New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-16

III
>, Nyaw York that their public school sys-
10, "a upsurpassed the following lntervie"
sbou,d Ia convincing proof Of fact that Is
generally admitted By educators every "reie.
DR. William H Maxwell City superintendent Oh
Schools Of New York, gives clear ana concise
exposition Of what ne has done ana what nc 40
trying TO do He also calls attention 10 many
needs that 20 some may not seem Vltai when
measured b. accomplishment, but WINCH none
the less. he insists should be supplied before 'he
public school system can stand without peer
Before submitting to an interview DIT Max
well told with JUNCTION OF his arrival IN Amer
lea many years ago and Of his first Jop ne oe-
came a snace writer on The Tribune. which
never had n nav him more than s. week
while he remained in its employ. HIS nrs' as
Segment was to cover n meeting OF the boaiu
Of Education task that he now admits ne
did very badly To ignorance of the city euu-
cational methods he ascribed his failure at tilat
time But years have passed, and now he con-
fesses that he is able TO handle the subject Win
UNDERSTANDING. which he does, substantially aS
follows:
During the last ten years great advances
have been made in public education IN Ne"
iOh NNgs len years d5c 49,
sented to the educational authorities was one
Of enormous dimensions and compleXlt!. II
was nothing less than 10 unite into one huse
school system the public schools OF three ClOes
New York City. Brooklyn and Long 1si"iiu
city-and the public schools of nearly one nun
dred school districts each of which mad mao d
separate board Of education. distinct course
Of study and its own peculiar methods oi e'u-
nnistraton
How well OF how poorly this work mas peeh
accomplished must be left to the people 10 ue
eide II is not going too far, however 10 say
that the schools OF the metropolis are ho"
working along harmonious lines ana uhuei d
system OF administration which in very ldiee
degree has eliminated friction and has proouoeu
results which, II they do not reach the ioeai VI
The best friends Of the schools. are sun ihea'
urably satisfactory to the people Inc P'ah %
administration involves five chief departments
the building department, presided over Oy -
b J. Snyder q man of worldwide reputation
IN school architecture: a department OF sup
plies. presided over b. Mr.. Jones as superlh-
tendent department of accounts presiued
over by Mr. Cook as auditor department
Of education, presided over By the Cty super
ntendent and the Board OF superintendent
and department Of examiners, presded oS'.
by the City Superintendent and the Boar" VI
Examiners
All Of these departments. however, are '""
'eet to the control Of the Board OF Educ"'i"''
''oy Of representative citizens VINO must pass
upon all policies. approve or dlsapprose
seuon OF any Of these departments anu "i"on'
The final analysis. represents me pe"pe AZ
~e management Of the peoples schoo's'
Opposes Paid Board.
1 have been careful 10 make TINS sla'e"eh'
"sardng the organization of the worh vi 'he
apartment OF Education. because IL - In A'
"u with the best thought OF this anu o'he'
~untries in educational administration Aho No.
my Judgment incomparably superior 10 inc
pan Of the paid Board of Education which
~Ah include in its powers all legsia' a"'
administrative authority which Is enoo"'eu AZ
VIC hrst draft Of the Cullen-Foley chai 'e'
ne most remarkable thing accompii'".o VII
mis- system is the absolute elimination -
'"ucai. religious and social influence AZ INC
sS'ontment of teachers through appointment
Competitive examination. At the same time
y standard of entrance to the teaching ~
ana the standard Of teaching ha'e
Aderably raised
"hg the achievements or the
the extension OF the high SIM
winch has grown from a few NUM-"
,~ twenty-five years ago TO the eho' - ~.
- about forty-twc thousand Sluu'"'