National Republican., 1877-02-06
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE COLOR QUESTION IN THE BOARD
OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES.


Result OF tho Onicial Investigation OF tho
Burning Of the joan r. Cook Buildiug-A
New School House Asked for In Its Place
Trustee Declares that tho Colored
Children are Better Provided for Than the
Exception.
A special meeting ofthe Board Of Trustees Of
Public Schools was held last night at the Frank.
lin school building for the purpose Of hearing tho
report Of the property committee In relation to
the burning Of the John T. Cook school building
on the morning Of tho 2ith Of January; the prcsl.
dent tMr. W. W. Curtisl in the chair, with Mr..
Snn Dysr French, o0 Movsy LLOYD MCst psessrS
Ryder, Smith, Gary, BALDWIN, White and Rey.
burn.
BREWERY PROPOSED FOR scHooL-Housr.
A Communication was received from tho Dis
trict Commissioner in reference to leasing the
building known as the Metropolitan brewery, sit
from the board as to whether ii their opinion, il
would be desirable TO lease II for torn OF years
for school purposes, supposing the building 70 bo
afford Foo.wais: can 1,i be r. readily laid to
Tho building is hfty by efghty.nve feet in the
| clear.
The hrst story is twenty feet high, the second
and third eleven feet each, walls good. The
building would make twelve rooms, each "a by IS
eSoo SSuS tG
| be vacated were this building leased, and what is
the amount Of rent paid for them; The Commits
tion was referred to the COMMITTEES on Property
with leave to report during the evening.
THE BURNING OF THE JOHN y. COOK BUILDING.
Mr.. Brooks, from the property committee, read
The SuIidins was tirst discovered to bo on fire
was made by the iire department to supduc the
flames, but, owing to the construction OF the In
ns ssS. &C. SsS1s Sg sSs ssy SsEs S SSSd
discovery Il was found to be impossible, The
committee has been unable to ascertain the
stove in the lower hall. Tie building was in.
sured for $4,000 and the furniture for $500, at
policy Of insurlpg public school buildings so
strongly recommended and adhered to by this
pGo shco ths the
accommodation OF tho colored children in the
cities Of Washington and Georgetown are in.
Of annual premiu%s, .s11sO Il will e @ seen that hat
the amount ls7,j0o) received on this one building
insurance for more than twenty years.
The original building was plain two.story
eet vide % In the Siearj r"s opening @ Sn aSo
east and west sides Of the building. Tho interior
construction OF the building was entirely Of wood,
stairways. A stairway was put on the east side
of tho building during the present term as an
additional exit for the pupils on the third floor Of
The utmost caution was enjolned upon the jan.
having been provided for his use whenever a light
was necessary to be used In the building. New
tin cylinders and perforated fanges were put up
aud every prccautIon possible was taken to secure
the building against ire
Upon the subduing Of the flames by the hre de
| partment the building and all public property
was put in charge Of the police, with Instructions
been made to the honorable Commit ssioners, the
insurance companies notified, and an inspection
made by them, which was promptly done and
A recommendation OF the committee, that the
ruins be Inspected and the walls torn down was ap-
from the workhouse 10 now engaged upen the work.
By the destruction Of this building seven hundred
Second school district, are deprived Of school
accommodations. 1t was the only building
as 6 s
m.ee hoped that the action Of oi.ens in SSM tsP;
modStions, would enable the committee to oIS pro.
vide for tho time being, for the.schools thus sum-
The committee urgently recommended that q
plain, substantial brick building, two stories and
ters for Janiof Be erected as soon as pos.bIe
upon plans to be submitted by the committee
and that authority be requested Of the Commis.
also recommended that Ike "Reminiscences Isl @ bo re-
quested to set apart all money received from the
ing which with other available money now to the
| credit Of the colored school fund shall be used
mttes ,estsed to The % stsul Say
OF the fremen police and janitor, and their ready
and valuable assistance in securing public, prop
erty and preventing any trespassing upon tho In
closure and building.
THE METROPOLITAN BREWERY.
Mr.. Packard, from the committee on property,
70 whom was referred tho subject OF leasing the
Metropolitan Brewery for school purposes, made
an adverse report, on the ground that II is not at
present a suitable locality for school building.
Mr.. Baldwin, from the committee on property,
ings, recommending number, of changes to In
crease the means OF egress In case OF fire, &c.
mitted to the committee for the purpose Of carry.
ing out the recommendations.
Plans were received for the erection OF new
school building to take the place Of the Cook
| building
AN ADVOCATE FOR THE WHITE SCHOOLS.
DR.. Reyburn said the colored children were
comparatiyeiy better provided for than the white
erection of this building, and there would be
nothing LEFT for the white children.
MT Brooks , snid that in this district Second,
vided for them whatever: The colored school
only had proportion OF what is expended by the
Of budiOSs There was now das these elsisO SCHOOLS
els, ,s9737. They had not drawn this amount, but
insurance and other available funds to erect this
Dr. Reybun offered the following resolution:
Resolred, That tho committee on property be
requested to report on the adylsability q build.
children Of the city OF Washington.
Aner debate the resolution was withdrawn.
The secretary presented y detailed statement
| Of all accounts audited sad paid by the late
board OF audit, showing the amount paid.
Amount paid by board Of audit on account OF
| white schools OF Washington city &40.
3T3.3T; Georgetown, q ,s2tlt; county, t4,oe3 So
| Also statement Of accounts OF oolored schools to
December 81, 1870 Total credit s3O2 All 20; total
debt, t2s3 b73.s3; balance due, ls,s97.37.
Mr. W. Perry Ryder offered q resolution which
was adopted, requesting the committee on prop
erty to examine the Loyejoy building, for the pur.
pose OF seeing what arrangements can be made
for the accommodation OF the janitor.
Mr. Brooks stated that the Janitor was already
quartered In the building by the committee on
property, In consequence Of aepredations which
have recently been committed there.
| Adjourned.