Daily American telegraph., 1852-06-05
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND JOHN W. MAURY.

Greet friends of Mr. Lenox to create the impression
that Mr. Maury is opposed to tho Public Schools of
this CITY, and that Mr. Lenox is tho only in tho
field for Mayor that has taken any interest in the
Public Schools it is deemed proper to make the fol-
lowing statement, to show what has really been Mr.
Maurys conduct in relation to them and how far the
facts in the justify the claim to exclusive merit
which Mr.. Lenox's friends set up for him.
writer in Mondays hteitigencer says:
"The following extract from tho journal of tho con-
venton which submitted to Congress the basis of our
upon which our system rests, will exhibit the deep
interest felt by him in the subject at that carly day.
as we'll his active zeal in favor of that plan most
calculated to duse generally tho elements of public
| instruction
"'Soc. TO- and be 1t enacted, That tho poll tax
which may be collected shall constitute fund, or be
added to any other fund now hereafter to be con-
stituted by any act OF the Corporation, for Hs pat
poses Of eaaoatton and for no other purpose, under
such regulations as may by tho Corporation from
time to time be provided and established:
| @ Mr. Lenox moved to amend the nth section by
striking out from the third line the words purposes
of education and to insert establishment and sup.
pOrt of common schools. "
If the writer had looked little further, he would
have among the papers laid before the Contention
Me first day Of its session by the then Mayor, Mr.
Soaton, a copy of bill proposing certain amend
mens to the City Charter, which had been drawn up
and presented to the District Committee by certain
members of the two Boards. In that bill, the writer
would have seen las any person can now see who will
take tho trouble to go to the Register oice) IN he
handwriting Of mr.. Marry an amendment, provid,
ing that the cWhh may be dersccd from said
pail tan she'll be applied By tic said Co1o,ation TO e
establishment am support Of pudlio sctools ~ the sa,d
city," Ifthe proposition of Mr.. Lenox made months
attrrwurds in the Convention, entities him to much
credit ought less to be given to Mr. Maury. who ori
ginaed it. and had urged its adoption upon the Dis
! The amendments to the charter agreed upon by the
Convention having failed to meet the appreciation of
Congress and various unsuccessful efforts having been
made to obtain amendments up to the session of
| 1878, Mr.. Maury introduced resolutions in the
Board of Aldermen, to submit the amendments to the
charter which had subsequently been agreed upon
by the two Boards to vote of the people of the city
on the o3d of February 1s4S These resolutions were
passed February A. 1915 Previous to the day of
voting, public meetings held in the First Fourth
Sixth, and Seventh Wards, to consider the proposed
amendments, Mr. Maury attended all of those meet.
ings. and explained to his fellow .citzons the objects
contemplated by the amendments. He urged upon
them their adoption, and especially upon the ground
of the favorable provision made for the support Of
public schools The amendments to tho charter wero
approved by large majority of the voters and were
submitted to Congress by the Corporation Committee
| of which Mr.. Maury a member. When they wore
laid before the District Committee of tho House of
Representatives Mr. Seaton (at that time the Mayor
confined to his house by severe and protracted
illness Mr. Maury as Acting Chairman of the Cor
poration Committee, attended, with the other NON.
bers the meetings of the District Committee and ad
vocated and explained section by section, the amend
mens. The result was highly gratifying to our cit
zens The District Committee made unanimous
report in favor of the amendments, and they
adopted by both Houses of Congress, almost without
objection.
After the charter had been amended various prop.
| ostions from time to time brought before the
| two Boards of Council for the purpose of extend.
ing tho public school system, but mono were adopted
until the 30th October 1S4S when the subject being
before tho Board of Aldermen, Mr.. Maury offered tc
toiloCiRg Bill a substitute, to reconcile conflicting
opinions, and it passed by both Boards with
great unanimity and promptne,s
AN ACT supplementary the Act TO increase the
public schools In the city of Warrington, and for
other purposes approved the sixth of December eighteen
BE e,qctod by he Board Of Aldermen and Board Of Cont
C5uucil of he city Of Washington That the Board of
Trustees of the Public Schools be and they hereby
thorized establish in addition to the existing public
schools not exceeding ten primary public schools which
and convenience require and 70 employ ono
teacher for each Of said primary public schools at salary
Of not exceeding two hundred and hft dollars per snnum
monthly the said Board Of Trustees horoby
authorized until other accommodations shall be provided
by the Corporation to rent such or buildings
be necessary for tho of said primary schools Irodd
That the annual thereof shall not exceed tho
average of sixty dollars for each Of said schools
Sec q And be IL enacted, That the ninth md tenth
tons Of the entitled IAN increase the number Of
public schools in the city Of Washington and for other pur
poses approved December the SIXTH eighteen hundred and
iortyfour be and the hereby repealed and tho
Board of Trustees Of the public schools roby sutho
employ not exceeding five assistant teachers in the
four existing public schools at salary Of not exceeding
two hundred fifty dollars each per annum payable
monthly; the Board oil
rzcd the books and stationery to bo fur
nshed Of charge all destitute pupils attending
Of the public schools Of this city
See And Dc enacted That the Board Of Trustees the
Public Schools shall keep office In the City Hail. In such
may be selected by the Mayor where all the books
papers, and other matters relating to the public schools,
and the proceedings Of the said Board Of Trustees shall bc
kept and where all tho meetings Of the said Board shall be
held
Sec g. AMI he IL enacted That the Of thousand
dollars thereof be necessary bc and the
same Is hereby appropriated payable of the school fund.-
of the rent year O Sucn fDOuls
buildings as may be required for the sd primary pupnc
schools and for providing suitable seats desks and other
Soc j. And be enacted. That high school shall be cs.
abshed by Board Of Trustees TO into operation
the let day of September, 1851 this Corpora
lion shall provide accommodation for tho sams.
Approved November l, lsiS.
The journal of the proceedings of the two Boards
is referred to for the above facts and among tho pa
pers of tho Board of Common Council, in charge Of
its Secretary hc ortgt,lai bW m" b' seen, ." M
lIau,ys hand,cTtttng This bill is in force and
the foundation of tho prosont prosperity OF pub
lie schools as will appear by the reports Of the Trus
tees In their report of tho 18th August. ls49 they
say tho addition Of ton schools to the four prev.
ously existing, embracing nearly mr. tbonSoHd 66d.
ttonnl pn,ptlS tctihIH SINGLE year, MI me SciiO0S
with one or two oxcoptions) cJorcdcd ,cth p"ptl',
thc mtttUdCs NC pressing for 0dWiS'toH IS IN the
highest degree creditable to the wisdom and libcra
ty Of tho Councils and to the virtue and Intelligence
Of the community.
Could there be higher compliment paid TO tho
author of any law than is conveyed to the author Of
tho school law, in tho fruits it has yielded and the
Just commcndation bestowed upon it by the trustees
and all who tako an interest in our public schools
II increased the number of pupils nearly ono thou
sand in less than one year and tho increase has con
tinued until our public schools now number more
than two thousand five hundred pupils
To show tho interest that Mr. Maury takes in our
public schools, IL may not be amiss to state tho fact
that he is the author Of tho petition presented on tho
part of the Corporation, to tho last Congress, asking
for donation of land money for the support of the
public schools of this city and upon which the Hon
A. @. Brown, chairman Of tho Committee on tho Dis
trct of Columbia, reported by direction of the Com
mittee, q bill making donation Of three hundred