Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-05
THE COMMON COUNCIL.
pUBLIc-scHo0L PROPERTY.

PUBLIC-SCHOOB PROPEKTf.
vsesuey In she Police Beard-old and New
asrAet 90 be Imprs,ed-Nsw House for
Tensh-ssrees Hese Company.
The regular monthly meeting Of the
Common Council was held last after
noon, at which the following members
answered to their names at roll-call
Mr.. J. T. Ellyson (president), and
Messrs. Ammons, Cabell, Campbell,
Curtis. Cutchins, Frischkorn, Griffith,
Guy, Hargrove, Hughes, King, Lewis,
Mcdowell, Parater, Pearman, Phillips,
Pizzini, Rankin, Redford, Riddell,
Straus, and Turpin.
The Clerk read the minutes, and the
President signed them.
VACANCY IN THE POLICE BOARD.
The clerk read communication from
the Hon. w. G. Darlington, Mayor OF
the city, announcing the resignation OF
Mr.. John X. Childrey, member Of
the Board Of Police Commissioners.
The Mayor spoke in high terms Of Mr..
Childrey, and regretted his resignation.
Referred 10 the Board Of Public Inter-
ests.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
.Styeefs.-The usual report, granting
awning permits and recommending cer-
tain street Improvements, all Of which
Was adopted.
Finance.--Report recommends the
appropriation Of &1l,000 for the i'm
provement Of First Market and Ell, 900
for Second, $4,000 for culverts, and
ell, 900 to lay water-pipe on Broad
from Mayo 10 Twenty-seventh street.
The report was adopted.
Fire.-Recommending building per-
mits within fire limits, and notifying
Council that Tenth-Street Hose Com
psny would be compelled to leave its
present quarters, as the building was
wanted for other purposes by Mr..
Sweeney. An appropriation of $4,000
to build a new truck-house was asked
COR. The fire permits were granted,
and the resolution asking the appro-
pristion was referred to the Finance
Committee.
Schoois.-Report citing the hard
ships and injuries " which might result
if the salaries Of teachers and principals
were not paid, and declaring the com
mittee ." unable, under joint resolution
of May II, 1883, TO make any report
favoring expenditures until such cI-
penditures and the bills shall have been
first submitted TO this committee for
their approval" The committee asked
that the Clerk send copy of the reso-
luton of May IA, 1883, to the School
Board. The report recommended the
payment Of certain claims Of teachers,
&c.
SERIOUS CONDITION oFTHE SCHOOLS.
The Clerk read the following report
from Mr.. j. Taylor EllysOn, president
Of the School Board:
OFFICE CITY SCHOOL BOARD,
RICHMOND, May 4, 1885.
To the City Council:
Gentlemen,-We deem it our duty
to again call the attention Of
your honorable body to the over
crowded condition Of our schools,
and to the necessity Of some provision
being promptly made for increased
school accommodations. The urgency
Of this demand will be appreciated when
we inform you that whilst the maximum
number Of pupils allowed to each school
is fifty, the average number now in all
the schools is .ffty:tour, whilst in seve-
raj Of the buildings the average is sixty
scholars to each school. In our efforts
to provide for as many children as pos
sible eleven Of the third primary
schools have been made halliday schools.
These should be whole-day schools,
as it is impossible to teach the third
primary course in halliday school.
This is bad enough, but it is matter
Of still grsver concern that so many Of
our children should be denied altogether
the privileges of the public schools. AT
the Madison school 800 children were
this session denied admission for lack Of
room, at Elba school $50, and the same
number in the Bellevue and Springfield
schools.
In the colored schools the condition
Of affairs is even worse, for at Baker
and Navy-Hill schools nearly 1000
children made application for whom no
provision could be made, whilst at East
End and the Valley the schools are
greatly overcrowded. The Colored
Normal School is taxed to- its utmost
capacity, and unless the building is en-
larged it will be impossible to receive
any new scholars next session.
We would again call your attention to
the Bethel-School building, which We
regard as altogether unsuited to school
purposes. The rooms are small, badly
ventilated, and badly lighted, and the
surroundings are both unattractive and
unwholesOme.
We would recommend the following
improvements, which, if made, will an-
swer all present demands;
Estimd
Cost.
New school l-building, Cary and Re-
scrVCir 5000
New scbOol-building, Gilmer and
Leigh streets...'.....'''.'............... 1000
Additional story on Springfield
building 5000
Additional story on Esst-knd
building 1000
Additional " ing TO Colored Normal 1000
Rebuilding Bethel building ............ 1000
Making total of........-............... s2e. 900
Ii is a matter Of sincere congrstula-
ton that our schools have so grown in
popular favor as to make these addi-
tons TO our facilities necessary.
We feel assured that your honorable
body will be found to be in full sympa-
thy with the School Board in their de-
sire TO furnish accommodations to all
who may wish to share in the privi-