The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-13
ENGLISH TEACHERS AT WORK.
FIRST OF THE MOSELY INVAD-
Frs BEGIN THEIR VISITING.


huErt " nc z NAelt - NhulDtEEy EhECCh
school and See Much % interest -
Thirty More TO Come Each Week UntIl
March-WIl Go TO Many Other Cities.
Sir Alfred Mosely, the English publicist
and admirer Of American institutions, saw
yesterday the beginning Of the carrying
out OF an idea he has long cherished. He
sat In the office of the Board Of Education
and advised ten English school teachers,
the first OF 500 who are to visit America,
where TO 60 In order that they might best
study the New York public school system.
After Sir Alfred's National Education
Commission from England had toured
this country two years q its head re-
ported upon his return that the only way
that Great Britain could ever duplicate
in any measure the best features Of the
American public school system was to
send teachers over here to learn at first
hand.
The first Ave Of 500 teachers selected
according to Sir Alfred's idea arrived in
New York on Saturday on the New York.
Five more followed on the Carmania. Every
week from now on until the beginning
Of March about thirty will arrive. That
is the reason why Sir Alfred Mosely sat in
Llb OIllCc III Tile EuuCdJlOu DullOAuk az 81
avenue and Fifty-ninth street yesterday
morning smiling with satisfaction.
Assistant Superintendent Gustav Straben-
muller OF the School Department is chair
man OF the local committee appointed
TO receive the visiting teachers and direct
them where to 60 in the pursuit Of their
Investigations. He was in his office at 0
o'clock yesterday morning and there met
the ten English teachers. He heard the
special desires Of each and directed each
to the school where his or her particular
study could be best watched.
Then the teachers started out, each
armed with a card from ~Strabenmhl-
Ter introducing the leader to the prin-
cipal Of the school sought. The peo-
pie up In the Education Building are too
busy to act as guides, so the policemen sta
toned at the corner Of the building did
heavy work in giving directions.
Seven Of the British teachers are men.
and with this safe majority Of the stronger
sex the women did not lack for escorts
and in couples and threes the strangers
set out to find their way around New York.
Some went out to The Bronx, others
visited several schools IN the upper West
Side. One party of three went down to
the East Side. This latter group Of tourists
probably saw more to give them new ideas
than any of the other visitors.
Public School %. in Mulberry street. was
the first one visited by these teachers. They
arrived there in the morning session. The
party was shown through some of the
schoolrooms, filled with Italians and jew
ish children and other youngsters of every
hue and degree of cleanliness. They saw
the fish globes and were introduced to the
monitor OF goldfish. The miniature flower
gardens in the window boxes were proudly
pointed out by the teachers and some OF the
children were called upon to tell what they
knew about how a seed grows.
Pietro Lavelli, the monitor OF room 8 in
the big brick schoolhouse, was pointed
out to the Britishers. Pietro was recently
made monitor by virtue Of the fact that
he had the shiniest shine on his shoes
Of any boy in the room. But yesterday,
though Pietro had the resplendent shoes,
he also possessed the dirtiest face in the
room. The teacher explained to her visit
ors that it was difficult to convince Pietro
that black shoes needed no black face to
a~ccentuate their value as winners Of a
membership.
All day the teachers spent with the
teachers and principals Of the various
schools visited. They watched the work.
ings Of the principals office and learned
how the grades differ in courses OF study
and what supervision is taken by teacher
over pupil. The visiting teachers did not
stint their expressions OF appreciation.
All was 80 different, they said, from the>
schools in England, and much was better.
1t ID the design OF Sir Alfred Mosely that
each incoming party Of cache shah seek
they want to learn about the school
system Of New York first. and then go
to other cities throughout the East, South
and Middle West. In this city every de-
partment Of education from the kinder
garten to the normal chool is available.
The teacher will be urged to attend some
OF the free lectures given on Wednesday
nights in the auditorium OF the Education
Building. Cooper Union, the New York
Trade School. at First avenue and Sixty
seventh street; the Horace Nam Schools.
and other institutions of technical train
ing and specialized education will be visited.
Outside OF New York arrangements have
been mad for the reception OF the visiting
sohoolmasters in forty different cities and
towns, as far west as Denver and as far
south as the Tusksgee Institute in Alabama.
In each city a reception committee awaits
the coming OF the islanders; they have only
to write in advance and name the date OF
their arrival m hotel provision will be
rranged for them.
The difference between the American and
the English public school systems makes
the problems to be investigated by the
visiting teachers almost elemental. Our
educational administration and o%rganiza-
ton will be one Of the lines of study. The
elementary schoo programme and the re-
lation between the elementary school and
the secondly or high school are other things
that the visitors must comprehend. The
American system Of training teachers, the
place given TO manual and industrial train
ing in the public schools and special prob
lens which may suggest themselves TO the
tegchers are included in the general scope
of their work here.
What Sir Alfred finds particularly in
need OF change in the English scheme of
education is the hiatus between the primary
schools and the higher, or common schools,
as they are termed across the water. The
private school system there is so strongly
intrenched that the question OF establish
ing schools Of equal grade free Of tuition
raises a social barrier. Only the children
of the poor will attend the public schools
OF higher grade. IL is Sir Alfred's hope
that's change in the Englishsystem, modelled
after the more democratic American idea,
may bridge this break.
The patron and adviser Of the visiting
teachers Is also enthusiastic in his cham
pionship Of the American schools for in
dustrial education. Mr.. Mosely will adj
dress a meeting OF the Industrial Educa-