The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-24

The committee on education OF the city
council OF which Councilman Rawson is
chairman gave two hearings. yesterday.
one In the afternoon and the second In
the evening. The first and most import
ant matter for consideration was the
resolution instructlng the city solicitor
10 appear before the general assembly
and TO advocate the passage OF an act en-
titled IAN Act TO Provide for the Admin
istration OF the Public Schools OF the
city or Providence" and also a petition
OF the Public Education ASSOCIATE ton, set
ting forth that they have caused to be
introduced I'm the general assembly a bill
for an act entitled An Act Providing for
the Administration OF the Public Schools
of the City OF Providence and requesting
the City Council to instruct the City So
licitor to advocate the passage OF said
act"
Among those present were: Mayor
Granger, former Mayor Baker, Rathbone
Gardner, Professors Walter @. Everett. j.
@. Dealey, Nathaniel II. Davis. George
q. Wilson OF Brown University. Rev. j.
@. Vose. II. d., Rev. l.. L. Henson. Rev.
T. O. Bartlett. Rev. w. c Selleck, Presi-
dent Walter III. Barney. Silas II. Man
chester and other members OF the school
committee, Horace s. Tarbell. superin-
tendent OF the public schools: William
Gammell. Rev. Henry I. Cushman, Thorn
as W. Bickneli. number OF members OF
the city council and many OF the men,
bers OF the educational association, at
whose request the hearing had been call
ed.
FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Preference was given TO the represent
atives OF the public school association.
and particularly 10 Prof. Walter @. Ev-
erett who fathers the bill now before the
general assembly.
AN ABLE ARGUMENT.
The first speaker was Rathbone Gard
ner. Esq, who presented arguments I'm
favor OF the bill. Ii Is utterly impossible
for each member OF the school committee
TO attend TO his duties 10 the best adyan-
tage as the board In at present construct
ed. The administration of school affairs
reduces itself 10 a very few who are re-
sponsible in certain proportion TO their
constituents, and In another small pro-
portion 10 their associates. The conditions
are not believed TO be for the best inter-
ests of the city and its schools.
Mr.. Gardner then took up the proposed
bill and analyzed each section In detail.
He dweit particularly upon the propriety
OF the appointment OF the members of
city Another method OF appointment.
he held. would be open 10 objection by
those interested In the schools. These
OD1eCupnaDtt
tion by the city council. by the general
assembly or by popular vote.
Although the mayors powers had been
materially curtailed, said the speaker, 1t
should not be construed as implying that
the city executive was incompetent to APP
point such "a committee. on the con-
trary. he argued that the mayor was In a
position to make the most wise and salts
factory selections, being able TO judge the
capacity and ability OF the candidates
Another feature alluded to was that the
members of the commission are to serve
without pav.
entire bill was framed with the idea OF
doing away with favoritism I'm the APP
pointment OF teachers. TIE selection OF
text boks and appointment OF apparatus.
removing the possibility of corruption
and to better the whole system
SUGGESTIVE REMARKS. 9
Rev w c. Selleck was next introduced
as one OF the five members OF the COM
mittee which drew up the bill. He called
attic tnion TO the fact that the action had
cation association" he said. was a rep
resentative and deliberate body OF citi-
zens. and this should bear weight 1t Is
entirely non-partisan and represents pu-
rity OF motive I'm proposing this bill.
William Gammell thought az Providence
had become a city OF some considerable
cities and take the management OF the
public schools out OF the hands Of large
body and intrust II to n small board.
DIR. vosEs ADDRESS.
Rev James q. vose, pastor emeritus of
Benehcont Congregational church. stated
that he had long been acquainted with
Providence school affairs. having been in
timately connected therein from 1875 to
1857. ~ am free TO say" he stated. that
] am greatly interested In politics, but
don't always vote the straight ticket.
There is this dangerous tendency that
politics will influence the makeup OF the
school committee.
II resigned my position on the board not
necessarily because the other members
were wrong, but because / did not agree
with them. ] don't believe i'm partisan
nominations for the school committee
"'You must agree, gentlemen OF the
committee. that our schools are In bad
way. II is well known: Now ! don't
ways | pity them but we want better
system, that's ALL"
Miss Sarah E.. Doyle, formerly principal
school, said that she had been in favor
of n small body to control the public
schools for the past l5 years. This be-
periences by her scholars. Frequently"
she said. lone OF her graduates would
fail 20 secure position as teacher be-
cause OF the fact that she did not have
influence with tho members Of the school
committee. who did not live In the same
ward she did. What We should have
is small board. which could overlook
the whole city. regardless of ward lines"
IN OPPOSITION.
Walter IT, Barney as chairman OF the
school committee expressed his Views In
opposition 10 the bill In abstract his most
important points follow:
This bill leaves n most anomalous
condition. as IL not only does not do away
with the present school committee. but
does not provide for performance OF many
OF the present duties incumbent upon
that body. The members of this associa-
tion seem to think that the mayor has
nothing 10 do. so advocate that the board
OF school commissioners be appointed by
him.
They seem 20 think that the city coun-
Gil has so much to do that II can't he
trusted 90 elect a board. The method of
FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS.
MRS. wINsLow's SOOTHING SYRUP
has been used for over nifty years by
millions OF mothers for their children
while tecthing. with rerfect success. II
~ he A.