The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-13
FOR FREE INSTRUCTION.
= MOVE TO ABOLISH TUITION
FEES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The Board of Education Discusses the
Grand Jury's Presentment-The Cost
of instruction in the Schools Now
and the Number of Pupils Taught
by Each Teacher.
There was but little routine business
before the school board last night. Only six
members were present-President Mercer,
DR.. Read, Messrs. Hunter, Estill. Schwarz
and Saussy. after receiving the reports
of committees and granting leave of
absence for two weeks to a sick teacher the
presentment of the late grand jury was dis
cussed.
Mr.. Hunter called attention to what was
said in the report about school matters, and
asked Supt Baker what was the cost of the
maintenance.
Mr.. Baker Of the high school referred to
books and showed that the expense of the
school is about 81 900 a year, 5000 OF
which amount is paid by the scholars as
tuition fees. There are $50 pupils in regular
attendance, and there is an average Of 2lH
scholars to each teacher. Mr. Baker also
stated that this was a large number of
scholars for a teacher TO instruct, and
that under the departmental system
in vogue in the school, each teacher instructs
$50 scholars and each scholar therefore
receives instruction from six teachers.
WORK OF THE TEACHERS.
Supt. Baker submitted the following
statistics in regard to the number of schol-
airs TO each teacher in the several public
schools:
Chatham Academy. ......................41M
Barnard street school. ........-......... 81 ITO
MaSsie school. ......-.........-.....444
81. fatrlck school. ....................-56g
Southside school. .......................47
East Broad street school. ............... .524
West Broad street school. ............... 4s14
In regard to the report that 600 children
had been refused admission to the public
schools, Supt. Baker said that this is not
the case. Not a single white child has been
turned away this year. Quite a number of
colored children, however, were I'M
able to gain admission to the
schools set apart for them. owing
to a lack of school room. 1t is well known
to the board that the only school houses
built in late years are those used by the
colored children. Almost every year some
thing has been done toward increasing the
accommodations for them, but the constant
influx of colored people from the adjacent
country has made it difficult for the board
to keep up with the demand for more
school room for the children.
THE TUITION QUESTION.
Col Mercer, referring to the question as
to legality Of high school instruction, said
that he has no doubt whatever but that it
is entirely within the law to use the school
fund for such purposes. 1t is done in other
cities, and the supreme court Of the state in
a case from Augusta decided that the con-
stitution Of 1877 did not prevent the levying
of taxes for that purpose. In this view of
the law he was sustained by Mr.. Saussy.
DR.. Read and Col. Estil were in favor Of
making the high school entirely free or
abolishing it, so that any boy, rich or poor,
may stand on the same footing.
DIR. Read gave notice that he will move
at the next meeting to abolish tuition fees
in the high school,
Mr.. Saussy thought that better plan
would be to continue to charge tuition fees
for boys who have not passed through the
grammar schools, and give free scholar
ships to meritorious pupils who have passed
through them.
1t is very probable that the high school
question will occupy the best part Of the
next meeting of the board.