New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-28

Albany. April 2I.-Dr. Andrew Sloan
Draper. State Commissioner of Education
died AT his home here to-day. al the age
of sixty-four years. Bright's disease and
recently developed weakness OF the
heart MUSCLES were the cause of death.
Andrew Sloan Draper was born AZ
Wcstfoid. y. y. on June p. lsN. the son
of Sylvester y. Draper and Jane sloan.
lie was graduated fiom the Albany Acad-
envy IN 1856 and attended the Albany Law
School. from which he was graduated III
1871. He obtained the degree Of Doctor OF
Laws from Colgate University in 1ss'
from Columbia University in 1893 and
from the University OF Illinois i'm 1895.
Dr. Draper married Louise Lyon, OF
New Britain Conn, in 1872, after ne hao
entered tho practice of law IN Albany
lie was member Of the Albany Board
OF Education from 1879 To 1881, and again
from 1890 to 1899. lie was a member Of
the New York Assembly I'm 1851 and
member Of the Court of commissioner
OF Alabama Claims in 1856 lie served
as State Superintendent OF Public lnstruc-
ton OF New York from 1885 10 lS'2' ana
in the following two years was superin-
tendent Of instruction at Cleveland. ne
Was president OF tho University ~ lilinois
from 1926 to 1904. and had been commis-
sioner Of Education in this state since
i9oi He was elected as the hrst super
intendcnt OF Schools of greater Ne" lorh
in 1898. but declined 10 serve. lie was the
author of THE Rescue Of Cuba ana
American Education" and was editor OF
the educational department OF the Fill
cyclopadia Americana and editor III
chief Of "Self-Culture for Young People'
At the Paris Exhibition OF 1870 Dr.
Draper received silver medal Tor mon
ograph on the organization and ahfnihis-
tration OF the American schooi systehi'
He gained a gold medal and one OF TWO
grand prizes AT the st. Louis eNhioitioh
of 1904 for collaborating on w" OF more
exhibits and for unusual sciences III edu-
cational administration.
Or Drapcr's IN health dated from
shortly after the state Capitol fire OF
March. 1911. which destroyed the state
library and other divisions of the Educa-
ton Department. He was strong
enough. however. To participate In the
dedication last fall Of the recently COM
pleted state Education Building mat
also was one OF the last public cere-
monies attended by the late WhlteIaw
Reid who. as Chancellor OF the Regents
or the University OF New York. presided
al the dedicstory exercises.
Or. Draper was one OF the foremost
educators in the country. He continuous
~ fought for excellence In the entire sys-
tenn OF education IN all grades OF schools
and universities-as he expressed II, a
universal system connecting the eie-
mcntary schools with tho colleges ana
universities, to make IL easy FOR any
child OF the masses 10 go TO college *
nc or she will.
When DR. Draper was Commissioner or
Education he made a successful night Tor
a unified system ~ control and super
vision OF schools. He also fought against
the provision In the charter permitting
the removal Of any member OF the Board
Of Education by the Mayor. declaring II
"a vicious novelty In legislation. In
the MANY lectures he gave before the New
York Teachers Association, the Asso-
ciated Academic Principals and other
educational bodies Dr. Draper never
sweryed from his purpose Of securing
better administration OF the state school
system. though frequently he vas Sc
verely criticised.
In an address i'm Convention Hall,
Rochester on December =. 1910, DE-
Draper summed up the ideal for when ne
had so long struggled when he declared
Education that has lie and enters
hat a
and makes life worth living: education
that can use English TO express itself
education that does not assume that
doctor must be an educated man and that
a mechanic or farmer cannot De- eau
cation that appeals 10 the masses that
makes better citizens and greater
state. education that supports the Inn
periaI position OF the state and inspires
education in all OF the states; that is the
cducati that concerns New YORK.
In an address in Syracuse on December
os. 1911, Or. Draper severely criticised
American colleges and universities, de-
claring that "the lust for riches and big
ness and social influence and political
power is their greatest weakness"
on May 81. 1911. the Draper bill.
creating the ONCE OF Supervisor OF Public
Records. and placing that office and that
of the State Historian under the Com
missioner OF Education, was passed in
Albany.
In July. 1911. DR.. Draper travelled over
Europe. where he studied foreign school
systems. He also attended and spoke be-
fore the convention OF delegates Of
I,ritish nniN ersifies held In London.