Excerpt from The Organization of City School Systems: An Address Delivered Before the Council of School Superintendents of the State of New York at Albany, October 14, 1912 The purpose of this paper is to express in general terms the conclusions reached after an experience of twenty years in dealing with many phases of the subject and also to express what is commonly acknowledged by expert authority in school administration to be the fundamental principles on which all laws which are to govern the public schools of a city should be enacted. Until a permanent policy shall be established in relation to the organization of the machinery for the operation of the public schools in the several cities of the State and upon fundamental principles consonant with the general policy of the State upon public education, and until these prin ciples are well understood by teachers, superintendents and officers who bear official relation to the schools, and until such fundamental principles are generally recognized by municipal authorities, political parties and in uential citizens, this subject is one which should receive the consideration not only of organizations of school workers like yours in session' here tonight but of all citizens who have a patriotic interest in the welfare of the State. The first law authorizing the establishment of public schools in this State was enacted in 1795. The permanent basis of a State system of public education was enacted in 1812, or just one hundred years ago. In these early statutes the principle was written that all tax-supported schools and schools receiving State aid should be under State supervision, that the schools constituted a State system and that public officers should be chosen in the several localities to represent the State and to carry into effect the State's policy in relation to public education. This principle became fundamental to all educational enterprises in which the State is interested. It is founded upon the sound doctrine that (the welfare of the State depends upon a general dissemination of education in all sections and for the benefit of all citizens and that, where the funds of the State go, the authority, supervision and control of the State must follow. 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."