Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-20
The County senooI. Cousrover.v.

VIEWS OF THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONING ON
tn. LHsALITY OF rHsrR ACTION.
The District Commissioners yesterday replied
70 the resolutions recently adopted by the late
Beard Of Trustees of the County Schools, which
resolutions were mentioned in The STAR ut the
review the laws on the subject Of county schools
and that under which they acted in abolishing
the board and consolidating all the school boards
in one general board by the recent order Of re-
organization. They then 20 on to saw that the
legislative Assembly, by the act OF August 81,
1871, created three boards of trustees Of public
schools-one fer Washington, one for George
town, and one for that part OF said District of
Columbia known as the county of Washington
and IL was under this act that the members of
the late county school board were appointed.
"PriOr to june I, 1871, the commissioners Of the
tie act Of June %, 1864, with power to receive
hold and convey real estate and other property
for primary school purposes. With the abolition
Of the Office of the commissioners of primary
schools the corporate existence Of the board Of
commissioners necessarily became extnguished,
ana Herewith the corporate powers granted by
the act OF June ., 1864; while the real estate
oher property held by the commissioners, in
trust for primary school purposes, passed to,
ana became vested in the District of Columbia,
by virtue of section Al Of the act OF February p,
1871, which provided that all property Of the
corporations of Washington and Georgetown
and of the county OF Washington shall become
vested in the District Of Columbia The fere-
going construction of the law is in accordance
with the Revised Statutes of the United States
relative TO the District OF Columbia, adopted at
the last SESSION of Congress, and accordingly
the law OF the District as the same existed De-
cember 1, 1873. By reference to sections 5, g48
and 1852 you will see the distinct provisions by
which the title TO school lands is to pass to aud
be vested in the District Of Columbia. From
this statement of the law it is clear that the
late board was not a corporate body created
by and deriving Its powers from special act of
Congress We shall be very sorry to know
that IL has had any real estate transactions in
It's own anne, as no legal right existed for an en-
action"
ANOTHER EXPLANATION ABOUT THAT INsUR.
AHCE POLICY.
We have received q card from j. s. Brown
late president of the Board of County School
trustees, in which he states with reference to
the insurance policy on the school building
which wss burned in the county that the county
school trustees being anxious to have the cree.
ton OF the new schCOl-hOuse commence as soon
IS possible, Sin communication to the Com
IassoGers called special attention to the mat
ter, ara stated that the insurance company h ai
refused 20 pay the Insurance due on the burned
building Gay or two afterward Mr.. Pack
ard, the secretary, and myself, called on the
Commission concerning this matter and the re-
Pairs ef the other school-houses, which we're be-
coming urgent as the time for opening the
schools was drawing near. Mr.. ketch am, then
present, informed Us that he had placed the
matter or collecting the insurance aud of CON-
inebciDg the new building in the hands of the
attorney, MIR. Stanton, (wbo had just left his
Iresence,) for examination and report, and that
concerning the repairs we should probably hear
from them next day. Not a word was said by
him about the loss of the insurance policy.
That interview was at O'Clock on Friday after
loon, and the order consolidating the school
toaTds was issued the very next day. None of
cur trustees were asked for the policy. Had
the Commissioners so done, it would have been
furnished at once, it being in the possession OF
our secretary