New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-18
POStpOnement of Schools
Opening Not to Give
Extra Vacation.
LECTURE COURSES
TO FILL IN TIME
Education Board Decides
on Special Instruction
for Two Weeks.

Announcement was made by William
q. Wilcox, president of the Board of
Education, yesterday that although il
was likely that the schools would not
open before September 25, on account
or the epidemic, the teaching staff
would be required to report on the
regular date, September IL. Prominent
educators will address the teachers in
the period between the two dates, and
there will be conferences and lectures
for their benefit.
In his statement Mr. Wilcox de-
| scribes tho situation rs follows:
at is serious thing to curtail the
school work of 100000 pupils, and our
| administrative machinery should be in
readiness TO open the schools without
any delay or confusion at the earliest
date consistent with safety. II an I'M
expected and marked reduction Of the
epidemic during the next three weeks
should make it possible to open all the
schools on September II, the teaching
staff must be ready for service.
Lectures Are Suggested.
ain view of this uncertainty it
would hardly be safe to change the
date on which the teachers are to re-
FORT for duty, but as it is altogether
probable that the Department Of
Health will recommend the postpone
ment of the opening of the public
| schools, have suggested to act
| ing City Superintendent McAndrew
that any such delay should be utilized
by giving our teachers the benefit OF
lectures and conferences with a staff
Of prominent educators to be selected
from the school system.
an Massachusetts,, Ohio. Michigan
and Indiana. I believe, schools for
| teachers and teachers institutes
! have been found so helpful and bene-
! fetal that they have become a recog-
nized feature of the school programme,
which oil teachers are expected TO at
| tend. The suggestion that similar OPP
portunities should be afforded TO our
| New York teachers has met with the
enthusiastic approval Of DR.. McAndrew
and DR.. Finegan, of the State Depart
ment of Education, as well as of several
members Of the Board OF Education
with whom J have been able 10 confer.
al have, therefore, asked the acting
City Superintendent to draw up ten
tative programme Of courses to be
given by associate superintendent.
district superintendents, directors Of
departments and special branches and
principals, so that each teacher upon
reporting for work may be assigned to
definite lecture courses and confer
/ ences closely related to his or her work
for the coming school year.
Advantages of Courses.
an several respects will such courses
/ be particularly advantageous this year.
! Under the provisions of the new law
relative TO physical training the
/ schools must devote more attention to
/ this field, and the work of the first
4 year under the new law will be very
much more effective if the teachers
who are to have it in charge can be
/ given definite ideas as to what will be
/ expected Of them.
Furthermore, many schools IN
| Brooklyn, Manhattan and The Bronx
! are being reorganized on the duplicate
/ plan, and it is of great Importance that
/ the teachers in these schools be &C.
/ quainted with the meaning and posi-
bilities Of duplicate school organiza-
| ton.
again, the problem presented by
1 the new compulsory education law re-
/ curing the attendance of fourteen
year old children, unless elementary
/ school graduates, is one calling for
/ conference between teachers and child
| labor experts, as well as for careful
plans for giving such pupils the kind
of training best fitted to prepare them
| for their work
"The organization Of junior high
/ schools, or intermediate schools, may
well receive further consideration, and
discussion of the pension problem may
/ also be included"