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bottom, and that an efficient system of isolated common schools is a practical impossibility. They realize the fact that it is only from the public schools and academies that competent teachers for the common schools can be obtained. From the best opinion which your committee has been able to obtain it would seem to be a moderate estimate to say that five-sixths of the teachers of the common and district schools of the State at the present time have received part, or the whole, of their advanced education in the public high schools and academies of the State, and not more than about one-tenth of the entire number are graduates even of the normal schools established by the State itself for the training of teachers. To suppose that the common schools would flourish without a system of academic and higher education would be, to quote the words of Superintendent Kennedy: "Infancy trying to sustain itself. If the opponents of high schools could carry their point we should soon have class education in its most vicious form. The wealthy classes would simply send their children to private high schools, and the progressive deterioration of the lower grades, unsupported by a highschool center, would cause them to withdraw their children entirely from those grades. Those grades would thus be abandoned to the poorer classes, and attendance in them would become a badge of indigence. When the public school degenerates into a mere charity school the proudest of the poor will save their self-respect by keeping out of it. The public school then would be merely an assembly of paupers. As the genius of the American people have contrived it, it is the West Point of civil life, it is the people's training house for an on-coming citizenship."

That the State of New York upon this question is only the leader in a movement which comprises the intelligence of the entire country is proved by the figures of the report for the year 1890-91 (the last one available) of the United States Commissioner of Education, Dr. William T. Harris. According to this report there were then in the United States more than 2,700 public high schools containing in all upwards of 210,000 students. At the same time there were more than 1,700 private schools of similar grade containing upwards of 98,000 students. This shows that in the United' States two-thirds of the pupils who are receiving education of this grade are receiving it at the expense of the public. It would also seem to show conclusively that the policy which thus commends

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itself to the great body of the people in all the United States, and which they consistently pursue year after year, is one which has justified itself according to the common judgment of our countrymen. In fixing this policy with all the solemnity and permanence of a constitutional provision, this convention will be making an advance in the line of educational progress worthy to be compared with the memorable law enacted by our fathers more than a century ago.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

Your committee is of the opinion that the present Department of Public Instruction has, since its establishment as a separate office, performed the duties pertaining to it as faithfully and well as was possible in view of the disadvantage arising from its want of organic connection with the rest of the educational system. The management of the common school interests has been careful, economical and evidently animated by a noble ambition to place the common schools of New York at least upon a level with those of other States. We believe that unification of the entire system would tend to increase the efficiency of the department to the highest degree, and proud as we have every reason to be of the common school system of the State, there can be no doubt that, especially so far as the rural and district schools are concerned, there is still room for much improvement, and the Superintendency of Public Instruction must continue to afford an inviting field for the highest ambition of the best educational talent of the State.

UNIFICATION OF THE DUAL SYSTEM.

Besides vindicating the wisdom of State recognition and aid to higher education, the policy of New York exemplifies most signally the importance of a well-considered system. The danger which, above all others, must be avoided by a democratic commonwealth is the disintegration of its people into units with no immediate concern but self-interest; into individuals to whom social bonds and duties appear of little moment. The same danger exists to an even greater extent in education. There more than elsewhere it is necessary to battle most vigorously against anarchy and want of organization, in proportion as the subjects of knowledge and the demands upon the individual brain become more numerous and more complex. Science and industry are advancing

with such rapid strides that the human brain cannot, save by more and more rigorous discipline, adapt itself to such a variety of formulas, theories and applications. Alfred Fouillee, the distinguished French educator, rightly says: "That nation which can introduce into its education the most powerful and the most consolidated organization will ipso facto enjoy in the world of intellect a superiority analagous to that of well-organized governments and armies.”

Prof. Huxley's definition of a system of education worthy of the name has become classical, as requiring an educational ladder with its foot in the gutter and its top in the university, every single step and rung complete and within the reach of every climber. The vision of just this system was, no doubt, in the minds of the founders of the University of the State of New York, and it is for this Convention to determine how far that vision shall now be realized. In the present educational system of the State, there is a break in the progression; not indeed fatal, but serious and unnecessary, and presenting a problem which calls upon the best intelligence of the State for its solution. Upon the abstract principle that unification of the dual education system of the State would be advantageous to all concerned, your committee is unanimous; but there has been a great diversity of views regarding the method of bringing about such a result, and especially upon the fundamental question as to whether it was desirable at all to make this matter the subject of a constitutional enactment. Two methods of unification have suggested themselves:

First. To make the Superintendent of Public Instruction elective by the Board of Regents of the University, holding office at their pleasure, or upon a fixed term, as the case might be.

