New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-12
TOO MANY STUDIES.
CRITICISM OF SCHOOLS.
An Indignation Meeting to Protest
against Present System.

IMVesIIgaTe
ject and who expressed herself with great emphasis
regarding what she considers to be crying abuses
1t Is pity said Mrs. Hart. that the money
given to public education could be properly ap-
pied The children are diverted rather than
taught. There is no repose in the schoolroom. The
teachers are driven 70 their wits ends. and while
the children taught lot of useless things es-
sentials are being neglected.
Me and him's in the seventh grammar grade
said a small boy the other day in response to an
inquiry as 10 his position IN school.
No said his companion. thinking TO improve
the English. Him and me-
After eight nine years of education of this
KIND boys have 70 go 20 night school 20 make up
1or the time wasted in nonsense. This is made
compulsory by law, and they have to go up TO the
age of sixteen matter how tired they are
LUDICROUs ART.
Mrs. Hart criticised the art taught in the public
schools with particular severity The time given
10 the subject insufficient. she said. effect
any desirable result, the teachers were not quail
Heo 10 teach it and the majority OF the pupils
Were not likely TO have the slightest need for
such training And IN proof Of these assertions she
produced collection of artistic works done in Pub
lie Schools Nos. 50 and g and exhibited it with 4
running fire of sarcastic comment
This is HIawatha,' she said. producing a pic
toriaI representation Of an Indian brave, land
think Hiawatha would rise from the dead II he
could it. This is a landscape don't know
which Is sky and which IS grass This is ROAD
and think I have it right side up
At this point Mrs A Z Fraser rose to point
Of order
Mrs Harris remarks are very interesting" she
observed "and I would enjoy having more of her
views the public schools; but at the same time
this is health protective association, and its time
should not be taken up with matters which it is not
called upon to consider, This is not a question Of
health"
QUESTION OF LUNACY-
Tit is not a question of health it is question
OF Iunacyr retorted Mrs. Hart.
Il quite agree with Mrs. Hart" said Mrs. James
| McKeen. and think we ought TO take the matter
up. Our children are pushed with variety OF
subjects that at fourteen they can't even read.
question as Jacob a Riis does in one of his BOOKS
/ whether our schools are not doing more harm than
good They are stuIufying the brains Of the rising
generation instead Of developing them. hope some
practical action will be taken regarding Mrs Harris
report"
1T might be sent 10 the Board Of Education.
| suggested one of the members
land there II will be politely pigeonhoeo' an
| svvered Mrs McKeen. Il want something done 70
rouse public opinion and put fire under these ON
/ Gals We ought hold an indignation meeting ana
/ ask the other womens clubs of the city 10 seho
representatives to it. think commlttee ought -
| be appointed FOR that purpose.
Tbs suggestion recalled the fact that committee
/ already existed which charged with the duty
of looking after such matters, and this committee
| Of which Mrs Hart is chairman was instructed 10
| take the subject into consideration.
SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS.
Besides these criticisms of the curriculum Of the
| public schools. Mrs. Hart also had something 10
| say about their sanitary arrangements
ANY department store" she asserted. is better
| eoulpped from q sanitary point of view than the
| n1tlic schools. 1t is high time that the public
looked after things in the interests Of decency
and morality. I have been trying for eight years
TO get proper plumbing in Nos 81 and q ana whefl
7 brought the matter TO the attention Of Mr.. Max
x7.rt-a ara a5IlC
when was appointed 10 the local school board that
| might be able to do something. but resigned TO-
| gether with Mrs Prentice and several others, be
cause found that the board was powerless and l
The meeting was held in the Pierrepont Assembly
/ Rooms and the business vas characterized from
beginning to end by conspicuons absence Of dry dry
ness nearly eyeTy subject 62e t6
| read a letter from the Health Commissloner Or Or
Ernest J. Lederle in answer 70 request tQr mgr
matop Tsgarolhs ES f CIV Understood The secretary
had 5een instructed to say her letter that there
| we're twenty thousand diseased cows in these sta
se ana bd DT s cows iii or vel in the Two
! oughs Of Manhattan and The Bronx.
HEARsAY EVIDENCE
Apropos Of this letter the president expressed re-
gret that the matter had been brought to the atten-
ION ne tire Health Department on hearsay evidence.
| ..7-herA are some societies. she said that are
always going 70 public officials with improved re-
| ports but the Health Protective Association has
ALWAYS been noted for the correctness OF its in
| the municipal authorities.
we ought not to understand or think We
| should know" said Mrs. James Mcheen. Other
| wise our usefulness VIII be gone Public officials
| cannot be everywhere or know everything, and 1t
! is our duty 10 keep them informed. We ought 10
take .are therefore. that information Is cor
rect"
II was decided to invite Dr.. Lederle to address
the society on the subject in question, and mean
| time Mrs McKeen will form a committee 10 in
In addition TO the school report report Of a re-
cent visit paid by delegation from the Heatn FRO
p~ssented by Mrs Eugene Pitkin Mrs Pitkin had
-, Iirtfa hut praise for this institution Although
ne buildings were inadequate, she said and an
| tions they were in admirable condition, the
onI hing she saw critiCise being the TACT that
Hisi+ had heen allowed 10 stand on the table half
| an hour before the men We're admitted This
started another discussion, atlo MIS- u ber gen
! said she thought the dinner must nave oeen an
evrar-ion because the dietary Of the Kings County
| AIrcshoIse had been taken as model when the
diata-iez OF the public institutions or me CITY aad
/ La.- revised Mrs. Frazer said she thought few
1890 we're I'D 10 the level OF The alnshOuses IN
hen domestic arrangements, ana another member
/ of Visitors that led 70 the ueIaS III serving the
dinner nile said that those who visited the Flat
w ,1gtitI1tjons thirtv-fve years ago when the
insane were Put in cells dTlpplng wa wafer, ana
| GSd nor feel inclined TO criticise any thlng now
mo PROBLEM" AFTER ALL.
=, The Editor Of The Tribune.
| 10 Inv .I+Lourf, there are as many able bodied
/ - 81 BROOKLYN as there were forty-fve years
- md although housekeeping is infinitely easier
| - - vas then. energetic. industrious house
/ T-e--a~s are very scarce Lazy women who pretend
| =, lee, house. or who get some one else to do it