New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-25
His Economic" Not Practical, Says
Education Committee.
ONE CI-RTAILMFNT SUGGESTED

4. II II
The speciaI committee OF the Board Of Education
APPOINTED as result Of the attacks of Controller
Grorit TO investigate economizing in the expenses
Of the department yesterday reported TO the board
The committee treats Of each OK Mr.. Grouts re-
ports upon the affairs Of the board In detail saying
in part
An examination OF the Controllers reports does
no, reveal any economics that are either desirable
practical at the present time, The hTsi report
recommends the elimination of the teaching OK
drawing. singing. hygiene. sewing, cooking. manual
training and nature study. 10 the end that the
salaries Of the special teachers employed 10 ala We
regular teachers IN giving instruction IN these
branches may be saved such proposal Is reNoluI
uonary in its character and cannot De entertainers
The work Of establishing class libraries. upon
ago ought so De- interrupted.
that money has been spent on fitting up hired
buildings for school purposes. Since however, II
also been necessary to put them into habtabie and
sanitary condition No property has been easeS
Health departments Of the city
troiIer complains that the Board Of Education has
not always improved property as soon atter us
reTly to this II is only necessary TO state in the
FRS place that the Board OF Education has always
priaticns allowed by the Board OF Estimate and
Apportonment would permit; and. in the second
place. that whore II was not possible TO build on
all available sites the Board Of Education has
the neiEhlorhood Of which the pressure for school
accommodations was greatest.
troiier's report on printing ia which he declares
that too many leads arc used in printing the min
utes OF the Board OF Education. The Board Of
Education will doubtless continue in the future as
Il has done In the past. To provide that the record
OF its proceedings shall be printed In reasonably
good form and good taste.
Mr. Groui suggests that some saving might be
effected by doing away with the twenty-siN dis
tr@t superintendeuts and rearranging the functions
gain from this report the erroneous impression that
the number OF associate city and district supcru-
tendents Is determined by the Board % Educa-
ton. In reality. the charter, Section 1913. pre-
scribes that there shall he eight associate city su-
Itrlntend:nts ana tWenty-slN district SupSnn-
tendents The terms employed are so explicit and
Education In electng these officers was dischargiug
function required by law
The committee makes the following suggestions.
The Committee on Care OF Buildings should seek
IN the school buildings viii he better regulated
The Committee Studies and Text Books should
with the Board Of Superintendent. consider az 10
whether the present text book list may not be cur
The Committee on Special Schools should In case
vacation schools ana play srolnct are maint
next summer. make considerable reduction IN the
The Committee Lectures and Libraries should
restrict the lecture centres and lectures 10 the
poorer and the outlaying sections Of the city
sources OF entertainment and instruction.
We are confident. after examining the reports OF
rsilI and proTont1y neTSorrnsa :, ,ayJ az one
from the Controller the other from the commits
sioners OF the Sinking Fund. and placed In the
II IS suggested that the Committee on Finance
have statements prepared every three months and
have such statements sent 70 the members OF the
Board OF Education. showing plainly the cost OF the
teachers In the different departments and also the
capita cost OF the different schools and calling
attention 70 any school where such per capita cost
seems excessive.
The Committee Supplies should make efforts to
arrange orders for supplies In such way that the
district superintendents. IN passing on them may be
a cle TO determine from the blank Itself how many
o. the articles ordered already In the schools
and for how many pupils provision IS 20 be made
through any given order
The Committee Sites should prepare n list os
sites owned By the Board Of Education that Will not
be needed IN the future n there any such.
and should take up with the Finance Department OF
the city the question OF selling such sites
Il Is suggested that instead OF the usual annual
appOrioument for the amount TO be allowed TO each
school for supplies such apportionment be made
semaunually. and that at the close OF each school
term there shall be reported 10 the board and
printed IN the journal a statement showing the
per pupil 81 books and other supplies furnished 10
each school