Second. The creation of a new central authority uniting in itself the functions of both the University and the Department of Public Instruction.

A third method, subordinating the University to the Department of Public Instruction, has not been seriously considered.

In discussing any plan of unification it is important to remember that the establishment of a complete and harmonious system of education is only a part of the end to be attained. It is of equal, if not of greater, importance that every possible effort should be made to remove the educational system of the State wholly from the domain of party politics. All the critics of our public school

system agree upon this one point, that party politics constitutes the greatest danger to which the system is exposed, and that little improvement, whether in method or results, can be hoped for so long as public service in connection with schools and educational institutions is considered in the light of spoils belonging to the victor in a purely political contest. Your committee wishes to put on record an emphatic indorsement of this view, although they recognize that but little reform is possible in this direction by a constitutional enactment. We believe, however, that public opinion is rapidly becoming convinced that the spoils system must be eliminated from the public service, at least so far as education is concerned. The principal argument advanced in favor of the first of the above methods of unification was that, whereas the Superintendent of Public Instruction is now elected by the Legislature invariably from partisan considerations, the board of regents could be trusted, in view of their unbroken record and traditions, to make a selection only upon the broad ground of approved competency and the public interest. The principal objec tion, moreover, to the creation of a new central authority, with power to elect a superintendent, was felt to be the strong probability that such a plan would tend rather to increase than to diminish the influence of party politics upon the educational interests of the State.

After careful examination and full discussion, and after hearing many able arguments on all sides of the question, your committee were unable to agree upon any constitutional provision for unification. The various plans presented were, necessarily, in a large degree tentative. None of them seemed to a majority of the committee to be so certain of accomplishing the desired result as to justify its adoption in a form likely to remain unchanged for many years, thus preventing a trial of other methods and the final adoption of that which experience might demonstrate to be the wisest and best. The University of the State being recognized by section two of our proposed article, and being thus put beyond the reach of hasty or ill advised legislation, the majority of your committee feel that all further steps may safely be left to the Legislature. Public opinion may be trusted to enforce the demand of those best qualified. to judge, for any legislation necessary to give the highest possible efficiency to all the schools and institutions of learning of the State, and we think that enough will have been accomplished to insure

further progress upon correct lines, if the section in the form in which we submit it shall receive the approval of the Convention and ultimately of the people.

FUNDS.

The permanent educational funds of the State are as follows: First. The Common School Fund was, in 1893, four million, three hundred and seventy-three thousand, one hundred and forty and 77-100 ($4,373,140.77-100) dollars. This fund is invested, and produced, according to the last report of the Comptroller, an income in 1893 of one hundred and sixty-one thousand and forty-eight and 54-100 ($161,048.54-100) dollars.

Second. The United States Deposit Fund, which consists of money turned over to the State under act of Congress passed June 23, 1836. Its investment was provided for by chapter 150, of the laws of New York of 1837. The total amount of the fund in 1893 was four million and fourteen thousand, five hundred twenty and 71-100 ($4,014,520.71-100) dollars, producing an income in 1893 of one hundred and fifty-two thousand, four hundred thirty. one and 30-100 ($152,431.30-100) dollars.

Third. The College Land Scrip Fund, amounting to the sum of four hundred and seventy-four thousand four hundred nineteen and twelve one-hundredths ($474,419.12-100) dollars, producing an income in 1893 of eighteen thousand nine hundred seventy-two and fifty one-hundredths ($18,972.50-100) dollars, all of which was paid over to the trustees of Cornell university, pursuant to chapter 460 of the Laws of 1893, and chapter 583 of the Laws of 1865.

Fourth. The Literature Fund which, in 1893, amounted to two hundred and eighty-four thousand two hundred one and thirty onehundredths ($284,201.30-100) dollars; the income therefrom in 1893 was ten thousand eighty-two and fifty one-hundredths ($10,082.50100) dollars.

The income derived from this fund is yearly paid over to the University of the State of New York, and by section 26, chapter 378, Laws of 1892, the amount of the income has been supple. mented annually by thirty-four thousand ($34,000) dollars taken from the income of the United States deposit fund and sixty thousand ($60,000) dollars taken from the general fund. The total amount is distributed among the academies and union schools of