New-York tribune., 1905-04-13
4 MENACE TO SCHOOLS.
W'aOe Of Reaction against Curricu-
lam Al Wrong, Says Mr.. Chubb.

"A wave OF reaction Tnenaces the public school
system Of Aew-Nork. said FercivaI chubb at the
annual meeting Of the Public Education Associa-
tion 81 the Berkeley Lyceunl yesterday afternoon
This reaction has expressed itself through the
attack ~ the Controller on the curriculum the
attempts 10 excuse the insuflcienc:es OF the Nor
mai Collese and evade strict tests for its grad
uates. the recent attempt through the Ellis bill 20
transfer expert functions TO the Board OF Educa-
ton and the steps taken 10 shorten the school day
fn the lower grades.
The discussion Of the issue involved has degen-
Grated Mr. Chubb proceeded. into a savage at
tack upon The chief expert OF the educational sys-
tern-a man TO whose untiring and valiant efforts
the immense improvements in that system are
largely due Bur The root OF the matter is really
this Whether we are going trust expert opinion
in educational matters or acoede TO the demand Of
the commercial classes
What is chiefly wanted for the management Of
educational affairs is supposed TO he good common
sense. Your expert IS fun OF uhims Your bus-
ness layman. who knows what sort Of clerk he
wants and whether he gets it, is the best Judge Of
results and a much safer guide IN framing cur
riculGm. In fact your expert is politely bowed
out. as in one OF the Controllers reports
The forces that have given us a new heaven and
new earth in the last century are supposed not 10
have operated in the field Of education.
This commercial pressure is particularly strong
IN New ork because well 10 do people have no
stake IN the public schools Of the city Their chill
dren 90 not attend lhem II they did il would mere
easily te recognized that he schools do exist
solely for The purpose cf turning clerks for the
commercial classes Perhaps New-Tork stII suffers
froU the ciTculnsta under which free education
was established. Her rrst free school was estab-
Nshed one hundred years ago a philanthropy.
There is touch Of condescension and a limiting
COmmerciasrn in the attitude with which our lea d.
tnE citizens and our public men discuss educational
questions
A large part of the commercial reaction Mr.
Chubb attributed 10 mlsconceptiOn what the
pioneer spirits in education were trying TO do
Had one he asked. been able 10 gain the OF
the Mayor and the Controller and explain TO them
INST what the issues OF the case were. The Mavor
he thought. was ''reasonable man and not be-
1und the reach Of such influences
in defence Cf the present curriculum the speaker
saiG thar the alleged failures OF the schools should
ne attributed NOT 10 Overburdened course OF
study. bur thc EeOusly large classes. the
large numbers OF foreign born children in the
schools and the insufficient equipment Of many OF
teachers educated, they had been. before the
evolution of Ile new education.
Mrs. Schuyler Aan Rensselaer,. president OF tho
pGbEc Education Association. presided. and in her
address called attention TO the fact that the
association was now ten years old During this time
lt has spent for educational purposes over $500
Ars Van Rensselaer, and all the other onlcers were
unanimously reelected.