New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-04
MAXWELL AS REFORMER
Acts on Suggestions in Elliott
and MCMurray Reports.
EXPERTS TO BE EMPLOYED
Larger Clerical Staff and Exer-
else of More Initiative by
Teachers Planned.

City Superintendent William Il. Max
well has laid before the Board oil schooi
Superintendents series Of resolutions
founded upon suggestions offered in the
recent Elliott and McMurry reports.
The resolutions, which have been adopteu
lin substance by the board. include rec
concentrations Tor the annual appropria-
ton OF $4,000 for the purpose OF employ
ing expert investigators. for an increase
OF the clerical staff, thus relieving prin-
cipals Of much routine work: Tor the eA-
erc.se Of mere initiative by teachers anu
PRINCIPALS and for the organization oil an
advisory council of principals and teach-
tis
Any Investigation OF school admhiSua
ton problems Which either the boafu VI
Education OF Of Superintendent thought
desirable would he taken up under thiS
ARRANGEMENTS The suggestion for an IN
crease i'm tie clerical staff also contains
the proviso that 10 inquiries for stauS''os
from outside the school authorities shh'
be answered without the PERMISSION VI
the Board OF Superintendent.
In suggesting that teachers ana pm
cirals he pernlitted 10 exercise more III
itia,iv, in the matter of improving the
curriculum Superintendent Maven SAYS
that the experiment is the proposal u '''
Board OF Superintendent that ie"
schools should be selected, each oil "hoSo
uriuclpals an. teachers should prepare
= nature stuay curriculum for their IN
dividual schools on the basis "l con"
trolling ideas" formulated ny the boa II
oi Superlntendents.
The suggestions wi,h regard to the eA-
ercise VI initiative are SiShiHeah' WI"
considered with u statement winch i'o
lessor McIuriy. Of Teachers 'ohese'
submitted yesterday 20 the commute"
on school inquiry. in which II" era"
ciscs Superintendent Maxwell Tor MS Il"
consistent devotion" 10 the plu'iPle u
uniformity and for his lac" "i pT"S''
sive spirit" The statement says iH pa d.
%, Maxwell declares that no school
man OF experience has iDdorsed OF -
likely TO indorse the proposal Tor spe-
ciai curriculum ia eacn school I"I''"
larry in "a large city. TINS statement =
rot founded on fact. Massachusetts ma
been establishing course oI s'uu! I'VE
~. rural schools quite separate from tna1
.of its city schools. and has recominen'e"
v,,..aitous according TO local conditions
g., e,i,n an extent that any realization
of fla. suggested variations - sure u"
make The curriculum Tor one school az
r.r.nt IN very man. respects from that
Of any other
Even Pcnnsy Is ANA ~ considering me
same problcm at the present time. There
is only one city in the world larger than
New York. and London has extensively
adopted tao principle Tor special cur
ri,ulum for each scAooi.
with regard. then. 10 the necesI'N Tor
4 uniform curriculum We ind tndt I'M"
SUPERINTENDENT himself ia cAtrem" cases
Ignores uniformity He has long allowed
nexibility In tn" Kindergarten. IA '""hihS
and in reading and IN has recommended
II in "A higher degree than u has hereto
fore .,istcd in nature study and nome
The .act .nat tine superintendent
makes two new propositions iaNoilnE a
fuller abandonment of uniformity - a
source VI real ENCOURAGEMENT my sen
question the wisdom of attempting 10
establish neXibiliiy IA the currcu'ui" "''
at once.
i have heard that as many as one nun
dred thousand children year cn1lSe
from one school to another uuTnS the
wear. The question j.. what Is the oest
way Of getting these pupils 10 90 sp"n
work ~ spite Of this shifting ABOUT Ut.
NaxWell's answer is, ignore all local con
ditions and give all the children the same
work-that is. allow q mlsit All me tlmt
rather than disturb the curriculum.