Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-22
COMMUNICATED
The Eyncllburg and tho Alexandria
SchOOIS.

noticed in the report Of a recent session Of
the Common Council remark made by amen
Der from the 4.h ward, which, whether so n
tended or not, implied reflection on the man.
agement of oar public schools, as compared witt
those of Lynchburg and seemed to attribute the
superiority Of that city in the matter 10 the
greater control exercised by tho City Council.
Now the management of the public school,
in all our cities is regulated by genera! law
the School Boards, alone, control them, the
as arises from the election by thom, each Yea
Of one third of tho trustees composing those
boards | am not prepared to say that the City
Councils Of Lyrchburg has not arrogAted to r.
self functions with which tho law does not IL
vest it, but propose briefly, to show that wn2-
ever controls the Lynchburg schools, they So
much more extensively administered thar oUIs,
| and do not appear to give any more sstisisc.!oi
| to their ra.rors This | Shall do by Fl Eur~S Gx
| tracted from the Seventh Anhusi Repcr. G.!
| tho Superintendent Of Public INSTRUCTION.. i
copy of which l have just been sble to oht:t H.
Though the entire enrolment Of children ia IL"
public schools Ct Lynchburg in 1867 cxcre1e!
| that in those Of Alexandria by two hundred and
| four (l3S7 10 1889 yet the acreage enr3lm"t;
| there was only nine hundred and eighty M"
against nine hundred and nine mere SHOW.
| ing hist many more ether entered later t"
| left earlier in the session. Then, too, in conse.
sequence of our very stringent rcguih!loas
| against etsenteesm, while our arcrHS; <h:lt.
arcn was eight hundred and twelve, thslrs :"
Only seven hundred and eighty-n!Ec, and, ~
not the children whoSe nsmes ere on the r".'-
are benefited by the Schools but those who =:
tend. We roay fairly c'"im 30 have educated
| moro IAN they.
Now, as to cost iad that excluding t. e.
sums paid for real estate, furniture and apl ara
us from the cAlcu atom "a: is always don" III E
matng current cXpenses) the cost OF educating
the nine hundred and eighty nine pupils On IT,"
rolls in Lynchburg Was SD 1lO.2I. or SD - i'r
| each whilst our nine hundred mad !Ino COS. It.
only Sl0 7U3 0S, or ST. - each Ii We tax" Ia"
average attendance rs basls OF orr cal.u r'i''n,
tho difference is still! greater, for each pui -:
Lynchburs Sl953, whilst each Of ours cost nU!
| Sl3 49, and this, too, when our schools we"
open ten months and thor: but nine nnd *
tenths But, it may be said. the chsractHs Of To-
education afforded IN LynCh5Irg Is high: r tn"n
ours. and CT course, i. costs m ire. TO tbs r''
ply lhst while ono hundred md twcn:y-hlh"
pupils we1o pursuing the higher branches In "I:'
schools, only nincty.slx Were dciag % in lh"ir-
True, they have . high school, AMI l. liz.
Greek, French German and VAT! ou. r9.!"Ilat"
branches are taught there but with thai cA'HH
ton, our children can learn, rs far rs they 40
competent to do So, AL that th4rs can, m''h''.
matics included. ! hope | shall not hc m>"a.
derstocd in making this comparison OF COS!
do not think the cheapest educailjn tho De-. g..
do blame the LynchburS authorize, tor OK.
ing thor teachers average salaries ut -" J.
month for males and SAB ~ to- lem .!c', |@:'
ours get but $50 ard 50 respectively; n"!n".
do / undorvau2 tue close supervision IT,.
schools receive for which thor Suporlnt"a. -.
is paid $50 in addition 10 his state sHnrv.
while ours gets nothing. Tho laborer j: w"r...N
Of his hire snd, to keep god teachers, you ma
pay good salaries; we have already lost SOM
because We could no. 60 so. NJ sole ohl"r: =
TO show that. with our limited means, We &.
doing IS much q: many cities 90 under Tar mo-:
favora bic circumstances, and that the m.:i:g'
ment Of our School Board has been both Jn'..
, cious and economical There is IS there t..
always been, among lrgc potion OF oWy -"
, ple, disposition 10 ms gniry tho advantages
other cities and dcprcciatc those OF oEr own, ~
, that disposition has seriously injured u N -.
past as it will continue to do in tho future. |.
the members cf tho City Council, rs vol ~ ";'.
err citizens. would visit our public schools twa;c'
they can do at any tinc) they woG!d SOC 'h'.'
nothing is emitted which could add - Oh If ell
, cioncy, and thst wo arc behind other pas,
either North or SoNH only in those mat'"1T
sojuncta of buildings. fnrnitu"o and nppsra"
which our poverty prevents us from sup?}I"s
A SCHOOL OFFICES