New-York tribune., 1903-03-06
CONTROL BY REGENTS,
UNIFIED SCHOOL SYSTEM
BIZ Introduced sn Sencte .AboEsksne
SINNERS Office.
lBY EHlRaRAPE "a - rnrnr,rr !

ISh7R1T'S Office.
CBY =ERazApz TO -zz -zrsuxr.1
Albany. March E-As q result cf a recent con-
ference the Regents Of the University OF the State
have agreed oE htu consolidate the school sys-
tesn of the State. and II was presented to the
Senate to-day BY Senator Stevens. Of Attica. The
bill is as follows:
Section I. The osnees OF State Superintendent Of
Pgone InssrSetoa ana Of the dePutes of tsueh
powers. functions and duties Of sueh ofaces are
hereby Continued and vested IN the University OF
sTctsed. and performed by It's regents or as they
persons, otheE than such deputies. nov in the ece
as appontees OF the present superintendent and his
eurs 3Se pleasure or the ssSd Reeeats continue IN
oSmpeSssfsor RE Dresent sac s9peTiSten6ent az
PUBIC [nstTction and his deputies shan pc entitled
non q ne term @ for which The said superintendent
sno perform only such powers and duties the
said Rsgs9Ss shan expresSly direct
Crest interest shown In the bill by the mem
hers the legislature as soon as Il was introduced
and il vas the subject Of consideration by leading
Senator's and Assemblynan for the remainder of
the day.
Senator Stevens. who introduced the bill is now
serving his first term Senator. and has already
distinguished himself by preparing and putting
through the bin taxing the direct heirs Of the
ow1e-s OF real estate. measure it IL believed.
which win place SO0a. 900 in the State Treasury.
Nr Stevens was well known business man for
yss-s IN the National Capital Speaking about the
n OF the Regents to-day. he said:
esuca1ion IN this state. 1 have watched its de
xlOPnent and cha1ges for great many years;
9 ne eEgaatOTs q the fFse Pgote &c sehSEI % system system
q tas NJ ate feq sno f afs M Ro4 was
esaLIy Interested in educational matters and it
fss SsS Which SO deepy in1erested tSe and Which
6gE s-s sfteFx Of bouseSold aiscusso1 firmly be-
Heve in u1ined system and eeheving, thlS; H tt
. continue ei5heE 5he depaTenS q shS Regs9sz g g
sss.rss5o1aI svsfeu or TO Continue the Superin-
te1dent Of Pubic Instruction. giving him the sbso-
-Nsnisss1iy. to me the placing in the hands Of
any one nan suGn Esst aEaounI OF P0 T Il tin5 md
should be handled by a board of commissioners OF
on account Of their ability and familiarity with the
Eubject with which they have TO deal / 90 not
Assuming coaslusion 70 be correct, and hav-
e9 S.PYork = already esta ablished Who have had
charge OF our secondary and higher edTcauona! IN
one? why not confer upon them what is conferred
sperntended ten Of Public Instruc1ion allowing them,
Of course 70 retain what they now have ;. o..
any reason. il is found desirable to change the
1scribe her duties more dednitely than they are
now prescribed BY law or enacted IN the Conssz 81
judgment Of wise legislators deem best am fully
GE2Te that good mas been @ zone og .ne 1=p1sd 5
elevated our schools. yet. in my judgment. its day
Of qseg1e Is 2 past Te2% qWl1g ttr e T scussons hc
have place before the eommittees Of both tI1
vii be almost unanimously adopted regardles OF
party saananon-
n 81 explanatory statement prepared by COM
rnirtee OF tne Regents accompanying the bill. the
declaration IS made that it drawn ''on the lines
n rhe prsferred u-ethod" for the Unidcauon OF
schools, ~ss suggested by the committee on educa-
ton at the Constitutional Convention OF 1884 The
committee Of the Constitutional Convention said:
In discussing any plan Of unihcauon it is i'm
eeon1ets and haTrnonious system Of education is
ey part Of the end 70 be atatns1 Il Is OF ssS eenS.
sO should be made 70 remove the 6n1s az
psry peIir5cs All the critics OF our public school
syst@ agree on this one point that c PaFg ts po9s e
TEN q exposed and that little Improvement Thetner
ab y 3sceoa sy SE H eoaneetoR e WITH schools and
czuorsl institutions is considered N Lne eittcsI al
contest Your Committee wishes TO put On record
recognizes that but little reform Is possloiev = h
direction by q constitutional enactment We P
coming convinced that the s9oils system must be
Snats6 fT9m pue6S p The principal
menG advanced II favor Of unincation was cnaI oa
an6 traditions could be trusted make selections
only upon the broad ground ef approval |"iHPe
Sency and the public interest
II their e,nla natorv statement the Regents com
raittee also says,
Of fbe BoaFd Of Begsnts should sudioe TO disproye
certain statements which have been made cur
rent without any basis in truth. The pFopoSso
cha1ge from a double system TO single one
will disturb no local conditions whatever Teach-
ers nowhere Will be deprived or their uceLlSes
They VII nov here be required TO undergo any
rev tests The charge that Regents exan1inaLloI1ls
xii be introduced into the elementary scnooIs u
borh false and miSchievous- II should alarm ano
deceive none The taking Of Regents examina-
mons viii continue be everywhere, as II IS now;
entirely voluntary on the part OF scnoo4s ana
I'D wholly false and wflfully misleading are
The ruischievous starments being circulated CnaI
the Regents are friendly 10 the common
the graduates Of normal schools On the con-
rraFy the Regents have always oeheyeo ana
do now recognize that the elementary schoolS are
the most important part Of our state e1ucaoonAI
system and they would have the nrts ana most
fostering care OF the Regents placed unoer tnelr
supervision Inoeed IL is matterd OF history tnat
= Vas The persistent efforts OF the Regents tnaI
lead TO the earliest legislation for the establish
+rE OF public common schools in this State
The Regenrs' proposed Cnincztion BILL II made q
law viii secure q logical organization OF the eou-
needless friction OF the past viii be brought 70 an
e,d The entire educat ational power OF the state
vii 5e IN harmony with admittedly correct meth
ocs II E1u be ccntrolled and erected py slngIS3
s6rinfst-arive policy Best OF all the schools VIII
Be permanently removed from the ne4d OF poHIlcdl
gr-ffe and from the wa1ton and Destructive epirits
n vas rzImored this evening that representative
of the Depzrtrnert Of Public Instruction had SAID
fhat Senator PIart was opposed 20 the Regents
Cniacation bill When such rumor was men
CRY be promptly pronounced IL wholly unfounoeo;
and said that. the contrary, Senator Flatt nad
Heclared himself IN favor OF unthcation OF the
sehooIs under the Regen1s CT tne bniVefssty ds 70