Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-04-21

The Committee appointed at the town meeting in
June last, in relation to the subject Of the Pub
lie School in this town, have maturely consider
ed the Report Of the former Committee; and,
after a careful and patient examination Of all
the proceedings Of the town, and of all acts OF
the General Assembly, in any way connected
with the system of Public Schools, beg leave as
the result of their investigation and research, to
Report
That the school now establishedin Mill
street, is not such suhool as can with
propriety be called Free, and varies ma
terially from the wish of the freemen of
tho town recently expressed by their re-
solutions and proceedings; and varies, it
is believed, from every other free school
in this State.
The latest expressions Of the senti-
ments of the freemen of the town upon
the subject, are contained in their vote
on the third Monday of June, 1925, and
in sundry resolutions adopted March 26,
1827-the latter in relation to the regu-
la,ion of our present school.
In the former they say as follows
"Whereas the freemen Of the town Of Newport, in
town meeting legally assembled, have passed sun
dry acts and resolutions for the establishment and
support of public Schools for the education of all
the youth of said town at the public expenses and,
in consideration that certain property which was
originally given for the. education of the children
of the poor inhabitants Of said town, having been
sold under the authority of said town, and the pro-
ceeds thereof and the rents and profits arising
therefrom having been diverted from their proper
object, and applied to the liquidation OF the debts
of said town; and, that the sum so misappled,
would ut this time if it had been vested in availa-
BILE funds as it accumulated, produce an interest
sufficient for the education of all the youth OF said
town"
The act ofthe General Assembly pass
ed at the June session 1925, under which
the school in Mill-street was established,
is not in accordance with the vote above
recited, nor does it appear ever to have
been submitted to the consideration of
the ireemcn for their adoption or rejcc-
ton, nor ever directly acted on by them.
In the resolutions passed March Goth,
1927, we read as follows, to witt
"But it is at the same time hereby expressly
provided, that no child shall be excluded from the
benefits of the school, merely from inability to pay
for his tuition.''
From the language used in the pro-
ceedings of the town as long as they con-
tlnucd to agitate and discuss the subject,
not n doubt can exist that the freemen
did intend to establish Free School for
the education of all the youth ofthe town,
and to educate them at the public ex-
pense entirely.-Not to provide them
school houses and instructors only,-but
also fuel, books, stationary SIC. &c.
The school in Mill-street does not fl,.
/ fl this Intention
| LIST. Because it entirely excludes the children
of all parents possessed Of reputed to be possess
ed Of property to the amount Of - dollars
I'd. Because many Of those who are admitted
are required, it is believed, to pay sum for their
tuition which they are wholly unable to pay and
consequently compelled to leave the school. The
amount thus received from scholars for the year
ending I'd June, 1929, is $2l3 rs
| AT the January session of the General
Assembly, 1928, an act was passed esta-
blishing public schools throughout the
:! whole State. All Of them that have yet
gone into operation, are more free in their
character than the school in Mill-street,
if the information collected by the COM
mttee at some considerable pains can be
relied on. In none of the public schools
in this State, except the one in this town,
does property in any way prove either
disqualific alton or an aid to admission.
In some of them persons of25 or 26 years
of age, and all who please, become pu-
pills and avail themselves of the provision
for education made by the State.
u AT the May session l827-the legis-
lgture passed an act for establishing a
public school fund in this town, and a.
mong other provisions, it contains one for
applying the donation of $500, made
by Constant Taber, in his will "To the
J; general free schools that were or might
be established in this town"-to aid the
funds of the school established i'll Mill
street. The committee do not perceive
| any right which the Legislature possess
sed to change the object of testator's
| bequest at all, or, if it had such a right
right why it might not with equal pro-
priety have directed the application of
the fund.- to the public school established
in Washington Street or, to that main-
tanned at the Asylum on Coasters Har-
Dor Island ,-either olwhich then being,
to say the least of them, as free a school
as the one above mentioned, though
more limited in their operation.
1 AT the June session ofthe General As
: sembly, 1923, it would seem that the
, friends of the Mill street school aware
that, that school did not fall within the
provisions of the act of January 1923,
establishing public schools throughout
the State I; and, consequently, would
q not entitle the town of Newport to its pro-
=. portion of the $4,000 appropriated by
the state for the support ofpublic schools,
caused special act to be passed, au-