Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-27

PYou state In your editorial that "a bill
| has been introduced into the House OF Dele
gates giving 70 the City o1unoa os M, T' en.
nual appropriation 10 the pubic schools Oh
| this CITY," -.
! statement that the School Board "will he
! precluded from contracting with the teach
| ers principals, &C, for more tnan month
| at n time, or else will he forced 10 make
| contracts say in september. which. two. or
| three. or four. or more months thereafter,
| the CITY Council may refuse TO ratiiy.
| A mere quotation OF that part OF the bill
| that proposes 10 amend the prese n law VIII
show that you have misunderstood lis pur-
| port.
| The amending portion reads: Except the
| city OF Richmond the Council OF which said
| city sh0H In due time after receiving the
CLASSIFIED estimate from the School Board,
| provide and appropriate what sum the said
| Council shall deem sufficient for school en-
| penses for the succeeding year. and shall,
| upon the monthly application OF the School
| Hoard after IL. or so much thereof as Is mp.
| proved by the ommittee on Schools OF said
| Council, pay out OF said fund upon the war.
| rants OF said School Board such sums
| thereof as are asked for In said application
| and approved by said committee for the
| school expenses for the succeeding MONTH"
! &C.
mands that the Council shat In due time
| SC, provide and appropriate what sum the
said Council shall deem sufficient for school
expenses for the succeeding year" &c. In
that provision OF the bill offered there is
virtually no change from the present law.
From that provision II is evident that the
City Council will have 10 make an "an-
nual appropriation Just rs Is done now.
Hence the School Board will have the same
Information that IL has now upon which 10
base its contracts for the succeeding year
with teachers principals. &C. The school
Board would not under the proposed law,
he at all more hampered than II Is now. As
ra sayttl ott ia
had no difficulty in making its yearly con-
tracts with teachers, principals &c, so
under the proposed law II Will have none.
The change in the law occurs where
having provided for au annual apprOpria-
ton, The Council asks that they be not re-
ouired TO turn over the whO,e amount
al once. and before II Is needed. but
that they may keep business-like
proper purposes. The bill proposes that
the school Committee OF the Council Shall
have al opportunity TO scrutinize the pro-
posed expenditures OF the School Board FOR
each succeeding month. and shall recon-
mend TO the Council what sums should he
allowed for the succeeding month forschool
expenses whereupOn the Council shall pay
out of the whole fund appropriated the
monthly sums recommended by the School
Committee. There can be no reasonable
objection TO the interposition OF the School
Committee. The Council can only act upon
such matters through itscommittees. As
into accounts.
Surely there is nothing in that request to
make the Legislature believe that the cry
Council wishes 1t To do "aught TO cripple
the public schools OF this city," The State
protects the school funds She annually
gives The School Board cannot draw out
In lump the money appropriated 10 pub
lie schools by the state. That money the
School Board can only draw out upon pro-
per warrants monthly, while under the pre-
sent law the School Board can draw out, as
soon as appropriated, every cent that the
city apprOpriates. If the School Board has
| no power 10 draw out as whole the s20.-
| 600 appropriated by the State. why
should they have power TO draw in
lump the $4,000. appropriated by
the city: Is 1t not a fact thai the larger
| the amount at command the greater the
probability of waste" The Council
does not ask for any change rs to the
State appropriation. The Council does not
wish 10 touch those funds. All they ask Is
| that they be allowed TO guard properly the
| apprOpI iations made Lg he city. The CITY
! Council appropriates annually for the ordi-
| nary expenses OF the public schools between
! $4,000 and $50 600. 1t is necessary to
raise that sum 10y imposing taxes. The
| Council does not hesitate or regret 10 do So
! And now they only ask that they be allowed
/ to see that so large sum be not wasted
| There is nothing extreme in such Ie-
| quest Is IL not more reasonable to
suppose that the Council would be
| willing to appropriate yearly larger sum.
! that IL Is not wasted than they would be II.
