New-York tribune., 1903-04-04
STATE SCHOOL CONTROL,
TWO NEW STEVENS BILLS
Election of State Superintendent by
the Regents.

! me hcSCHtS.
Albany. April (speciap-Senator Stevens intro
| duced to-day additional bills for the unihca-
ton OF the school systems of the State. One of
| them declares that the Department of Public In
struction shall be a department of the University
Of the State, which is under the control of the
Regents of the University The bill also provides
that the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall
| be elected by the Board of Regents. The act au-
thorizes the Regents TO appoint and remove
| Superintendent Of Public instruction, but if the
| present superintendent is removed his salary is
| 10 continue until April :, 1904.
| The second bill provides that the University OF
the State shall be governed and its corporate pow
ers exercised by its elective Regents. and by the
! Governor. Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of
/ State ex-offico Regents 1t also provides that
| after the number of elective Regents in Of
fee shall be reduced TO eleven they shall hereafter
| be elected for a term Of fourteen years.
| Senator Stevens. after a consultation with
| eral of the Regents said:
| These bills. think. will have the approval of
the REGENTS, They were introduced as compromise @
which have been made the socalled Stevens bill.
| eleven There are now nineteen. The life tenure
is abolished, and the term Of office is made four
| Of the Court of Appeals, n the other bill the
office of Superintendent Of Public Instruction is
continued and the provision is made that the su-
perintendent shall be elected and hold his office
! department shall be a department Of the Cnlver-
@ The b IL a50 pFoydss vide hit that the s9RsTn sGTa
al the pleasure Of the Regents In case the pres
nasd n m &p = @ When m his Sg te4 Is exPre 1 De
The bill has not been submitted to Superintendent
Skinner II contains some of the suggeS tions for
| amendments to the bill made yesterday by Regent
| McKelway. Senator Lewis ana MIR. Landon. may
say in conclusion that Will support any biII that
has for its aim the unifcation of he school sys-
/ tens Of the State.
Superintendent Skinner. however. is opposed to
accepting the compromise bills. He gave out the
following to-day in reference to the Stevens bill
! just introduced
| The original Stevens bill was revolutionary, and
| transferring all rs powers to the Board of Re
ger rat t b vas 80 Fin5 @Gsu5S @ at rao ao
among the members Of the Board of Regents Its
aeT b this ana morhng rG M that m vel
as the hearing had yesterday before the Senate
The second Stevens bill introduced this morning
its provisions private schools will stilI remain
under the Board Of Regents, which board will re
schools, while all the remainder go under the
not enact an ordinance which viii violate statute
added evil that the public school system viii be
split in two portion under the jurtsdction Of
the State Superintendent and portion under
i takes from. the people al the voice in
Public instruction rerpetIIates existing evils in
| tensifed by the interference OF the Regents by
| Ing and restricting superintendent in the exer-
else Of the functions OF hiT ono snd al after o ITS
and dgested bz. the board it will have no more
'Foz T6e hrd 5 biz d s ai@o nrodgeed ] By MI Stevens
Regents. such reorganza tion however not 10 take
place until the death Of the last surviving lIte
quest Of the Regents is the strongest possible
acknowledgnent that the Board Of Regents sh9gld
ZION for fifteen years? Is there any reason, save
form, bur without any cost to themselves?
The following statement was issued from the
Office Of the Regents of the University tonight
with reference to the two bills introduced to-day
The public, hearing on unihcation bills yesterday
brought 70 albany representatLe men or Narylng
opinions from all parts Of the State The general
result Of the hearing was regarded strengthen
ing the cause OF unfcatton. But so much IN
SiStence has been nade ny 9ppoentS OF me
hill that the Regents would concede nothing ahc
clung unreasona bly, the life tenure and present
number Of their board that the conference of
yesterday brought ont urgent suggestions from
fcaton it might be well 20 jrdicate Willngness
That feeling has resulted in the preparatiog and in
enacted. would bring about actual unifcation by
yesting in the Regens The election Of t;s he sUPer &
during their pleasure, and his department to to he 3
gents would be elected until the number in office
shall be reduced 10 eleven and those afterwaTd
have a fixed term Of fourteen years.
t 0S foTce Saa IN gave }gT6r G s@G genuine gn
cation it Is expected that the bills will he generally
not be satisfied with nc prohered concessions; the
original Stevens sill viii probably be pressed for
passage
Superintendent skinner also made the following
statement to-day:
The morning papers announced that the Regents
na<fe proposition yesterday 70 this depaT tInent
looking toward q COmUromiSe Of the edGCatloial
difficulties before the LEGISLATURE and that the
State Superintendent Of Public instruction had re-
jected ali oyertures received from them.
I desire 10 say that no proposition for 4 compro-
mise was received from the Regents yesterday or at
any other time during this agitation. Regent Nc
Kelway. Of his speech before the
Senate committee yesterday afternoon and at the
close Of his remarks. stated that he now wished TO
Regent. He then handed the chairman Of the
committee paper which have yet seen. and
which no one connected with the Department of
not say would be accepted by the Regents. but
which he did distinctly he would submit to the
chairman his proposition 4 citizen ana
: Regent.
That statement has not yet AT the present writing
been submitted to me one in connection with
this Office, and proposition other than that has
been presented.
ST Clair McKelvay. who visited the Senate
Chamber. said:
The bills introduced to-day by Senator Stevens
contain the suggestions made hy me yesterdays
hearing 7 believe that they are liberal, and they
have the approval Of the Board Of Regents ! sin
cerey hope there will be legislation the subject,
delay will mean another year this educational
warfare. serious 10 the best interests of our
educational system