Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-06
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE
CHARTER

The charter OF the city schools
is liberal in its provisions for a
sound and correct school system. 1t
has often been said that it is too
liberal. The organization, govern
ment and maintenance of all the
public schools in the city is in
trusted to the Board of Education.
This Board has the power to build
houses, provide materials and APP
paratus of every kind, employ
teachers, agents and superinten-
dent, and fix their salaries. 1t is
given the power, too, at its dis
erection ''to prescribe higher
branches of study than those COM
monty taught in the public schools
of other cities" If the Legislature
had gone a step farther and granted
to this Board the power to levy,
assess and collect taxes, it would
have had unlimited authority. To
those who remember the character
of legislation in those days, when
the Legislature was elected by one
half the voters of the State, it is a
matter Of surprise that this ulti-
mate power was not Incorporated
in that charter. If any one OF
those who were then Of the domi-
nant faction in Memphis had asked
for such power no doubt the Legis-
lature would have granted it. 1t
was clearly an oversight on the part
of the "ring-makers Of that day.
We congratulate ourselves that it
was overlooked. This is especially
a cause of graduation when we see
a Board of Education intent upon
using all the powers they have,
whether that use is in accordance
with the universal wish of the peo-
pie or not. In fact, when the in
clination to manage and control
and direct school matters by means
of rings and for personal pur--
poses is exhibited, the repeal OF
the charter suggests itself with
much force to the honest tax-pay-
ing citizen. 1t was this disposition
to abuse the liberal grant Of power
to the School Board which prompt
ed the last Legislature to limit thu
extent of taxation for school pur
poses. A scheme to erect another
large, fancy building for higl
school purposes was on foot. TIL
site had been agreed upon. Tn
plan of the building had been dis
cussed. A good, fat job for some
body was fitting across the vision
of all the initiated. The heay
burden of our taxes, the fact tina
it was literally impossible for tn
city to comply with the terms
the school charter by paying $50
600 a year to the School Board, an
the knowledge that we had alread
gone beyond our means in the ma.
ter Of school buildings, did NJ
weigh a feather in I'll
minds of those who wei
on the inside in this scheme. III
high-priced superintendent hc
said the children would be attract
to school by a fine building, andt Il
only question was, "Can the ci
afford to do without it," To n
such schemes as this in the bud a
to "put a head on" all iobbiug
this kind, the Legislature could
nothing less than limit the ext,
of taxation. We call the attent
of the present Board of Educat
to these facts, and beg them to 6
them their careful considerati
There are questions now bef
them which involve the necess
expenditure of the school fun
The payment of four to five tn
sand dollars annually to keep
and support a classical school
four hundred dollars for an Of
for school meetings is not an
penditure which can be justilieI
the present condition of our Ct
finances. The member of
Board who supports such meas
is a positive enemy to the
school system, though it may
unwittingly. If the charter i
be preserved those who control
schools must exercise a most r
economy and curtail expe.
wherever it is possible until
financial condition of the cit
improved.
Urn Senatorial nontaet in