The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-23
TIME WASTED IN THE SCHOOLS.
Inspector Clancy Says Fads Are Spelling
New York's Educational system.

james Clancy a lawyer and school in
spector of the Twelfth district, has written
a letter to THE Sun in which he seeks to
give the causes for the conditions which
recently led City Superintendent Max
well to say in report that dull children
crowded the lower classes and forced
others on part time. Supt. Maxwell in
part explanation said:
Il believe that very considerable por-
ton OF such children are Of foreign parent
age or foreign birth, and are in lower classes
because OF their lack Of knowledge Of the
English language.
To this Mr.. Clancy takes exception. He
says:
The whole statement is unintentionally
misleading. The reason for the condition
said to exist is not because Of very con-
siderable portion OF the children being un-
able to speak English, but in crowding 10
the wall the essentials to make prominent
a multiplicity Of fads originally introduced
as experiments into the school system by
the present school administration.
-Our children are not dull; they are
among the brightest in the world. That
they are backward in their studies is an
entirely different proposition 1t is not
lntlE Dub lltt IdulL Oh tDe tlhituls
When, about seven years ago, Mr. Maxwell
began to make radical changes, his in
tenuons were commendabe. The princi-
pals were enthusiastic, and, notwithstand
ing the extra labor involved. we're eager
to give the new system fair trial. That
experimental stage has been passed Re-
subtitle business men OF this city, the
employers of all branches Of labor, are
crying out against the crudeness OF the
material the public schools have been
turning out
Mr.. Clancy says that in his investigation
OF the Catholic psrochial schools he did not
find conditions in the remotest degree like
those set forth in Mr.. Maxwel's report.
The teachers in the parochal schools
handled larger classes than the teachers
in the public schools, he said. and generally
obtained better results. This would be
impossible, were it not for the fact that the
ponderous non-essentias Of the public
schools have no place in tho parochal
schools. The Catholic schools, he says.
have shrewdly adopted what is good in
the public schools and rejected what is
bad
in the paroohial Schools" he says.
mature study (meauing tho waste Of fifteen
or twenty minutes in telling children that
a sparrow has two legs and can fly by means
OF two wings, that a lion has four legs and
can roar, but that a cat cannot roar is
unknown.
There are no abnormally old children in
the parochial school grades, because there
u no waste Of time in teaching the children
how TO make toy baskets paper toys. how
TO mix Colors tas il the intention were 10
make each child great painterl, or in
teaching the boys raita work or the science
of music in its advanced stages
The parochial schools recognise the fact
that the important school age is from
to ~, Hence reading, writing and arti-
metic take the place Of the art Of compo-
siton.' crude efforts at representation of
the human form divine in the public schools
dissection OF cOokroaches, flies. &c They
also take the place of instruction in the
correct way OF climbing stairs and o.
manicuring.
Nor are the little boys and girls Of the
parochial schools confused by instruction
in the use care and protection OF bone
hgament, muscle. skin and special sense
and the organs Of digestion and respira-
ton Nor are they obliged TO waste time
in the vain endeavor 10 master the treat
ment in case OF fits drowning choking
poisoning. sprains and burns, and other
surgical and medical things
-All those abnornally old things. and
more, / have encountered in my offica
tours OF the public schools The energies
OF the parochial school graduate have not
been FILTERED away upon fads quickly for
gotten, but have been concentrated upon
the essentials which they have thoroughly
mastered