New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-28
DR.. MAXWELL'S ADDRESS.
SPEAKSIN NEW-ROCHELLE
Tells Forum of Educational Work
That Must Be CUrtalted.

nav Schools" by DR. William II. Maxwell. Su-
perintendent Of the Public Schools Of this city,
AT the meeting OF the Peoples Forum held IN
the New-Rochelle Public Library yesterday
afternoon. The New-Rochelle Forum is new
institution bet il is attracting much attention
because OF the wide range Of subjects discussed
and the regulations OF the speakers who have
volunteered assistance to the movement w.
Bourke Cochran who delivered address on
The Conflict Between Capital and Labor" and
Ernest H Crosby and A. Gaylord Wiltshire in
q debate on Single Tax or socialism-Which? ?"
have had large audiences
Mr.. REDS REMARKS
whitelaw Reid presided. In opening the meet
ing he said
honor You have done me E asking me to preside
io-aay L is cue no doubt 70 the fTs s par
The duty imposed because OF the natural interest
one S9 spe r beS1 ~ make this t5rtanae com
mnnity stil more worthy Of the favored spot IT
wonder if yog really appreciate the beauties les
ano advantages OF TINS spot as Inuch as many 90
were as far away as the Berkshires its beauties
far TO see It's landscapes summer tourists would
% aIo men oa publish os his sq nsoe o9Skf
were part OF NewaYork il could hardly nave
70 the citv FOR Ibemse5ve 9'' hut Know how much
better Il is for their children 10 have the elbow
sTE sx n M s5 a e al us IS aH Ss os es
ottsSst INNS az ltis -1t me -
ing grown men or women that have gone wrong.
stared rizhf There Is The reason Vhv YOUR meet
ing to-day seems me to have the most important
subject have chosen for
che winters II tie children go right this
may suffer from now win tend gradually 10 cure
themseiyes II you start TIE children wrong i me
PRE- g6 % %oIs 60 badly for all OF US and the future
There IS 70 need. with an audience like this
thing
education Is not what II teaches the child, but
SUCCESSION edacation must be charlotte In that
lies your hope Of happiness in your children, and
n that lies this selfgoverning nations hope OF
Wi! YOU indulge me in another platitude? 1
ole fashioned enough TO tmnk that IN pnllalng an
education as IN building house or a bridge, the
Nothing can EYER make up for weakness in the
address you viii be able, I hope. TO give better
account Of this elementary training in the common
ways enabled me 10 give of college graduates have
o.1sn iounu siiese ssItleIlSh peIseeuy aoe 10 m
rather ptifui as 10 my Anticipated notions about
Taught Them were quite out OF date-but occasion
ally very uncertain as TO their orthography- Some
times they couldn't write any better than they
could spell; and I have frequently found
%ean the verb S9 ana its sabe6t e or Hsh Between
the relative pronoun and its anecedent;
oct Of proportion. and their COMMON fractions-if
portant branch f afhmee ere TnIesr mat Al 1 te
extreme. I beg you. ladies and gentlemen. what
II at any rate that the education you build for
them gets as fair chance as the sta bic you build
or real estate in-gets at least founda ton that
Pardon me for one more platitude. There is
nothing more important, nothing more sacred than
government it is sepa rated from the church. but
you should bring 10 II care as devoted and
shop just should you protect it from the
81 become me 10 speak against politicians, for
one OF those who believe that man can't be
frao7 Gift NTH frf ak an rfi ard
YOU should never permit politics TO enter One is
the church and the other is the schoolhouse. Our
schools, like the flag, belong TO no party but 70
the common Interest Of an.
These are mere truisIns. TO be sure. but trnisms
remembering all the time. This yardstick Is com
Pt ou 5G S S ar wh safer sGu wh your
schools when you regulate their conduct now by
experience and have stood the test Of the ages.
you came 10 hear. Few men could have 2 better
warrant for ADDRESSING you on these topics; ne
schools IN the greatest city Of the greatest country
IN the World ana even year 81 MS nf mas S Ss
he taught and the gratitude Of those for whom he
Mr. Reid then presented DR. Maxwell to his
audience.
WHAT DR. MAXwELL SAID.
DR. Maxwell urged the promotion Of the health
OF the children in the elementary day schools as
OF paramount importance. NO education" he
said. was practical which overlooked physical
health. wish you could have been with ne in
Madison Square Garden last night he declared,
where had fifteen hundred school boys OF
New-York City competing in different athletic
contests. Their ages ranged from ten to sixteen
years and nearly all of them are ready to leave
the high school. There were ten thousand peo-
pie 10 see the event II was the largest athletic
meet ever held in this country. and probably the
largest since the days OF Rome / am proud Of
their athletic endurance anf attachments. for it
showed the kind Of health trying TO give
the children OF New-York City Dr. Maxwell
continued:
The aim OF the elementary day school is to
put the child in possession Of the means of &C
curing knowledge by teaching him how TO read
ana write and solve problems in mathematics
but we must do something beyond this We
must teach him how TO use his hands The
country boy learns how TO use his hands by do
irg chores and work about the farm or shop
but the city boy doesn't. unless he gets il In
school In NeN-YOrk City we are irving TO do
something beyond the elementary and high
schools, and even beyond the evening schools
We have what We call recreation centres estab-
lished IN the buildings ard the most crowded
districts There hundred and fifty OF
these centres where the children can go in the
evenings, study their lessons. practise gymnas-
tics. hold debates study. The centres are
Used largely by The children VINO cannot 90 TO
high school. but, unless the Board OF Education
OF the CITY can get some money, 4 fear that
VIII have 10 close them az on January 81
DR. Maxwell spoke NIX OF the advocates Of
the elective system in high school work. They
were divided, he declared. into two camps the
one composed OF those who would allow the stu
dent 10 frame his own course OF study, and the
other OF those WHO believed IN a middle course
Experience. he SAL seemed TO favor variety
Of studies. DR.. Maxwell declared In ending:
After ell is said and done. the great thing in