Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-11-13

FOr tht DEL. KepUbIlcan.
THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE BOARD
OLE PIrRIIC ElIrCATIQN

THE CITY COUNC IL AND THE BOARL
OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
MR.. EDITOR I'm looking over the proceed
irgs Of the august body known as the Whining
ton City Council, l find there is disposition OF
the part Of the minority of that body to pre-
vent the Board of Education providing schoo
accommodation for the masses at the expense
OF the public. The charter Of the Board allow;
That body to estimate tue amount required tc
carry on the schools. This amount tho City
| council IL required by law to raise for that
purpose by taxation. The Legislature, at it.
last session, passed a law authorizing the issue
OF $4,000 Indebtedness, to build new school
houses. This was certainly judicious act, as
| there Is pressing demand for more school accom-
mediation, particularly OH the Western side oil
the city. 1t Is true that not all the seats In the
schools OF the city are now occupied: there are
vacancies In No. IL, Ninth Ward, Brandywine
No. IL, at McDowellville, (near the extreme
western boundary of the city, No. IA, In
South Wilmington, Cover Third Street Bridge)
and few In No. 10 10 Pine street, above Sixth.
This school Is situated within about half q
square of School No. Z, and within three
squares OF School No. 8, In tho extreme East
ern part of the city. In No. 1 School there are
| no vacant seats, only such as are reserved for
scholars to be promoted from Grammar School
at No. 4. For long time there has been great
demand for seats at Nos. 2, 2, 10 and 10, on the
Western boundary of the city, all OF them being
primary schools. At No. 10 hundreds of dp-
pHcdnis are refused ddmittdnce for 1udnt of
| seats and to meet thus demand new school
house was asked for In that section. The
Board OF Education appointed n committee to
view and report on suitable location for a
school Ia that section. The Committee re-
ported in favor Of u lot at the corner of Third
and Harrison streets, at I. very moderate price.
l he report was accepted, and Building Com
mittce was appointed, who advertised for pro-
posals agrceably to the plans selected by the
Board, and the contract was awarded Mr..
Seeds, the lowest bidder. The building was
soon after commenced, and one or more pay
ments have been made to the contractor. To
complete the building II Is necessary that the
Board should at this time have more money, and
all they ask is for the City Council to authorize
The sale of portion of the 900 bonds
authorized for the erection of school buildings.
This the minority In Council have refused, and
In 50 doing one of them charged the Board with
extravaganza, which Is simply untrue; but II
Certainly comes with very bad grace from him
VINO made the assertion, as he wA3 a member
Of the Board, and voted for the erection Of No.
school, which cost almost three times as
much as the building at Third and Harrison
streets will cost. Extravaganza, indeed Will
the mighty men of the City Council who
charge the Board Of Education with extrava-
gance, or inJudicous expenditure Of public
money, p'ease review the action OF their august
body during the past year? First, Take a
look at the blunderingly executed job ON Fourth
Streets perfect laughing stock 10 any person
who understands making macadam1ed road.
Stones Of the first course were none OF them to
be larger than two inches in diameter; and
yet, it the Council will examine, they will not
have any trouble TO find many OF the first
course Of stones almost as large as the heads of
some Of their body. 1t Is not only the size of
the stones, but the manner in which the work
Is performed. Next, turn your attention to the
opening OF aertain streets In the Ninth Ward
Tor an instsnce, take Sixteenth street-Houses
torn down, and enormous amounts paid for lard
to open this street, to benefit whomY The public
or land spectators? That's the question the
people would like to have answered by gentle
men who speak Of extravaganza, and we might
cite many others If space permitted. Butit Is
not our object to oppose or impede public im-
provements. We wish simply to defend the
Board Of Public Education from the ISLANDERS
and insults that were attempted to be heaped |
upon II by those who should have known bet !
ter. Tho Board of Education in this city. |
presume, are perfectly willing that the Public |
shall Judge between the merits of the two |
bodies, namely, "The City Council" and "The |
Board of Education" as to their literary qualif-
cations, integrity and sobriety During the past |
year the schools have improved very rapidly, as |
teachers have bean made uniform as to the grade |
they hold, (Which was not done heretofore) !; |
the teachers are now appointed and promoted |
with regular order and system, which entirely |
precludes favoriism in appointment Of teachers |
The working Of our school system, under. the |
present Board cannot fail TO be approved OF by |
all who desire honesty and fair dealing. All |
they want and all they ask Of our citizens is |
their aid in the good work of providing good |
schools for all the children in the city over six
years of age and the new building al Third |
and Harrison streets is badly wanted for this |
purpose and at this time. Were it not for the |
fact that Bishop Becker, Gin the goodness |
Of his heart, for the welfare Of the rising gen.
Grafton, has established free school In st. |
Paul's Roman Catholic church, where a large |
number of children are receiving an education |
without penngs expense to the city, there |
would be much greater pressure on the Board |
for seats at this time. l am fully convinc' d |
hat men of limited means, mechanics and /
working men of the city will stand by the |
Board of Education, and that they will remen-
Der those who oppose providing their children
with school accommodations, whom they come
before the public for official positions In the flu
.ure. Pro BoNo PuBLIco.