New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-04
Dr. Maxwe ell,
Former School
Head, Dies at 68
City. Superintendent for
20 Years Succumbs to
Hardening Of the Arteries
After Nervous Breakdown
Noted as an Educator
Schools TO Suspend Exer-
cises at Hour of Funeral
at III A. Nj. Tomorrow


at III A. Nj. Tomorrow
DR.. William Henry Maxwell, for twenty
years City Superintendent of Schools
last two years, died yesterday at his
home, 8S Franklin Place, Flushing.
The immediate cause of death was
hardening of the arteries, though he
had been an invalid since nervous
break down about five years ago. Fu-
neral services will be held at his late
residence tomorrow morning and will
be conducted by the Rev. DR.. Francis
Maxwell Lounsberry, of st. Bartholo-
news Church, Brooklyn.
All exercises will be suspended in
the city schools at II o'clock tomorrow
morning, when the funeral Of DR.. Max
well takes place, it was announced
yesterday by William L. Ettinger,
Superintendent of Schools, at an ad-
iourned meeting OF the Board of Edu-
cation.
DR.. Ettinger, who made the official
announcement of Dr.. Maxwell's death,
also said he had directed that the flags
on the school buildings be at half mast
for thirty-fve days to mark the thirty
five years spent by him in the school
system. DR.. Ettinger spoke of the part
his predecessor had taken in the reor-
ganZation of the city's school system
and sad
"His was the master mind in the
reorganization of the school system,
made possible by the enactment of the
charter; in the development of our
high school system and in the protract-
ed but successful struggle to enrich
the elementary curriculum in order
that our children, rich and poor, might
ENJOY the benefits Of a liberal educa-
ton. His was the task and the privi-
lege to interpret the best educational
thought of the time and through his
energy and leadership to embody such
ideals in the daily work of our school
system"
Tribute by A. S. Somers
Arthur S. Somers, who had known
Dr' Maxwell as a onetime pupil and
later as friend, said at the meeting:
ut was my privilege to be pupil
on the first day in the first class which
Dr. Maxwell taught in this country.
found strange and growing affection
and regard for him and later in life |
learned to know him better, to appre-
ciate his true worth and value. While
always agreeing, my profound regard
increased for one of, if not the great
est educators of this country, especial
~ IN primary grades. Hundreds and
thousands of men and women have
been made better by his efforts for
them in their childhood"
Dr. MaXwell was born at Stewards
of the Rev. John Maxwell, pastor of
the Presbyterian Church at Birch. He
was pupil in a public school
and studied ancient and modern
languages and mathematics under his
father and also under the Rev. George
MacIoshle, who was afterward con-
splcuously connected with the Green
Sc!entltic School at Princeton. After a
0 81 career at Queens College,
Galway, where he was said to have
PAID rs way, by winning prizes, he
was Graduated IN 1872. For two years
ne pursued postgraduate course for
the masters degree. meanwhile teach
ing IN the Royal Academical Institu-
uIon, Belfast, and lecturing at the La
o!eS Collegiate institute in the same
city. In 1874 he came to America.
Reporter for The Tribune
His first work here was as reporter
tor The Tribune, followed by similar
work for "The Herald" Later he was as
soc ate editor Of "The Metropolitan" q
weekly magazine, and for five wears
managing editor of "Thc BROOKLYN
Ilmes.' During the last two years of
Ih'S engagement lie was a teacher and
lecturer in the evening high schools
CT brooklyn, and thus opened the way
for his appointment, in 1882, as AS
the then c ty of Brooklyn. For five years
ne tllled that place. In 1887 he was
elected superintendent of Schools, to
succeed Dr.. Calvin Patterson, who be-
came principal of the Girls High
School. To this place he was reelected
three times, and in it he did much to
ssubst tute modern methods of teach
ing and learning in place of the old
rote and memoriter system. He also
procured the enactment of state law
requiring every teacher in a school in
any city of this state to be graduate
OF high school and of school for
the professional training of teachers
or some other institution of equal rank
Upon the consolidation of BROOKLYN
and other municipalities with New
\ ork in 1898 he was elected Citv Su
perintendent of Schools for the entire
metropolis, and filled that place for
twenty years. In it he continued his
work as a radical reformer and as
such frequently came into sharp CON
fiict with the Board of Education. His
structures upon corrupt practices in
some of the borouoils caused the board
to refuse to print one of his annual
reports; though it finally did print it
at the demand of the public, with an
He brought about the creation of the
High School of Commerce and the
Training School for Teachers, the de-
velopment of the kindergarten system
MEziE1R7z11R 1trnporfer,
DT