The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-07
SCHOOL BOARD.
Salaries of Teachers.
The Mass Meeting Committee.

ana the 1OllOWlng named members present.
Shaw, Massicot, Pinchback, Lynch, Nc
earthly, Ingraham, Stamps, Tracy, Gaudet,
Glaudin, Bourges, Carey, Dumont, Rey-14.
Superintendent Boothby submitted the
following report:
New ORLEANS, Oct. 6, 1875.
To the Honorable Board Of Directors of the Pub
lie Schools
Geltenser-Since the opening of the schools
this session have visited sixty of the seventy
four in the division, and deem it my duty to pre-
cent to you briefly a statement of their condition,
in order that you may adopt u;h measures for
their advancement, and such remedies for their
defects as your interest in their true welfare may
dictate.
1t is to be regretted that in quite number of
the schools the standard of excellence and eff
ficiency has been greatly lowered since the OPEN
ing of this session. The cause of this it belongs
to the board to discover and remove. Ii the dl-
rectors will visit the schools l am confident
that they will feel it imperative upon them
to recommend the transfer of certain teach
ers who have been appointed to posi-
tons for which they are not properly
qualified, and the dismissal of others who are
utterly incompetent Feeling sure that no direc
tor. would be willing to re ain any teacher who
is unable to discharge the duties of her position,
desire to call your attention to the assertion
that in my visits 10 certain schools have found
sary to instruct pupils, Of the lowest depart
ments. There are some who hold no certificate
of qualification, and whose appointment is con-
sequently null in law. Others hold certificates
not emitting them.to teach in the departments to
which they have been elected, while others are
wholly incapable either to govern or instruct the
classes placed under their control.
These facts being so. have no doubt that the
board will consider it necessary to apply the
proper remedy to such mistakes as have been
made through the absence OF full knowledge of
the attainments and qualifications OF the differ
ent teachers and applicants. A visitation and
critical observation of the schools will convince
any impartial person that the late unusually great
change in the corps of teachers has caused de-
cline in the interest AMI prosperity OF all the
schools, and particularly Of those where the
changes have been the greatest. 1t
would, perhaps, be wise to follow the
example set by the boards of other cities,
where teachers are displaced only upon
specific charges, and where an annual increase is
ADDED to their salaries for a certain number Of
years, to compensate for the increased efficiency
and ability which, it is believed, come to teach
err with the experience Of each succeeding year.
The very large number of children attending cur
schools makes our responsibility all the greater,
and causes US to regret all the more any admin
strative acts which tend to impair their eficien-
cy. There have been admitted since the opening
on the 18th Of September, about 10000 pupils,
number considerably in excess Of that admitted
at this time last year.
respectfully recommend that the Committee
on Teachers, or special committee, be directed
to inquire into the inefciency of teachers, either
as to scholarship or disciplinary powers, to sum-
mon them to examination whenever they may
consider proper, and recommend to the board
such transfers and dismissals as may be con-
ducive to the interests Of the public schools con-
fded to your care.
Very respectfully, w. q. BooTHBY,
Superintendent sixth Division.
Pinchback said that the report was like the
charges of the press against the character of
the MEMBERSHIP general in its nature. 1t
stated that there we're a number of incompe-
tent teachers in the schools, and did not give
names. 1t looked too much like following in
the lead of the press. He thought if any &C.
ton was taken the report should pe recon-
mitted.
Mr. Boothby said that he did not think that
the open School Board was the proper place
to present names.
Pinchback interrupting, said that to "save
the gentleman the necessity of rising to his
feet second time, he would state that num-
Der of teachers who had been dropped had
been dropped at his (Boothby's) suggestion,
and that in response to the solicitation of
" the same gentleman many of them had
been reinstated.
Boothby continuing said that when the
committee, as he suggested, was appoln led,
he would furnish names and facts.
The report was received and filed.
The exhibit of the treasurer showed the
balance on hand to be $1,000, with the note
that S6l14 25 was due on the roll of May,
1875.
The Committee of Finance reported, recon-
the payment of number of bills,
to S3439 80.
The report was adopted and the bills or
dered paid.
The Committee on School Houses reported
that they had renewed the lease of the Boys
Central High School in accordance with in
structions at the old rental of S250) year.
The action of the committee was approved.
The Committee on New Schools reported
On the petition of citizens of the Twelfth
Ward relative to the Austerlitz School, that
the committee had removed the school to
the church GA Austerlitz street, between Mag
azine and Constance streets, as prayed for IN
the petition, and that a lease had been taken. |
The Chair called the attention OF chairmen
Of committees to the fact that no lease was
binding on the Board unless signed by the
President of the Board, and that no contract
was binding except those authorized by the
Board.
The action of the committee was approved.
The Committee on Rules and Regulations
reported, recommending the adoption OF the
amendments to the rules proposed by Hart
zell, changing the time of general examina-
ton from December to June, with the prov 80,
hat pupils of the senior classes Of the High |
Schools ready to graduate be accorded ex-
and that such as attain percent
age of 95 be given diplomas.
The report was not adopted and the recon- |
nendations were lost.
Plnchback gave notice that he would move
reconsideration at the next meeting.
The report of the committee to call on the
editor of the BULLETIN was called for and was
presented.
Il read as follows:
New ORLEANS, Oct. S, 1875.
To the Hon. Board of school Directors
GenAen,en-Your committee appointed to wait
Upon the editor of the New Orleans BULLETIN |
'elative to the charges of immortality in the
schools and against the teachers employed
herein called at the Office OF that paper and
vas halted at the threshold by one of the at |
aches with peremptory demand to know who
We wished to see, whereupon We presented the
al