The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-14
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL NATTER.
Letter from the Citizens Commit.
tee to Superintendent Brown.
They Demand the Resignation OF
the City School Board and Pre-
fer Charges Against its
Members.

The following letter from the Committee of
Citizens, appointed by the late mass meeting,
was sent to Supt Brown this morning:
New ORLEANS, Oct 13, 1875.
Hon. VIM. G. Brown, Stats Superintendent Of
Public Education s1od President Of the State
Board of EducatiQ4* -
Sir In the dbcHtge of the duty imposed
upon US as repiU sa6tatives of the people htely
assent led in mass meeting to protest against
the action and character CT the Board Of
School Directors of the city of New Orleans,
we presented, in formal and respectful COM
munication to the board, the sense Of said
meeting as embodied in the resolutions
adopted by il, and copy of which is here
with Enclosed. The subject matter was and
is one of the gravest public concern, touching
the rights and wishes of the people with re-
spect to one Of their dearest interests.
The Board of Directors should be peculiar
ly near the p: ople, and sensitiveto their wants
and interests, but We observe t6at the present
board, so far from manifesting this spirit. ig-
nores the right OF the people t0sbs heard at
all, an impertinence entirely in keeping with
the preyi0uB arrogance of that irresponsible
body Notwithstanding said action of the
board, which was deliberate and most unpro-
voked insult to the great body Of intelligent
we have waited reasonable length Of time
to see whether better judgment might not
dictate compliance with the manifest will of
the people. No intimaion of a purpose to
act having been received, we hereby demand
its instant removal for the following causes,
to-wit:
l. Because the members of said board, one
and all, and we so charge against each AMI
every one, individually, have neglected to
perform the duties required by section 8, of
the Act No 1913 Of acts of 1874, relative to
visiting the schools, by reason OF which they
forfeited membership of the board, and are
by operation Of law incapable Of performing
any valid acts as members of said beard.
3. Because the said board, as now organ
lied, is confessedly the outgro With of dis
turbed condition of affairs composed of
partisans who use their positions solely for
political ends, and many of them, as we be-
lieve, for immoral purposes; it is unrepre-
sentative of the wishes or interests OF the
people of New Orleans, without the re-
spect or confidence Of the people, and by it's
recent acts become so odious that it is inca
pable of usefulness, and its continued exist
ence will involve the disgrace and ruin OF
the public schools of New Orleans; and, as
special instances Of INSTRUMENTATION, we
charge the board with having employed unfit
assigned them to positions without requiring
certificates OF examination and capacity, and
to have wantonly expelled others whose COM
petence and fitness are beyond question.
3. In addition to the foregoing charges,
which embrace the entire board, and are
urged against each and every member thereof,
we specifically charge and demand the re-
moval of James Longstreet, II. G. Dibble, B.
l. Lynch, p. B. S. PInchback, Y. b. Nc
Carly, G. F. Glaudin, J. B. Gaudet, j. A.
Massicot and A. T. Dumont, as illegally hold
ing membership on said board, because they
are now holding and exercising, each one of
them, another Office Of trust or profit, or
both, contrary to the spirit and intent of
article III of the Constitution Of 1868; and
we also charge, and accuse and demand the
removal therefor, of James Longstreet, T. b.
s. Pinchback, E. G. Billings, J. A. Massicot,
and Rsv. J. G. Hartzell, as having forfeited
their membership by absence from the board
for two months in succession without leave.
contrary to the provisions of section 8, Act
No. 1913, of the acts of 1874
And the removal of P B. s. Pinchback, V.
E. McCarty, J. Fl. Ingraham, G. F. Glau
din. J. A. Massicot, A. 7. Dumont, T. B.
Stamps and Fl. L. Rey, because they are illit-
crate politicians. wholly unfit for the honor
able position of school director. and ineGgi-
Die, because not possessed OF the necessary
fitness and capacity" as required by section
l, of Act No. SO, of the acts of 1873, which
clearly means such degree of literary, sci
entifc and scholastic attainment as may be
expected in persons who assume
to control and have charge of the important
trust of public education.
The committee, in its desire to carry out
the full spirit and object of the meeting of
from which it derives its power, and
to obtain the redress sought in peaceful and
legal manner, do hereby solemniy and con-
cientiously present the foregoing charges and
demand, to you, as the legally constituted
power, or the representative and executive
officer of the power which controls, appoints
and removes the Board of City School Di-
rectors.
P. M. BAKER,
b. J. WEST,
STQIrIEaIYER