The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-01-13
lonaloson6llle Chief.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

the constitutional provisions Whlcu
control the public school system, and
it needs only firm yet kind persist
ence in the present course TO bring
the whole of our citizens into full ac-
cord with the State authorities.
The amount of the State schoOlfund
which has been apportioned during
the wear is 1906, 300 so. This sum
gave to each educable child in the
State one dollar and sixteen cents, but
being applied only to the schools III
operation, the attendance of pupils at
which is estimated at ninety thousand
it has given for each child III actual
attendance the sum of three dollars
and thirty-nine cents; whereas In the
States of the North and West. the
average yearly cost of educating a
single pupil in free public school is
eighteen dollars.
The whole number of schools estab-
lishea aud now in operation is SIX
hundred and forty. The whole num-
Der of teachers employed and now re-
ported is one thousand four hundred
and twenty. When these statements
are contrasted with the neglected con-
dition of the youth of the State at the
commencement ofthis administration,
they furnish ground of honest salts
faction to those who have toiled la
boriously in securing such results.
While much yet needs to be done
in order to complete foundation on
which to construct State composed
of intelligent men and women, it gives
me pleasure to recognize the energy
and success with which the work of
popular education has thus far been
prosecuted, and while advocate re-
trenchment in some other divisions OF
our State administration, | consider
that wise and far-sighted policy will
Justify your honorable body i'll pro-
viding ample means for the prompt
and efficient education of the people.
Any measures adopted to attain re-
suit SO desirable will command my
cheerful support.
/ desire to call your special atten-
ton to the work of education in the
city of New Orleans. The reports
laid before you show that the public
schools are fully attended, and are in
prosperous condition. | can not too
earnestly bespeak your interest in and
assistance to this work.
At the last session an act was passed
and approved, February 25, 1871,
authorizing, among other things, the
appointment of a Board of School
Directors for the city. Provision was
made for the levy and collection of a
tax, by the city of New Orleans, for
the maintenance of the schools therein
such tax being necessary to make
mp the deficit between the amount re-
ceiyed from the general State tax and
the additional amount required for
the more advanced and expensive
schools of the metropolis. The city
authorities were proceeding to levy
the tax when they were prevented by
litigation. 1t was found that the sew
enth section of the general revenue
bill, approved March 3, 1871, prohibit
ted the city from collecting taxes in
excess of two per cent, and that the
taxes already levied exceeded that
amount. The tax was, therefore, not
laid. Nevertheless, the officers charged
with the control of these schools have
kept them in operation until now.
The State Superintendent has assisted
them, the city government has helped
3. chem, but they need immediate legis-
lative interference and aid.
therefore recommend the immedi-
ate passage of bill authorizing the
levy and collection of tax for the
support of the free public schools OF
New Orleans.
The report of the State Superin-
tendent of Education, which shall in
due time be presented to the General
Assembly, will be found of great in
terest, and will give in detail the facts
which justify the statements and
recommendation herein given.
The reports of the State Auditor
for this and the previous years, to-
gether with the reports of the State
school authorities, show that large
amounts of money have been lost by
the loose and inefficient management
of the school lands granted by Con-
gress for educational purposes, and
known as the sixteenth sections. From
these reports it is apparent that new
legislation on this subject is inperv-
iously demanded, if these valuable re-
sources are to besaved the State. The
matter naturally belongs to the State
school authorities, and an enactment
authorizing them to take the steps re-
quisite for ascertaining the present
condition of those lands, and for en-
forcing the claims of the school fund
against the purchasers of such sections
us have been sold, is the most feasible
mode of protecting the interest of the
State in that valuable grant.
LEGISLATIVE EXPENSES.
1 respectfully call your attention te
the fact that the extravaganza of the
Legislature at its. last session has
produced a most noticeable sensation
throughout the State, and has given
the opponents of the government the
means of sowing distrust and prodnc-
ing the greatest dissatisfaction among
the people. The last session is known
to have cost the State. for the Senate