Ebenezer Bailey
Published: 2015-07-11
Total Pages: 64
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Excerpt from Review of the Mayor's Report, on the Subject of Schools, 1828, Vol. 2: So Far as It Relates to the High School On this question, the members were again equally divided, and the Mayor gave his casting vote for postponement. Soon after the organization of the present board, the subject was again taken up and referred to a sub-committee of which Mr Quincy was the chairman; and the result of their labors, - or rather of his labors, - will be found in the report now before the public. From this sketch it will be seen that the real object of the report, is to discontinue the High School for Girls, and that the proposed improvements in "the common schools," are merely accidental. It has somehow happened, however, - for good and sufficient reasons no doubt, - that the accidental circumstance has given a name to the document, to the exclusion of its main object and design; for, so far as we can judge from the title of their memorable production, the committee appointed to examine into the expediency of continuing the High School for Girls, have reported on another and quite a different subject. Mr Quincy, however, has forgotten neither this school, nor his settled determination to put it down; but he could not venture upon this measure, openly and distinctly, - even after he had secured his election for another year, - without informing the public that he was about to substitute something better in its place. Hence it is, that he has brought in review the whole system of Grammar, Writing and Primary schools, - with an ominous scowl, by the way, at the Latin and English High schools, - all of which he proposes to improve and elevate to the rank of the monitorial schools of New York! I have elsewhere recorded my sentiments on the subject of monitorial instruction. That this method, under judicious limitations, possesses some great and peculiar excellencies, I am well satisfied; and that more of its spirit might be introduced into the public schools, advantageously, if the houses were better fitted for its reception, can scarcely be a matter of serious doubt. But they deceive themselves, who think there is any magic in it; and it does seem to me that we shall make, at best, but a questionable bargain, if, to obtain its benefits, we abandon that principle for which our schools are so eminently and peculiarly distinguished, - I mean the division of labor in the business of instruction. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
