New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-11
WHEN THEY REGISTER.
Strenuous Life of Public School
Teachers These Daus.

This. the last day OF public school registration
will doubtless confirm the indica tons OF the two
previous days. that the number Of this years
pupils viii equal. If not surpass. the record OF 1872
During the first day and a half between four hun
dred and five hundred applications made
al Public School No 81. Monroe-st.. besides the
innumeraole promotions. transfers. etc. that the
opening OF the fall term always brings. Consider
ABLY over two-tntrds Of these were foreigners and
many Of them unable TO speak English at all The
janitor and his assistant with two policemen,
necessary keep in order the crowds that trampled
one another on the steps about the entrance and
higher ND in the ragged line that struggled over
the sidewalk for half block in either direction.
CONVENIENT ABSENCE OF MIND.
The chief characteristics of the parents that ac-
companied numbers Of this restless. eager crowd
yesterday seemed observation-disclosures. Many Of
them were not sure whether they had applied the
day before and been turned down to other
school in whose district they really belonged. and
for one and all IT seemed simple impossbility to
remember their offsprings date Of birth. After
one small applicant had been sent home for the
third time for this information ne gravely informed
the principal that me mother. she dunno zactly
the wear but she's sure il was a Monday
Another woman. a Russian. seemed much per-
turbed by questions to the exact ages Of her nu-
merous brood. How in the world should she know.
she protested. how could such a busy woman,
mouths take the time 10 remember when each
little baby came into the world? They were all
the time coming complained this distraught soul.
pathetcaly She doubted II the good God Himself
could keep track Of them. forcf5ly recalling that
another poor mother who. when asked how many
children she had. replied sadly that Indeed. she
didn't know There'd been three 20 once. two
70 twice and ever so many times"
TO FoIsT ToDDLERs ON TEACHERS
The registering teachers. however. have strong
suspicion that the cause OF this inability to pro-
duce birth records or proof is most often desire
70 get under-age children OF overcrowded homes
during school hours. To this end toddlers are de-
cared TO be six and seven. and remarkable speci-
OF trousers tied about tiny waists IN the
vain hope that this will deceive the sharp eyes OF
the register and make child OF three look like a
huge, fine. big boy" said one insistent father
of his knee high hopeful.
A voluble mother. who appeared with three, con-
tinled insist that the largest scarcely Of -four
year-oId size" was sure eight" Well. seven.
anyhow she admitted when demonstrated with.
Then surely these are not Of school age urged
the long suffering register cor perhaps they are
not all yours" looking at the two other toddlers-
Indeed. they are mine" stouuy maintained the
mother. forgetting herself for the moment, and
the youngest's six. II she's a day I'll swear to
it, And there were three OF them.
A COMMON AMBITION.
Baby carriages are feature Of these public
school professions, and shawl wrapped infants in
the arms OF shawl wrapped mothers Hour after
hour they stand. dumby. patiently, accomplishing
ly. waiting their turn new school building
proves a great attraction to the children Of both
lesser and larger growth They Will forget where