The New York herald., 1868-01-10

psr capita for ooo instead Of keeping the price appa
fsniy dom and making up for the dnsrsnc: 5 sy o D
the number Of children 70 be taught a. over IN
stead OF what Il actually is-90. 900.
Il vs take the average attendance the amount M $40
The Association woull cali the attention Of tho Board
20 tnis ambiguity existing In the law. Many who voted
or hs increase must have considered thai the average
NUMBER only was 70 be counted.
Tho Association would also call your attention 70 the
large amount OF e5o3 600 asked for for The purpose OF
purchasns Sites erecting buildings &c. for the year
ls6s Thls seems very large amount especially a. in
ne year 1857 S2s 600 raised for this same purpose
tha. the number Of children that win atsnd 10 1865 viii
DO about the same as attended In 1857 the Association
cannot see how half million Of dollars be neces
sary Tor purchasing new sites, &C.. for 1858 when the
number Of pupils TO be taught Is tha same.
The Association would also call your attention TO the
large annual increase In ths cost OF sustaining our public
Psdr Amount. Year. -mostBt
1882. 413O68 1855 5.........fs37 95s
1868. l. 500 s02 1865 24a0, ss3
1854. l,s7S,577 1867 ......... 29o9,SA
AvERAGs ArrEsDAxca
ls62. $4,000 1895. 80 @ o1o
1903. ............ $4,000 1888. IS 900
1854. .............. go 600 1857 ... ...... 90 900
And 1858 the expense is al g. 900 0oO and
the average attendance at about 90, 000
The proportion between the number OF pupils In she
respective years and the expense is most extraordinary
Unless the most ceaseess vigilance s exercised thee s
danger that the public money will be TO some extent
wasted. As instance OF such waste the Association
calls the attention OF your Board to the mater of the
pairing Of tue school houses IN the Nneeenth ward
when has been several times commented upon in the
press The Association would also call the attention Of
the Board to . case-which although small in amount
involves verv important princps-thas lately occurred
10 the Sixteenth ward. As we Informed. person
was employed through the shop OF the Board Of Edca
ton TO do work TO the stairs in OF the schools
OF the ward, and sent in bill for sons thirtyfve and
quarter days work when In the opinion OF two OF the
trustees and OF several experts and by the admission or
the party who did the work. not than fifteen days
at the most we're required to do the work,
The local Board would not audit tho bill. Tho party
then commenced an action 10 Justice Bulls Court
against the Board Of Education The first information
the two trustees who opposed tho bill received was .
notice, on Tuesday from the clerk OF your Board that
tho was on for the mex. day. When the case
aualy brought 10 trial the clerk Of your Board appeared
+, oppose the action but informed decl ned
examine what the witnesses on The part OF
tees could prove saying IN substance that he understood
the
One OF the two trustees however, who knew that the
claim sued upon was UNJUST requested your clerk TO
permit them to employ additional counsel a. their pr
vate expense to assist in opposing tho calm, but your
clerk Indignantly rejected the proposal to be associated
/, was suggested by the same trustees that jury
trial would be preferable but your clerk rejected tho
proposition.
O course judgment recovered against your Board
for the full amount claimed II have any desire 10
learn the fu details OF this matter The Association would
be happy to furnish them to you.
From the information possessed by this Association,
derived the trustworthy sources the defence
10 this claim absolute and could have been success
fully maintained
When the trustecs who were aware OF the facts and
who desired TO protect the people OF our city from what
they considered unjust and outrageous claim, offered
TO employ additional counsel at Their private expense, it
to that IL tine duty Of your clerk TO have
allowed such counsel to appear associate
IL. however, the trustees who honestly oppose and
refuse audit unjust demand are, when the Board
Of Education sued to be refused the privilege OF
tectng the public At their private expense the OPP
position the part Of honest and vgaot trustees to
unjust bills seems to he Of little practicat Importance
In conclusion the Association would say that II the
expense Of public ruction is to increase In the same
ratio In the i've years 1t increased during
the past-namely, from $1,000 900 So 900 0o0-the
expense, which would then be about So COO 000 will be
very difficult be borne: will call for thorough
reform In that system the expense Of which increases
disproportionatey increase In attendance and
will 10 oil probability bring into dlscredn Of the
most valuable institutions OF country Very respect
fully yours, PETER COOPER
Chairman, &c, Citizcns Association
RICH II. HENRY, Secretary.