an average annual attendance of 20,000 pupils. These are designed
for the instruction of those whose avocations or age prevent them from
attending the day schools. Only simple studies are taught in these
schools. The pupils consist of cash boys, clerks, porters, and laboring
men and women. Many of them are foreigners, who come to learn the
English language. The adults show as much eagerness to learn as the
younger pupils. All are generally neat in person, though their clothing
may be rough and worn. Sometime ago, a member of the Board of Education,
in addressing one of these evening classes, dwelt especially upon the
necessity of cultivating habits of personal neatness. It happened that
there were several men present, whose appearance indicated that they had
come directly from their work to the school. One of them arose, and
offered the following excuse for their appearance. He said, "We don't
always come to school in this way, but we were at work in the yard pretty
late, and had no time to go home for supper even, as we didn't want to be
late at school; and not expecting any visitors, we made up our minds to
come as we were. The Principal knows us, and we knew he would excuse us
for coming so."
An Evening High School, for males only, has been established, at which
working men, and others unable to attend the day schools, may pursue a
more extended course of study. English grammar, mathematics, natural
science, drawing, navigation, municipal and constitutional law,
phonography, declamation, book-keeping, Latin, French, German, and
Spanish are embraced in the course. The students may pursue one or more
studies, as they may desire.
The Mission Schools have been mentioned already.
II. THE COLLEGES.
The higher institutions of learning are numerous, but we can mention only
the principal here.
The University of the City of New York was established in 1831, and is
regarded as one of the best institutions of its kind in the country. It
has a chancellor and a full corps of professors in its several schools.
It includes a preparatory department, a grammar school, a school of art,
a school of civil engineering, a school of analytical and practical
chemistry, a school of medicine, and a school of law. The medical school
has been especially famous, and has numbered among its professors, at
various times, such men as Valentine Mott, John W. Draper, and William H.
Van Buren.
The University building
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