National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-04
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.
MEETING OF THE 9E0RGETOHN
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

how SHALL THE TEACHERS BE PADDED
vERsITY OF OPINION BETWEEN THE At
TORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT AND THE
SECRETARY OF THE BoARD-SOME PER-
TINENT INQUIRIES.
A meeting of the Board Of Trustees Of George
lovn Schools wse held last night Ut the custom
house, Georgetown. Present, Messrs. Hyde,
Dunlop, Curtis and Superintendent Wilson.
The secretary stated that he had made out the
pay-rolls Of the teachers for ten months, and had
presented the same to Mr.. Needs, the auditor,
which were returned with An opinion Of Hon. WIN.
A. Cook, attorney for the District, in which he
statcs that In his opinion the rolls should not be
approved. The treasurer cannot pay until amer
he expiration Of each month, for the act Of ISL
seeiares that he shall not pay any account not ap
proved, a. provided in the thirty section Of
this oct, which requires all accounts connected
aith the schools to be rendered in duplicate, and
y approved by the trustees to be transmitted to
he auditor for his action and the transmission to
Se made after the close of each month. The pay
nents can be made in twelfths and not In tenths,
md not for months in advance
The following was transmitted 70 the Cover
aOr:
Bon. A. r. Shepherd, Goreraor d. e.:
b. n. Needs, auditor, . copy Of an opinion Of the
rom the auditor, made through You and relating
Georgetown, and have the honor to request in
sehalf of the board Of trustees that the matter
nay agasn Ds referred 70 the honorable ttosnsy
before him, and that to follow out the conclusions
Of his opinion would work q very great hardship
sP1n class Of employees none too highly favored
We DO not, as the attorneys opinion would i'm.
ply, ask for the auditors approval for work not
revenues Wedo not desire to present Pay-rolls
N any other shape than in duplicate, with the ap
crescent the rolls after the close Of each month,
and in equal monthly installments. Wo do not
ask to divide an annual salary into ten equal pay
somplied with the letter Of the law. The ques- |
tion is simply this: Have the school board the |
authority TO employ teachers for term Of ten
The teachers were thus specifically engaged be-
ore entering upon their duties, as has been shown
Under the ordinances Of the old corporation
ihey had this power, and it sconceded that unless
ZONE SPECIFIC legislation Of the present govern
nance, this authority still continues. enclose .
,opy Of 50 much Of the original ordinance as re-
The powers Of the Board Of Guardians Whose
law Of the district restricting hi. power, have,
auditor and attorney have failed to refer to it. II
We have such power, and can employ teachers for |
Sc
equal monthly sums for tie perioi named in the |
contract.
whether or not an annual salary could be divided
into ten payments, and his opinion was doubtless |
:endered under q Misrepresentation of the ques-
our teachers at an annual salary. We employed
Them for term Of ten months, and may state /
u, mat the emergency sometimes occurs where We
We made our contracts in that manner not to /
:ircumrent the law, but the better to comply
with the true letter and spirit of the law and to
avoid being called upon to certify that duties
we're performed during the vacation months Of
July and August, when in fact no labor by the |
teachers Is ever performed in those months.
1t should be borne in mind that teachers are
DOT officers" created BY law, and for whom an.
ppal salaries are provided. As showing the hard
opinion, beg to call your H0nor's attention to a
Ease in point which was before the board at the
iady-one of the best teachers-finds in the mid.
die Of the school term her health so shattered
from continued teaching as to compel her to re-
Of the labor Of tbs whole school term Is she not
n ailJustice and equity, entitled to one half OF
the entire pay for that term? And yet under this
have such powerI a teacher for the remainder OF
the term, who will receive seven twelfths of the
out in the service will receive less by two tweihs
for the same labor; and it would be the same il
the iast-named should continue until the last day
Of May. She would, in thatevcnt for nine tenths
Of the actual labor of the year receive three
Iourths of the salary, while her successor would
rc~"'vn for one months labor the pay for three &,
Scnihs
In addition to the reasons herein given In advo-
racy Of the system adopted by the board might
add that it will greatly serve TO prevent the COM
piicatfons OF "lapping" the appropriations, and
will make the school appropriations end with each
1 may be pardoncd for expressing the opinion
milton against making advance payments, intend
I'D, in view OF all the facts, an essay of humor-
albeit rather grim humor to those interested.
The Georgetown Board Of School Trustees, the q
1pinion Of the honorable District attorney on these
points: IL
appoint regular teachers for ten monthsf
Have they, in cases Of necessity, power to APP
point teachers for less period-say for one, TIVE
5. II teachers can be thus employed, in what
manner should the pay-rolls be presentedf
Gan the De Legally paid for
Lime7
6. The Georgetown Board of Trustees, having
entered into contract with their teachers for .
Term of ten months, at q stated salary for that
lime and one hall Of the term having expired, can
hat contract now be changed without the assent
An early reply is earnestly solicited in order to
lvoid further delay and to the end that the board
may in the future act intelligently in this matter
have the honor to be- very rsRsgeeWSfui t1.r,s
The answer has as yet not been received from
The attorney. /
The action of the secretary was approved. ii
Superintendent Wilson submitted his monthly :
report as follows: Number Of pupils 703; admitted
by transfer 4: admitted by ticket, 81; transferred
?; Withdrawn, IL: seats forfeited, s.; dismissed,
number on the roll, 704; number or vacant seats,
%; reentered, IS; receiving books 8; number pres
shed, Is; number suspended, 1; days Of school I
2pen 255,S; days closed, Az; aggregate days at
tendance, 1,2J6l<; aggregate days absence, l360L
whole number in Attendance, $50; average attend
,nce, cs3 $40; number OF pupils taTdy, $50; num-
Der Of cases of hardness, DOS teachers absent. 81
teachers tardy, 2; visits Of superint endeats II;
Tisi:s Of parents, e; visits Of trustees, q.