New-York tribune., 1902-01-19
BROOKLYN AND THE SCHOOLS.


\ possibility of complications in the public
school situation is rather suddenly developed by
the appearance at Albany yesterday of COM
mttee from Brooklyn with the proposition. TO
which Governor Odell is said to be sympatAeti-
cally inclined. that the educational chapter OF
the revised charter shall not go into effect until
a year from the first Monday in February. in
order that in the mean time new bill preserv-
ing autonomy in school matters TO the boroughs
may be prepared for submission TO the leglslat-
ure. 1t will be remembered that the citizens or
Brooklyn were somewhat generally opposed last
winter to the centralized system of school ad-
ministration which the revised charter pre-
scribes. and that committee representing that
sentiment appealed TO the Governor toward the
end of the session for support. 1t is now brought
to notice that the Governor then thought 1t too
late to present the matter to the attention Of
the legislature, but suggested that the applica-
ton might be renewed early in the present ses-
sion before the date appointed for the new
school system to go into operation; that Is be-
fore the first Monday in February.
Hence the appearance OF the Brooklyn COM
mittee in the Executive Chamber yesterday.
We do not know that an effort was not made to
secure an earlier interview with the Governor,
but II is to he regretted. in case the question Is
TO receive serious consideration. that ii was not
suhmitred some time ago. Mavor Low Is re-
ouircd 10 appoint the new Board of Education
on the coming Monday. and only fortnight
will then remain for action on such bill or
postponement as the Brooklyn committee asks
for. OF course under pressure it might be put
through in an even shorter time but that is not
the way in which important affairs should he
dealt with. Reports vary somewhat as TO the
Governors response to the appeal made TO him
Yesterday One statement is that he offered
the committee great encouragement. more
probable one is that lie automatically advised
his visitors to see Mayor Low and told them
that whatever the Mayor favored would be
favored by him. If that is the correct version,
II may be safe 10 surmise that they will not
succeed in accomplishing their object.
For the plan thus proposed, so far at least as
it involves a further trial of the existing sys-
TEN good deal might be said at time when
the conditions more propitious. In COM
menting on the work of the charter revisers
year ago The Tribune expressed the opinion
that it would have been we'll if they had left
the school chapter unchanged, inasmuch as. for
various reasons it had not had a sufficient test.
1t is well known that actual doubt as to it's
| meaning legal complications more or less art
| fully produced and personal antagonisms new
| and old for a long time seriously interfered
with the operation of the school law. Under
those circumstances nobody was In position,
| as we thought to say positively what its merits
| and defects might be, and consequently 1t
! seemed the part OF wisdom 10 keep the law In
| force for longer period, especially as better
| state of feeling had begun 10 prevail and an
| improv of conditions was clearly visible.
| We are not aware that anything has occurred
| to dscredit that view Of the matter, or, TO go
| further. that the desire of many Brooklyn peo-
| pie TO retain control of their own schools has
| become less reasonable than II then appeared
| to be- II can at least be said that the central
| izatiOn OF school administration which the re-
| vised charter would effect is an experiment
| which may not fulfil the expectations OF Its
| advocates. There is, moreover, force in the
| argument that the various boroughS are as well
entitled TO retain their individuality in respect
| 10 the schools as In respect to the Police and
| Fire departments.
But such considerations as these would prob
| ably have had more practical weight at Albany
! IL they had been revived several weeks ago.
| The committee says that II refrained from
| making the question an issue in the late cam
| paign in order to keep it outside Of politics, and
that was commendabe But there appears to
have been unnecessary delay. which is likely
| to prove fatal.