Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-04
THURSDAY............JUNE4 4, 1885.
The City Public schools-Asa,n.


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The City Public schools-Aeain.
The trustees Of the public schools OF
this city do not deny that the City
Council has the power and the right to
fix annually the amount of money to be
appropriated TO the public schools OF
this city. Their contention is that
whatever amount may be thus sppro-
priated must be turned over at once TO
the School Board. II is possible that
the City Council might, If it were law
full, manage the public schools and the
public-school funds more satisfactorily
than the trustees do. But as 1t is not
lawful, and ss the trustees are the
rightful custodians of all public-school
funds, it follows that they must be al
lowed to manage the schools in their
own way until the State law is so
changed ss to entrust the manage
ment Of them to the City Council.
IL there be any city ordinance which
conflicts with the State law, such ordi-
nance is Of course null and void. 1t is
not q compliance with the State law
for the Council to appropriate sum Of
money to especial contingent fund"
All the money appropriated to that
fund remains absolutely under the con-
troll of the Council, and may be used
for any purpose for which that body
may choose to use it. If it is because
il is necessary for the Council to pre-
tend to appropriate money to the
public schools that sum is an
nually appropriated to "spe-
cisl contingent fund.-" it seems
to us that such an appropriation of it
is confession that it ought really to
be given directly to the school trustees.
How can those trustees make contracts
with the teachers aud principals, or
anybody else, without knowing how
much money is at their disposal? And
surely no one will contend that they
have any control whatever over the
special contingent fund of the City
Council. Having no control over that
fund, they have control over no fund.
They are, in word, penniless. We
have intimated that the General As
sembly might next winter empower the
City Council to take charge of the pub
lie schools here, but we deem it much
more likely that the General Assembly
will take that body to task for its use
of the school money.
Why? Because the intention Of the
Legislature that the School Board
should have the custody Of the school
funds is apparent in all the laws on the
subject. We will quote few more
laws bearing upon the question which
the School Board and the City Council
have now been discussing for some six
months or more without manfesting
any bad temper. We trust that the
two bodies will continue thus to treat
each the other. We quote
$40. 1t shall be the duty OF the school
board OF every city once In each year and
oftener n deemed necessary. 10 submit To
the city or town council. In writing a elias
sified estimate OF what funds will be needed
for the proper maintenance and growth OF
the public schools OF the city. and 10 request
the council TO make appropriations accord
ingly.
Once year is as often as the School
Board can be required TO submit a
classified estimate TO the Common
Council. They can do it oftener if they
deem it necessary; but they cannot be
required to do it oftener. And yet
month after month, the School Board,
in the interest of peace and harmony,
has consented TO submit " classified
estimate" Of the money it needed to
pay of its teachers for one month, and
TO pay for the smallest repairs to the
school buildings, or for any article the
Board might need. We quote another
law;
ass. The school board Of trustees in every
city OF the fpt class shail have power. and
II shall be Its duty TO establish and main
tain therein q general system OF public
free schools In accordance with the require
ments o. the Scnssi,u, ,n smG he sens ,S
aud IL ~ empow cred specially to make aud
carry out regulations FOR the management
OF public-school property ana funds In the
city the location, renting. enlarging, re-
pairing, erection, and furnishing OF school
houses. Md the proper care OF the same;
the Attsndance of pupils upon the schools;
the providing OF INDECENT children with
text.books; the determining OF studies;
the methods of teaching and government
employed IN the schools; the employment.
remuneration. and dismissal OF teaches
and the length OF the school terms. Itshaii
also have power 10 establish high and nor
NAL schools ~ well rs those Of lower grade.
To enable the trustees to do those
things the law provides as follows:
$40. Itshsil BE- the duty ofthe city or town
council and Of every Incorporated town OF
over Ave hundred Inhabitants. which has
been erected into . separate school district.
90 provide In due time. and Il shah have no
powert to withhold. the sum OF sums report
ed by the city or town school boasds and de-
eiared 10 bs necessary for the proper main
tenance and growth OF the public schools OF
the city ortown, except the city OF Rich
moad. the Council OF which said city shall
have the discretion ef the Board OF County
supervisor In similar cases. u =, 90 .
The Council has no right to withhold
the money asked for except as county
supervisors may withhold the money
asked for under like estimates. What
Is the law in regard TO county super
yisorss Here it is;
l2s. u shall he the duty OF the County
School Board Of each county ON or before
the nut Wednesday in November in each
yearto prepare and nie with the president
OF such Boasd, 70 be by him submitted 70
the Board u eupervisou (of such county,
OF their earliest mesting. an estimate OF the
aggregate amount OF money
which VII b needed during the next scho- I
instis yeer for ths support OF the public
free-schoci sysssm Of the county.
Therefore, Il follows, IS we have
barafofnre r,u fsnded that fha fr,,st.a,