New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-22
EDUCATIONAL UNITY.
Secretary of the Regents and Supt.
Skinner GiUe Their Statements.
[BT TELEGRAPH TO TIE rR1RuxE.I

AIDaHys Lee zI-Ihe joint legislative COM
mittee on educational unihcation discussed sew
eral propositions to-day for harrnonizing the
work of the Regents and the State Department
OF Public Instruction. Three members OF the
committee submitted bills embodying their
ideas Of unifcation. but none OF the measures
were adopted.
In statement replying to the brief Of Super
intendent Skinner, of the State Department OF
Public Instruction, presented at previous meet
ing of the committee, Secretary James Russell
Parsons, OF the Regents, declared that the
Regents should have sole supervision of courses
Of academic education IN all schools under their
Jurisdiction as was the case up to 1885. He
said:
Chapter 1881. f. lines SO of the laws OF 1895
should be amended by substituting the Regents
Of the University for the Superintendent Of Pub
lie instruction in approval of courses of acad-
emic education in high schools. academic de-
partments, academies and higher institutions.
The act for the payment Of the tuition of non
resident students should also be amended by
vesting its administration solely with the Re
gents. These are the two acts which have pro-
duced unnecessary duplication of work and con-
sequent friction The suggested amendments
would establish clear line Of demarcation be-
education
Superintendent Skinner had commended that
the repeal Of that section OF the Union Free
School law which makes courses OF education IN
academic departments OF union free schools sub
tect to the regulations Of the Regents would at
once restore harmony. To this Mr.. Parsons re-
plies:
The action which the superintendent thus pro-
poses would destroy the strength Of the Regents
as an effective educational force. The original
charter Of the university authorized the Regents
to found schools and colleges in such part OF
this State as may seem expedient to them, every
such school being at all times to be deemed a
part Of the university and as such subject to the
control and direction Of the said Regents
From the beginning the supervision OF courses
Of education IN high schools academies and aca-
demiC departments has been as II is to-day the
chief function Of the Regents, the heart of their
work. the foundation on which the whole system
Of higher, professional and technical education
rests They do not believe that the legislature
VIII sanction the change proposed Dy Mr.; Skln-
ner in the efficient supervision under which the
extraordinary development OF our secondary
schools has been attained
Mr.. Parsons answers at length an OF Mr.. Skin
ner's many references TO the statutes. Charles
A Gardiner, Of New York. chairman OF the Re-
gents law committee. concurs IN the views OF
MIR. Parsons in all questions involving the in
depreciation of the statutes
Mr. Skinner handed to-day another statement
to the committee. saying that he favored the
enactment of the Walter L. Brown bill Of last
winter, giving the State Department Of Public
Instruction control of all tax supported schools.
If that plan was impossible Of accomplishment,
then he favored the Elon r. Brown bill. pro-
viding for State board Of education, to replace
the Regents, who shall have the appointment Of
a superintendent of instruction Should this
proposition also fail. Mr.. Skinner said he would
support the bill introduced by Senator White
in 1900, which provides for commissioner Of
education, to carry out all the laws relating to
public education.
The committee will hold another meeting to-
morrow.
Superintendent Skinner talked with Governor
Odeu this afternoon The question OF educational
unifcation was discussed. 1t is known that the
Governor is opposed TO any proposition that
amends the constitution and interferes with the
present Board of Regents and the life tenure Of
its members.