New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-13
APPORTIONMENT or THE school
FUND.

Office State Superintendent OF Public Education:
New Orleans December 9, 1871.
In announcing the following apportion
ment of school funds. the State Supcrin
tendent would express his qualification a
the PROGRESS made in the organization o
| new schools, and the increase of pupil
during the last quarter.
When the existing obstacles to rapi(
! extension of the school work are consid
cred; the active opposition of some and tn,
apathy of large numbers of the citizens o
the State. together with the inadequate
means at the disposal of the various Parish
Boards. it is encouraging to state that there
are. at this time outside of the city of New
Orleans, seven hundred schools in success
| tul operation, while the number is steadil,
| increasing.
Nor are the schools merely nominal or
CARNATIONS. In nearly every instance they
are largely attended, aud often by such
numbers that the accommodations are in
sufficient for the pupils. Since my last cir
cular on this subject was issued, the increase
IN attendance has averaged thirty per cent.
which. though taxing the energies Of the
teachers. has been attended by no diminu-
ton IN the progress of the pupils. the graft
flying nature of which speak, wei. for our
public school system
The school fund has daring the past
year, been largely drawn upon by the
treasurers Of the various parish and town
boards to meet the necessary expenses of
the schools. Back apportionments. pre-
viously unused, have, in nearly eyery in
stance, been drawn and applied to the pur-
pose for which they were designed, with a
consequent reduction of The inactive sur
plus hitherto reported. This Is the best
evidence of the activity which has prevailed
in the prosecution of the work. inasmuch
as undrawn appointments are the strong
est evidence of the neglect of popular edu-
cation in the districts to which they belong.
Yet. with all the drafts that have been made
on 1t. there remains in the hands of the
State Treasurer 500, 1862 63 to tie credit of
the school fund. The treasurers of parish,
city and town school boards who have
qualified according to law. and have filed
authenticated copies of their bonds in this
Office, can call at once and draw the
amounts hereinafter apportionel to their
respective parishes, cities or towns.
The sum apportioned to the city of New
Orleans has been in part anticipated by
payment to the Board Of Directors OF Pub
llc Schools III that city. which were assented
to IN order to lessen the sutferings Of the
large body of teachers employed by them
1t is, however, deemed advisable. after con-
sultat;On with the highest authorities of the
that Indebtedness to be carried forward to,
and cancelled by the next apportionment,
as this will involve no lessenng
OF payments to any other portions of the
State, and no serious embarrassments for
the time being Through the opposition of
a portion of the citizens, no school tax has
been levied in New Orleans and. except
the State tax, not dollar has been col
lected from its people during the
year for the support of the seventy
public schools which furnish instruc-
lion to the children of the city:
lot outstanding which, the city board and
The State authorities have been censured in |
4 leading journal for allowing the large and |
nerltOrious corps of teachers to remain I'M |
,aid Stripped of resources by those
whose whose tactlous opposition seized |
III defect id the law to deprive the schools
If support The means that should have
,een provided for the payment of
he teachers ruthlessly denied to them
Igalnst the strongest pleas of the friends
i education. An attempt IS now made by
paper which tacitly assented to that sui
idal attempt to destroy the public schools
D fasten the consequences of acts tor which
had no rebuke on the authorities who ex-
austed all legal measures 70 defeat them
uch is the Justice Of the opponents of the
chOol system
1t is gratifying to state that owing to the
berallty Of the city authorities in recogniz-
ls and canceling former unpaid apprOpri-
ton, in connection with the single advance
ON the State fund and the prompt pay
tent of the quarterly apportionments, the
'hoois of New Orleans will reach the close
the year with the Board but two months
| arrears to the teachers, and with an as
ned prospect of brighter days beyond
THOMAS w. CONWAY
State Superintendent OF Education