Public School Training

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PUBLIC SCHOOL TRAINING.

The Board of Education transacted very little business of interest last night. The only noticeable feature was the resolution offered by Mr. Whiting¹ for the exclusion from the list of studies prescribed for our public schools of such branches as Algebra, Astronomy, &c. The motion, which was referred to the School Book Committee, appeared to meet with but little favor from the members of the Board. The proposition will most likely be reported adversely to by the Committee. Yet we do not see but that there is ground for careful inquiry into the character of our school teaching—whether it is not becoming more showy and superficial than solidly useful—whether apparent smartness at the examinations and bold forwardness at the exhibitions are not placed in the position that familiar acquaintance with the rudiments of elementary tuition ought to occupy.

The great object of our public schools is not to give the few a costly and elaborate education, but to instill into the many an ordinary, elementary knowledge of common things. People that are ambitious enough to desire recondite learning for their children, over and above what the majority have either time or opportunity to acquire, should pay for the extra learning themselves. The great mass of the children educated in our schools do not stay there long enough to afford to waste time in picking up a smattering of the ‘ologies—their teachers have done well by them if they have grounded them in what is called a “plain English education.” If the ‘ologies are taught to any extent, as we infer from Mr. Whiting’s resolution that they are, the poor—for whom mainly the schools are designed—reap no benefit from it, for their children cannot stay long enough in the schools to learn these abstruse branche—they have to earn their own support. And as regards the children of wealthier people, their parents ought to pay for whatever higher grade of education they obtain.

We hope therefore that Mr. Whiting’s resolution will not be summarily ignored—but that it will provoke at least discussion and inquiry; and reform, if such be needed. As the people of Kings in 1856 decided by their votes that they were averse to having luxuries supplied to the poor at the County expense, but only plain simple food, so we imagine the sentiment of the people of Brooklyn is that in the public schools the essential rudiments of learning only, and not its higher branches, are to be taught.

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