Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-03
duty to place il to the credit Of the City
school Boards
Your early reply will greatly oblige
Yours very truly.
r. rrfyeox

| j. 7. Euys0H. Esq
Dear Sir.--I am in receipt Of your
communication Of yesterday, and pro-
| cced to answer the same.
You inquire first /;
1. Is it not the duty Of the City
| School Board to submit annually to the
Council an estimate OF ell funds that
will be needed for the proper mainte-
nance of the public schools Of the city,
and request the Council to make appro-
priations aecordinglys ~
Promising that by sectionl Of CLAP
ter 70 Of the Code the provisions Of
chapter rs. which concern the county
school system, :. shall be applicable to
cities and towns in like manner as to
the counties of the Commonwealth, =
and that by an act passed March IL.
1878, the Council Of the city of Rich
mond was relieved from the obligations
Imposed on other Councils to accede ab-
soiutelp to the requirements of the
School Board and given the discretion
q The Board Of County Supervisors, "
/ proceed to answer your. questions in
the words of the statutes.
Section 0 of chspter 20 bi the Code
reads as fellows - II shall he the duty
Of the school board Of every city once
in every year. and oftener If deemed
necessary. to submit to the city or town
council q classified estimate Of what
funds will be needed for the proper
maintenance and growth Of the public
schools of the city, and to request the
council to make appropriations accord
ingly.n
Your second inquiry is in these words
"Is it not the duty Of the Council to
provide, and has it any right to with
hold from, the School Board the sum or
sums declared by the Council to be
necessary for the proper maintenance OF
the public schools?"
The provisions Of law which answer
this question are as follows:
Clause of section a of chapter IS
as amended March 90, 1877. in quoting
which ] substitute City School Board
for County School Board and Cdy
Council for the Board of County Super.
yisors, reads thus Ii shall be the duty
of the City Council (either at called
meeting or at their first regular meeting
thercafter) TO examine and revise the
said estimates.
Clause 4. 1t shall be the duty of the
Council, after carefully considering said
estimates. to levy tax for (or appro-
priate) sufficient to realize the amount
recommended by the City School Board,
or so much thereof as the City Council
may allow.
Section 10 Of chapter ~ Of Code Of
1873 provides: The State school
funds - and all the funds designed
for the benefit of public free schools
therein lin cities shall be deposited
with the treasurers of such cities .
and shall be kept by such'treasurcrs in
separate accounts. and shall be dis
bursed OILY on orders from the city
DOaIuS respectively
Presuming that have fully answer
ed your inquiries. J am yours truly,
A. NJ. KELLEY.
The Council exercised direct control
over the Board. having on the Board
one third of its own members. The
Board was more directly representati,g
than the Council committee. for tht
reason. that the Council cpmEittt.l
were appointed by the presidents of the
two branches Of the Council, whereas .he
School Board was entirely elected by
the Council. He would like to see the
schools under the entire control Of the
Council for, after a long experience,
he had never seen fewer unwise eX.
penditures than had been made by the
Council during several years past. III,
spoke advisedly here, having had ample
experience to examine accounts apd
vouchers. The law was plain. and il
was the duty of the Council to execute
the law.
Mr.. Turpin asked, if the present sys-
TEN was adhered to. would the schools
be injured.
Mr.. Ellyson said. in all candor, that
he thought they wonld. because now
work was given to two men which one
man ought to attend TO. No supplies.
no purchases, could be made, under the
present rules Of the committee, without
an order from that committee.
Mr.. Cabell referred to the fact that
certain members who now favored Mr..
Bowie's amendment had warmly adyo-
Gated the change Of the expenditure OF
the city's funds when it was made Seve-
raj years ago.
Mr.. Ellyson fatty denied that he had
ever advocated. in or out of the coun-
ell, the change. as it did not originate
in the Finance Committee. The reason
for the change was that the State au-
thoritics had placed i'll power School
Board in opposition to the wishes OF
the Council. Then the Council said,
We will not place money in the hands
of men who might damage the schools.
Now. the present Board had been
elected by the Council, and there wa,
no reason for the change made several
years ago.
Mr.. Bowie said he thought il unne-
cessary to explain the reasons for the
change made, Every intelligent mem
Der readily recognized why it had beer
made. Now, the law was perfectly
plain. lie did not want TO fight the
School Committee but. on the contra
ry. testified TO their efficient work
Nothing now could be purchased with
out the sanction Of the School Commit
tee. The clerk Of the School Boar
could not purchase a copy-book withou
running out to see the chairman of th,
School Committee. who, nine times ON
of ten, could not be found promptly.
Mr.. Guy complimented the Schoo
Committee, and reviewed the reason,
for its having come into the possession
Of the school fund. 1t was owing Il
the fact that the Council failed TO do it,
duty that the State authorities had tht
power to name the School Board at tho
time spoken of. He thought the present
! management an anomaly that the Conn