New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-05
PUBLIC SCHOOL CONTROL.
Superintendent SINNERS Scheme Of Uni
fcation.

The scheme OF educational unihcation which was
made public yesterday-anonymously' though WIN
the explanation that 1t had been devised by super
ntendeut Skinner in consultation with various per-
sons doing important educational work-presum-
ably cmbodies the views which Mr. Skinnsr Is
known TO have been preparing for submission to
the legislative committee appointed at the last ses-
sion These are the essential features OF the plan
set forth BY Its trainers:
First-A State Board Of Education should be
ated. 10 consist OF nine members Of the present
Board OF Regents. selected In the manner hei f
srSs Hest rnr1ber nermIttcd bv tho constitution
shall also constitute the State Board OF Regents OF
second-The act should provide for the selection
by lot from the present nineteen elected esehs 90
selected should again determine by lot the length
of their term OF servceone for nine years one Tor
There should be one of two further safeguards IN
the method Of selecting from the present Board OF
Regents and also in future elections. viz:
PTovis9n so similar 70 ma d1 Of STATE
Senators. guarding against this board-whch is 10
supervise the rural well as the city school sys-
tem-belng massed In any section OF the State; or
co. a provision guara tee.ng that nj least one OF
from eacn OF tho judicia! districts Of the State.
board Of ReFents To- be allied in the manner in
which Regents are now selected tBy tho Iesis-
FOURTH The State Board Of Education shall selec.
a Commissioner OF Education. who shall be
eral supervision OF all educational interests, in
Guiding primary. secondary and higher education
He shall administer tho Consolidated School law
the University and the general statutes OF the
TO create such departments as in his judgment shat
departments. subject TO the approval OF the state
Board of Education. and also to appoint such sub
he sae Board i of shall be-
cred to adopt such rules ana pes9i@u4ho as are
ntes Of the IS state tate ''''
The commissioner of Education shall serve dur
ing the pleasure of the State Board OF Education
and should receive a salary adequate TO secure the
the performance OF these large duties;
One of the three following restrictions should
govern the selection of the first Commissioner Of
Education: s.... e,.-,....s... =. -,..,,,.
Bn,r n9W NJ Repenfs no, any person boidne
m ppoRtmen by either the state
OF Public instruction or the Board OF Regents.
should be eligible 70 appointment as the first Com
(bJ The act itself should name the first Commits
@ The 81 or joint bao. should select
proposed law and the act should not limit such
choice to any present citizen Of the State OF New
York
The statement of the scheme contains various
remarks and explanations. including the following
in regard to provision No. 1:
The above provision would reserve to the Board
Of Regents the power TO adopI regulations, confer
degrees. guard the entrance to the legal. the med
trance to which Is now regulated by the Boari Of
Regents would reserve to them all the powers now
educa tional institutions, and would place the
ID this T0F an The ra OF ea so
lected should have the largest latitude in the Sc
lection of deputies and heads OF departments who
would be In accord with him. while the power
Of confirmation should be left to the State Board
OF Education in order to guard against any indi-
vidua favoritism possible abuse OF powers. The
selection OF subordinates should be entirely in the
hands OF this chief executive officer, who is and
must be directly responsible for the adminstTa tive
work and therefore should be unhampered in the
selection of subordinateS.
The plan is approved by Presidents Butler OF Co
lumbia Schurman OF Cornell with qualifying OBJ
servations) Stryker OF Hamilton (as to its tenor
and sprit). Taylor of Vassar. Rhees OF Rochester.
Raymond of Union. Chancellor Day OF Syracuse,
Superintendent Maxwell. of this city. and several
other school superintendents Mr.. SINNERS ntti-
tude heretofore. the active campaign OF the last
SIX months to secure his reelection State Su-
nertntendent OF Public Instruction and the general
belief that he not to be reelected impart spe-
cial interest TO his own Endorsement OF the plan,
contained In the following signed letter,
Thar. has never been a moment since the begin
p,nr Of the unfortunate controversy between the
tu1a educa tional departments of our State when I
have NOT been ready gladly to give my support to
anv genuine plan of uniflcation of the States edu
eafioSai work which would not injure our common
school system. -. o.. ..o,-. 49,. .,.,.
won't ~ the foregoing plan without any heartburn
tngs over the fact that IL sIIIn'h"'es my Pei'oHa
ity entirely from the question: