their annual meeting here to-day
and, after transacting the business before them
elected James Russell Parsons jr.. their sec
rotary. Mr.. Parsons has been executing the
duties of the office ever since the resignation
of Melvil Dewey
The Regents present at the meeting were Chan
celor Epson. the Right Rev. William Crosswel
Doane. Protestant Episcopal Bishop OF Albany;
Vice-Chancellor Martin T. Townsend. Charles E
Fitch Orris H Warren, Whitelaw Reid William
H. Watson. Henry NJ Turner. st. Clair Nickel
way, Hamilton Harris, Daniel Beach, Carroll E.
Smith, Pliny T. Sexton. T. Guilford Smith, Dr.
Lewis A. stimson. DR.. Albert Wander Veer.
Charles r. Skinner, Superintendent of Public In
struction. and Lieutenant Governor Woodruff
Permission granted TO Washington Acad-
envy. Salem, to accept a bequest Of $4,000 from
the late Alexander Proudht
Standard charters of Junior grade were
granted to ST. GATHERINGS and ST. Cecilia's Aca-
demic Schools. of New-York. and to st. Joseph's
Academic School, of Mount Vernon provi-
siOnal charter Of junior grade for five years
was granted to st. Thomass Academic School, of
New-York. and provisional limited charter for
five years to the Rochester Academy Of Medi-
cine
The following schools were admitted to the
university: st. Bridget's Academic School, OF
Manhattan, as middle grade the Watervliet
High School and the academic departments of
Lansingburg and Topper Lake Union schools
as Junior grade. Permission was given to the
academic department of Leavenworth Institute
and Wolcott Union School. and Stony Point
Union School, 20 use the name High School
standard library charter granted to
the Oxford Memorial Library and provisional
charters for five years to the Burke Public
Library and the Copake Free Library.
The same extension OF time for the application
of Ordinance No 60. concerning the conditions
under which degrees may be conferred, was
granted to the New-York Normal College that
had been previously granted to the NewYork
City College.
William Warren Potter. OF Buffalo; William
S. Ely Of Rochester, and Maurice ]. Levi. Of
New-York nominated by the State Medical So
ciety. and Asa S. Couch. of Fredonia; j. Willis
Candee Of Syracuse. and John NJ Lee, of Roch-
ester, nominated by the Homeopathic Society.
were appointed State medical examiners, TO sue
coed themselves for term of three years, from
August l. 1900.
The Regents approved the plan of esta blishing
at Alfred University a school of instruction in
the sciences and technology of clay working
and ceramics.
Mr.. Parsons was then unanimously elected
secretary of the Regents
He has been so long Identified with the work
of the Regents office that of the most ina
portant of his official life is frequently over
looked. He was perhaps more than any other
individual the originator of the uniform system
of licensing teachers, which is one Of the excel
lencies of the New-York State systems of edu-
cation.
In a paper read before the New-York State
Teachers Association at Elizabethtown in 1887.
he outlined the plan which subsequently
adopted His presentation of the case was so
clear that Andrew S. Draper. then State Super
intendent of Public Instruction. decided to adopt
it. and called Mr.. Parsons into his office to or
ganize the work. The success with which it was
carried out is we'll known to every one familiar
with education in this State.
Mr.. Parsons born in Hoosick Falls. Rensse-
laer County in 1851 He graduated in 1881 from
Trinity College. Two years after leaving college
Mr. Parsons became private secretary OF Bishop
Williams Of Connecticut. He served School
Commissioner Of Rensselaer, County for three years
In 1889 he made United States Consul to AK
la Chapelle. In the three years of diplomatic ser
vice, devoted himself to the study Of the school
systems OF Germany and France, and produced
American Eyes and French Schools Through
American Eyes" After his return he became in
spector of high schools and academies Upon the
death of DR.. Watkins, the assistant secretary Of
the Board Of Regents, Mr.. Parsons succeeded to
the vacant office. Mr.. Parsons's latest work Of an
educational character Is a monograph on profess
sonal education in the United States. This one OF
a series which has been prepared for the Paris
Exposition.