The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22
WHAT The STATE REGENTS DO
LEGISLATORS INVITED TO TURN
THEN OUT DON'T SEEN TO KNOW



ALBANY, March l7.-Since the bills in
spired by the State Department Of Public
Instruction to wipe out the control Of the
Board of Regents in the public school system
OF the State. and to turn the schools over
bodily TO the Department have been intro
duced into the Legislature, a great many
questions have been asked as to who the
Regents are. what they do, and how they
do it,
The Regents have been supervising educa-
ton in mis- State since 1874. and during that
period, succeeding Legislatures have con-
dnually extended and increased their work
and powers But. as the Board has gone on
performing its duties without making q
fuss about them, and doesn't enter into
political life at all, surprisingly few iegisla-
tors and still fewer OF their constituents,
know anything about the enormous field
II covers in the State and how thoroughly
H. work is done.
Officially the Regents are the Board Of
Regents Of the University Of the State OF
New York They were incorporated in
1854 and have been a constitutional body
since 1895 Neither this nor any other Leg
isature can abolish them altogether. though
the legislature may restrict their supervis-
lon Of the schools. II 1t should be thought
advisable 10 do this.
Few people at Albany believe that this
or any other Legislature, with the Regents
record in view, will reverse the traditional
policy of educational legislation in this State,
especially when the alternative Is the hand
ing over of the schools to a department
keenly sensitive to political influences. The
cry that the schools must be kept out
ofpotics is too strong for that.
There are nineteen elective Regents.
They are elected in the same manner as
United States Senators, but serve the State
without salary. They are the only State
officers elected for life. Besides the nine
teen. the Governor. the Lieutenant Governor
and the State Superintendent Of Public
Instruction are ex-officio members OF the
Board On the roll OF elective member
ship have been the most famous names in
the States history. Alexander Hamilton,
Martin Van Buren,, Washington Irving.
John A. Dix, George William Curtis, Gideon
Hawley, John Jay, William Cullen Bryant,
Francis Herman and Arson Judd Epson
are only few Of the great men who have
served the State as Regents.
In his last convocation address Gov. Odell
said OF the board: Though chosen from
time to time by one or other OF the great
political parties. It Is absolutely without
partisanship and is actuated by the highest
motives
Till 1912 the Regents were the only body
supervising public education in this State.
They advocated and brought about the
organization OF q State public school system,
% In that year the Legislature created a
saupsrintendent Of Common Schools. Il
thought so little Of this job though. with the
Regents performing many OF the officcs
relating tn education, that for more than
thirty years Immediately afterward his
duties were turned over TO the Secretary
OF State.
Meantime the Regents bryan the profess
sional training of teachers In academies
and the Legislature in 1853 placed under
their supervision the educational work
in advance tf elementary grades in high
schools and departments in all union free
schools. The system OF secondary schools
which has since grown up under their super
vision. il described by Prof. Brown Of the
University Of California in the standard
work on education in the United States as
the most thoroughly organized State
system OF secondary education which has
yet been developed on American soil.
Supervision OF the academies and high
schools Of the State, however, IL only part
OF the many dutie which have come 20 de-
volve upon the Roard OF Regents. In one
way or another there u now no branch Of
higher education or educational practice
IN he State Ia which the State University.
# which they are the officer, does not ex-
,rcl,e a guiding and controlling hand
No educational instit ution, academic or
technical. can bc Incorporated except under
he Regents charter. Consequently. a.
THE Sun told las, week. mushroom coll
leges comforting degrees on a mere pre-
ter ~ merit have disappeared from
tins State.
NJ physician. no lawyer. no surgeon
and no veterinarian may practise without
having proved his comT-iency In a Regents
.hGmiralion. Thus quacks are barred |
tfum the state.
So student In Law. medicine, science or |
Veterinary surgery may enter a school IA |
try ~ these branches Of professional and |
Technical educat ION without having proved !
~ 'h- sAiisfari Ion 81 ths Regents by .,-
animation 81 hs equivalent thai he has a |
If'icf educational groundwork on which |
w. build professional training
y. library may be Incorporated ave |
~ nee kes-nis None may reo-ive state |
90 and ~ library Mt publlcly o~nsd and l
tnrif'lied can reneiNe municipal aid With |
oY' suhiuntins "a the ksssnis insf'.cllon /
an s4l-'fNisipn, and nnie.s thsy o.fihs |
- ii' circulation ~ the library and Ap- /
ifus" no i-soks upon its siislNss
TIE b. prsN.nilAs suIsfNlsisn hsrid.s
'Ir ''s has.nis encourage and sld .zl,ios-
'.H u huiidf.d dir.f.ni Ways. They
taIass fis STATE lilaHfy aud is many
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