New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-10-29
THE UNPAID VACATION sAI4ARlRs,

| eral puDnc. II places the claim OF thu
teachers 1 vacation pay Of 1862 in new
light, at least to those who have imperfectly
understood the merits: -t7 tI.
OFplCR o. srPsRlHrsNDxxr OF PrBrlc Scaoo1s. /,
sixth Division. Room No. %, City HAIL.
New Orleans, October q, 1871
Hon. Hubert Bonsano, Administrator Of Assess
DEAR SIR-Of6cial duties have interfered
with my giving q prompt reply to ycur in.
quiries relative to the unpaid teachers'
salaries Of 1862; but have intended to give
70 them full answer W early - possible.
The leading. point of inquiry Of your let
ter arises under IN evident APPREHENSION
that by voting for the claim, you would en-
courage and reward disloyalty, and that the
Withholding of salaries was because ''the
teachers, and particularly the lady teachers,
dld not pursue discreet course, and quietly
conform. on the advent Of General Butler.
or acquiesce in the new order 0f things" !"
And You intimate that no doubt would
otherwise arise, or have arisen, as to the
propriety Of paying them, inasmuch ~ it
has ever been customary to pay vacation
salaries. -
am satisfied erroneous impressions exist
~ to the real question ut issue, and that an
explanation OF it will remove, in measure,
all dOubts. 60 that the most truly Loyal
S00 6ORROAv tOO Ck0lm WITHOUT OOl0R VlO.
lence to their principles.
The teachers did not decline to serve.
neither did they quit. the schools upon the
deposition of. Mayor Monroe. They contin-
ued to teach until the summer vacation set
ln-a period Of some two months after the
occupation of the city. They had been
under . political control, strongly inimical
to the federal authorities. composed of some
who, not daring to show hostility IN the
presence Of an enemy, did not scruple to
lnclte and encourage it in women and chill
dren. There was no assurance xiven
or disposition shown by the federal su-
thorities to take control of the
schools, and teachers naturally thought
it most prudent tO please those in immedi.
ate control over them. This control lasted
till vacation, and promised to last longer.
Notwithstanding this influence, nearly al
the teachers quietly performed their duties,
taught the common school branches, and
lett the exciting events of the time alone.
encelo over and around them are to be
pleaded in their favor; but one or two
instances would suffice to create attention,
and lead 10 q false impression which might
last till the present day. / assure you they
were exceptional cases. can not probe
the conscieDces Of the hundreds Interested 1
In this question, or look hack to that
period, to give You an assurance of how
their sympathies and feelings stood. do
not suppose you would wish an inquisition
of that kind.
The bureau Of finance (of 1862 was undo.
eide what course to take relative to the
schools. 1t was proposed, but not vet de-
cide1, to place the schools under a new
government. Meanwhile, as the schools
might be closed for months or years, it was
thought best to stop the salaries, 40 mat
ter Of economy, July 9, 1862. They there
fore decided, being the second week of the
to communicate with the presi-
dents and directors and direct them to dis
charge the teachers. The communication
may have been sent. but the boards, though
as still in existence, never met
md acted; neither the resolutions nor com.
Of the bureau ever reached the |
eachers, nor were they ever published 40 .
natter Of information. |
The teachers. therefore, were not dis |
,harged OF notified. The thousand tOnrues |
hem that the schools would be reOpened |
md they continued; another that they need |
lot apply, and that altogether new ones
would be employed.
The bureau in August decided to give
he schools . new government, consisting
t bureau Of education and boards Of
'isitors, and these in September decided to
e-open, electing teachers de noro. It is
rue that they elected all the former teach
lstice to say that they gave no encourage
lent or assurance that they would do 60,
nd many who staid away under wrong
dvice, with the impression that they were
OF welcome. came forward too late-to
nd their places filed by others. There
as pickering and Misrepresentation, and
arsh and exciting things were said, as you
re aware, but not wholly on one side; and
le not to be wondered at that female
lvice ON the. one side, and un-
ecessarily misapprehend and fear the
her. subsequently the bureau con-
dered and we're about to pay the
acation salary of those who were re-
ected, when they were informed
lat it would legally involve the pay of all.
Id that as fast as they should take the
'th Of allegiance, which most of them, in i
I'd out Of the schools, had done, they could
aim it.
The subject was then, without deciding ,
yainst them, postponed till the end Of the .
ar should remove all questions of the sort.
will thus be seen that they doubted that ,
eir motion to discharge the teachers had 7
ken effect or would have been legal as to | !
Ication salary if it had.
Az NO other city creditor ever lost debt.
officer failed to draw a salary up to the
ne of hip succussor taking possession, on
y such round as disloyalty; and as yaca- 8
N pay has always been legally held as
It part OF an annual salary; finally, as this ,
the only vacation in the history Of the
hools which has not been paid, think
9 claim may be considered q good one, 1
ID will feel pleased if have removed ,
ur doubts as to the propriety of voting
: it.
lam, very truly, yours, I
j. B. CARTER. Superintendent.
AMUsEMENrs. d
Acoaeuy Of Music.