The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-18
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL YESTERDAY.
They Resolve Into a Committee OF
the Whole Apportionment
OF the $4,000.

augmented school accommodation.
The report Of the School board was
called for by Schreiner, but was not
forthcoming.
Alderman Bolton said that he was
very much disappointed at the commit
tee not reporting. A certain PROPOSE
ton was laid before the people, aud II
there were any changes OF opinion In
that he would like to know OF IL.
His Honor. the Mayor, said he wns not
surprised at the position Alderman Boil
ton had taken, but the committee not
being able to report, II was for the
Council to determine how that money
should he spent.
Belknnp said that the members from
the First, Second and Third wards had
always been on hand, and lie thought 1t
was pretty well agreed on what they
wanted and mutually and satisfactorily
agreed to by the members, but they had
no voice from the Fourth ward ut all and
they were In the dark concerning 1t, and
rs time was really pressing that the
money should be expended. he moved
that the Council should 20 into COM
mittee Of the whole on the subject
French said he did not see why the
absence OF one Alderman should deter
the balance from making report be-
cause this was entrusted to the COM
bined School board.
Smye wanted to know that lfanyihlng
should transpire which would make II
Important for one member of the SUnOol
Board not present to hear, would 1t be
lust to rush things through without IN
expression of opinion; let them have eN-
preston Of opinion and have u concerted
action.
lIambleton offered the following reso-
luton: That the sum OF $1,000 be AL
lowed the First ward, SlG,UO the Second
ward, also the sum of $1,000 for First and
Second wards for coored schools, the
sum of $4,000 for the Third ward, and
the sum of $500 for the Fourth ward, in
addition to the sum OF Sl2OO for the
Fourth ward colored schools.
Lockwood seconded the resolution.
Muench wanted to know how these
approximations had been made.
French said he understood 1t to be n
free conference, and he made motion
that the Council should now 20 into Il
Committee of the Whole and discuss the
matter. This motion was adopted, the
Mayor retaining the chair.
Belknap considered that the distribu-
tion of the money should be largely gov
erned by the wants of the school. The
number of school children on the new
roll for the coming year was 1853, 1910
more than last year. The wants in the
Second water school are greater than
any other from the fact that
II has never received portion OF the
money to put into school buildings.
There are no buildings in the Second
ward really fit for use; all the other
wards have got ward schools and 1t was
his idea that this thing should be ar
ranged, and he thought that with $4,000
n good school house could be built and
$4,000 for the oolored school, and one of
these buildings could be moved to it and
with further additions very present
able school could be built. The oOlored
population predominates in the Second
and Fourth wards, and on the basis II
You would take off about $1,000 for the
wants of the public school and take 5000
or $1,000 for what the other wards have
had in excess OF the Second ward and
divide the remainder with the schOlas-
tic population, he was perfectly willing
to submit to the Judgment of the COM
mittee.
French, in following the argument Of
Belknap, said he was sure that the
Council ought to take that matter into
consideration from the fact that the Sec
OllN Nhlh uuA llu Hinbbl uulhlllk anu Nllt
First, Third and Fourth were amply
provided. lie thought the apprO-
priation of 5000 altogether insufficient
to build u school building according to
the plans. 1t Is altogether too large for
the lot, If they removed this building, it
only gives eight rooms for the Second
ward, and the scholastic population is
higher in attendance, In the second ward
than any other ward in the city. The
Mayor asked II they divided the Ger
man-English school equally among the
Fourth ward.
French continued ard said they al
ready have eight rooms In the Third
ward and they would have nothing
under the present disl oiition;, what they
were getting now would be just the
mere surplus. 1t was only last year this
question OF wards was raised when SlO,-
900 was appropriated in the First and
Second wards because they actually
needed 1t. Now If they were going to
pro rata this out without making any
difference in the wants Of the public
schools, they would have one school in
his ward and there would be two in
every other ward In the city. 1t seemed
to him that whatever condition Is made
should be a condition to get lot and
build school somewhere else in that
ward because they would necessarily de-
prive the children of four rooms, and
what were they going to do with the
children in the meantime. II the pres
ent accommodation was taken down they
would get no Increase at all.
Gallagher said he understood from the
| gentleman's arguments that they have
not nearly enough room in the Second
ward; lie would like to know the num-
her Of rooms there were in the High
school.
Professor Rote said there were
| twelve.
! Alderman Gallagher then suggested
that rs the High school is nearly in the
centre OF the Second ward he would be
willing to give to the Second ward tue
High school, provided that they give ia
the other wards the proceeds ofthe sales
of the extra lots they have there. lie
thought the Second ward entitled tC
more room and he was willing that they
should have II, taking the proceeds Of
these lots, with the $1,000 and with
some other lands, and build II High
school in the centre of the city-not on
one side, as that il now.
Alderman Lockwood thought the reso
luton offered by Ilambleton answered
the case and that d made q fair distrbu
ton OF money according to the wants o
the children. During n long discussion
ms to the average attendance Lock wool
cited the following statement:
The ninth scholastic month shows AZ
enrolment of whites, 2G39; OF colored
$50; total, 3l90, as follows:
High school COZ, including l3j belong
ing to the Second ward.
First ward, 5l3.
Second ward, 1876, exclusive of l35 il
the High school.
Third ward, 6S5.
Fourth ward, AS.