National Republican., 1875-07-28

including the cost Of sites, buildings, improve
mentr, furniture and books, and all other expen-
dren between the ages Of SIX and seventeen years.
IN the respective cities, bear to the whole number
Of children. white and colored, between the same
ages, for the purpose OF
ESTABLISHING AND SUSTAINING
public scseols in said cities for the education Of
In bis opinion, Mr.. Stanton says, s'the powers
81 me one s1sr1 2. ossees Of ruSe SCI are
children and other public schosls and Il seems TO
be admitted that the trustees do not possess the
power 20 purchase sites for the latter In Washing
Your COMMITTEES disagree On toto IN this conclu-
sion Of Mr.. Stanton, and unless the order Of the
from the statute book ali laws enacted in refer
ence to the public schools for colored children In
the cities Of Wasnington and George.oyn, there
over white and colored schools Of said cities. II
MT. Stanton is correct, then the order Of eonsol-
over the public (Whte) schools, or It greatly les
sened those over the schools for colored children;
for certainly prior TO the order the powers OF the
would respectfully call the boards attention 10
sections 30e, al4 3i5 and sl6 and in fact from
tions 2e4 70 SO Of the consolidated statutes Of the
District OF Columbia, to show
BEYOND DOUBT
the powers Of this board in behalf and over the
colored schools in the before mentioned cities.
The plain letter Of the law shows It; cotempora-
the local government and the numerous Official
decisions Of his predecessors in office show the
powers Of the two former boards widely differed.
And your committee cannot but look upon this
declaration of the law officer as frauRht with
great danger to the further lawful exercise Of the
powers vested in the trustees by Congress for the
protection OF the educational interests Of the col
Your committee do not agree with MA stanton
In his conclusion, and 50 far as the 'intent and
meaning Of the laws" are concerned can per-
sonally testify that the 'power to purchase sites
and erect buildings" was supposed by both Con-
remedial IeEislstion Would % have be been sousSt
long since. Your committee regret that there Is
80 decided difference Of opinion as exists be-
declarations In the opinion herewith submitted
strikes at the very existence Of the schools for
colored children. II, as he says, the board has
trustees Of schools for colored children than It
has for the other public schools, then Il has not
the sole control Of the funds for the support Of
the former, and the funds cannot be placed to its
credit and In the hands Of the comptroller, acting
as the treasurer Of the public colored schools
schools as in its opinion viii best accommodate
the colored children in the various portions Of
these two cities. Now, by Q hard struggle,
through many = IT. -
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIoNs,
Il is certainly painful to those for whose protec
tion they were enacted to see these Just laws so
interpreted as to virtually repeal them, and sets
Q dangerous line OF precedents, which, In the
in breaking them up. Your committee In co..,
cluding this report respectfully submits:
i. That under the laws Of Congress there is
ample authority for the board Of trustees to buy
land and build school-houses for the colored
children in the cities Of Washington and George
town, with the funds by law set apart for estsb-
lisning and maintaining Of schools for colored
2. No other body has the power to expsnd this
und or In any way control it, and 1t is the duty of
board all amounts due to this fund, and It Is un-
lawful to retain It in the treasury Of the District
OF Columbia credited 70 this fund and under the
control Of others not given the power Of control BY
8. The order Of the Commissioners abolishing
the
OFFICE OF TREASURER
OF the Board Of Trustees of Colored Schools and
transferring the duties to the comptroller Of the
District Of Columbia in no manner repealed the
laws defining the duties Of such treasurer, and It
Is his duty to request payment in behalf of the
this fund from the District Of Columb bis
l. That while we have every confidence In the
friendly disposition Of the present authorities it
and people here, while separate schools are main
tained and based upon color, to urge q strict
eSmpnsnce with the present laws Of Congress on
that subject Neither equity nor Justice will avail
q weak minority when the necessities of the ma
jority would seem to demand q sacrifice on the
that the best protection the coIored schools can
have Is the provision Of positive law.
Respectfully, JOHN II. BROOKS,
:. HENRY JOHNSON,
GEO. F. T. Cook.
In connection with the report Trustee Brooks
submitted the following:
RESOLVED, That in view of the decision of the
law officer Of the District Of Columbia and action
OF the honorable commissioners this board
suspend for the present Its efforts 70 secure a
proper site and erect building for the colored
schools In the Second district, and that the spe-
cial committee be authorised, to rent or lease
upon the best terms possible, suitable rooms for
schools for colored children in said Second dis
tion to this board.
The report was received, and the resolution
adopted.
Trustee Detrick, from the committee on text
books, reported that changes had been made in
the course used in the schools by the adoption OF
the full course of Franklin Readers" the adop-
tion Of "Hadley's Lessons In Language" In the
third and fourth years, as a teachers guide, and
IN the NTH year of "Hotze's First Lessons in
On moiion of Trustee johnson, the changes
board.
Trustee Hart, from the committee on drawing
and penmsnship, presented the following clause
In their report, which was adopted: >
"Your Committee would recommend that on
organizing the boys special drawing classes
hereafter the pupils Of the schools of the seventh
grade De examined by the drawing teacher at the
close Of the school year, and that the twenty
boys giving evidence Of the best ability and
greatest proficiency be selected for the class
without regard to distrtctrepresentation."
Trustee Detrick presented his resignation as
member OF the committee on teachers of white
schools, and Of the committee on the annual re-
ports, reeommendtpgras. his successor IN those
places his colleague, Trustee Randolph. =.
The board then adjourned.