New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-24
PLEA FOR THE THREE RS.
Public School Curriculum Detriment
to Children, Says One Woman.
eve smatter too much"


I'VE teach nothing thoroughly"
I'VE are wasting the child's time"
There is extravaganza in the supply DEPART
ment"
1.-THE curriculum calls for slSty-dve 70 one hun
dred minutes more time than exists in the school
week"
These were some Of the heads OF interview
which Dr. Sophie schecI gave TO a Tribune reporter
yesterday. DR.. schoel has been member o. the
local school board Of District % fer the last csAt
years. She Is also v!cc-pres,deat OF the Normal
College AIumne. She has also educated four chill
dren IN the public schools OF Eev-Tovk.
Mr. Grout. in the recent controversy cve- the
cutting Of the appropriations charged the school
administration with extravaganza. ] thiHk he ha1
some reason said Or. Schee'. 81 90 not tEiak
there IS any fault 10 be found with the building
department. I believe II has done al = coL.d 10
complete the buildings And think Mayor Nc
C1ellans idea of small, temporary school buildings
erected on city ground. IS splendid one and nils
the need But think lir. GroUt has reason for MS
claim Of extravaganza and believe lie leak would
be found in the supply DEPARTMENT FOR instance,
teacher IN outdoor Play centre last summer
requistioned three garden sets for the children to
use IN the sand Size recr ived three tozen Another
teacher ordered three dozen and she received thirty
dozen Such instances are typical, and tlaJ sort %
generosity would certainly be yer- pleasing % The
man furnishing the supplies.
Il know there is q lurishuczs in Tho whole system
Of furnishing material TO children which is not
only waste OF public funds, but positive detr.-
o
IDEAS. Children set accustomed 90 using books,
paper, pens and pencils with carc!aasHess and
lavishness that ara ridiculous. They VIII take back
e perfectly good book. because Il i5 lilJle soiied
and worn, ana demand Now one and got It. They
think no moro of throwing away IeadpeDciIs that
have been used an inch or tro than OF Gl7cagd!ns
a BIT of waste paper. ] tliuk children should be
taught economy and care Of c;y property - II
It were their own. know trat children aye shame
fully careless about returning books 20 school. and
Fff ma rrF l,F los m Ia
II may sound SMALL To- speak o. .,.tpanC.ls and
reading books. lut I'm the aggregate tao sum In
voIvad is lar-c one. and the ClItrel are given
wrguy notions 10y the careless. lavish system.
Charges have been made that the salary lists
were padded. I go not think this is possible. 1t
would imply the dishonesty Of a large number OF
individuals clerks and others Among many q
secret would he bound 10 leak. Eut I do believe
there IS ground FOR the charge Of an unnecessarily
large office force.
The amount OF statistics required from New
York teachers IS appalling 7 have yet 20 sea the
use need Of each teachers being required to
tabul1te the ages OF her pupils: many between
ten and eleven, SO many between eleven and twelve
and So On. 1 never heard OF any use FOR those
statistics. T never rrr any one who had heard OF
any Their tabulauor and transcription require
an immense amount OF clerical labor which must
all 10 paid for and this money is not making a
single child better able 20 earn its living.
'Isut como the last report blanks. iSzuesl two
weeks ago. and on them every teacher ia this city
IS required 10 report for each child "a her class
on points For Instance she IS required TO report
ON tho childs ability 10 recount the story OF the
day before. on It's faculty OF perception. on It's
quici,uess in correlation and so on am not pro-
Tossing 90 Eivr tho text OF the requirements. but
they are along this general line.
This means another great mass %: clerical labor
IN getting these reports into disable shape. and all
OF q not educating single child What Mr.. Max
wei intends TO Go with this mass OK Information:
whether ho means TO tubulate m-taematlcaiIy the
ability % the American child. have never heard.
The teachers LTo not Informed 70 tho purposes
OF requirements; the principals themselves do not
know.
"Furthermo-e I th.rk Ncw-YorlS IS paying for
too many superintendent OF speclales One super
inteudcut IS over another until they fairly tumble
over another The city Is at present being
treated 70 absurd spectacle Of the suporntend-