New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-11

1
Senate Chamber Of the State House.
The meeting was numerOusly attended,
and deep interest. was displayed III the
object Of the CALL which was understood to
be the harmonizing OF difficulties eXiss,ng
between the school authorities of this city
Nearly or quite every Ward Board was
represented in the meeting; while OF the
City Board, Mr.. Van Orden, President pro
temi,orc. and Messrs. Tracy, Fayerwaather,
Dunn, and Matlack were present.
Mr.. J. B. Carter, Superintendent OF this
School Division, was also present.
|. The meeting WAS called to order pV hon.
r. W. Conway. Mr.. Glaudin moved that |
Mr. Isabelle be elected President and Mr. |
w. +. Loan, Secretary. Both nominations
having been approved. the State Supe nm
tendent of Education rose to explain the Oh. |
ject for which the conference Meeting had
been called. He desired to see harmony es-
tablished between the City Board and the
various ward boards. He entered into a
brief history of the legal controversy now
going on before the courts, upon the ques-
ton of TIE authority possessed by either
board and which he declared to be in def
ance Of the authority of the law, and detri-
mental to the interests OF a community
! which had ninety thousaa d edMeable child
| rem. He charged on the City Board the re-
| spopsibility. The controversy that had
| been started by them had effected this re-
suit The ward boards had a good deal OF
| moral responsibility resting upon them. lie
desired to drop all disputes, and to agree
upon plan of compromise that would har-
monte the conflicting interests OF City
| Board and ward boards.
1t was of secondary Importance whether
schools should or should not be mixed. 1t
was not his purpose, as charged by some, to
| force this result irrespective Of the wishes
of those concerned, but that the schools
should be open, with equal privileges to all
He regards the question OF mixed schools
as having been virtually decided
The Chair stated that he had. AS men,
Der of a ward board, used his best efforts to
insure the carrying out OF the law OF the
Legislature.
Captain Merritt, member Of one Of the
ward boards argued to show that 1t was not
necessary to discuss the question OF who
should have control OF the schools OF this
| city What was to be done was to agree
upon some compromise which should benefit
the operation of the entire public school
system Of the city.
The State Superintendent, in claiming the
legal right of the ward boards 10 control
the schools, remarked that he had heard 1t
. urged as coming from members OF the City
Board. that many OF the ward directors
were untitled for their positions and hence
should not possess control OF the schools !;
to which his reply had been that as . the
tree is known by its fruits such appoint
ments If they exist reflect no credit on the
City Board, by whom they were made. :,
Mr. Tracy, of the city board. denied all
knowledge of such statements and spoke III
high terms OF the ability anu nthess oI Tue
ward boards.
Judge Hawkins stated, that on the face OF
the record it Gid not appear that there OK
listed any conflict between the city board
and the ward boards: the litigation was be
tween the City Board and the State Superin
tendent.
There is $500. 900 in the public treasury
subject to draft for school purposes, and the
CITY Board wish this to be paid to the
schools there is the conflict
i, There was no dispute between the City
E Board and the ward boards. The fight was
between the City Board and the State Su
perintendent The Superintendent had be
gun it and was carrying it on without any
. assistance from the ward boards. so far as
he knew, the City Board and the ward
n boards were in harmony with each other.
I He contendcd that there were no such
things as wards in our city since the incor
= poration of Jefferson City. We are ho
l. mogeneous community. The city might
:, make wards, but it has not done So and
e that there being no wards there could be nc
4 ward boards.
That the whole difficulty about the add
: .ministration OF the public schools III the
d CITY Of New Orleans arose from the. incom
h potency and perverseness of he State Su
! perntendent. That so far as any blame
l. is to be attached to any body for the presen,
G complication IT the school question, 1t mus
c fall alone on the State Superintendent
Nothing was needed to cut the educationa
knot except for the Superintendent to ceas'
. his factiOus opposition to the organization o
the public schools under the law enacted IL
1870.
The speaker concluded by showing that i
l. the Supreme Court should concur with tn
: Judge of the Eighth District Court i'll tn
= construction Of the school law by the latter
,. defining the powers Of the city and ware
boards, that tho the administration OF til
}. public schools, under that construction. wa
Is wholly impracticable. and the only renled.
: was in the Legislature. That there was NJ
= ground or room tor a compromise betwcel
= the two boards, because they were alread,
&c &c in harmony.
n Mr. Charles Hughes, of the Tenth Ward
!. protested against such a summary methO'
a of extingushng the school boards OF tn
- city. The argument Of the judge, if COZ
y rect. would invalidate the late election to
~ representatives. If wards existed for cleo
=. ton purposes he thought they might answe
. for school purposes also, and the line
which defined the ward for one would mari
,. out the limits for the other.
The State Superintendent expressed tn
~ opinion that, unless the ward boards wer
- further enjoined by tie City Board, the
= may, under the decision of the Eighth bis
~ trict Court, 90 out tomorrow. and assum
~ control of the schools. The City Board
now enjOined, and can do nothing.
r After some further discussion of genera
=, kind, Mr. Oplatec arose and stated that h
- hoped to learn from the State Superb
70 tendent what he proposed in the way 9
N compromise.
- Mr.. Conway was then requested by tn
NJ meeting to submit any plan for pr0mOtln
~ harmony that he might have decided on. L
~ response to the call, the State Superb
e. tendent read the following series OF resOll
- tons:
D. WHEREAS, The welfare of the publ
a schools, and the efficient management G
- educational interests in our city, require tn
n cordial cooperation of those who are are
d by law intrusted with the control and MAJ
!. agement of the system Of public educutior
,r and
"a Whereas, A difference of views has e,
is listed in regard to the powers and privilege
d of the city and ward boards respectively
Is wv Whereas. 1t is desirable that those di
,e ferences shall be harmonized by such cor
- cessions as shall not conflict with the spir
" of the laws governing the school system O
n the State; therefore be it
H. Resolred, That the ward district board
be advised to concede to the City Board:
te |. The power and right to determine til
20 number of schools to be established an
TO maintained in each ward, and the right G
in designating the number Of teachers toibe en-
it ployed in each school.
y 9 That the control and management {
If the high schools Of the city be conceded
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