DEAR SIR (H.) STATE OF NEW-YORK, SECRETARY'S OFFICE. 4 Albany, Nov. 28, 1831. I send by this mail two copies of the late edition of the school act, as prepared for the country districts. I also send two pamphlets, which contain at page 28 and onward, the regulations for the schools in New-York. I will take some occasion to send down the number you require, as the postage is very high on printed sheets of this kind. The arrangements for common school instruction in the city of New-York are too limited for the wants of the city. It is not sufficient to say, that there are schools from which none are turned away; this does not effect the object of giving instruction to all. You must not only carry a school to every man's door, as it were, but oftentime the parent must be persuaded to allow his children to be instructed. What reason can be urged against applying the system of the country districts to the city of New-York? The same system is now operating in the city of Albany, under a law passed in 1830. This would require the commissioners of schools in New-York to divide the city into a convenient number of school districts, and to have a school-house erected in every neighborhood where it was wanted. Every school-house now in use might be adopted for the district of the neighborhood where it is located; and new ones should be erected by a general tax on the city, wherever the commissioners should deem it necessary. By some such arrangement, 15 or 20,000 children might participate in the public fund; whereas by the present arrangement, the public fund is shared only by about 6,000. Something should be done, and I desire to be advised by the commissioners what that ought to be. As they are not required officially to make such communication, I will regard it as a private one, made at my request and for my guidance. The annual report you will please to forward as soon as convenient. WM. THOMPSON, With much respect, Chairman Com's of Schools, New-York. To the Commissioners of School Money. The committee to whom was referred the letter of A. C. Flagg, Esq. Superintendent of Common Schools, to Wm. Thompson, Esq. chairman of commissioners in New-York, dated Nov. 28th, 1831, together with the letter of Wm. Thompson, Esq. to Mr. Samuel W. Seton, visitor of the poor, &c., also Mr. Seton's reply thereto, dated the 5th Jan. 1832, RESPECTFULLY REPORT: 1st. That in their opinion, the act passed in 1830, introducing in the city of Albany the system of the country districts would not promote the interest of the public schools in the city of New-York. 2d. That it appears to your committee that the Superintendent of Common Schools is not aware of the almost insurmountable difficulties which present themselves in a city like New-York to induce parents to send their children to school, or to compel the regular attendance of them, circumstances of so varied a character constantly presenting themselves, which renders the keeping of the children from school a matter either of necessity or convenience. 3d. That they are sanguine in the hope that the late ordinance of the honorable the corporation, excluding from the participation of public charity, when it may be required, all out-door poor, whether emigrants or not, who having children between the ages of 5 and 12, neglect or refuse to send them to some one of the public schools, and authorising the commissioners of the alms-house and the trustees of the public schools to give publicity thereof, will have a very salutary effect in increasing the number of scholars. It may be proper here to add, that the trustees have, as your committee has been informed, caused 20,000 handbills, containing the ordinance, with a list of locations of the different schools, to be put up in different parts of the city.* 4th. That the number of infant schools established in every part of our city, (independent of those in connection with the public schools,) in which are admitted children from two to seven years, tend, in the opinion of your committee, to lessen the number of younger children attending our public schools. The system of education adopted in infant schools, as must have been evident to you in your visits, is calculated to please the younger children in a much higher degree than that of the public schools. Your committee do not, however, mean to convey the idea that they disapprove of the infant schools, but on the contrary, they consider them powerful auxiliaries to the public schools, inasmuch as at an earlier period than the public schools can by law receive the children, they become as it were better disposed to submit to the discipline of public schools when they are transferred to them. Your committee further beg leave to report, that without entering into details of the very comprehensive view of the subject taken by Mr. Seton in his communication to our chairman, it appears *The influence of this ordinance may be inferred from the fact, that about 4,000 families are annually aided as out-door poor-averaging 5 to each family, it gives a total of 20,000 who will feel the effects of this ordinance.-Supt. at the date of it that the various school-houses of the society could accommodate 3,357 more scholars than the number in attendance, or 2,357 more than the number on register. It also appears that Mr. Seton holds the appointment of visitor from the trustees; that it is made his duty to visit all the families connected with the public schools and the families of the poor located in every part of the city, to induce them to send their children to school. From the well-known character of Mr. Seton for zeal, ability and industry, your committee feel confident no exertion on his part has been wanting to accomplish the object of his appoint ment. Your committee further beg leave to report, that since the last distribution of the school money the trustees of the public schools have purchased, in the eastern section of the city, two additional sites for school-houses, and they have determined to open ten primary schools in such parts of the city where they may be required. A number of them are now in successful operation, and the whole will be as soon as suitable rooms can be obtained. Your committee further report, that the Manumission Society have, since the same period, added three schools to their number for the education of coloured children; all of them are now in successful operation. Your committee further beg leave to report, that in their opinion, from the well known character of, and zeal at all times manifested by the patriotic and humane citizens who hold the important and arduous stations of trustees of the public school society, the public may rest assured that no exertions on their part will be wanting to extend the advantages of education to every child in our great