Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-28
TcOMMuNICATED.1
The Public schools of Savannah.


steadily advancing in prosperity, her debt
being cleared OF with rapidlty, her COM
merce increasing, in short that her future
will be all cOltle1tr de rose.
In considering the present condition OF
the beautiful Forest City, we must set aside
these fascinating decisions and build our
expectations solely on facts. Among the
indications of the prosperity Of this commu-
nifty, by far the most valuable criterion is
the status of the public schools. No bust
ness man needs to be told that this is not to
be deduced from examples Of oratory de-
livered on exhibition days. The data and
figures in the reports for the last few years
are much better foundations for an opinion.
Aud it thence appears that the public school
system is retrograding, and annually losing
in efficiency, despite the most earnest efforts
on the part of the teachers and the willing
CO. operation Of the pupils.
The cause of this deterioration lies in the
simple fact that our economical city gov
eminent considers the provisions for the
Dublic schools as a harmless bit of extrava-
gance, and accordingly when the annual or
biennial cry for retrenchment Is raised, 1t
simply curtails the appropriation Tor edu-
cstional purposes. The policy apparently
comedies with that of the pattern econo-
mist who aimed by gradual reduction OF the
rations to finally make his horse a self-sup-
porting machine. And although our public
schools NAV not collapse, like the horse, on
the last reduction to nothing, yet the pros
pect of their depending solely upon the
maagre contributions Of the State and
ceuaty is quite humiliating enough to stop
the veiHowing mutual congratulations on
the prosperity Of Savannah.
The changes for the worse may be briefly
summed up as follows:
The average term OF instruction was for
merly four school years OF ten months each,
or forty months; it is now reduced to three
wears of nine months each, or twenty. seven
months, thus striking out thirteen months
OF the most valuable part OF school life,
when the pupil, having reached an age ca
pebe Of reflection, may be said to acquire
facts, instead of their being inculcated into
him Cor herr.
During the continuance Of the former
plan, some parents grew dissatisfied, and
removed their children before the expira
ton of the regular term. Those young
people, now of an age to have their own
opinion, invariably express deep regret for
what seemed at the time to them deliver
ance, but was in reality & loss) an abandon
meut of irrecoversble advantages.
The salaries of the teachers were scaled
20 per cent, for the sake of economy, no
doubt. This scaling process was 80 easy and
tempting way Of econOmizing that 1t was
finally repeated. Finally the salaries were, on
the reduction of the school year from ten
to nine months, ordered to be counted by
the month"; further reduction of 10 per
eent.-leaving them for the present at about
5716 per cent. of what they were originally,
which, as contemporaries know, was no ex-
travagant rate of compensation, but only
decent allowance sufficient to secure the
whole attention of instructors to their
classes, without the necessity OF giving pri-
Vate lessons.
Even at that time the four classes In the
Boys' High School were allowed but three
teachers to some one hundred and thirty
pupils, But on the withdrawal OF one Of
the assistants his place was left untitled,
thus croWding upon two the work OF four.
A pilot is thought to do his duty when he
guides a single vessel. His ability is praised
when he brings a feet through safely. How
must we esteem that pilot whose vigilance
and care direct two numerous fleets upon
their different courses?
The spoWers that be" do always keep a
thoughtful watch upon all circumstances Of
this kind. They soon interfered to relieve,
pressure Of this double task by making the
High School a "pay school," By this
means the number of students was eff
| fectually thinned.
Nor was 1t alone at the High School that
the economic policy Of our "city fathers"
bore its fruit. The Massie School property
is commonly understood 10 have been
| donated to the public on condition that the
city should annually appropriate an amount
fkr,h a cd q IaQof the
interest on the property donated. 1t is now
some time that this condition is unfulflled,
and the building would by strict construc-
| ton have to revert to the donors estate-a
calamity to be deprecated by all.
But let no one think that the carefully
apportioned quota from the State, or the
somewhat larger quota OF the prudent
| county, constitute all the resources OF the
public schools, beside the charity of the
| corporation.
At the foundation Of the city OF Savannah
| four lots fronting on each Of the squares
were reserved for the support OF the
churches and schools for ever.
Since the separation from England, as the
State cannot support churches, all this prop
| erty naturally fell to the surviving partner
/. E., the;public schools.
The city holds this property In trust for
| this purpose, and II the city cannot afford
to act according to the requirements OF
/ the trust, the Board of Education should
require the trust estate to be turned over,
and should manage the property itself.
/ There is quite enough reserved in Savan-
| nah and vicinity to make it worth the
while. One hundred and twenty
city lots of the highest value,
represent the city property, while in the
township we find 10S acres reserved in
every tythiug and village lot, making
% 108-3024 acresiof the highly valuable
lands. ALI this real estate, being held In
| trust, is inalienable, and can at most only
! be leased for a term of SO years or less.
The extension of the city absorbed los
acres in Howard ward and Percival ward
/ alone, for which the so called church lots
are but scsnt restitution.
Verify the board would but do simple duty
| to dismiss the incompetent trustee, and
require the property to be returned to Its
/ own control. The revenue would be amply
sufficient to enable the board to double the
present establishment of the public schools,
| to open once more the High School free to
| the public, to increase the salaries OF teach
ers to decent and regularly paid stipend,
and to restore that high status OF the educa-
| tional establishments which, in days gone
| by, when the lamented DR.. Arnold still sur
| vived to direct them, was the glory and the
| pride Of the Forest City.
The public schools of Savannah are not a
charitable institution, depending on the
scsnty benevolence OF municipal appropria.
lions, but are independent by reason OF
their reserved property, which at present IL
held by the city In trust, and the Board OF
Education is quite capable OF taking care OF
/ AZ H B. P