The sun., 1901-04-13
NONRESIDENT PUPILS.

Referring to the communication from
Progress in The Sun Of yesterday,
in which he discusses the matter of non
resident pupils in the local public
schools, we beg leave to suggest to him
that the problem he discusses is not one
of profit and loss in Il financial sense,
hut OF obedience TO or violation of the
law
1t is true that the argument against
the nonresident pupils has been made
on the dollar and cents basis, but that
is not the question. 1t may have been
that the original discussion was prompt
cd by financial considerations, and was
urged by parties who looked only, AM!
only partially, on that side of the lues-
ton. The question has shifted by the
reference of the matter to the City So
licitor for an opinion as to the authority
and duty Of the Board Of Education in
licitor says that the law only provides
for the education Of the children resi-
dent in this city: by which we under
stand him to mean, children whose par
ents or guardians, with whom the chill
dren make their home, live in the city.
He further states that in his opinion
it is within the authority, and is the
duty of the Board of Education to
make rule excluding nonresident ptl-
pills from the local public schools. The
question of credit or dsereait tisS f., -
liitltal notice has been received that III,
government Of tile Danish NeSi
ias II -uuesrl0n for discussion. The ques
ton is simply what does the law re
uure? That question having been raised
and answered, there is no alternative
| The Board of Education has no an
thority in the ease but TO obey tn
law. 1t may exclude nonresident pu
pills under the law, but it cannot ADM
them to the local schools.
The suggestion that the city is vii
ming unique distinction by wha
"progress" calls ''discouraging" educ;
ton, is not admissible in this disr,i
sion. The city-the pcople--is not charg
able with any such fault. Our scho
system, our school houses, the corps I
teachers that are almost entirely
graduates of the local schools are Il
proofs against the suggestion made. III
schools are excellent and are Il loc
production The proof of their exec
lrncc is the desire of non-resdentS
avail themselves Of the privileges n
corded to the children of the city. II
schools here are better than elsewhe
in the county, ii not in the State. nj
that alone is the conclusive proof til
this city is not deserving of the rcput
tion imputed to it by our correspondei
1t may be that there is Il suggesti
! for the bcttermcnt of the school sy
tcnl Of the State i'll the discovery Of VIII
: the law really provides. If it is faul
in this respect il may be amended II
y the benefits to the city, i'll Il commcrc
/ SENSE, as pointed out by our correspt
= dent may be enjoyed without the tai
Z Of ilcgality. AS we have previous
g said in this connection, it is the wo
Y possible policy to teach the childI
If the State to violate the law.
may be said that the children KIN
i nothing Of the law in the case-did
Is know that they We're in the schools
il violation of the law. Let us grant til
Is They know il now. Is it possible to
~ tain them there with that knowled
. and avoid impressing them with IL dis
IL spect, not 10 say il contempt, for
10 law?
d. About the other point made by
III correspondent, the employment Of II
resident teachers, is not exactly Il e
cs one. 10 our knowledge there arc
.lc nonresident teachers i'll the cmploym
a of the Board of Education. Out of
n more than two hundred teachers of
at local schools, not more than five per {,
a of them are other than natives of
It's city. All Of them are thoroughly ID
ri titled with local interests; they are 81
IN, ly all residents Of the city. This bt
IN true, what becomes of the dollar
sh cent argument, applied here, with WI
es- Progress" pleads the cause of the l
mt resident pupils? Ii what these pu
to bring into the city in the way of tt
of aud money is Il compensation for
lat services they received, why is not the
lot curing of an educated and useful /
Ike dent, and citizen, serving the peopl,
Ter his work and patronizing local BUSH
hn houses in the support of a family
to thing to he commended, or at least
ol- reasonable Il thing to do that, compl