Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-12-17
LOCAL ITEMS. j.,

LOCAL ITEMS.
CITY SCHOOL BoARp.-At 1850, last night,
quorum OF this body assembled at the Super
intendeuts Office present John W. Burke
esq, chairman, and Messrs. Addison, u.s..
Beach, W. +. Carne, Evans Hopkins, Snow
den, Wheat and Whittlesey, and the City Su-
prrntendent. r.
The chairman stated that he had called the
meeting at the request of the ladies whose
names were appended to the following petition,
VIZ: ...as. =. 4. H.
I'VE, the female teachers Of the Public
Schools, petition the School Board to extend
the Christmas holidays until after New Years
day.
Sig ed: Jennie K Shay, Fannie A. Wilson,
Virginia Baggott, Mary J. Walsh, Sallie
Yates, Phoebe Litte6eld, Margarctta Law"
The petition having been read, Mr. J. S.
Beach moved to grant the PRAYER of the petit
TONERS.
Mr. Wheat asked how it would do to close
the schools 90 Tuesday evening, the oath inst.
The superintendent replied that he thought
1t would be exceedingly announcement for many
families to have their children kept at school
on Christmas Eve; it mig ht suit heiteachers'
very we'll, but would, undoubtedly, be grew
ance to parents, nany of whom would need
their chldrens services on that day. If the
schools were re opened between Christmas and
New I ears there would be great many
children absent as it WAS not thecustom to
keep school during that time here. .'@,s 80
Mr.. Wheat moved to reconsider the vote
fixing the holiday, which was carried and then
Mr.. Beach, who had temporarily withdrawn
his motion, renewed 1t, saying that the very
GLASS; OF children who ought to lose no time
would be absent between Christmas and New
y ~ II tho H.,
get behind their classes, and he thought very
little would be accomplished by teaching a,sin,
gle day in beginning of the week. The motion
to extend the holiday to January I'd was then
unanimously adopted.
The Superintendent, by unanimous consent,
stated that the Clerk had consulted him a. to
his action on the following letter. viz
OFFICE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE,
December 18th, 1872.
Richard j. Collins, esq.,. Secretary of School
Board:
DEAR SlR:-As great many persons refils
cd to give their names when [ was listing the
citizens for taxes in the spring, (more especial
ly the colored popuation) with the intention
of not paying the school tax and then make
the plea that they we're not assessed, and the
books have been returned to the Auditor and
1t is too late to make a supplementary list, |
think it would be advisable for you to collect
from all persons that present themselves to
you with certificate that they are not assess
ed from me or the Sergeant, and apply it to
the expenses of the School Board and furnish
Epe with list OF the names SO that eau re-
tura it IN my. list on the next assessment. By
this means We will be able to collect the school
tax from all persons who have endeavored to
escape the payment by fraudulent means.
Very respectfully yours
Signed JOHN w. CAMPBELL.
Commissioner of Revenue.
lie had advised the clerk that though such
an arrangement would be highly desirable, there
were such grave doubts as to its legality, that
he had better not act upon it without the
special order Of the Board. He had offered
every facility to the Commissioner of the Reve
nue., this year, for the examination of the per
nit books, to get there names, but he could
not allow an unbondcd officer to receive public
money which the law gave him, in his judg-
1ncnt, no authority to collect. The clerk, how
ever, being an officer Of the Board, would be
governed Of course, by its directions.
4 lengthy conversational debate cnsucd,
most of the members, while concurrlng with
the Commissioner of the Revenue in the opn-
lon that the collection of the tax was extreme
illegal. and Mr. Snowden offered the following
Resolretl That, in the opinion Of this Board.
is not the duty or privilege OF the clerk OF
this Board to receive the capltatlon tax re-
uuired by law, previous to the admission OF the
children to the schools, but that as Il number OF
such admissions have occurred, the Board does
NOT, for the present, deem it proper to refuse
admission TO the schools Of the children of any,
who from failure of assessment have not paid
the required caritation tax.
On motion of Mr.. W. L. Carne, the City SUI
pcrinteudent was requested to obtain, through
the Superintendent Of Public Instruction, the
opinion of the Attorney General on the sub
ject ....,
An Informal debate then took place on the
complaint, irrsgularly made, of a person whose
ward had been excluded from public school
for absence without any excuse satisfactory to
the teacher, and it was determined TO request
the party to make hn appeal regularly.
After some consultation as to the furniture,
&C., required for the Offices of the Board and
Supcrinteudent, in the market building, the
l,o,; I'd, ut 9O5 adjourned. 4.
RonnER1Es. The kitchen of the residence OF
Mr. William Gregory, corner OF Washington
.nd PRINCESS streets. was entered last night
and robbed of considerable part OF the 1aml-
Iv'sweek' 5 washing The thief gained , admit
lance bv first getting into Mr.. n. Al. hrlel
l Fro pS thence he got into Mr. Gregorys lot
and nlacing an old blind against the. kitchen
window climbed up on it and easily effected an
entrance. He had previously robbed the mouse o.
IF somebody else, for be dropped some clothes
in the yard that did not belong. there. :, 10
~ On Friday night last a thief invaded the
primises Of Mr.. William StonuelIl, just N 10 Tn
Of Colross, killed fne hog and carried II on
and robbed the clothes line of all that was upon
it, including the washing Of some visitors !.
ON Saturday night last an attempt was made
- roh the house of Mr.. John Harrison, near
tbs C corner of Columbus and Pendleton streets