Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-24
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The action today OF the school board, should
e. as seems probable, adopt General Birney5
report, VIII meet with general approval In this
community. That report clearly demonstrates
that by virtue OF the act Of June II, 1873, tue
system OF separate revenues for cUlOrcd schools
was superseded by the sy ten OF specific apprO-
priatOns on tented estimates, and the dual
system OF administering school affairs by the
present unitary one.
In answer to this, the minority report asks:
'Does a change Of system change a law?" We
think 1t does when the question relates to the legal
system OF supporting the cDl0red schools, and the
law has substituted one system for anOther-spe-
cihc appropriations for certain proportion of the
school fund Congress has enacted that, instead
or a permanent appropriation OF about third part
OF the school revenues, il VIII make annual appro.
priationS f.r eacn item OF sites, buildings teach
ers, &C. Has Congress no right to make that
enactment? Can't It repeal bad system and
enact a good one7 Couldn't il, next winter, give
more than third part or the school money TO the
colored schools? Would the colOred trustees call
such laW uncOnStitutiOnaI? If not, then the
legal argument OF the minority report Is worthless,
for it IS based on the as umpton that because
Congress gave onc-thirI part 1856, it never
thereafter give either more or less, make spe-
clfc appropriation
Some OF the statements IN the minority report
must be characterised Us reckless. The whole
number of children of school age Is contraSted
with the number OF seats I'm the buildings, and the
difference + represented to be the number of chill
dren without means of education OF any kind"
In this easy way IL is proved to the satisfaction OF
Mr.. johnson that there are In Washington 6,OS3
ColOred and 1882 white children "foT whom there
Is no provision" in the public schools. Now, 1t IS
notorious that there are public school accOnmOda-
tons for all the children who ask for them. Ought
there to be seats for those who won't occupy them?
The fact IS shown by Mr.. Johnson that the incl
dental expenses for the white schools exceeded in
six years. those for cOlOred schools, by the of
$4,000; but he omls 10 state that during that time
the white schools paid excess of $115 6S557 for
rent OF temporary SCh0Ol-rOOIaS. not being so gen.
orally provided with buildings as the cOlored.
That Is, the per capita legitimate incidental ex-
penSes were less for white than for coored.
We take no pleasure In referring TO these COM
parsons. They OiiOuS. And we regret the
occasion which has given rise to them. The
claim made in behllf OF the cOlOrad schools we
regard as not only groundiess, but unjust and Op-
pressive TO the white IL pushed to Its legti-
mate consequences, Congress would be called on
10 deduct from next winters appropriations for
white schools sum exceeding 1900, G00-that being
the amount or their all ged present Indebtedness
This would close fol- one year every white school
In the District The sensible men amoug our col
ored citizens, we know. do not approve claim
which SayOTS more OF Viniictiye feeling than OF O
sentiment o. fair PLY. it may be well, however,
that 1t is brought forward now BY the few who
have been nursing it for years. for il viii be killed
Dy discussion and buried out OF sight forever.