New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-04
HISTORY OF GOOD TICKETS"
School Authorities at Swords Points Over
Their Adjustment from Glasses

inscription have been given TO the public school
children of New-York rewards of merit. They
are printed in brown for the boys and in
green for the girls-to indicate. one teacher
remarked that girl would not be good unless
she were greenland about three inches long
by two inches wide In primary departments the
good child of either gets of these tickets
every week, and If he or she has been sanity
as to get every week for a whole term he gets
a ''stfy ticket (certifcate) the children say.
something than twice large as the ordi-
ticket. more deliberately decorated and certt-
flying in detail that the child has been good.
obedient and studious
These documents known good tickets"
and. though they may appear the unintiated
insignificant and unimportant, they have been a
bone Of contention between the Board of Education
and the Board OF Superintendent
TICKETS UNPEDAGOGICAL.
TT began" said teacher yesterday when the
Board of Superintendent decided. in that wisdom
which never forsakes il, that good tickets were
unpedagogicaL The children ought not to work Cor
anything so material as good ticket. they said.
OF course with school superintendent, virtue is
not expected to be its reward. This virtue is
such a weakly plant that II needs much tending:
But they thought, evidently, that children were
orerent, and ought to work for love OF virtue IN
the abstract, So the good tickets were removed
from the list Of school supplies
men there went forth howl from the children
in the primary schools. The teachers passed the
hoWl on TO the principals and the principals IN due
time, brought It to the Of the supply COM
Uittee- The supply committee. being composed
merely Of business men. lawyers etc. and not OF
pedagogical experts disposed to take reason
able view OF the matter. They recalled the time
when they used TO get good tickets themselves,
and did not take long TO decide that the babies
should have their good tickets Bless their heartsl
sUPERTNTENDENTs' STAND.
But they forgot that the Board OF super!ntend-
erts. having once taken stand. cannot reverse it
The rulings Of the superintendent are like the
laws Of the ATedes and Persiaus and cannot be
altered. Otherwise what would become OF their
reputation for infalibility7 Accordingly. they re-
fused to recommend the restoration OF the good
tickets 70 the supply list although the decision TO
remove them therefrom was carried by only a
majority or ore. Then in some mysterious way
the thing came before the elementary schools com
Tnttee. and the Board OF Superintendents'
dered 10 present 4 report upon the subject The
superintendents did So and the supply committee
thought that tho language not sufficiently re-
spectfuL Then the committee got mad and decided
TO override the superintendents. Accordingly. at
the April meeting % the Board or Education the
chairman OF the committee introduced and secured
the adoption Of a resolution TO restore these re-
wards TO the supply list
Now the Board OF Superintendents declares that
the Board OF Education is not competent 10 vote
scholastic supplies without its approval. and has
fled protest that effect. II cites its authority
Section I0s3 OF the charter. which provides that
tho Board OF Education shall. the recommended
tcn Of the Board OF superintenGents, approve text
books. apparatus and other scholastic supplies for
in the public schools OF the CITY. Good tickets
the superintendent argue. are scholastic supplies.
They have never recommended them Hence the
Board OF Education cannot approve them Further
more they don't intend 20 recommend them, and
they dare the Board o, Education 20 go ahead and
break the law. Yet when the question OF text
cus-ou the city superintendent said that he didn't
The Board Of Education does # apparently when
the Board OF superntendents doesn't want 70 De
held responsible When the suDerintende1ts want
have their own way. regardless Of the Board OF
Education. they do it
LINK BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL
The protest Of the superintendents fled
few days ago and was referred to the committee
on bylaws OF which Robert L Harrison is chair
man This committee has just reported that while
# not Illegal for the Board OF Education 10
vote the supplies IN question without the approval
able. This Delphio utterance leaves the Board
- "lags 10, oLt az . lSoll ICES MOI ti-aA S
ter that It Is not likely 70 let It drop
down - said Frank O. Wiisey 10 a Tribune re-
porter. we quite unanimous upon the sub |
cts 10 my mind the tickets have q great many |
also a means Of Communication between the |
teacher and The parent ~ Their means the parent
and realizes that in the school takes an |
interest IN f m tbe dhd 5rnss soehns
tangible home from It, AS FOR the charge that the /
tickets unpedagogic l think It is expecting a |
value-it only seven cents a thousand-cau- |
not do any serious injury II It does any. great |
many OF our citizens received such rewards at !
school without being spoiled thereby. There is |
Superintendent George Davis, for instance who |
dsapproves OF the tickets He used 10 get them |
when he went to school, and yet he Is very nice |
man. or course, IL Is doubtless quite true that
some boys play craps for them. but the abuse Of
a thing IS argument against its legitimate use
The elementary school committee has reported !
against the good ticket system
~ don't think" said Chairman Jacob W. Mack
yesterday that we ought instIn into the mtHds
of school children the principle OF working for
reward. They ought 10 be taught that learning IS
good for its sake, and that a successful grad
uaton and an occasional word OF commendation
from the teacher sufficient reward. strictly
gpeaking all systems OF reward are unpedagogtcal
and there be no absolute rule by which the
be awarded In the case or the good
ticket system there was a great deal or souse
MANY teachers awarded them without sufficient
rea son and boys sold them to another and
played craps for them. Thus they came 10 be
valueess.' 49,, - -,
While all this discussion has been going on the
Tea cheers have providing substitute tickets out
~ tIei- own pockets The Information formerly |
conveyed BY the good ticket is inscribed on plain
paper and the latter IS then decorated with gold
star