Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-15
DEFENDS NEW
SCHOOL LAWS
J. S. Frelinghuysen Issues
Statement in Regard to the
Fight Being Waged.
ASKS FOR FAIR TRIAL
Has Bitter Words for Those
Educators Who Seem to be
Afraid of Publicity.
spsosa. to the EVENING NEWS.

VI tuc luulltlSe hpQOlutSa Wy lue'
Senate to investigate the public
school system, made the following
statement today In answer to two
questions which have been fire.
quently asked him during the past
month.
~. Did the Senate Investiga-
ing Committee and the Senate CON-
mittee on Education of 1911 ascer-
tain the views of the educators II.
this State?
(2l. What consideration was
given to the provision OF the law OF
1911 requiring an examination for
admission to high school?
After telling of the great number
of hearings held and the work per-
formed by the committee appointed
by the senate to investigate school
affairs throughout the state. Mr..
Frelinghuysen said.
.sThe examination of educators
brought to light fact which, in our
opinion, was most important Some
superintendents rarely visited their
schools Some were doing office and
statistical work which trained
office assistant could have done far
better at less cost Such men made
little or no inspection OF the schools.
OF fitness. The Judgment of teachers
to at least one-half of whom teach
ing 10 not profession and the av-
erage age of which half is about
twenty-five, was almost entirely re.
lied upon. So shockingly we're con-
iitions that DR.. Goddard. the most
eminent child psychologist in this
country testified that many OF the
children In our schools were wholly
united for grade work. The aver
age school man who now talks glib
ly about the teaching OF the individ-
suaI child, knew nothing about ex-
ceptionaI children. Such men op-
posed and now oppose tests. They
probably realized and now realize
that their Office work was not condu-
Give to thoroughness In anything
but statistics They knew that they
had been nagiecting real school work
hat they have given their teachers
no real supervision or help and that
{ hey had allowed teachers SO inclined
to take 1t easy They did NOT and
they do not want the public to think.
They dislike the business man who
compares results and considers eff
cheney.
when the Committee recon-
mended the law requiring an exami-
nation for admission to high school,
it knew that many school men dis
liked it. that they disliked publicity,
that they disliked comparisons, and
that they would never rest content
+aI ,asv.
word for everything and abolish q
very simple method of exposing the
pretenders and drones in our school
system. -
"The law requiring an exanina-
tion for admission to high school
was enacted for the benefit Of the
public and more particularly for the
benefit of parents and children. 1t
was not enacted to continue the COM
fort OF school men who fear COM
parison and the criticism of the pub
lie. 1t was enacted to make such
school men work. That such facts
are realized would seem to be evil
dent from the demand for its repeal
urged, not by parents. but by some
school men
Though the majority of school
men have known for years that our
system OF education was superficial.
not single suggestion to improve
conditions have they made to the
legislature. The reform legislation
enacted last year, the widespread In
terest Ia the proper education of
backward and defective children and
the present public interest In the
schools is due not TO them. but TO
the Senate Investigating Committee.
Is the work of that committee to be
disregarded? lis the plan which is
proposed as means to ascertain
whether every child in the State was
receiving thorough training, to be
abolished without even trial?
Might we not suspect, and with good
ground, the school men who would
have the law repealed before a single
test is made2 That test is merely an
examination of the children who seek
admission to high schools. Such ex-
aminations will reflect the training
given In every school and afford the
legislature and the public an oppor-
tunity for the first time to know con-
ditions and to make comparisons.
Can Ii be said that the public is un-
willing to give plan recommended
by the committee, adopted by the
legislature and approved by the
governor even single trial? Which
does the public trust? The Senate
Investigating Committee, which did
not hesitate to reveal exact condi-
tions and TO recommend reforms, or
some school men who, while admit
ffuu that nafr Sysfay1 of adftcaf{On
has not been thorough, were content
to let II remain SO and now bitteriy
oppose single trial of plan which
will give q clear insight into existing
''The law compels every parent
who has a child between the age of
seven and seventeen years to cause
such child 10 regularly attend a day
school In which at least reading,
writing, arithmetic. spelling, Eng.
iish grammar and geography are
saugiat. The investigations OF
he Senate Committee ana the recent
examination in the Trenton Normal
School, should cause ali parents to
arefuliy consider whethcr their
hi1dFen are receiving the education
or which they pay taxes. II IL my
leeIre, and know tb6t It Is the de-
ire ef this members Of the Stats
soard Of Education to have d system
education which will Ba second fa
one: 20 have system which will
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