Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-11-09

/ last Dlght to discuss the subject 0! tho nGn-
payment Of the State school fuad
! The meeting was called to ord<r by The Su
! per!ntendent Of Public Schools, Il. L.. Cafne,
who nominated Mayor llenper for chairman
| and be was elected.
The Mayor o. taking the chair thanked those
present Tor the honor conferred on him and
stated the object for which tho meeting was
called.
Mr.. S. 6. Brent was then elected secretary
Mr.. +. L. Csrne, Superintendent OF PUBLIC
Schools, then made statement OF scaool al
tairs.
lie briefly ex planned his object in calling the
meeting. The people of the city, he said. paid
annually into the State treasury over Blk thou
sand dollars for school purposes, besides what
they appropriated through the City Council
(S2OO.) Last year, the State school tax 90
property, collected, was 81. 1872 49, and the
capitation tax, which, by law, is used eX,lu-
svely for school purposes, was ST, 99l; making
Sc. 1888 Sc sent to Richmond, whist only
SI,77S.SO was returned. The public schools
would be Continued this year unless the city
should fail 10 paying itsquota, because the city
appropriation would giyo the teachers seven
months salary, and they had agreed to keep
the schools open tie full term and depend on the
caaoces of the State moneys being received tor
the ether three mouths; but their salaries were
lower than those paid iu almost any other city,
and, OF COURSE, they could not continue to bear
such reduction es would ensue # the State
should fail to make good the deficiency. Be
sides, the deferred payment on the Peabody
bulldog would be due, next May, aud the build
ing might then be sold and the amount alrea4y
paid 90 it be lost uGleSS something was done.
lie then read statement of the Supsrnscna.
ent of Public Instruction, showing that the
State owes the school fund Sl,ll3,O52. &c; ey.
planning, however, that the Auditor contends
that only s467 ,267.74 is due. This city would
get, could the amount claimed by the Superb
tendent be secured, over 1000, which would
not only pay off tee debt on the Peabody, but
purchase the county, interest in the old court
house. COW sadly needed for Washington school.
The difference Of opinion about the amount
due, be thought, however, of very little I'M
portance, as neither eleven CT five Eundred
thousand dollars srreaTages were likely ever to
BE- paid. What was asked was security for the
future Tho deficit had arisen from the payment
Of coupons for taxes to such an extent that
thsre aas not ready money enough to carry %
tie government aud support the schools, a
condition of affairs which still Continued. How
to overcome tho difficulty vas the question, and
that question be submitted to the meeting.
trusting that some proper and legal remedy
would be suggested. The number present was
not perhaps, large enough for final action, but
the subject might be discussed and that action
postponed uall larger attendance could be
secured.
MIR. George A. Mushblch said that be had
not come here 10 lay out eoy plsn, butte re-
ceve Instructions from the people OF A!cgan-
dria as to what they wished their delegates in
49, H1, RI tln foo
postponemeat Of the matter until larger
meetlng was assembled. Al absolute necessity
was apparent for some action. The immediate
cause of the trouble was the refusal of The Rich
mond banks 10 loan tho State aoy money as
they had done 10 former years. If the revenue
vas nsiG ia cash there would BE- no trouble
about the schools. but large proportion came
in 10 the treasury 10 coupons. 1t Tss necessary
that tie amount received in cash should DO oil.
Vided between the State government, public
school, peni:eoti0ry, llDaic asyum9. d..
There were only three remedies; one vas the 10.
crease CT tsxes-l5 OTIS. on the 500, which would
settle the matter, but it was question Tor tho
people to decide whether they could stand 1t. |
The second remedy was to repeal the section Of
the Code limiting The amount to he levied Tor
schoo!a. The third remedy was an amendme1t
to the Constitution providing that tho .scaoo! !
tax paid by each city aud couotry should be re-
tsued there aud DOT sent to Richmond to &c
pooled. This last remedy was the one he NEST
favored. He doubted, however, whether such
al amendment would be adopted, but thong BIT
that the cities sod all The wealthiest equities
would vote for il. but the Southeide cauoies
wonId probably oppose it.
Mr., j. III. Heisbley asked whoihlr ihpsa d.
6ciis could not be recovered Tor the tu@d Ter
sohocis,
Mr.. Mushbach said thai he did not sec that
tbe moGey could be recovered. 1t would To-
voiyo saicg the people themselves. Continuing,
ho sait' that the only remedy was 10 get lid e.
tic coupons for school purposes.
NJ. Isaac E!chterg asked Why the proper
proportion of the cash received by the State
had not no: been paid to the public schools.
Masars. Mashbach and CsrGe tolb ey?iaIucd
That the misunderstanding was duo to The di
iereuco between thu State fiscal year aod the
school f,c, year.
III. Mushbach sso read the statement OF
The Auditor regarding the expenditures OF The
State.
Mr.. Nj. B. Haslo1 asked whether there was
not good prospect Of go sppoTti0omeot Of the
school fuDd in December.
Mr. Mushhach thought there was.
Mr.. II. Strauss wanted to know ho" We were
20 recover the aEEeaTEReS OIL tle lubC.
Mr.. Mushbsch did DOT understand that that
vas the otiect OF tho meeting, and did not
,hit K it could he done. live could secure the
payments hereafter we could sustain the schools.
hIr. Stc2uss favored the adjournment and
larger meeting and wanted prompt sctloG. lie
was wiling to pay larger tax if necessary.
MIR. j. ~. Heisbley favored the plan Of q
constitutional amendment and recCuntsd the
plan 10 Pennsylvania Of managing the SCHOOLS
hlr. James r. Cation moved that the meeting
adjourn until o'clock 90 Friday night ncxt
end list due notice lie given through the Ga
zst!c.
MIR. S. Deaiham moved to amend bg lnsert-
Jog 10 the notice tho object OF tho meetlogf,
which was agreed to, and the meeting aoIoarnedd'
tho chair urging every che present to notify
his neghtor aud secure G large nocilog, such
a. the i'm portauce of the subject deserved.
WEEK OF PRAYER-In accordance With
resolutions adopted by the Conference OF the