Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-09-17
Shall the Public schools DC Closed.

Tbs l. a rather startling question but one
that must be met, in view OF th, action OF thu.
lower Board Of the City Council, in c1t.in d,
down the school tax frcm - cents TO -, n,
r0H.c'', which, in the interest of the Oil
Bowen Ring, Is seeking in ever WAY - crirnv..
the PRESENT municipal administration. boats
That tie Council made tbs reduction upon il. re-
oommtndatiOn. So We have the cBrosic's AMI the
o!dBCwtn crowd carr ing their disaP?O.n,ments,
and their anImOsi,ies 70 th5ir Successors to the
extent OF undertaking I, break down or Sys-
TEN of pubic schools.
The whole amount Of reduction. maie upon
the tsy in the lower board was ~ cents. an LOT
this, III cents, or more than One-Jusrter W.
taken directly from the school tax. Should IN !,
bill become law in this shape the sun realized
for the public schools will be barely s1fi cient %
keep them in operation about folr months
IL should be stated, too, that the estiu 1t, mn
which 20 cents was adopted " As based upon N.
expectation that the whole sum realized a. that
rate woGld be available for school purposes. ami
that some other provision would be made for
the redemption Of the certificates of ini,bted
ness but under the bill, the school fund must
bear ats proportion of this burden and M lst he
reduced 1y One-ffth TO that end
Now, then, let US see how much the schools
will realize with tax Of 81 cents. thus Ioaiel
down: so eco Gee of taxable prepertv at 81 cents
on the Si0o viii yield S2}i 600; Gl5J huudredth,
If this amount will give to the white schools
>lt2Nie; dedret 10 per cent. for abatement, col
ieCtOrs commissions, taxes not cOllectble &,
Ga low estimate,) sl6,2Si; deduct one-fiith ply-
able ~ certificates. S23,31I; deduct estimated
amount of existing school debt that must be
paid in money, So, ea1: deduct contingent ex-
Peuscs for the current year. such "a rents re-
pairs, supplies OF books, stationery, fuel &c.
the greater part Of which are necessarily in
Cured during the first half OF the year. sJS 100.
total deductions, Sl2l ,6s'5; leaving a balance to
be applied TO the payment OF the salaries OF
t,acheTS, CT S4i,14j. The amount required I,
PAY the salaries OF al the teachers for the ten
months OF school during the year, Is slo7 ~:
ditto for one month, SlO,5IJ.
The >iI,li5 OF the ''School Fund" remaining
would enable the Mayor TO pay to the teachers
their salaries for about four months after
which. II 10 other provision il made either the
teachers must continue their work without paw
the schools must be closed
Ii mist be remembered that under the recent
Get OF Congress no money can be expended ex-
CePt from the particular fund for which il waS
assessed; consequently, the expenditures for
school purposes this year must be restricted 10
tie sum realized under this tax. which, a,
above shown, will not serve, at the outside
a. AttI W TIC UlOIc tu20 lOlr months.
That the badly used teachers, who in Bogen's
time came near striking for their pay on several
occasions, should be willing OF able TO work SIX
oT eight months without penny of salary after
the SUN raised by the reduced tax is exhausted,
is not al al probable; and those who By their
counsels or their votes prevent proper provision
being made in the tax bill for the support of the
schools VIII have TO shoulder the responsibility
Ii they are suspended by the first of January.
The colOred schools will, OF course, suffer in
the same ratio from the reduction to 80 cents.
and will also have to close, unless thew have re-
sources that the white schools have not.