Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-15
BOARD OF scHooL VISITORS.
Regular monihiy messing-A Breery
Time.


The monthly meeting Of the Board Of
Education was held yesterday afternoon
in room lately prepared for the Board
in Odd Fellows Hall. Owing to q
change in the place Of meeting. which
we happened not TO see announced in
the papers, no reporter from this paper
was present, bu, the official proceedings
published doubtless cover the ground.
We make such extracts as seem to be
most important. ii w
Judge Thomas II. Smith was in the
chair and the following members were
present, as well as considerable number
Of spectators:
Gavin, Ballantine, S.efey, Eaton,
Young, Virgins, Lenow, Matthias, Ed
wards, Holbrook, Feeley, P. L. Mitchell,
Pante. Taylor, W. q. Mitchell, Rseder,
Bruce and Merrill.
ColenelJ. T. Leaib submitted detailed
report as superintendent, embracing the
following statemsnts: The two-pay rolls
for January, 1870, amount to $4l6l, to-
wit: The roll for the white school foots
up $323O %, and that foe the colored
$3.50 rs. There ore l843 whites in at
tendance; number of coored estimated
| at $40. A number of non-residents pa
tronize the city schools. Miss Clara
Conway has been appointed principal of
the Alabama schools since the death of
the lamented Mrs. Teager. The Linden
Street School is leaky. An ordinance is
needed to protect the pupils of Court
and Alabama Streets Schools from the
insults and deprsdations of bad boys.
Mitchell's biographies are recommended
in place Of Cornelrs. ~ f'12T
The report was received and filed.
The January report of Mr.. ]. 81. Bar
NUN, Assistant Superinten lent, was sub
mitted and received. In regard to the
colored schools be said: The whole
number of pupils admitted to these
schools, since their opening on the 9Th
of September, is 1859. The number in
actual attendance during the month OF
January was: At Lincoln Chapel, 4s3,
with seven teachers. at Phoenix School,
294, with four teachers; at Collins
Chapel, 1873, with two teachers; making
a total for the month of 925 pupils and
thirteen teachers, an average of little
over seventy to each teacher.
All the rooms now occupied are well
filed, and some OF them overcrowded.
Here follows correspondence and state
ments touching a disagreement which
appears to have existed for some time
between the Superintendent, Col, Leath,
and Mr.. Barnum. Mr.. Bsrnum knows
of only one colored family outside the
city limits sending to the schools, and
these children walk four miles.
He called attention to certain charges
made in last Saturdays evening paper
against the Northern teachers of our col
ored schools, and some intimations o
of wroug-doing on his part, and asked
for an investigation.
Mr.. Alfred Matthias read al article
from last Saturdays LEDGER, and moved
the following:
WHEREAS, Charges of misconduct on
the part ofteachers in the eolored schools
under control OF this Board, and on the
part of an officer or officers of the Board
have appeared in one of the public prints
of this city; aud, whereas, it is the duty
of this Board TO censure or remove any
teachers or other persons employed by it,
| if guilty of official misconduct, and to
protect their regulations if the same be
urjustly assailed; therefore,
Resolred, That committee of three
be appointed to investigate the charges
referred to, and to report at the next
regular meeting Of the Board.
| Resolred, That the said committee
also investigate and report whether any
officer or member of this Board has been
giving currency to unwsrrsuted charges
calculated to ipjure the reputation and
excite prejudice against any OF the teach
ers employed by the Board.
The motion was seconded 1--WE here
quote from the .Acalanche) and Mr..
| Matthias said, if upon investigation the
charges were true, he would vote for the
immediate removal ofthe teachers. From
what he knew Of the ibelsl spirit OF the
local editor of the LEDGER, be was of the
opinion that he had received his inform
alton from outside sources, and, there
fore, he (Mr. Mathias) wanted the whole
matter fully Investigated. he wished the
seal of condemnation put on the various
charges which were shost regarding these
teachers, for even the chairman OF their
own board had made such an imputation
regarding them as had been charged in
the newspapers,
The Chair declared that lie had never
said anything of the sort, and added other
remarks, according to the Appeal, more
emphatic than complimentary. The res
olution finally passed, and the Chair APP
pointed as such committee provided for,
Messrs. A. Matthias, ]. 81. R. Taylor and
| N. j. Wiggin. . go
Mr.. Bruce submitted long report from
the Finance Committee. A report on
school houses and grounds led to en- AMI
mated discussion, which, from all &C.
counts, would be unnecessary to de-
scribe.
The Board adjourned for one week.
Merchants and Preparedness,
Attention!
A called meeting Of the Chamber Of
Commerce occurs tomorrow afternoon