Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-25
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS.
Ihe school Board and the App0rtiOn.
nsent Of Money Between the White
and COIOred schools.

| The meeting of the Board OF Public School
Trustees last evening was attended by number
| OF spectators interested In the question OF the
| financial relations between the white and cOlored
schools Among those present were Frederick
| Douglas, Rev. Mr.. Grimke, DIR. s. L. Cook, ex.
| Trustees Holland and Smith, and NJ II. Hunter.
| There were present OF the board Messrs. Dirney,
Clarke, Baum, Cragin, Brooks, johnson, Warner
and Wormley, and Mr.. c. B. Rheem, the secretary.
| The special order, which was the consideration
OF the reports-synOpses Of which have been pub
| lished In The STAR-on the apportionment OF the
school fund.- was called up by Mr. Brooks. and Mr..
| Clark taking the chair Mr.. Birney presented the
| majority report, signed by himself and Mr.. Love
joy. Mr. Birney stated that the ma jority OF the
| committee had met yesterday and made an ad-
| dendum to the report.
AN OBJECTION FROM Mr.. JOHNSON.
Mr. johnson objected to the reading OF the adj
denda.
| Mr. Birney said he had understood that Mr..
Johnson would object to that portion, and it was
| Tor the board to act upon 1t. He would say that
the majority did not propose to take any technical
advantage
| Mr.. Johnson said he had no objection to Mr. Biz
ney and Mr.. LOveloy reviewing the minority re-
q portion OF the report
Mr.. Birney said he would not insist on present
ae rea b and da as the haa been
majority report. He moved that the majority re-
port be adopted.
COMPROMISE RESOLUTION.
Mr. Brooks offered resolution "WhereaS the
special committee of this board, appointed at the
meeting of October 10, 1882, to take into consider
alton certain inquiries OF the Hon orable Commits
SoneFS of the District OF Columbia. touching the
apportiOnment OF the school fund between the
white and coored schools, &C., has not been able
TO unite In report to this body upon the matter
referred to them, but has submitted two reports,
setting forth the views respectively Of the or-
1ty and minority OF the committee, and whereas
this board has not the lawful power or jursdic-
ton TO pass upon and settle the question of law
involved in said inquiries OF the Honorable Com
miSsioncrs of the District Of Columbia, nor to de-
clare acts of Congress repealed in contravention
10 decisions OF the First Controller of the United
states Treasury, that said acts in force, and
binding upon the local authorities of the District
that the reports respectively OF the majority and
minority of the special committee be, and is
hereby directed to be- transmitted to the Honor
able Commissioners. without prejudice to either
sue. as reply 10 their communication OF Septem-
Mr.. Brooks said that this question came up in
1861. when there having been such an opposition
10 The cOlored schools by the people Congress
found 1t necessary to pass an act In June of
that year explanatory OF the act of 1862 He
ported by lavish expenditure, while the strlctest
economy had been practiced as to the cOlOred
schools; that for the amount expended on Franklin
the coored schools. He further charged that since
the boards had been unified he had been per-
snaded year after year to vote literally for the
white schools under the promise that the follow
Ing year the colOred schools would be given a
chance. The report OF the majority says the COL
ored children are better housed, and yet the fg-
ures show the white schools had cost s., 600 per
room while the cOlOred schools had only cost
$1,000. He could show how 10 turn the falsty OF
the assertions OF the majority report, which he
styled "a piece OF devillSh cunning" the remain
ing shadow Of the old Institution OF slavery which
mad objected to the education OF the colOred peO-
pie In any FORM
Mr.: Warner said that while disagreeing with Mr.
BROOKS and intending to vote for the majority re-
port, he thought 1t only fair that both reports
should go to the Commissioners, for they en-
braced the sentiment OF the board on the question
He deprecated all stump speeches and Ciceronian
defamation, all OF which would not result In
changing vote, for the members had had both
reports and had made up their minds on the SUBJ
Mr.. Cragin said he had read the reports and his
only anxiety was to know what the law was
that the law was on the side OF the minority, and
ne would have to vote for their report ii the vote
was taken.
THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE MAJORITY REPORT.
MI Birney read the addendum to the report as
his individual remarks. This document set forth
lhat the majority. having carefully read the re-
port OF the minority, no cause to mo lily their
legal argument. 1t charges that the figures given
In the minority report are misleading. 1t is adj
mitted as true that the average annual cost Of
ed ucating child has been greater in the white
schools than In the colored but claimed that if
the two items of 'rent' and 'repairs" were taken
out the cost per capita would probably be even
less In the white schools than in the colored AS
soon as the work which Congress has under
taken OF putting the white schools on an
equal footing with the cOlored in regard to seating
accommodations Is completed the ''incidental eX-
penseS' of the former Will probably be less per
pupil than the latter The document charges Mr.
Johnson with having misstated figures as to the
cost or the sites OF several white schools In con-
cluslon, It said. "The claim set up on behalf OF
one class OF schools at the expense OF another has
accumulated within the last few years to more
than 100000. The minority report does not at
tempt to describe the effects upon the white
schools of the allowance OF claim so enormous In
n
be used for the benefit Of the coored schools The
administration OF the public schools is one, and
create clashing interests in matter which SO
deeply concerns the public welfare" Mr. Birney
sald ne was perfectly willing that both the reports
ShOuld go 10 the commissioners, but he would ask
that the majority report De adopted first
Mr. JOHNSON DEFENDS HIS REPORT.
Mr. johnson said that the figures in the minority
report whose correctness had been challenged had
been taken from Superintendent Wilson's reports
and from the census OF $780, all of which have been
regarded as thoroughly reliable
Mr. Birney called attention to the phraseology OF
the resolution, and asked If the board intended to
stultlfy ITSELF few weeks ago, he said the board
had condemned the action Of the first controller:
now lt Is proposed to say complimentary things OF
Mr.: Brooks denied that the language could be so
construed
report alluded to was taken because he regarded
the assertion Of the controller an insult to the
board. ~ ~
The question being called on the adoption OF the
resolution, Mr.. Birney moved to adjourn. The
motion was lost and the resolution was then
adopted.
The School Fund From Sale Of Public
Lands.
ATTORNEY RIDDLES OPINION AS TO THE ACT OF CON.
GRESS OF 1S41
Mr.. Riddle yesterday sent to the Commissioners
an opinion upon the resolution OF the public school
trustees In relation to the act OF Congress of Sen
TENDER A. 1S4l, which provides for division of the
proceeds OF the sales of public lands among Ger.
tain OF the states territories and the District OF
Columbia, sc. He says the proportion due 10 each
to be determined by the rule of population for rep
resentation aScerta1ned by the last preceding GEN.
ss, the money TO be applied the District to free
schools, which now has no other, as for this pur-
pose the law VIII probably be construed. (4th stat
paying the Districts proportion to it. 1t seems to