New-York tribune., 1903-07-13
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR,
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS"
What the Academies of the State Possess


To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir. The interesting letter OF Superintendent 90
Public Instruction Charles r Skinner recently
published In The Albany Evening Journal %
touching the payment OF tuition for nonresident
pupils in non-sectarian academies Is worthy OF
consideration. He objects to including these
schools among those eligible to share in this fund.
on the ground that they have no academic de
partment' within the meaning Of the statute.
wen, in what department were the seventeen hun
oTed academic" nonresident students who were
reported as being in the academic department Of
our one hundred academies last year? What is an
academic" student? ManifestIy not in the
primary department, nor one in the intermediate
department, but I'm the high school the "aca-
denlic department" Many OF our academies have
at least two departments-the preparatory" in
which students are prepared for the preliminary
tests and the academic" high school, depart
ment This is clearly understood that in all an
nual reports the Regents regularly designate stu
dents as academic and 'pre-academic." and this
whether 1t be in a public school academy.
Please note that the statute does not require that
this tuition shall be paid to public schools" main
tanning academic department. It says simply
Schools? Are not the hundred old line
academies in this Stationary of them with hand
some buildings, splenddiy equipped and afording
instruction of the highest order-entitled TO be
called schools? If it had been the intent Of the
legislature to exclude this class Of schools how
Wor nR ANS 4Tf qIne $50 ey lSs' T no sIcb
intention 1t desired to help the rural youth of our
state. and passed law clearly and explicitly pro
viding that such country boy girl who had fin
ished the common school course of instruction al
forced at home might go to the most accessible
school which maintains academic department
OF approved standing, and there pursue secondary
or academic work. It is obviously a body of such
students. resident and nonresident having salts
factoriiy completed the prescribed preliminary y
studies that constitute an academic department.
in law and in common sense. Now, everybody
knows that such a body of students comprises an
academic department in a private academy, just
as truly as il does in public school; and that II
one OF these academies. having approved courses
Of study, with suitable equipment and teaching
force is more accessible to some country boys and
girls or If they feel that for any they COULD
be better instructed in their academic studies there
than in public school, they should be privileged
TO so there and have their tuition allowed
To say that academy maintaining a four
years nigh school course and graduating upon
the Regents academic diploma has academic
department. is at least strange doctrine and one
which the educators OF the Empire State will be
SLOW to accept. They will prefer to agree with our
Attorney General that such schools do have
academic department within the meaning Of the
statute and that said statute permits the fund to
be paid TO either public schools or academies
whichever the student elects TO attend. OF course
the superintendent is in a position to prevent this
The law requires that both he and the Chancellor
OF the University shall certify TO the schools that
are to share in this fund. and he cannot be COM
PEELED TO certify but you can't fool all the people
all the time" b L. BRG,.N-
Moriah, y. Y. July g. 1908.