/ after they appropriated the money, they
/ should not see how III was spent? The Ccui-
Gil should act i'm accordance with the spirit
! OF the American Government-not TO let
the benefits Of government depend upon
| the wisdom or integrity Of any man or
| body OF men temporarily In power. but
| upOn the wisdom imbedded in the laws con-
| tanning proper checks aud balances upon
! the men in power. No attack is made, nor
even any impuiation intended TO be cast
upon the honorable men now composing
| the School Board. But the Council thinks
| IL wiser TO let the proper spending OF the
| city money depend upon the strength OF
statutes than upon the chance that every
school Roard OF this city will Ire composed
| not only of honest, but OF vatchfnl, dis
pensers Of the school funds; for scrutiny
into the details OF expense is rs necessary
rs honesty OF intention.
The history OF the proposed amendment
isas follows:
Before the Iemoval OF the school trustees
under ihe Resdiuster administration the
annual appropriations had been always put
To the credit OF the school Board. and spent
as the EOaTd saw Mt. Neither The Council
nor the School Committee OF the Council
had any voice or management IN tue as
tribulion Of the sum So turned over TO the
Board. Upon the said change of trustees
the Council feared that the public schools
Of the city would be injured, and deter
mined 10 keep a close watch upon the
spending of the school funds, and deter
mined that the school funds should not be
turned over yearly In a lump. but In monthly
app OPERATIONS upon the recommendations
OF the School Committee. In AID OF that
purpose the School Committee determined
| 10 Investigate and learn the condition or
the school funds. The chairman OF that
committee. MIR. Joseph Z. Dickerson APP
| piled himself to the TASK OF becoming tho
roughly familiar with the school affairs,
He received reliable information that the
sum oftle 900 had been in one OF the banks
OF this city 10 the individual credit OF the
. I rls rf ri Ia
another sum for q few hundred dollars that
had been derived from the sale OF piece
OF real estate belonging TO the schools had
not been turned into the city treasury, as
. | the ordinance required. but was in another
bank TO the credit of the Board.
With such facts in It's KNOWLEDGE no one
| can be surprised that the Council deter
| mined TO persist In Its refusal TO give To the
Beard at one time the annual appropria'
= ton. but TO continue 10 turn oyer monthly
G 10 the Board such sums as the School Com
- mittee should ascertain from the estimate,
4 furnished by the School Board were neces
saiy. Under this pan the committee
Q worked without disagreement with the
board appointed under the Readjuster al
' ministration. The beneflt OF such a plat
may be Illustrated by one or two incl
y dents: The clerk Of the School Board pre-.
J. tenied an estimate OF expenses for the an.
nual closing exercises OF the schools. One
j. item IVES for $50 for ribbon 20 be used OF
the diplomas When asked how he fixet
n upon such an amount he rendered the eN
A pepse account for tire preceding year as the
q basis for bis estimate. The School Com
II mittee refused 10 allow the Item. but tol(
The clerk 10 buy as much ribbon rs wa
q needed and send the bill to the committee
SUFFICIENT ribbon was had, aud the Dill was
10 for about $40.
Al the same time $50 was asked for to pay
le for three hacks, and that sum had been III
ed upon also by the estimate made by the
iofmer clerk. That item was also refused
O but the clerk was told TO get the three best
hacks he could, and send the bill 10 the
l. committee. The hacks were had and the
bill was Tor about $40.
without specifying other items IL Is sufii.
Client 10 say that while formerly. before the
school Committee became active In pro
tecting the school funds. the expenses fof
the closing exercises ~ the schools amount.
Y ed 10 between 5000 and $500. they now
amount 10 between $500 and $500. such q
0 sexlpgsevefy one must say. Is desirable,
win the present Beard the working un-
DER the plan adopted by the Council has not
been free from dispute. The present hoard
baye for some time insisted upon their lsKal
1 right TO have tho money Appropriated An.
nually and spent by them NJ they thopght
) | piopr. They have always denied the legal
, | right Of the Get ncii 10 require them 10 pat
IN monthly estimates. TO he scrutiniEed by
The School Committee. The opinion OF the
CITY Attorney was asked, and his opinion
|, wss thst the claim OF the School Board was
legal ana that the law required the coun.
| ell 10 make On annual appropriation, snd
10 Turn over 10 the fehoOl Bosid the con roll
and management OF the same.
ljsto remedy this evil that the Council
DOW Wishes the Law 10 be changed. At the
time that the school laws were passed 4