The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-01
The Teachers Of Our Public Schools.


| WHY THEIR SALARIES CANNOT BE fAiD
There is no body of public servants more
sedulously engaged in the discharge OF 9
truly sacred duty than the corps Of teachers
now employed in the public schools OF this
city, and yet none are SO embarrassed by
the imperfect provision made for the pay
ment Of their honestly earned salaries. II
we mistake not, complaints on this score
have been rife, from time to time, ever
since the City Council was Invested OF 1T
legitimate control of the city schools, III
1863 or 1863, by the "Act to regulate public
education which was engineered through
the Legislature by the sanctimOnionsly
autocratic Conway. Now, we learn, up
wards of six months have elapsed since the
teachers salaries were liqnidated, and,
though repeated promises have been made,
nothing has yet been done towards the pay
ment of the stipends due them for October
last. A recent circular OF the de facto State
Superintendent has also intimated that the
State school fund has been exhausted, and
that no apportionment can reasonably be
| expected before July next.
| This La lnentable result. and the gradual
decadenc4 of our public school system, must
| be regrette 10y every one who feels an in
| terest in ihe future prosperity of our city.
Yet, it ii obvious that the main source Of
the difficulty arises from the general depr,
| sion of business in our city and State: from
the utter inability of our sorely-taxed peo-
PIE to piPvide the necessary school funds
and from the costliness and extravaganza Of
the Boards of Education now in existence
by virtue Of Superintendent Conway's ex
traordinary act.
Prior 10 1862, when the public schools Of
the city, under the direction of old and
honored citizens, were the pride ard boast
Of our people, and were parronized by
much larger number of pupils, in proper
ton to the population, than are now therein
for no denOminatiOnal schools were then
deemed necessary (other than those of our
superintendent were punctually paid at
the close of each calendar month on pay
rolls, for which provision was made by the
City Councils, in part with the State appOr-
tionmenr and, in greater proportion, with
specific annual appropriations from the
city treasury.
Most of the largest and best school houses
in the city were also built during that
period, and, in addition to the free instruc-
ton afforded, pupils were all supplied |
for their use. Yet, during all this time, the
State school tax was but one mill on the |
assessed value of taxable property, and the |
city appropriation, in addition, but $40 per I
enrolled pupil, including the number in the
four high schools, for each sex, then in ex-
istence in the respective districts.
A similarly successful and economically |
system of public schools, in
GLIDING schools for colored youth, was
maintained by the Council of the cOnsoli-
dated city from 1865 to 1869, under the d.
rection of an enlightened and active Board
IF Directors appointed by that Council ard
the immediate and conscientious supervi-
sion Of such Superintendent as William
|
srudite and accomplished Prof. Alex. Dimi-
Try, or the practical, energetic Prof. Cress-
we'll, or the sterling, philosophic Judge
)egue. Teachers and Superintendent,
landlords and portresses were still paid with
punctuality, and text books
we're gratuitously furnished to the pupils of
III the schools other than the high schools
md yet the appropriations from the City
;ouncil did not exceed the per capita al.
owed prior to 1862, nor was the State school
AK higher than one mill on the assessed
alue of property.
During both the periods referred to, and
indeed, from the date of the primary organ, .
zation of public schools in Louisiana, in
luding the rural districts, the salary of the
tate Superintendent Of Public Education
ever exceeded three thousand dollars per an
UNI, with about three hundred dollars for in .
dental or contingent expenses and, from
-65 to July, 1S6s-when Hon. r. NJ. Lusher
,tired from the otfice-the appropriations
II salary and incidentals were er necessitote
enerally paid in deprecated State notes.
! is worthy Of note, also, that this salary
nd the incidentals were paid out Of the
eneral funds of the State, as were, also, the
.laries Of all other State officers; the entire
hOOl fund received into the State treasury,
cluding the mill and the poll tax levied by I
Re State, was held sacred tor the compen- Il
ltion Of teachers and other employees Of .
10 schools, and was apportioned quar- erly
r that purpose, in conformity to the then v
listing school laws. u
The City Hall Matter. t