New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-14
P. M. BAKER,
b. j. WEST,
l. N. STOUTEMYER,
w. l.. CUSHING,
CHARLES RICK
OPPIcR BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS,
New DrlHaua La lcinher II lara

New Orleans, La, October 10, 1875 s
N ssrs. P. NJ, Baker, B. j. West, l. N Stoute.
meyer, William L. Gushing and Charles p.
GENTLEMEN-In reply to your commu-
nicati0n to the Board Of School Directors,
bearing date October 6, instant, we have
the honor to say:
We recognize in the fullest degree the
duty of this board, as it is the duty of every
officer and also of all official or representa-
tive bodies, to entertain and consider peti-
tions or complaints from any citizen or any
number of citizens when couched in
respectful language. While appreciat.
ing the responsibility of this duty,
however, we respectfully suggest that
the assumption in your communication,
that the resolutions of the mass meeting
which you transmit express the almost unan-
nous 81 ntiment of the community, is some.
what gratuitous. OF the $4,000 male citi-
zens of New Orleans alove twenty -one
years of age more than 10000 were not at
the meeting and did not participate therein
IL would not be q greater violation OF logic
to cay that those who remained away there
by refused as mt to the It solutions than
to assert that those present expressed the
feelings of those who were absent. Of the
2OOO or 5000 who were present at the meet
ing not 100, nay, not fifty, had any voice in
the preparation and adoption OF these
charges against the School Board. Never
theless, we will consider them.
Were it possible for this board to insti-
tute an investigation into the vague and
general charges of incompetency and i'm
morality made against the directors, the
character of the organization would pre-
cude the proceeding. The board has no
power of Impeachment of its members
They are appointed by the State Board of
Educs ton, and may be removed by that
bUiy for cause. We. therefore, respectfully
suggest that, in this regard, you have
sought the wrong jurisdiction.
With reference TO the demand contained
in these resolutions for the resignation of
the board as an official body, we say: The
resolutions containing this request 1--WE
waive the objection that might be made to
the ma lsvolent language used) assume that
the board has been convicted of immortality,
mal-administration and incompetency as an
organization. We answer that there has
been no hearing of the cause. The judg-
ment upon which the resolutions X exc
cuti0n is null. We demand q trial We
express our willingness to put ourselves
upon the country, and we plead that the
averments are false.
Should the committee with whom we are
communicating see fit to request the indi-
vidual directors to resign tor special rea-
sons in particular cases, We can see no
objection, as board, to such demands
being made. We presume that each direc-
tor will meet any such request in his own
behalf.
In general reply to the resolutions trans
mitted to US We now respectfully submit:
While NAL administration, incompetency
and immortality are charged sgainst the
board. we uggest that not single viola
lion of law upon the part of the board has
been pointed out, and the charges of i'm
morality and incOmpetency are as utterly
without specifications. We will not char
acterize nor attempt to explain the proba.
BILE origin of such complaints.
For now nearly five years the schools in
New Orleans have been conducted under
the present board; not by the same indi
vidual directOra, but BY the present legal
organization. During that time the schools
have gradually but certainly and percepti-
bly, improved. To-day there are more pu-
pills in the schools than ever before; the
course of studies is higher; the grade of
many OF our schools has been raised, and |
We have. all in all, the best schools in the |
South. During this period we have main
tanned these schools at much less cost, in
propOl tiOn. than was done before the aocee-
sion of the present board. To the truth of
these statements we challenge investiga-
ton. -
In the nature of things there is more or
less dissatisfaction attending the annual
election OF teachers. All those who are
elected and their friends are satisfied; those
who are not elected and their friends are
not satisied. To the latter class the board
stends in an unfavoFable light.
Nevertheless, 1t may be that the teachers