New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-15

APPORTIONMENT or THE SCHOOL
FUND.
S-AfY OF La,ul-tANA.l
Office State superintendent of Public Education,
New Orleans, December ., 1871.

| STATE A,
Office State Superintendent of Public Education,
| New Orleans, DeCe 3, 1871.
In announcing the following appOrtor
ment of school funds, the State Superin
tendert 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 a rapi,
extension Of the school work are cOnsiG
cred: the active opposition of some and tn
apathy Of large numbers of the citizens q
the State. together with the Inadequate
means at the disposal of the various Parisl
Boards, it is encouraging to state that ther'
are, at this time, outside of the city of New
Orleans seven hundred schools in success
| ful operation. while the number is .teadil,
increasing.
Nor are the schools merely nominal or
CARNATIONS In nearly every instance they
are largely attended. and often by eilcl
| numbers that the accommodations are in
sufficient for the pupils. Since my last cir
cular on this subject was issued, the increase
III attendance has averaged thirty per cent
which. though taxing the energies of the
| teachers. has been attended by no dilninu
ton in the progress of the pupils. the graft
| flying nature of which speaks wei! for our
| public school system.
The school fund has. during the past
Year b:cu uTdWu upon the
treasnrers OF the various parish and town
boards TO meet the necessary expenses of
the schools. Back appointments. pre-
vlousiy unused, have. in nearly every in
stance been drawn and applied to the pur-
pose for which they We're 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. inasmlch
as unirawn appOrtionments are the strong
est evidence of the neglect of popular edu-
cation in the districts to which they belong.
Yet, with all thedrafts that have been made
on it, there remains in the hands of the
State Treasurer $92761 90 to the 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 apportione,l 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
lie 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
sultation with the highest authorities of the
State, to continue the advance by allowing
that Indebtedness to be carried forward to,
and cancelled by the next apportionment.
especially 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-
ton to the children of the CITY:
notwiths anding which, the city board and
the State authorities have been censured in
a leading journal for allowing the large and |
corps OF teachers to remain I'M
paid Stripped of resources by those
whose whose factlous opposition seized |
OF defect IN the law to deprive the schools |
Of support. The means that should have
been provided for the payment of
the teachers ruthlessly denied to them.
against the strongest pleas of the friends |
, paper which tacitly assented 20 that sui |
tidal attempt to destroy the public schools
% fasten the consequences of acts for which |
t had no rebuke on the authorities who ex-
lausted all legal measures to defeat them.
such is the Justice of the opponents of the
school system.
1t is gratifying to state that owing to the
lberalIty of the city authorities in recogniz-
ng and canceling former unpaid appropri-
'tion in connection with the single advance
rom the State fund and the prompt pay
nent of the quarterly appor,ionments. the
chools Of New Orleans will reach the close
f the year with the Board but two months
Il arrears to the teachers. and with an as
ureC prospect of brighter days beyond.
THOMAS W. CONWAY,
State Superintendent OF Education