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

upon the School Board oil kicnmono'
Lat ms sec il such is not at least its ap'
p,rent nature. And yet, If it was SC
intended, it is the highest compliment!
that could have been paid to that
Board.
The bill before the Legislature is not
exactly what we at first supposed it to
be; but it is much more Objectionable.
We did not for one moment imagine
that anybody would ask the Legisla-
ture to empower Council committee
TO oversee the school trustees. We
thought it was bad enough for the City
Council itself to undertake to audit
the accounts of the School Board. We
had never imagined that Council COM
mittee would ask TO be empowered to
do it.
Except the city Of Richmond"
why except Richmond: Why are not
the school trustees Of this city as COM
peten. and reliable as those Of any other
city or Of any county? The word
"shall - is italicized. but unfortunately
its whole. force is destroyed by what
follows. The Council "shall " appro-
pirate monthly-how much? So much
as is approved by a council committee
not by the Council itself. The State of
Virginia does not ask to. oversee the
School Board. 1t is the Council COM
mittee that seeks to have the power con-
ferred upon it by law after having I'M
lawfully exercised it for years. as was
proved by the opinion of the City At
torney.
The greater the probability Of
uaste"! Waste" by whom: BY
the School Board. Isn't that an impu-
tation upon the Board? All the COM
mittee ask is to "gudrdproperly," &c.
Guard" from whom? From the
School Board. They only ask to be
allowed to see that so large a sum be
not "rasted." Wasted by whom:
BY the School Board.
Are the school trustees in power
temporarily: So are the council
men.
1.-The Council thinks it WISER" &c.
Are you authorized to speak for the
Council2 Does the Council ask any
such power?
We know nothing as to the acts of
the Readjuster School Board, nor as to
the acts Of the clerk Of former years.
But we are confident the city never lost
any money because Of his deposits. Yet
that act is given as good reason why
the Council should refuse to turn over
the money, as required by lac, to the
School Board, and as a good reason
why q Council committee should oe
placed over the school trustees.
The twenty dollars for ribbons and
hacks we know nothing about. But we
can say to the immense public who send
their children to the public schools, and
who used to crowd the Theatre day after
day, and sometimes at night, to witness
the closing exercises, that, thanks tc
this committee, the patrons Of the schools
now know why no medals were giyer
last year, and no closing exercises were
had at the Theatre, except for the Higt
School. The Council Committee wanteC
to save q few hundred dollars, and per
baps to make a point as against thu
School Board.
alt is to remedy this erI." Wha
"tr1"? Why, nothing more nor les
than the eril" Of obeying the law a
it stands on the statute-book, and as j
is laid down by the law officer Of tn
city.
We suspect that in Richmond Their
are still many persons opposed to tn
public schools. The real friends Of tn
public schools are, at least so we think
not behind this movement. The peopl
are not suspicious and jealous Of tb
school trustees. But we take the con
mittse at their word. They say II
people are on their side. Very vel
3 There need be no more discussion
the subject. II the Legislature wi
submit to the voters OF Richmond Il
question Of the ratification Of the ne
Law proposed by the Council cOmmi,te
We will engage to make no further o
lection to its passage. Permit the pc
ple 70 decide in May next as betwe
the trustees and that committee, q
the School Board viii willingly subu
20 their verdict. Nothing fairer cou
bs asked and We are sure that I
School Board will at once accept I
issus.
Read again; This bill is intended
check the "wostefal and useless spec
Tag efhe school .fands." BY whou
BY the trustees. Yet the trustees, '
are told, are not attacked.
The Legislature is only asked to allo
\ the Council School Committee 10 I
lawfully what it has unlswfally dor
for the last three years.
We submit, - TO the decreased CO..
per capita Of educating the people
children, that the present School Boar
70 entitled to the credit for il.
We submit also that the fol'owin
language Is - applicable to councilms
- to school trustees:
"i.st N ses that the school funds are pro
perl, spent. East no imputation u. Jon IN