Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-30
THE CITY SCHOOL BOARD.
THE QUESTION OF MINED SCHOOLS


the Beard IF Aldermen, (the school office be-
ing used as dressing room by the ladies of the
Masonic lestival,) present: K. Snowden, jr,
esq, Chairman, MesSrs. Addison, S. F.Beach,
Burke, Hopkins, Neale, Whittlesey and the
Superintendent of Schools.
The minutes of the last regular aud sub
seouent called meeting were read and APP
proved.
Edmund T. Wilmer, ESQ.,, appointed By the
Board of Education trustee OF Public Schools
from Snowden District, vice Vim. +. Carne.
esq, removed from the district, being 10 at
tendance was duly sworu by the Superluteu
dent, aud took his seat as member of the
Board
MIR. Burke, from the Committee on Finance
and Accounts, reported the cousummation of
the purchase of Bradey's Building, aud the
sale of the So $40 Vi the city stock at 6S3 cts
the proceeds, with the 81, 400 appropriated
from the treasury having been used IN paying
s., 900 90 the building, which, with note OF
81 900 due Sept LIST, and Que of $1,000 due
| Oct lst, and one OF 1000 due live years
hence, made up the price of the purchase. A
balance of SlG737 remained, which would be
used 10 paying expenses OF transfer, Insurance,
&c. He also gave statement of the Insurance
effected, to the extont Of 10000, as ordered
by the Board. "a motion the report Was ac-
cepted. lie also reported the bill of Albert
| Stuart, for examining title and drawing deed,
S25; which on motion Of Mr.. S. f. Beach, was
vrdered to be paid, on condition that Mr..
Stuart make an abstract of title. Also the bills
of u. + French for Stationery, Nc, S52.7l,
aud an account Of T. j. Mehatfey 4 Co., for
coal furnished, showing balance of $780,,
both of which were ordered 2 be paid.
Mr.. Hopkins, from the Committee on School
Houses and Furniture, reported the employ
ment of B. I. Price, ESQ.,, as architect for the
alteration of the Peabody School Building, and
the erection of a. staircase, &c, which were alb
solutey necessary for the proper use OF the
schools removed from Prince street and else
where. 10 view Of the probable passage of the
Civil Rights Bill, be asked the judgment OF
the Board as to the propriety Of proceeding
further.
An Informal discussion then arose concern
ing the probable effects of the passage of that
bill, and the Superintendent being called upon
for his opinion as to the effects said that he
had no doubt that it would result 10 the
instant destruction Of the public schools. All
those who were now sending their children to
the colored schools were, he thought, satisfied,
and would Keep them there, but there We're
perorily Of the white teachers formerly en-
ployed by the Freedmcn's Aid Societies of
the North, superiority which the result of
his examination of many of those pupils
had failed to convince him, and some of these
would, he had no doubt, instantly apply for the
admission OF their children to the white schools.
The colored teachers and their friends, were,
of course, opposed to the school feature OF the
bill, if to no other, as they knew colored teach
ers would not be employed to teach mixed
schools, even if such schools could be forced on
the people. He had noticed in one of the pa
pers, ust as he clme to the meeting, that Rev.
| DIR. Sears than whom 10 man was a bcteer
Judge, had predicted the entire ruin of the
school system throughout the South, if the bill
passed, and had urged the religious deuomiua-
| ton of which be was member to take steps
to meet the deficiency by establishing schools,
and be, the Superintendent, thought that the
only chance for any public education at all
would be by establishing schools under the
auspices Of the various churches. The Wash
| ingtou School could, BIC hoped, be supported
on a reduced scale by society; it would be a
pity to let it be be destroyed after eighty-nine
years of usefulness since its establishment by
| w aSQlURlOu. LIZ udu w uOuuI vi luC
On the part of those who were resolved to de-
stroy our present educational system, to force
upon us that which had been proposed 10 the last
Congress; the giving of authority to the Presi-
dent of the United States to appoint, in any
State, which had, 10 his judgment, no sufficient
school system, commissioners in each county,
with power to establish schools, and levy the
necessary tax for their support. There were,
at the North; many hundreds of persons who
| had taught 10 the South under the auspcles of
| the Eeedmen's Bureau aud various societies,
| who would be very glad to come back and make
their living out Of us, under the auspices Of the
commissioners so appointed, and the Board
could see how strong was the Influence they
and their friends could WELD in favor of the
destruction of our present system. 1t be-
hooved US, therefore to be very discreet In our
action, as any precipitancy might bring great
evils upon u.s. 1t would be better probably to
support schools, nominally mixed, really color
ed, as they would be, for short time, than to
put ourselves again at the mercy of adveutur-
ers. lie did not consider any action necessary
with regard to the Peabody Building, at this
time, as the committee was unanimous 10 the
determination to do nothing more until the
question of mixed schools Was settled. There
might be, however, some trouble given by
mischlevous persons, this session, II the Civil
Rights Bill should pass, and in order to prevent
that be offered an amendment to the 9th By
Law, as follows: mo permit shall be issued,
however, after the first day of May, in aoy
| school year" explaining that several Northern
| and Western cities had such rule, which was
intended to prevent children entering at Pc
| riod too late to learn anything of value, and
| thus embarrassing the teachers. The amend
ment was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Neale then had read Informally, reso-
luton appointing committee to present to
Congress >remonstrauce against the mixed
school feature of the Civil Rights Bill He
would not press it unless it met the unanimous
appreciation of the Board, but he understood
that School Boards throughout the South,
generally, were taking that course.
Mr.. Addison said that be would have no OBJ
lection to the resolution if he thought its pas
sage would be useful; he feared, however, that
our remonstraDce would have no effect what