Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-28
as, 1885.
The school Funds.

80 many thousand dollars to every
State institution, but puts the money
in each case in the hands Of Board OF
Directors, and leaves il to these boards
to say how the money shall be expend-
ed. SO IL Is with the money which the
City Council Of Richmond appropriates
to public-school purposes. The law
everywhere contemplates the expendi-
turc Of this money by the Board Of
School Trustees. The attorney for the
city has given his written opinion to that
eject. Let us look into the law. What
are the duties Of the School Board ?
Note, first, that where the Council
has any control over the school trustees.
the Law says so. We quote from the
Code:
The school boards Of the respective
cities shall have power, subject 10 the
approval of the common councils, to
prescribe the number and boundary of
school districts. and the number OF
trustees" &C., &c.
In that case, the Council. it is plain,
has veto power, but in no other. Its
only influence with the trustees grows
out Of the fact that it can refuse to re-
elect them.
We quote again
800. 1t shall be the duty Of the school
board Of every city once in each year, and
oftener if deemed necessary, to submit
TO the city or town council, in writing,
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 accordingly.
Thus the school trustees are required
to submit estimates only once year
unless it is by them "deemed neces-
sary" to submit such estimates
more frequently. They might submit
estimates for new expenditures every
month if the Council should refuse to
make an annual appropriation to them.
Read now the duties of the school
trustees and see if 1t would be possible
for them to perform those duties if they
were not entitled to the custody Of all
the money (much or little) appropriated
to school purposes.
We quote from the law again:
1888. The school board of trustees in
every city Of the first class shall have
power, and it shall be its duty to es-
tablish and maintain therein. a general
system Of public free schools in accord
ance with the requirements Of the Con-
stitution and the general education pol
icy Of the Commonwealth; and it is
empowered specially to make and carry
out regulations for the management of
public-school property ard funds in the
city the location, renting, enlarging,
repairing, erection and furnishing of
school-houses, and the proper care of
the same the attendance of pupils
upon the schools; the providing of in
digent children with textbooks the
determining Of studies the methods Of
teaching and government employed in
the schools; the employment, renau-
neration. and dismissal Of teachers, and
the length Of the school terms. 1t shall
also have power to establish high and
normal schools as well as those Of lower
grade.
To enable the trustees to DO those
things the law provides as follows:
$40. Ii shall be the duty Of the city
or town council, and Of every incorpo-
rated town Of over five hundred inhabi-
tants, which has been erected into a
separate school district, TO provide in
due time. and it shall have no power to
withhold, the sum or sums reported by
the city or town school boards and de-
s''",e" !" w ~:
sh.",' g ~. 80, =, ,own sxcon, ,hs
city Of Richmond, the council Of which
said city shall have the discretion ofthe
board Of county supervisors in similar
eases'
"e oo No, ~ 81 " "''lO'N
u.;,,so,l a. 49,
=, W.,
-, 80.
IL !.
10. ~ :, 49,,
~ school board Of each county. on or
before the first Wednesday in Noyem.
Der Ia each year, to prepare and file
WIN 'ne pIes'aeh, o. saeh board 70 De
s;scrs 1os s~sh ~ -, o :. ,h.; ~ sa
lest meeting. an estimate Of the aggre-
ss'e amount Of money - =.