Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-01-07

Let 1t sleep!
THE PURLIc SCHOOLS That our readers
NAV see the attendance at our public schools,
their cost, &c., as compared with those of the
other cities Of the Commonwealth, We give the
following figures from the able report of Super
iutendent Ruffuer, just laid before the General
Assembly:
Vulue Of School Rroperty-Richmoud, S2O3,-
622. "a; Norfolk, s37,0OO Lynchburg, 49,
252.65; Petersburg, $4,000; Portsmouth,
sl3,l7l; Alexandria, 81 $685. All the other
cities have handsome school buildings; We, as
yet, have none
Total Expenditures for School Purposes. =
Richmond 24,l26Sl; Petersburg, ST.
7ss.Os; Norfolk. II, 63l. 10 Lynchburg, Sl6,-
l72. OF; Alexandria, $lO,O27.6S; Portsmouth,
So. 305.07.
Pan Of Superiiutendeuts and Clerks. Rich
mond, Superintendent 1000, Clerk 81 ,29l,67;
Petersburg, Superintendent 81 $50; Clerk s4oo;
Lynchburg, Superintendent 81 ,29O, Clerk $50;
Norfolk, Superintendent 1918, Clerk 5000;
Portsmouth, Superintendent $500, Clerk $3.50;
Alexandria, Superintendent 1895, Clerk $3.50.
Iu Richmond and Lynchburg the Superlnten-
dent devotes his entire time to visiting the
schools, in Petersburg he is principal of the
High School, 10 Lynchburg, and perhaps III
other cities, he is clerk also.
Averaqe Salaries of Teachers. -Iynchburg,
$53 90; males $7l.25, females $4l.09; Rich
moud, $53S6; males $SS.S4, females $40. 10;
Norfolk $53 80; males 500, females $44;;
Petersburg, $47. AZ; males Sll6 females Sal So;
Portsmouth, SAT 49, males $67.5O, females,
$4l. So; Alexandra, $45; males $56.25, females
Alps. 1t will be noticed that the salaries in
Alexandra are lower than in any other city.
Pupils. --Iu Petersburg 81 pupils were en-
rolled tie each teacher, though the average at
tendance was but A; 10 Portsmouth 70, with
an average attendance of SO; 10 Lynchburg 81;
average attendance "a; in Alexandria 60, aver
age attendance IS; in Norfolk SIS, average at
tendance IS; Richmond Al; average attendance
81. The monthly cost Of educating each child
enrolled was, in Richmond, $l.S5; Norfolk,
sl25; Lynchburg, sl0s; Alexandria, Sl.02;
Portsmouth, SO Cts; Petersburg, SO cts. This
exhibit is scarcely fair one for Petersburg
and Portsmouth, though apparently educating
the largest number at the smallest cost, really
educate only those who are in average atteD-
dance, at rate almost as high as Richmond.
Thus, the cost of tuition of each child in aver
age attendance in Portsmouth is 81. 46 month,
while In Alexandra it is only ST. 50.
Text books we're supplied to 49S INDECENT
pupils in Norfolk, to SO in Lynchburg, to 81 in
Petersburg, to "a 10 Richmond, to two 10 Alex
andria, and to none 10 Portsmouth. The aver
age age of the pupils 10 Lynchburg is IL. years,
in Richmond -, in Portsmouth lis, in Alex
andria IL, in Norfolk lO.5 and in Peters
burg go.
Lynchburg has the largest proportion of her
school population enrolled, 49 per cent. of all
persons between and 81 being on the school
registers; 50 per ct. of the white and 46 of the
colored children. Portsmouth comes next, with
80 per ct 81 Of the white and Al of the color
ed; and is closely followed by Petersburg, which
reports 80 per cent, 80 white and rs colored.
Then comes Richmond, with 90 per cent, 81
white aud 26 colored, and Alexandria with "a
per cent, 81 white and 26 colored Norfolk,
with p per cent, % white and l6 colored, is
lowest, though Alexandria has fewest white
children enrolled, owing, we. presume to the
many excellent private schools here, and the
very low rate of tuition in them; not more than
about half that 10 the other cities
While We stand low n our enrolment, how
ever, the Attendance of those who are enrolled
is better than that of most of the other cities
10 this particular Richmond stands highest in
the report, exhibiting au average of SO per Ct,
80 in white and IS 10 coored schools, aud is fol-
lowed by Norfolk, which reports IS, 81 in white
and Is in colored schools Next 10 order is
Alexandria, with So, 81 10 white aud 81 10 col
ored schools; Lynchburg with 55, 81 10 white
and SO in colored schools, and Petersburg, with
50, 81 in white and 81 in colored schools. Pc
tersburg is lowest, making only Al per cent, As
10 white and 43 in colored schools. The per
centage in Richmond is calculated on the basis
of average monthly attendance; in Alexandria,
on the basis of total monthly enrolment as
shown by the Superintendent annual report
to the School Board, the attendance was IS per
cent Of the enrolment, the white schools rang
ing from 81 to 50, and the colored from 90 to
II per cent, so that our attendance is probably
the best in the State; owing, no doubt to the
stringent regulations requiring good reasons for
absence.
The Philadelphia Press is authority for the
announcement that bill is in course of prepa.
ration to aid the Texas Pacific railroad by Civ
ing it Government subsidy-a "bill which Sc
cures the government first and last by pledg-
ing the road, its stock and its revenues, ipclud-