New-York tribune., 1905-01-26
COSTS tS43 10 Il CHILD.
This Is the Per Capita ETpense of
Education, Sdys MARCEL.

The annual report Of DR.. Maxwell. City Superin-
tendent of Schools presented at the meeting of the
Board of Education yesterday, devoted much space
TO the plan to reduce the school day in the lower
grades Of the elementary schools. Regarding this
Dr. Maxwell says in part:
My own Judgment is that, owing TO the fact that
it was not neaessaGy S TO 9PPoh cPpoher S 1874 ss II Was
thought at the time the budget was pfePar,ea, in ia
viii with strict economy sufce for the needs of
the schools, provided the influx Of new children IN
The scheme whoh has as 6sen 9s5 ws Stern ds to
make three and one-half hours the length of the
school day IN all classes in the hrst ana seGond
teachers teach four classes.
This question was examined exhaustively by the
board OF superntendents and II was unanimously
decided TO report in favor OF i've hours as the
The farreaching if not revolutionary character
of this suggestion may be gathered from the fact
evil the education throughout Of 1858 chill
dren
The report continues.
The most impdSant problem Of the day In school hoo
are cumbering the lower grades into the higher
grades.
The causes Of this condition are:
Frs-In welltodo families there IS constant on tan,
children school until they are seven or eight
second-The large size OF our classes.
ThrdThe teaching in the part @ Te f classes s ssas IS
Fourth-The Preat influx Of non-Engllsh speaking
Foreigners every week into our SCHOOLS
The first three causes vii! De permanently re,
moved only by permanent increase IN our ] Scn3qI
7commodat tions. The fourth cause, which is DOUBT
less fbe chief cause may be partially removed by
better management in the schools. II the foreign
are above the normal age could be segregated IN
classes in which their attention would be confined
almost exclusively the learning of English until
thew are able enter grade suitable 10 their
years and attachments, a great gain would have
The amount expended for school purposes during
the wear ending July 81, 1904 is shown il the fol-
lowing statement furnished by the Auditor; 49,. ..
Special fund Including special trust - -
Ponds 654l1S9 10
Total 'N-''010 ~
The average cost per capita pupils in the public
dav schools. based on the general fund and on the
snscial fund not including the proceeds OF The sale
~ Lorde and estimated on both the average reg
ister and the average daily attendance in all
classes of schools for the year, was as fouows,
General fund so 81
General fund estimated average atteHdRnce- - %
fund, estimated average register -
attendance. 10 "a
Total general and special funds. estimated on ~ ao
Total general and special funds. estimated
average attendance 20 ~
The important fact is that tho number OF chill
dren part time is now steadily diminishing II
huilding operatious are continued throughout the
next four years the scale as during the
past years. II Is safe TO say that four years
hence part time instruction will practically nave
disappeared from schools. -
The total number OF sittngs or all kinds provlded
or under way in the fourteen and one-nah months
subsequent September !. 1903 Is lsoSsi as COM
pared with 93145 for the preceding PERIOD an IN
crease OF 1928