Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-11-13

communication from Geo. E. French, Sec
rotary of tho Board of Fire Wardens, stating
that at meeting of that Board on the 18th ult,
their attention was called TO u communication
IN the EaZcttee of the 9th urging the import
ancc OF n cistern in the Market Square and that
they thought 1t wise suggestion, and hoped the
City Council would order the work TO be done
ut an early day, was referred to the COMMITTEE
din Public Property. .....
MIR. Hopkins submitted the following comu,u-
nlcation which he had received, and offered the
succeeding resolution whc h was adopted
OFFlcE SUpr. OF puHLlC SCHOOLS,
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Nov. 4, 1872
los Hopkins. esq, Gai1Htan C"mnstttce an
PHbltc Property: d. ... -s.-s
Dear Sir-in compliance with your request,
state, briefly, the reasons which have induced
me to urge the appropriation of the old Court
House to publ school purposes.
Our white schools are very poorly accommo.
dated; three divisions of Washington School
are located in HarlowS building, where there is
40 yard, and where the children are forced to
assemble in the busiest streets getting into eve
ryb"dy,s way and learning all sorts Of bad Ian
glasc from those who frequent the taverns in
the vicinity. For these rooms we pay $3.50 a
year. One division of Lee School occupies the
school room of the Female Orphan Asylum,
which has been rented to us temporarily, as n
favor, At Sl25 year; another occupies the room
over the Relief Truck House. the ceiling of
which man can touch by raising his hand, at
IN annual rent of SO; two other divisions are
crowded into two small! rooms in Mr. Charles L.
Which, p sS5 S' rSns Sssdes street. she veGy
poor accommodations we have our schools are
divided IN such way that two brothers or sis
tiers have to go in different directions to school,
and the Principals, who should have general SUI
lnrvlslon, seldom see any schools but their own.
The coorcd schools have large, we'll venli-
lated rooms, with plenty of blackboards and
ample play grounds, and each school is under
the eye of the Principal, and l think the white
schools ought to be as well provided for. The
Court House will cease to be of use to the city
in the spring; it has been examined blythe State
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and pro-
nounced suitable for conversion into school
house; and by so using it, the female schools
except one, can be accommodated in the old
Washington school house, and 5000 a year rent
be, ut once, saved to the city. Messrs. Price
and Lambdin both promised pl,ns for the con-
version OF the Court House into schoo! house,
but had not time to draw them, so have been
without their aid. This have done on page u
al my annual report, y copy of which l send
herewith We have in hand $4,000 from the
Peabody fund, and will receive $500 more in
saved from the levy of 1870 will enable US to buy
the county's interest and make the necessary al
trrations, and we shall have, when they are
completed, a very excellent and commodlous
house for the boys and be in position to build,
with future donations from the Peabody fund, q
house for the girls either on the site of the
Washington School House, or at some other
place. Yours truly.
RICHARD L. CAENE,
Supt. of Schools.
Respectfully submitted to the City Council for
llS consideration. Jos. HOPKINS
Chairman Com. on Pub. Prop.
November l., 1872
Resolved, In order to enable the City School
Board t. provide more comfortable accommoda-
lions for the children Of the Public Schools,
thereby giving greater facilities for education,
shat the Mayor of the city be authorized as
loon aS the court shall have decreed sale or
partition Of the old Court House property, and
the new Court House is ready for occupancy, to
deed to said School Board for educational pur
poses only, the city's interest in said old Court
House property, provided said School Board
will purchase the countys interest IN said
property and remodel and adapt the building
Cor school purposes without additional expense
u the taxpayers OF the city.
\ petition Of Thomas Dewitt j. w. Nails
and Others, for u ttgging At the intersection OF
Duke and Alfred streets, WAS referred TO the
Committee on Streets
Mr. Hopkins introduced a resolution, which
WIZ, adopted, directing the Corporation Attorney
I" apply t" the proper tribunal Tor decree oil
partition, and take such other steps "s may De ne
ccSsary u secure I'M equitable division of the
old Court House property, between the city and
county of Alexandria.
The following papers were received from inc
Board nf Aldermen, and their actlon upon the
CDnCurftu Ill, va. Dlll VI -. ~.
bill of Andrew Fleming petition of Mrs. Eliza
beth 5ruckctt and others, for u reot-croSslng;
communication Of 5. ii. Janncy, on behalf OF
Board al Health.
y resolution, adopted by the Board of Alder
men, appointing committee ol two Aldermen
and four members of tho City Council, to solicit
npprop riations from Congress, Tor the compile
ton Of the james River and kanawha Canal,
and the restoration of the business formerly done
ut the Portsmouth Navy Yard, and other public
works in Virginia so that the expenditures may
b.. in n fair proportion to tho revenues
collected from the st te, was received from
that Board and their &C ion concurred: IN;
and Mcssrs. Rock Hopkins, Portner ana
Evans appointed the mombcrs OF that Com
ntlcc, on the part Of this Board
4 bill of Mrs julia A. Jennings, amounting
e. SD for use Of house for election purposes, or
Tered to be paid by the Board of Aldermen, was
received from that Board and lald on the taosr.
Bills e. L. Simpson and D. H. Johnson, TOT
election services, orderedto be paid by the BOARD
oi Aldermen, were received from that boa-o'
and referred to the Committee on CLAIMS. O.
\ resolution instructing and ordering the ou-
rcrntcndent of Police to follow implicitly inc
Inns of grade given him by the City Surveyor,
and that he shall not attempt to grade any streeG
without a strict adherence to the drecuon OF
e.id surveyor, adopted by the Board OF Alder
Incn. WAS received from that Board ana lad Oh
the table. ..f
The Board then adjourned. o,,.
Testr. HAROLD SNOWDkN. Vi H..