New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-15

VOLUME ".
The third paragraph, relative to petition of
taxpayers and citizens of the Fourth District,
praying for the construction of a sidewalk on
the east side of Chippewa street. was referred
to the Committee on Streets and Landings.
The fourth paragraph having been read, Ny.
Burke presented the following resolution, which
was adopted, the rules being suspended:
Resoiyed That the Comptroller be, and he is hereby
authorized to cell the lowest bidder after advertise
ment of ten days the contract for fuel for the use of the
corporation the Surveyor to give the requisite specca
tion as to the quality and quantity of said fuel.
The fifth paragraph, on the subject Of the
House of Refuge, was laid on the table subject
TO call
The following quarterly report of the Board
Of School Directors of the Second District, was
received and referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation
SECOND DISTRICT PuGlIc SCHOOLS I
Secretary Office, Oct u, 1852.
10 the Honorable resdea emit bie,aIers of The Board Of .ds-
sistant .1hierzaas Of The city Of erO5teans.
GENTLEMEN l am directed by the Board Of Directors
Of The Public Schools for the Second District to transmit
to honorable body the enclosed report and statement
RrYNEs. Secretary.
10 The Io,oaqje lie Conca Of fe Ciy Of NetyOrleais:
Tho report of the Board Of Directors of the Public
Schools in and for the Second School District respect
fully shows that in compliance with the acquisitions Of
the law they submit to your honorable body the follow
ing statement and views:
And first as to the financial operations Of said District
they lay before you the accompanying statement marked
A. frol their Committee Finance which has
ccived the sanction of this Board This statement
detail of all expenditures since the 1t OF June
last the last Of September showing the amount Of every
Item of expenditure to whom paid and what account
1t also contains estimate Of the probable expenditures
for the remaining eight months of their Of service
From this it will be that the accounts audited
coed the appropriation made by the Council by SS2l S.
and that II the expenditures anticipated should be
tay made and the present appropriation should not be
changed and enlarged the expenditures would exceed
the receipts by a9O55 81
It is clear therefore that either the present eIectua
operations of the Board must be at abandoned the
benefits OF Public Education withdrawn limited and
crippled to make the whole scheme subject of public
reproach and Of substantial public advantage else
the Council must make appropriation adequate to the
demand
The Board would most respectfully invite your honora-
ful and rigid examination. They believe that it will
challenge the most critical scrutiny, aud that the est
mates cannot be abridged but might be enlarged with
evident advantage to the public They perfectly will
ling however at all times, to receive any suggestions
from your honorable body, which may enable them to
abri1gs the expenditures where it be done without
impIrng the efficiency Of the present system.
This Board would in the second place call the atten
tion Of your honorable body facts
with the present Public School system in this city which
they deem Of public interest The law which united the
several hunic pates and Lafayette into one city pro-
Claimed distinct and separate territorial division Of The
city into School Districts It Is not for question the
wisdom of this measure but fairly and faithfully carry
into rigid execution Thi. law declares that separate ap
propriaons for the maintinance Of the schools elL
Dfg1ict in proportion to the number Of pupils eaA
shci be made In his message to your honorable body
April last his Honor the Mayor stated tie number Of
pupils in each District follows:
First District ........ 35O4
second District co.. ..,......,.,.... 2479
liltu Dl9'IlcI, I:2o9
Fourth District. ct.................,........ 1.509
The ordinance passed by the Council in compliance with
the acquisitions Of the section the
Consolidation fixed the appropriation twenty dollars
for each pupil If this rule had been adhered TO- the
number Of pupils stated in the message of the Mayor
tirst .,.'......,. .................. S7O0S0
,s,toiu' .-,.,.,,',..... 430tO
THIRD ...'....' ...,.,...........,... 25.3s0
.''''''''' ''' ''''''.'''''.' oolo9
Vow the ordinance making the appropriations actually
gi'rs to each District as follows
d,,5 flist, S7oQSo
lhlrd .'., '''...,.....,, ........,..,.. 296+0
feurth ..'...'''''... ......... 3S.T20
Thus it will be that the most exact adherence to
me number OF children in this District observed
whe there departure in the the Third and
and Fourth Districts and in these larger sum than
the twenty dollars would have been given them for each
pupil in the District stated in the Mayors message
This Board Is persuaded that this manifest injustice
this District done doubtless through mistake by the
Council will be Immediately remeded by your honorable
body.
