PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

 

Charles Rufus Skinner.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, March 6, 1899.

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

Double Administration Condemned by Superintendent Skinner.

   ALBANY, March 6.—Superintendent of Public Instruction C. R. Skinner calls the attention of the legislature in the annual report of his department to the necessity of a change in the present unfortunate condition of a double administration of the public school system of the state resulting in dual inspection, examination and apportionment of public funds and school library moneys by two departments, each acting independently of the other, each maintaining at great expense the necessary force to do the work which could more acceptably be done by one.

   He says: "The public schools maintained by public taxation no matter where situated ought to be under the supervision and control of a single department. To maintain two departments and perform the work is plainly unwise and against all principles of government.

   "I earnestly urged that a line of demarcation be established between the work performed by the department of public instruction and the university along those lines.

   "The first, that every school maintained by general taxation be placed under the control of the state department of public instruction which should issue licenses to all teachers employed therein, apportion and distribute according to statute all public funds raised by state taxation in support thereof, and have charge of all professional schools for the training of teachers.

   "Second, that the university shall assume the care of all school libraries, of all private schools and every other department of educational work not maintained by public taxation, also of all examinations in the interest of the citizen for entrance to the professions.

   "This line of demarcation is plain, natural, easily understood by every one and avoids all useless waste of money in maintaining the two branches of the state government performing substantially the same work.

   "The time will soon come, I am convinced, when the legislature will correct this evil and will consolidate all of its public school interests and place them under the charge of this department separating them entirely from other branches of work, educational or otherwise."

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Bound by the Convention.

   From all time it has been conceded to be a rule of politics that men who take part in a political convention and who remain through the convention, making no protest against the proceedings of the organized body are bound by the action of the convention whether they have won or lost in the result. This rule is of course based upon the supposition that all the proceedings are conducted in a fair and impartial manner. It would also be reasonable to suppose that if a delegate to a convention discovered any evidences of fraud or unfairness in the proceedings he would make the fact known and would enter a protest against them. Having acquiesced in all the action of the convention he is supposed to be bound to abide by the result.

   One of the candidates upon the [Cortland County] Citizens' ticket was a member of the Republican convention and some of the signers of the petition which put the Citizens' ticket in nomination were members of the Republican convention which nominated the ticket which appears at the head of this column. They remained through that convention and took part in its proceedings, and entered no protest against anything that was done. A motion was made, and seconded that the secretary be instructed to cast a single ballot for the nomination of Mr. S. N. Holden for president of the village. The motion was put and was carried unanimously, not a single delegate dissenting. A motion was made and seconded to make the nomination of Mr. Davis unanimous for police justice. There was not a dissenting vote. Yet some of the delegates who thus silently agreed to those votes even if they did not actively favor the motions now appear petitioning for an independent ticket nominated against the Republican ticket and appear as a candidate upon that ticket. Is that a part of legitimate politics?

 

   ◘ Vigorous protests are coming up against the over-intellectualization of our age. In trying to know too much the race is in danger of losing sight of some other essentials. Knowing is not being, anymore than thinking is doing. Mrs. Lew Wallace has come into this group of protestants with a powerful complaint against the cramming of our children with useless knowledge before their bones are hard, their minds expanded or their characters formed, and she aims a well directed blow at the whole system of forced public education which is intent on making smart men and women, quite oblivious of whether they are able or good citizens.

 

   ◘ A memorial and fraternal society calling itself the Naval and Military Order of the Spanish-American war was recently organized in New York with Governor Roosevelt as commander. This is fast work. We are already beginning to commemorate what we have scarcely finished.

 

MORE ROOM NEEDED.

Soldiers' Home at Bath Is Greatly Overcrowded at Present.

   ALBANY, March 6.—Pursuant to a resolution adopted by the assembly on Washington's birthday, which Mr. Cross of Steuben introduced that the committee on soldiers and sailors home make an investigation of the affairs of the Soldiers' home at Bath, that committee visited the institution on Friday and made a thorough inspection.

   The committee found the home in "an awful condition," as one of the members expressed it on his return to Albany. In the hospital wing it was found that no less than 50 of the veterans were forced to sleep in the cellar owing to the overcrowded condition of the institution. The committee had no fault to find with the management, which is of the best, but they are badly hampered in their discharge of the duties by reason of the great number of inmates forced upon them and with no room to accommodate them.

   There are now 400 applicants awaiting admission just so soon as the additional wing now in the course of erection is thrown open to the public. The committee will shortly report to the house such recommendations as in their judgment are demanded for the best interests of the state.

 

Fast mail train at Cincinnatus, N. Y.

MUDBOUND, NOT SNOWBOUND.

Erie and Central New York Embarrassed This Morning.

   The morning train on the Erie & Central New York railway to-day did not reach Cincinnatus. During the winter months, the road was not affected by depths of snow, but this morning the trouble was with mud. The thawing of the past few days had caused a quantity of mud to slide down in what is known as Harrington's cut at Willet station, covering the rails to a depth of 8 or 10 inches. This morning Foreman Benson of the eastern section and a gang of men went at work cleaning out the cut. but could not accomplish it in time for the morning train which did not go beyond that point but returned to Cortland. The passengers and mail were taken up to Cincinnatus on a handcar. The cut was opened, however, so that the noon train made its trip nearly on time.

 

Marathon.

   MARATHON, March 6.—Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Smith attended the funeral of Mr. L. S. Smith at Syracuse Sunday.

   Mr. F. M. Beardsley attended the funeral of his brother-in-law Mr. J. L. Gillett at Cortland Saturday.

