The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-15
TO PROVIDE A NEW SCHOOL.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR
COLORED CHILDREN.

The First Step in This Direction
Taken by the Board of Education.
The Committee on school Build
ings Instructed to Look For Site.
Teachers to BE Allowed Half Pay
when Absent-Supt. AshmOre's
school Map.
The board of education has recognized
the need for a new public school for the
colored children. At the December meet
ing of the board last night a resolution
looking to supplying this need was unani-
mously adopted. The resolution was Of
fered by Commissioner M. A. O'Byrne,
and reads as follows:
Whereas, a very large number of coll
ored children in the city are being de-
prived of an education by reason of not
having sufficient school room, therefore,
be it resolved, That this board shall make
an earnest effort during the coming year
to obtain an appropriation sufficiently
large to establish another grammar school
for colored children.
Resolved. further, That the committee
on school houses be charged with the duty
suitable site for such school and obtaining
price for same and report the results of
their Investigation to a subsequent meet
ing of the board
Hereafter the teachers in the public
schools will forfeit only half pay for time
lost on account of sickness and other
causes.
An amendment to the rules to this effect
was adopted by the board Heretofore
the teachers have forfeited all pay for
time lost by them from their duties. This
! will be good news to the teachers many
of whom lose small amounts each year by
reason of enforced absence from school,
The half pay is not sufficient to be an in
! ducement to the teachers TO remain away
! from their duties any longer than neces-
! sary while a the same time it will be quite
| a help in case of any lengthy illness.
/ The appointments by the superintendent
/ of Miss Alice West as assistant teacher
! in the Massie school and Miss Sallie Cab
| aniss as assistant teacher in the Henry
! street school were confirmed.
| The question of closing the Tybee school
was discussed. The school has only ten
| pupils, while the minimum limit under
| the rules of the board is twelve The
| question was referred to the president and
! superintendent for action.
/ Another teacher was authorized at the
| county school at the coored college. The
school there has grown until it now has
over eighty pupils.
Supt Ashmore exhibited map TO the
board, which he has just completed, illus
trating the development of the public
school sytem Of Chatham county from 1865
to date. The map shows the growth or
colored and white schools in both city
and county for each year, as well as of
the high school and the recent addition
of the night school The beginning was
small, only 500 pupils, whereas there are
| now enrolled in the city and county schools
| over 5000 pupils. From 1866 to 1875 there
was a steady and healthy increase The
| effect of the yellow fever epidemic Of
| 1876 upon the city's progress is plainly
shown by the map. There was heavy fall
| ing off that year and the year following
and it was not until 1884 that the enroll
| ment showed an increased over that of
1876. After that date there was a steady
and healthy increase, the largest increase
for any year being that of 1895, due to the
opening of a new colored school in the
city.
The board instructed the superintendent
| to close the schools Christmas eve and re-
| open them Monday, Jan. 4. This will give
| the children a ten days rest, in which to
| enjoy Christmas, with loss of six school
| days.
The following members of the board were
present a the meeting: Col. Geo. A. Mer-
GER, president, Or. j. y. Read, vice pres-
dent, and Messrs. Lee Roy Myers b. A.
Denmark, J. r. Saussy, Henry Blum, NJ
A. O'Byrne and p. A. Stovall.