The New York herald., 1868-12-31
BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Closing Meeting Of the Board-itepori of the
Financial Operations Of the Ycar--Address
of the President.
The last regular meeting OF this Board for 1868 was
held last evening at the hall OF the Board OF
Elm and Grand streets, with the President Mr.. r. L.
Larremore, In the chair. The attendance OF men,
bers was quite full while the spectators benches
were filled by large and highly intelligent crowd,
many OF whom were present, no doubt, to see the
workings Of the body which The machine politicians
wish to transform into rae simiie of the Board of
supervisors. As few, II any, of the citizens ever
know when the latter Board is about to meet, what
comparison could be made between the styles OF do
ing business 1t would be difficult to I'm
agine After the usual preminaries of the
were handed in aud committed, as follows
From the trustees Of the Eleventh ward, Homnat
ing vice principals Tor Primary schools Nos aud
referred TO Committee Teachers; from trustees
OF the Eleventh ward asking for authority to pur-
chase new site for Grammar School No 22, re-
ferred to Committee on Sites and New schools from
trustees OF the Eleventh ward, asking for authority
to award contract FOR furnishing School No SO for
sll sos, to Finance Committees from trustees OF the
Thirteenth ward for authority TO award the contract
for furnishing School No. "a, 10 Finance Committee;
from trustees OF the Twenty-ilrst ward, TO award
contract for furnishing Primary School No. 10, TO
Finance COMMITTEES; from trustees OF the Sixth
ward, asking authority to purchase two houses and
lots Tor the enlargement OF School No. 23, in City
Hall place, to Committee on Sites and New School
Houses.
Commissioner VANCE, from the Finance Commit
tee, offered the following report, which was
Adopted
To THE BOARD or EpUCATEoS-
The Finance Committee submit herewith state
ments In detail and summary account OF the imam
clal operations OF the Board during the present year.
from which VIII be seen that the expenditures and
liabilities through special appropriations exceed by
small amount the moneys at the disposal OF the
Board In 1863.
The amount $l,5jO, 0o0 that was appropriated in
February to meet the payments OF the salaries Of the
teachers In the grammar and primary schools. nas,
by the establishment OF five new schools and the
additional appointment OF teachers in several of the
wards represented as required by the trustees has
been exceeded by about S65, 900, which sum will be
met under the resolutions for the adjustment OF the
accounts OF the Board adopted the 10Th INST, by the
transfer OF the unexpended balances OF Olher appro
priations made for current purposes.
The small amount OF the liability to be transferred
to the next years. fund, which would have been more
than met had the full OF the school und for 1868
been asked ior by the Board, Is subject OF congra
tnlation on review OF what has been accomplished
during the year IN erecting and completing, furnish
ing and providing heating apparatus for new build
ings and altering and repairing Others. Two large
grammar school buildings and large primary
school have been completed, furnished and put IN
operation, and one other grammar school building
remodelled ana furnished; two primaries furnished
and In successful operation, and three grammar
buildings and one large primary (two Of them nearly
cOmpletedl aud a building for colored school chill
dren are also being erected In addition TO the
drafts upon te means of the Board required by these
buildings is the unantIcpated in part Increase the
cost OF the current repairs furnishing and altera-
tons, which has added largely 10 the Item Of eA-
pense.
The aggregate salaries Of the teachers in the gram
mar and primary schools colOred schools, evening
schools and normal schools with those OF The janitor
paid, is Sl,77OOO0, and the payments for Sites new
buildings, furniture heating arrangements, repairs
and alterations OF buildings will amount to about
S72o0o0 the residue Of the fund is aborbed by the
Liabilities IN buildings, contracts supplies books,
&C, for the schools rents OF buidngS payments to
corporate schools, &c. The largest Item OF expend
ture Is OF necessity that for teachers wages No
apology ourselves or the public is required in
Justification OF the scale OF salaries adopted by the
Board on a consideration Of the qualifications ex-
acted in q teacher and the severe mental and ply
sica labor required OF them botn novitates and
EXPERTS rhe average salaries paid female assistants
IN the three departments IL ess tnan fifty cents,
and those for male assistants and vice principals
about 81 33 per hour for the time actually EN-.
ployed by them In the duties OF the school
room; which for men anu women OF culture and cx-
perence and the act to manage as principals masses
OF children, and direct to successful issue the
labOrs OF the assistants. the paid these are
much below In many instances what tue same talent
VIII command In other spheres OF business and
afford no scope for provision Tor age or lnfrIniIy
except by the meanest OF economies. The state
ments submitted are To the present date, snd will
vary but slightly when the entire figures are made
up to the 1st prOximo.
The balance Of Liabilities win Of course be betrayed
that the rapid growth OF the city northward Will
require from the Board additional appropriations
for the sites and new buildings for the accommoda
tion OF the increasing school population OF the upper
wards, and will exhaust however well economical
the fund asked for the coming year. this, for all pur
poses $3 15O 0OoS2 S9y less than the Board Is
authorized to call for and includes sIoO 900 for
normal school building, such as the advancing sys-
TEN OF public education positively demands.
Much has been said OF late IN relation to the In
creased cost Of this portion OF the public expense
estimating 1t IN the aggregate, but no candid mind
can fail II the items which make up the aggregate
are looked into and appreciated by proper esti-
mate to see that the city receives in return material
wealth, by hundreds OF thousands OF dollars in sites
and buildings devoted to school purposes and un-
told moral ana mental wealth derived from the faith
full instructions given TO the sons and daughters
It's citizens by The $500 teachers employed to take
charge OF them.
Your committee take the liberty which the close
OF their annual labors gives them 10 realilrm the
facts alluded to, and express the hope that In every
way compatible with the liberal views entertained
by the Empire City, for which you act, you viii, al
heretofore. the fund entrusted 70 your keeping
n such manner that no cayler with any degree OF
truth can charge you with wastefness In its appro-
pration.
The suit in reference TO the forged warrant (sI7 6oo
paid by the City Chamherlainl still IN the hands OF
Messrs. James 4. Brady and William Il. Curtis, the
counsel retained by this Board TO bring action TO
Of the counsel In the case Is hereto annexed in
which ne explains Che causes OF delay In proceeding
in this matter.
Respectfully submitted.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 1s66.-REcEIPTs.
Amount reserved from the fund OF 1857 for
special appropriations and other liabi-
ties. as per report OF la67.............. S206 3i
Balance Of fund.- 1867 s65...................... 4o,95t
Total to the credit Of the Board with the
CnamDeraln January 1................. <253, 200
Amount OF school iund Tor the year. 1900, 900
Total receipts. .. 50, 1863, ,29s
PAYMENTS.
Salaries OF teachers In ward schools. 81 8l5, 28s
Salaries OF janitors in ward schools. s0,072
Incidental expenses OF ward schools for re-
pairs cleaning, painting &C, by trustees 90,Ni
support Of evening schools, salaries OF jan
itors, teachers, DC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 35,11