New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-01
BplQUdlep-G2peral William
VefbeCk, shy Pres oftbe
School oRd- AdJutoRt 0cneral
shy

drastic. but even so. the supply of
teaching material exceeds the demand.
Then. why should it be necessary to
lower the grade of examination?
Examiner Hervey appears TO be
placed in an invidious position. The
Board of Education has asked the Cor
poratiOn Counsel how II can get rid OF
MINI Examiner Hervey is civil ser
vice appointee, and, of course, would
be recertifed to the Board Of Exam
iners for reappointment from the ap-
propriate civil service eligible list. The
fact that his term of Office has eX-
pired does not cut much Of r figure IN
the case.
Was there ever such a predicament
for a Board of Education 10 get into
There is no reason, at least on the
surface. why Examiner Hervey should
be dropped. There may be some rea-
son. under the surface. why the Board
OF Education wishes his official demise.
Can il be that the official IN question
is not complacent, or that ne is hard
hearted, or that he will not listen 10
reason, or to the silver-tOngUed So
phistry of the willy ones? Is II because
control of the Board OF Examiners is
required in some quarters, and that
T
/ in the way?
The public wants to know the rea-
/ son for this peculiar condition and
/ for the apparent hesitation on the
/ part of the Board of Education to per-
/ form it's duty. Why not give the pub
/ lie the facts?
There has existed a tendency to in
/ culcate into the minds of the public
/ and of the teaching force new propa-
| ganda regarding the constitution OF the
/ Board of Examiners. IL Is claimed
| that the examiners should be required
/ 10 retire from office at the end o. their
! terms and serve in some lesser capacl-
/ " in the schools, or else get out. This
/ insidiOus plea is made on the assump-
/ tion that the examiners become out
/ of-touch" with the schools. by reason
I of their Seclusion and distance from
| the business Of actual teaching in the
/ classroom.
This propaganda is unsound, though
specious. Its dissemination is merely
Tor the purpose of distracting atten-
ton from the real issue. In this
sense, it may be regarded as in the
I nature of an apology or of an excuse
for the delay in filling the vacancy.
L. is phase of practical politics as
applied to the school system. The
public will soon hear about rotation
~ Office" and 1.-THE logical candidate. "
Such methods SAVIOR Of the milltarlsm
Of the invader, who occupies territory
/ and strikes terror into the hearts OF
ne inhabitants by posting placsrds IN
their towns placards indicating un-
pleasant possibilities unless the ran
som is paid or the supplies and forage
are delivered.
Sometimes the invader demands a
| hostage whose life may depend upon
/ compliance and submission upon the
part of his fellow-townsmen. Is Il
/ POSSIBLE that a hostage has been Sc
cured in the present situation?
In medieval times the conquerors
. demanded victims and sacrifices. In
/ China it was permissible to buy sub
stitute, but. in the present situation,
no substitute need apply.
No matter what is the brand or the
vintage of the sophistry employed, II
will fail of its purpose, because statute
law governs the case. Unless the law
is repealed or modified the Board OF
Examiners will continue to exist as
now constituted.
In the suggestions, OF propaganda,
which have been spread around, II is
passing strange that the principle of
retirement from office az the end OF an
official term. and a return 10 labor IN
the mines" has not been applied 20
the members Of the Board OF Superin-
tendents II this principle is a sound
one when applied 10 the Board OF EN-
aminers, how much more strongly does
II amply TO the members Of the Board Of
Superintendent for it is vitality essen
tial that they should be in touch with
The schools, with the teachers. with the
pupils and with the practical conditions
of the school system, which everybody
t..o,.rs fbev arc not