   Mr. Dent Watrous of Groton visited his cousin Jason Watrous Friday.

   Mr. Earl Mack of Oxford visited relatives here over Sunday.

   Prof. Lewis Swift of Mount Lowe observatory, Echo mountain, California, has discovered a new bright comet in Eridanus, right ascension, three hours forty-five minutes, declination south 29 degrees. It has a short tail and is visible to the naked eye and moving slowly.

   There were ten Marathon people who attended the play "Sunshine of Paradise Alley," at Cortland Opera House on Friday evening and were well repaid for their trip. The number will be increased if the company visits Cortland in 1900.

   The funeral of Mr. Patrick O'Brien will be held to-day.

   The funeral of the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pinso was held Sunday.

   The funeral of Andrew Jackson Lane, an old soldier, will be held Tuesday. C.

 

Health Officers Appointed.

   At a meeting of the town board held this morning in the office of [Cortlandville] Town Clerk T. H. Dowd, Dr. M. R. Smith of McGraw was appointed as medical member of the board of health for the ensuing year, and Mr. B. B. Morehouse was appointed citizen member for the same period. Both have served in the same capacity during the past year. Mr. James E. Edwards was appointed truant officer.

 

W. C. T. U. COUNTY CONVENTION.

To be Held at Blodgett Mills, Wednesday, March 8—The Program.

   The quarterly convention of the Woman's Christian Temperance union of Cortland county will be held in the M. E. church at Blodgett Mills, March 8, with the following program:

WEDNESDAY MORNING.

   10:30 Devotional, Mrs. Warren.

   Rollcall [sic] of officers and superintendents.

   Report of past executive committee.

   Appointment of committees, credential,  resolution, courtesies.

   Address of Welcome, Mrs. Tanner.

   Response, Mrs. Maybury.

   Temperance news from everywhere.

   Noontide hour of prayer.

   Announcements and adjournment.

AFTERNOON.

   1:45 Executive meeting.

   2:00 Devotionals, Mrs. C. L. Jones.

   Reading the minutes of morning session

   Report of credential committee.

   Solo, Miss Palmer.

   Paper—Heredity and Health Foods, Mrs. A. G. Henry.

   Discussion.

   Recitations, Blodgett Mills union.

   Facts in regard to patent medicines, Mrs. C. F. Weller.

   Solo—Your Mother is Loving You Yet, Miss E. Tennant.

   Scientific Temperance Instruction, Mrs. Mary Polley

   What Does Our Union Need.

   Temple Talk, Mrs. Jones.

   Orders for State Minutes.

   Solo, Mr. Dell June.

   Y Hour, Cortland Y's.

   Plea for State Paper.

   Promise Meeting, Mrs. L. Keeler

   Adjournment.

EVENING.

   7:30 Devotionals, Mrs. Greenman.

   Music, Choir.

   Address of Welcome, Pastor.

   The Deacon's Tenth, Mrs. June.

   Music.

   Address, Rev. John T. Stone.

   Solo.

   Collection.

   Music.

   Benediction.

   Miss SAHAH H. HARE, Co. Cor. Secretary.

 

Isham's Octoroons.

   John W. Isham's famous Octoroons in the new musical farce, "A Tenderloin Coon," will be the attraction offered at Cortland Opera House this evening. The cast of characters numbers twenty-five singers and actors. A lavish disregard of expense is said to characterize the stage settings. The scenery has all been especially prepared for the production and many costume changes are required. The natural introduction of special features, ballets, burlesquers, concert and solo musical numbers gives much to the performance. Prices 35, 50 and 75 cts.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Grover post, No. 98, G. A. R., meets to-night.

   —Mr. A. H. Watkins is to-day removing the balance of his stock of drygoods from Cortland to his store in Homer.

   —The Lestershire Mfg. Co. of Lestershire, Broome Co., has decided to make a $150,000 addition to its plant this spring.

   —One tramp and one case of public intoxication were brought before Police Justice Mellon this morning. Both were discharged.

   —A teachers' institute for the First commissioner district of Cortland county will be held in Cortland the week beginning April 10.

   —Electric cars will run to McGraw on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of this week at the close of the performance of the cantata "Belshazsar."

   —The regular meeting of Grover Belief corps, No. 96, will occur to-morrow at March 7 at 2:30 P. M. It is urged that there be a large attendance.

   —Meetings of the town board will be held hereafter in the office of town Clerk T. H. Dowd. Regular meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.

   —Justice of the Peace Howard J. Harrington is fitting up an office in the Wickwire building in one of the rooms formerly occupied by Attorney B. A. Benedict.

   —Mrs. Cora E. Sebury of Brooklyn will speak at the Congregational church Friday evening under the auspices of the Y. W. C. T. U. No admission. Collection will be taken.

   —The date for the muster out of the Two Hundred Third New York Volunteers at Camp Witherill, N. C, in which are a number of Cortland boys, has been fixed for March 25.

   —The remains of Mrs. Lucy Snyder will be brought from Geneva to Cortland on the train arriving here at 2:31 o'clock to-morrow afternoon and will be taken directly to the vault in the Cortland Rural cemetery, where prayer will be offered. Friends are invited to be present.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Stowell, Staple Groceries, page 6; F. Daehler, Woolens, page 8; C. P. Brown, Prescriptions, page 7; Bingham & Miller, Spring Suits, page 8; A. S. Burgess, Top Coats, page 7; Opera House, "Dawn of Freedom," page 5; Buck & Lane, Bicycles, page 4; Pearson Bros., Mammoth Bargain, page 4.