This separate District system is liable to very grave in
conyeIiences some Of which have been partially
come by system Of voluntary conventions which have
taken place between members of the several Districts in
which Ele greatest harmony prevailed and from a full
aud free Interchange of views. approach has been
made towards equal and unlogi system Of INSTRUCTION
Tho most difficult and serious matter however in this
connection grows out Of the fact that in this District The
rehch and Engiish languages are both taught, while
the French IS taught i'll no other District The very
natural desire Of parents to have their children taught
IN both languages, has led many Of them send tIar
;hidren INTO the schools here and this practice has
been oyerlooEed or tolerated for many years past The
pr" ent board IN execution OF what they regard the
)"'e ieeSHli"h cl le state on the subject and the
lur ,ments OF the law that The appropriations shall on
IN exact scale OF ratio in proportion to the number ot the
h4ren between ,i and sixteen year, Of age residing in
ne District has 'ltit be their duty exclude all such
hIdreu from all future coetinued admission our
chno!s This wa painful but imperative task. for it
vas ouud that great number 0f childau thus situated
ad been in our schools through all the primary and inter
lediate departments and had reached the High School
nth credit to Themselves and whose education would
ave been finished with the present year They had be-
strongly attached the teachers and the teaches n
east partiahty in obeying the law, With it was a
ueson duty and not Of sympathy This evil has bpen
arrled so far that in single school il found that
lasst one-ith Of the pupils ftom adjoining Dis
'ct the question Is submitted whether the Council
n this point.
There another state Of things which this Board deems
great importancet to the interest the public aud which
reSses hardly upon them in common with their friends
the Third and Fourth Districts The schoolouses sit.
Sed IN the FIRST District were mostly owned by the late
econd Municipality, and by the act of consolidation be-
anne the property OF the entire city These schoohouses
now used and most properly by the Board School
ettofs OF the First District ur the purposes of public
'hoos Thus they not charged with any for this
uDic property and are enabled to dedicate almost
re amount of their annual approximation the immc
late purposes of instructions the purchase of station
y DOCKS anu the employment OF an efficient of
gent teachers 1t evident therefore that the appro
ration Is unequal and unjust To make the perfectly
antet suppose that the First and Second Districts have
Aacly the same number Of children say The appro
ration IN money Of $50 for each child would make S60OOO
each apparently fair. But addition to this
gu appropriate the use Of the public property invested in
hool House, in the First to their while the other is
1t to expend large part of their appropriation in the
lyment of rents, This evil could be csy remedied by
lc Council paying the of the several Districts or
'ecpg at public sufficient number OF School Houses
each District to satisfy the demand The Council win
e hy examining the financial reports of the several Dis
ct5 now this matter operates the practical admis
alton of the system.
Tie season of the year has but commenced when orr
choHls aredr opened for the year and this Board feel
very assurance that they will be able to satisfy the pub
Judgment with the administration of the school sys
n SO Tar as it is committed to their charge and they
lrnesy ask the cooperation of the Council in their abor
hey would there could be regular and constant
STATION on the part OF members from parts of the cty
rms board would be doing great Injustice if thew q
ltted TO state that the present Superintendent and the
mole body OF Teachers ably and diligently seeking to
,rtorm their respective duties and Justify the conf
nguages before stated, being taught in our school
eeessariy imposes them additional qualifications
I'd abor beyond what would be exacted in but one
as taught
This Board has not yet been able find any efectual
edy against the evil Of irregular attendance on the
trt o1 the pupils but it is of great magnitude of
r0us public evil Whether the public has not such
ght 10 have the children who hereafter become its
tzcns and under happy form OF government be
c controllers OF the public destinyits officers all the
'ptrtments OF government civil and mlitaryas au-