and increasing city, who of himself, or through the means of parents or guardians, may be disposed to accept the offered boon. Your committee, with a view of making them the property of the commissioners, beg leave to offer the following resolution: Resolved, That the letter of A. C. Flagg, Esq. Superintendent of Common Schools, dated 28th Nov. 1831, to William Thompson, Esq. chairman of commissioners of school money, and William Thompson, Esq's. letter of 10th Dec. to Mr. Samuel W. Seton, visitor of public school society, together with Mr. Seton's reply thereto, dated 8th Jan. 1832, be placed on file as a matter of refe rence. All which is respectfully submitted, SAMUEL GUILFORD, JUN. CORNELIUS HAROM. Nov. 23d, 1832. Report of the Commissioners of Schools for the City of New-York. The Commissioners of School Money for the city of New-York, in obedience to the statutes of the State, requiring them to report to the Corporation, and to the Superintendant of Common Schools, on or before the first day of December in every year, on the several matters contained in the reports made to the commissioners by the respective societies and schools for the year preceding the first of May in the same year, and on such other matters as the commissioners may deem necessary to promote the interests of said schools, RESPECTFULLY REPORT: That the balance in the Mechanics' bank of the city of NewYork, to the credit of the commissioners, for the year ending on the first of May, 1831, and after the distribution of that year amounted to thirty-five dollars and seventy-three cents: That on the thirty-first day of May last, the sum of ten thousand five hundred and seventy-six dollars and fifty-six cents was passed at the bank to the credit of the commissioners, being the quota of the school fund due from the State to the city and county for the same year: That a deposit was on the same day made at the bank to the credit of the commissioners, by the corporation, of the sum of eighty thousand two hundred and sixteen dollars and fifty-six cents: Forming a grand total for distribution, of ninety thousand seven hundred and forty-eight dollars and eighty-six cents; an expense account of seventy-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents being deducted, as hereinafter mentioned. That the commissioners received from the trustees of the Public School society a report of attending scholars in the schools of their society, to the number of three thousand eight hundred and ninetyeight, and paid the society at the rate of nineteen dollars and ninety-three cents per scholar, the sum of seventy-seven thousand six hundred and eighty-seven dollars and fourteen cents. That the Orphan Asylum society at Greenwich received for one hundred and twelve scholars reported by them, at the same rate per scholar, two thousand two hundred and thirty-two dollars and sixteen cents. That the Manumission society received for two hundred and fifty African scholars, at the same rate per scholar, four thousand nine hundred and eighty-two dollars and fifty cents. That the Mechanics' society received for twenty-six scholars taught free of expense in their school, at the same rate, five hundred and eighteen dollars and eighteen cents. That the Roman Catholic benevolent society reported from the school of the Catholic Orphan Asylum ninety-two scholars taught there free of expense, and received at the same rate per scholar, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three dollars and fifty-six cents. That the trustees of the Yorkville school received for fortythree scholars, at the same rate per scholar, eight hundred and fifty-six dollars and ninety-nine cents. That the trustees of the Harlaem school received for sixty scholars, one thousand one hundred and ninety-five dollars and eightyfour cents. That the trustees of the Manhattanville school received for fiftyeight scholars, one thousand one hundred and ninety-five dollars and ninety-four cents. That the trustees of the Hamilton school, near Kingsbridge, received for fourteen scholars, at the same rate, two hundred and seventy-nine dollars and two cents. Thus forming a total distributed for those schools collectively, of ninety thousand seven hundred and forty-one dollars and twenty nine cents. That the commissioners have paid from the fund for stationary, a desk for their papers, and sundry incidental expenses, the sum of seventy-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents, and have to their credit in bank a balance of seven dollars and fifty-seven cents. The trustees of the Public School society did not include in their report an average of one hundred and fifty-eight children, who had been taught free of expense in their schools, for the reason that that number had not yet attained their fourth year, and by law could not be reported: that the number reported, and for which they had received payment from the School fund for the year, had been diminished by the severity and protracted cold of the past winter, and the prevalence of an unusual degree of sickness among the children. The commissioners feel it but a just tribute to the strenuous and philanthropic labors of the trustees of the Public School society, to assure the Superintendent and the Corporation, from what they have witnessed, that school-houses have been erected conveniently ⚫ and judiciously located in the different parts of the city, and one at Bloomingdale, comfortably provided to the fullest extent of the means heretofore allotted the society. That they are not only open to all who choose to avail themselves of the benefits of the education afforded, but that the society have taken great pains and specially employed visitors to wait on such at their own houses as have not been sufficiently attentive to the benefits held out to them, to endeavor to prevail on parents or guardians to send their children to the schools of the society, and to inculcate the necessity of proper habits of punctual attendance; and induced thereto by the very liberal provision made by the Corporation during the past year, the trustees of the Public School society have extended their present establishment, and organized several new primary schools in different parts of the city, giving good earnest of their intentions to use the fund confided to them to the best possible advantage for the objects in view. And the commissioners entertain no doubt that the fund will be so applied by them, quite as extensively as is consistent with the gradual and proper extinguishment of the heavy debt they have incurred in the erection and establishment of the buildings now in their use. The directors of the Orphan Asylum at Greenwich report on the property and affairs of that institution, that including the moneys received for the past year from the |