The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-09-18
NO MORE SCHOOLS.


What Six Years of Democratic Control
Has Done for Louisiana.
New ORLEANS, Sept. 16-It has taken only
six years of Democratic control in Louisiana
to eradicate the public school system from its
scheme of government. In the reign of car
pst-baggers and negroes the schoolhouse floura
ished in every country settlement. To-day not
q public school is open in all Louisiana. Hon.
e. FL. Fay, state superintendent of public
schools, in explanation of the situation, has
written letter, which was furnished to the
press to-day. The letter is addressed to Ben p
Edmunds president of the school board at
Sparta, La. and says:
Dear Sir: Your favor of the 9th inst. reach
ed me only last night, and I hasten to reply
You say people are constantly inquiring of me
why they cannot have public schools, and ask
me to state the reasons. This will now do in
as few words as possible First, the General
Assembly of 1882 made little or no provision
for their support, appropriating only $107 900
all told, from July /, 1882, to July l, 1883,
never before having appropriated less than
100000 since the public school system was
Arst established Out of this aforesaid amount
they unconstitutionally appropriated $4,000
per annum for two years to three universities,
one at Baton Rouge and two in New Orleans.
Your superintendent enioined this payment,
but was non-suited, the Supreme Court hold
ing that he had no right to protect the inter-
ests of the public schools, even though he did
it at his own personal expense. The appor-
tionment Of the State Superintendent made
Feb. oath, 1883, of the funds of 1882 was en-
Joined by the city school board of New Orleans
because they We're not given SO much as the
parishes were Owing to an error in reporting
"funds ON hand" the June apportionment of
1882 had to be Cancelled. but New Orleans had
succeeded in drawing some % cents per capita
Of educatable children-some $13, ,000-before
the error was reported to the supsrinteudent's
office. True. this over draft of New Orleans
was out Of the funds Of 1881, and would never
be collected to pay the rest of the State %
cents per capita held up from New Orleans
funds of 1882, and apportioned TO the rest of
the State to make up the amount in July, 1882,
by New Orleans. New Orleans claims that,
Notwithstanding the overdraft of the fund of
1884, she is entitled to pro rata share of the
funds of 1882, hence the Injunction restraining
the auditor from issuing warrants on the funds
of 1882. The case was decided in the lower
court in favor of the State Superintendent,
and was appealed by the attorneys of the New
Orleans school board, returnable in February
next. Your superintendent has proposed that
II they will relieve those funds already appor-
toned from their injunction, and allow them
to be paid out to the State, he will hold up
from the appropriation sufficient to satisfy
their claim if it is decided to be a valid one by
the Supreme Court in February 1884, but he
can get no reply from them. Your superin-
tendent has exhausted all means in his power
tog give what little appropriations have been
made to the public schools of the State.
The effect Of this litigation has been to close
the doors Of every public schoolhouse in the
opening until after the State election of April
next.