The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-01
THE TIMES AND THE SCHOOLS.

To the Editor OF the Democrat,
It would appear at first slight unjust tu
charge the DEMOCRAT with having done any
thing Injurious to the teachers of the public
schools. yet such Is really the fact. Without
intending 1t, the DEMOCRAT has turned the
/ fury of the Times upon the teachers.
/ The Times has been badly scOnrged, and.
with the Instructive impulse Of It's genius, Ii
feels compelled to punish somebody tn return.
| Taught prudence by Its still sfnarting
wounds, 1t seeks feeble foe. Such Il believes
Ii has found In the teachers OF the public
schools In this temper II has launched forth
a series OF articles upon the school question.
each one Of which contains incorrect state
ments OF the particulars Of the situation, or
slanderous charges against the unOffending
taaehers The public are informed that the
teachers are neetltassly alarmed at the pruH-
October, November and December; there
| will he. plenty of money collected t0 pay
the rolls for those months, and notwith-
standing this, md The fact that they are paid
as we'll as teachers are paid anywhere, they
are acting like troublesome grumbera. and
ara engaged III an attempt to revolutiunizn
and dsnrganize the aohools, and, finally, The
| Times has come
| 10 THT ASSISTANCE or THE SCHOOL HOARD
with determination to suppress these ladies'
and gentlemen engaged In thls revolution.
| This Ia the case as presented by the Iines
i !
| teachers are so small as to suffice barely to
| keep body and soul together The average is
about forty dollars O month. or about four
| hundred and eighty dollars per annutn, only
| thIae-fuurths OF which can be realized by the
teacher during the year. The non -pay msnt of
| The salaries during the last three or two
| months OF The current year epnpels the
teacher to begin. In October or November,
borrowing in advance from the broker, upon
their prospective salaries for the next Janla-
| ny and February, and thus, ut the beginning
| OF every year, they have already forfeited
their salaries several months ahead. Is It to
be wondered at, when September and Oeto-
ber arrive, they find themselves destitute uf
the neoessarles Of life and entirely depend
emf upon the bounty OF brokers and the
| indulgence Of groeers, bakers and land~
lorisp But the Times says that these last
months will be paid by the collections Of
The State tax collectors, and thai the cor
tiiicates drawn against them bring good
amounts. It's logic has failed, however, To
convince the brokers' who charge 60 per cent
for October end will give nothing for Novern-
It will require between $4,000 and S9DOnO
to pay the expenses oil the schools for These
last four months Of the year. Or this amount
the city promises to contribute $4,000, refer-
ring the School Board to the State treasury
for The remaining $4,000 or $4,000 required.
Is It probable that the State will ever furnish
this amount During the past ton months the
total amount contributed by the State tu thB
more than IN equal amount will be obtained
| from the same source before the lapHs OF an
equal period2 Compare the present situation
| with that which existed ab the same time last
| year. As far as the school treasury is nura~
eerned, the rolls for the months Of October.
November and December Of 1878 are still
unpaid. The Legislature, impelled by the
| authoritative demand of q general mass
| meeting Of the citizens, presented to The
School Board. gratultousiy sum sufficlent
to pay October and November OF that year.
leaving to the city the duty OF paying one re-
naming month, viz. December. That month
is still unpaid during the last sixteen months
the city has collected only one-third of the
not been for tho gratnitous bounty of the
General Assembly, the last three months Of
1878 never would have been paid. The sItua~
tion ls precisely similar to-day, end IL the
ignorant for public journal, or ID endaavorH
to mislead the public on the subject, for raa-
sons best understood by itself. The teachers,
feeling the reality Of the situation in their
consider whether there was anything which
they could do to assist the board out nf the
dilemma In which they find themselves. III
was proposed to petition the board
to allow the teachers to ask
small tuition fee for the months OF November
and December, the teachers agreeing To re-
nounce all claims upon the board for services
during these months. Having reflected that
1t was not In the power OF the board to ac-
cede to this petition. 1t was laid asde This
Ia tho dreadful revolution which the Iines
accuses tho teachers Of inaugurating, ard for
which 1t would advise them to resign, Under
It's former name, when 1t occupied Its old
quarters near Poydras street, 1t contributed
very largely toward lnaugnrating q reyolu-
tion In the schools Of another kind, the
teachers ut that time were opposed to such
dark doinRs, and doubtless the Times deems
tho present q fitting occasion to turn the
tables upon them and satisfy its old grudRe.
And the Joke OF proclaiming itaelf the defender
OF the school board at the same time, Truly
we may exclaim with TulIy: 20 temporal q,
mores! o, the Timesl O. It's tricks"
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