New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-25
TO PREPARE CHILDREN
FOR LIFE, NOT COLLEGE.
This Will Be Effect of BIau-
veIt-MCKee Bills. City
Teachers Say.
REFORMERS OPPOSE THEM
Woman Pedagogue Declares
Supt. Maxwell Enlisted Their
Support in Fighting the
Proposed Changes.
REFORMERS OPPOSE THEM

70 prepare children for life. not for col
iege.
Believing that this Will ne She general
effect of the Blauvelt- Mckc. bills now
before the Legislature. the Peterborough
Association Of Women Teachers, the
New York City Teachers Association ami
the Male High School Teachers Associa-
ton are Waginc Il det -rmiI-I campaign
10 secure the passage Of those bills. Mss
Grace Strachan. president Of the Inter
borough" has sent Letter to every mem
Der of the Legislature urging him 10
vote yes
The Mckee bills" says Miss Strachan.
are designed 10 improve the conditions
under which the 1900 children arc taught
and the $500 men and women teach ~
the public schools Of the city Of New
York
The Intcrborouyh Association Of
Women Teachers-the largest association
of its kind i'm the world unanimously in
dorsed all these bills It's members are
convinced that the children viii be great
lv benefited by bcins prepared for life
generally. and not for college specihcaly
Not per cent of our children 30 to col
lcgc.'
Two weeks ago Miss Strachan led an
army Of nearly one hundred teachers to
Albany TO impress the Legislators with
their desire for the change proposed
you were willing enough 10 go to NJ
bany when the equal pay bill was pend-
Ing" she urged her hock. Now show
fine public YOU can be just as willing when
if is not your own Interests. bat those OF
the schools. that are at stake.
Tho result OF this visitation at the joint
hearing before the Assembly and Senate
committees. according 10 one OF inc
women teachers. VIII probably be that
the bill will pass the Assembly "'thou'
much opposition. As for the Scnate-"cIi'
that's why the lntcrbOrOuGh - sun on
the job.
I'VE want these bills to pass, continued
this teacher. because tLcy give inc
poard Of Education power to initiate
changes in the course Of study. INC
uroscut course Of study is twenty on thli-
~ wears behind the times The Board
of Superntendcnts refuses to change IT,
rho BOARD Of Education has no power 10
cor,ncl the supcritcndentS TO revise IT,
an II can do is to reject or accept what
they propose
"The present course was designed IN 'he
d,,s when the aim Of education was to
u,ce the college entrance examinations
'rhc LITTLE foreign child in the East Side
aud ,ho only son Of Columbia professor
.rc Getting exactly the same LESSONS.
rho alrl preparing for the sweatshop has
a. do lust as many algebra and geometry
.rohlcus AS the girl who is going 10 col
lore only . per cent of our children go
a., coIlegc The other % per cent can 80
t.o,,..--so far as the course OF study ~
,o,,corneJ You see. it Is all archaic and
absurd.
"Thcrc is opposition To these bills from
many roforners and social workers.
rhcre IL support from the teachers who
,,ayo been in the schools for years and
t,rc,y the real situation. Those heads of
,ni,anthropic and reform societics-what
ia tbcv know? They have never taught.
Most of them never went to school here
NOR gent their children. They don't even
live in New York. Yet they presume To
crlticise our schools
..rhe secret is. of course that Their sup
nor, has been enlisted 10y Superintendent;
u.vwcu This is merely another fight
,o,,....o., MN n~d tho board. Th"G'