Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-16
THE CITY.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The DOdges of Their Enemies, and
the Duty of Their Friends--Facts
for Serious Reflection for Both.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The DOdges of Their Enemies, and
the Duty of Their Friends--Facts
for Serious Reflection for Both.
To the Editors Of the Union and American:
Iregret that the interests of public edu-
cation should require further defense
against the assaults of its enemies in this
city, coming from quarters where our city
schools should find their staunchest friends
and supporters. In speech before the
City Council, on Friday night, the Mayor
saw proper to complain of charge that
false balances were given of accounts be-
| tween the city and the schools. admit
| the justice of the complaint 1t was based
upon the assertion in the resolutions o.
Dec. 81, to the effect that the taxes levied
| for school purposes had been nearly all
| collected and paid out in their support
| This is as near balance" of the account
| as the public has ever seen. Its accuracy
denied. l did not reflect upon the Re
| corder, for he had made no balance"
1 did not charge the Mayor with a false
statement, because was at the time inn
ploring him and the City Council to give
us a statement of the school tax levied
in what form it was collected, to what
purposes it was applied, how much was
devoted to ''current expenses" and what
amount of checks had been enormously
and in violation of law charged to the
school fund. l protested against any
checks being charged to the school ac-
count. l now protest against the pur-
chase, fitting up, or furnishing of any
school building being charged to current
school expenses The school buildings
have been paid for. The only question
now is, Was the last school levy sufficient
to pay teachers? If it was, how is it that
in the middle of the session the money
fails? VIII the Mayor answer? VIII any
body answer? If the balances" are not
false, why not exhibit them? If the charge
is false, why not give the true facts? The
Mayor mistakes me when he makes
his complaint; and he greatly more
mistakes the wish and temper of this peo-
pie, when he seeks to array official opposi-
ton to the public schools, or excite popu-
lar sympathy in his inexcusable course, by
the feeble assertion of false accusations.
The Mayor Is not content with a repri-
mand of me, but declares war with the
Board of Education by arraigning them for
classifying the public act of the City Coun-
Gil, in saying that special tax had been
levied for the continuance of the schools,
with his approval. Thismatter leave the
Board of Education to settle. But l as
sumo from his own admission that the
Mayor did not SO much object to the ap-
peal of the Board of Education, as to the
response of the people to the appeal and
the resolutions of Dec. 81, which fully au-
thorized it. The continuance of the schools
is the notifying fact in the case. When
friends of the schools sought TO pay their
taxes, they were repulsed. They were no.
titled that there was no authority for it.
They were even told they paid at their
peril, and might never get it back. 1t
would thus appear that the resolutions
were trap. They were never intended to
be of any force. But the deception was
effective. The Board of Education fell
into the pitfall, and they as well as the
schools are to be sacrificed. The entire
proceeding shows that l was right when
first charged deep-seated hostility to our
school system, and desire backed by
settled purpose to crush it out
The only crime of the Board of Educa-
ton consists in their reopeningthe schools,
and that they are the friends Of the schools
Therefore the enemies of the schools snarl
and snap at them. All honor to them, say
l, and may they stick.
But 1 congratulate the people, and their
three or four thousand children, that the
issue has reached a point to be met by
both sides, and to be tangible. 1t is now
susceptible Of solution. Let the Mayor call
the City Council together and lay all the
facts before them upon which he predicates
his action, and ask them to direct the
Board of Education to discharge the Super
intendent, dismiss the teachers and close
up the school buildings. Let them make
this order, and terminate the question so
far as they are concerned VIII he do so ?
If he refuse, what shall we conclude That
might disclose that the friends of public
education are a majority in the City Coun
Gil, or it might show the reverse. The fact
would be proclaimed, at all events, by the
test. That is what we want
But 1 apprehend they will shrink from
this test. The policy will be to dicker and
chaffer.with incidental issues and by non
action on the main question, postpone all
efforts to raise money till the schools sink
from sheer want of means. A controversy
with the Board Of Education would help
this policy amazingly. Further this policy
would gladly avail itself of forty days and
forty nights to make any sort of ''bal-
ance" of accounts This would save the
policy, but crush the schools. If anything
is done by the voluntary action of the
Mayor, in accordance with my suggestion,
l shall be more surprised than he was at
the appeal of the Board of Education"
and vastly less mortified
However, there is a remedy against the
insidious assault of non-actiOn. That
remedy should be applied within the next
ten days, and can be. The friends of edu-
cation and the schools in the City Council
should confer together, and ascertain their
precise strength. Whether a majority or
minority, they should call meeting of the
Council and have decision of the ques-
ton. 1t is a simple one. 1t depends upon
nothing else. 1t is yes, or no, to the con-
tinuance of the public schools. If it is
decided yes, there is an end of it. If it is
decided no, then it remains for the people
to take their course. I believe they will
not be found wanting. In another article,
if necessary, 1 shall indicate what ought to
be the action of the people in the last
named contingency. If their representa-
tives are false to them, cannot conceive
| that they will be recreant to themselves in