Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-08
The school Funds.


We have seen il stated that in this
city the City Council and the School
Board were at loggerheads as to which
body has the custody Of the school
funds.
There is no room for dispute in the
ma,ter. The question is simply a ques-
ton Of law. There is no occasion for
any bad feeling over the matter; and
there has been none. so far as we know.
Both. sides are resdy to obey the law
ms soon as they can agree as to what the
law is.
We do not see why there should be
any difficulty in having the question
settled at once. The School Board has
control Of all the money appropriated
TO the public schools of the city by the
State Of Virginia. This fact would
seem to indicate that the same Board
is entitled % the custody Of all the
money appropriated to the public
schools Of this city by the Common
Council of Richmond.
All discussion as to whether it would
De better for the law to entrust the
public schools and the school funds to
the City Council rather than to the
School Board is irrelevant. Whichever
bodyis By ldg entrusted with the duty
of managing the schools and paying the
teachers must be permitted to perform
these duties. Hd ier scripta est. Thus
the law is written.
Ii is rather amusing to us than other
wise to find members of the City
Council occupying the position of trus-
tees de son tort. We do not doubt that
the members of the City Council would
manage the schools well. They are
entirely capable Of taking charge
Of them. So also the Board Of
Public Interests would no doubt
make efficient trustees or managers of
the public schools. So likewise would
the professors in Richmond College.
But unfortunately the law gives into
the hands Of the school trustees the.
undivided control Of the public schools,
and neither the City Council nor the
Board Of Public Interests, nor the pro-
fessors Of Richmond College, have the
right to interfere in any manner with
the trustees or their supervision Of the
public schools.
Hasn't the City Council the right to
fix the amount Of the appropriation to
the public schools? Undoubtedly; and
the trustees have never for n moment
denied its authority to do so. Their
contention is that whatever sum is ap-
propriated, whether il be large or small,
goes at once into the hands of the trts-
tees. They know too well that they
have no right to take money out Of the
city treasury. There are thou
sand or more children seeking
admission into the public schools, for
whose accommodation the trustees have
in vain asked the City Council to make
provision: but the trustees have hith-
erto made no complaint because the
Council gives no more money for schools
to city Of Richmond's present popula-
ton than it gave to city of Richmond's
population five or ten or more years
ago.
In word, there is but one single,
simple question, and this is question
Of law: Have the school trustees sole
control over the school funds, State and
city, or is that control shared by the
City CouncilY
II is mere evasion Of the law.--or
rather an absolute failure and refusal to
comply with the law-for the City
Council to appropriate money to a
especial contingent fund" Money so
appropriated is not appropriated to the
public schools at all. 1t is money that
the Council can use for any purpose
whatever.
II requires more money every year to
pay the teachers than the Council gives
to the public schools. The trustees en-
ter into written contracts with the teach
ers, and are bound to pay these seventy
thousand dollars. Isn't it too much to
ask them to contract to pay out money
that has never been put into their
hands, The State officials have just
~ much right tmore, because the
Legislature can make what laws it
pleases to make to enter the public
schools, suggest how they shall be
managed, and scrutinise the teachers
and other bills that are presented for
payment, as has the City Council. Sup
pose the State officials should tell the
City Council To stand aside and let them
oS.sxa - Az t~uok.oe 81 A.. - A.