Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1893-10-20
Our Public sehools.


For some time the public mind has
been in a state OF confusion as TO the
condition in which the new charter
placed the public schools OF Hopkins
vile for both white and colored chill
dren. For abont 10 years the city has
maintained system Of graded free
schools for white children under q
special act OF the Legislature. These
schools were controlled by board Of
seven trustees. Under the general
school law the colored people have
also been supplied with an excellent
system OF schools, the State per capi-
Ia being supplemented by liberal APP
preparations from the city. These
were under the control OF three color
ed trustees. Our school interests have
moved along smoothly for all these
years and every body has been salts.
fed with the arrangement.
The new charter, in section 80, pro
vides that there may be system OF
schools maintained by fourth class
cities, and lays down q very compli-
Gated plan, entirely different from the
old order Of things in this riy. The
most Objectionable feature is that a
Board OF Education is to be estab
lished with Ia trustees, two from ga b
ward, elected from the city at large
by all qualified voters OF both races.
This Board is TO have entire control
OF both white aud colored school su
perseding all other boards. The
question CT having the management
OF the two schools ~ radGall y
changed, at once impressed the
friends OF both sch ,oIs az Qua frsught
with very serious trouble aud hazard.
GUS complications, unsatisfactory to
both white and colored patrons. The
city Of Harrodsburg confronted by the
same problem, appealed to the state
officers TO construe the law aud an Of
fetal decision was given ss below:
FRANKrcRr, KY, Oct. 4, 1893
HoN. L. C. BELL, Hsrrodsburg, KY:
Dear Having carefully con-
sidered your questions Of recent date
as TO the Hsrrodsburg Educational
District, | have to advise that the
Board Of trustees can continue the
school in accordance with .charter OF
1876 aud amendments Of 1887 -S8 and
1889 80, until such time as present
conditions in the matters Of local tax
and the organization of the Board ex-
pire, when the Board must levy taxes
as provided ia Sec. ll8, School Law,
and collect as prescrib ID in Sac. 70
Complying with Sec. 70, as to electing
Treasurer, mailing up lists, etc, will
involve little ch snge in your present
plan.
| note certain points in your letter:
l. The tax levied last April will be
collected as heretofore, as l have in
t'mated above.
2. As to continuing under your
present charter: Sec. lbs, School
Law, evidently gives your city the
power to "accept the provisions Of
this law" even had you organized
under the charter, and the concldsi
is easily deducibie that il a city may
return to the condition in which il
now finds itself, it may, by common
consent, remain. Your school is q
Graded Free School-not organized
it is true, ia strict conformity to the
new law, but by special act, as refer
rel to in Sec. II, which special act is
modified only as to levy aud collec-
ton OF taxes and certificating teach
ers. (Sse Secs. ll8, ll9, 65 aud 79)
Apparently, Sec. SO, charter OF
Fourth Class cities, is not to be con
strued as mandatory, because OF this
provision ia tn, scho 81 Law, subn-
quenlly enacted II was thu sen 20 Of
the Legislature whsn this provision
for accepting" etc, was under dis.
cussion, that conditions might other
wise arise under which the colored
voters would be able to take control
Of the entire school interests Of city,
Foreseeing which, the people might
adopt the provisions OF the law for
Graded Free Schools, which place
the white aud colored schools under
their respective B ards OF Trustees.
Yours truly.
ED PORTER THOMPSON.
Having fully considered the points
covered in the foregoing c)mmuuics-
tioI, | de ire to say tn | fully con.
Cur IN the conclusions reached by the
Superintendent. WM. ! HENDRloK,
Oct. 6, 1893. AT rney General,
Leaning OF his decision leaving it
optional with each city OF ia, fourt h.
class o either accept or reject the
new law, the C. ~ Ca cituf Hopkins.
Vile met In sD.rial hrrsiou Iua-J. v
night and repeated the oriluauee OF
Sept, 5, 1893, passed under the i'm
preston that the pDyisions OF the new
law were mandatory Ipon all cities Of
this class. This leaves our schools
for both white aud colored children
just a. they ara now, except as TO
such changes ~ will be needed TO
harmonic the taxation features with
the general law. The white schools