The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-06-13

ties IN the parish are now supplement-
ing inadequate School Board salaries
in order to retain competent teachers
who get better offers elsewhere. 1t is
the duty of tbs School Board to en-
ploy the best teachers and individuals
should not be expected nor permitted
to pay additional supplementary sala-
ries.
Messrs. Judice, Brown and Moss
were appointed delegates to represent
the parish Board at the convention of
Parish School Boards to be held in
Baton Rouge during the month of
JulT.
The secretary was instructed to no.
tify L.. E. Patterson that unless his
school land notes for the past year be
paid within thirty days that the Par
ish Treasurer would be required to
take steps for the collection as re-
CURED by law.
Mr.. Judice was authorized to have
the old Scott building moved over to
the new school lot.
Mr.. Brown was authorized to dis
pose of the Sicily schOOlhOuse.
The superintendent submitted the
following report for the consideration
of the Board:
Because the Lafayette city schools
were closed M month in advance of
the regular session a recapitulation of
the relation existing between the town
and the parish of Lafayette in the joint
maintenance of the town schools, may
be of advantage for the information of
the public.
In 1902, the Police Jury on being
asked by the School Board to increase
the school appropriation from $4,000 to
$4,000 objected on the ground that the
Lafayette town schools consumed
One-tifth of the entire school revenue
70 the parish, that 10 per cent. of the
attendance in the town schools was
composed of children from the town.
and that the city of Lafayette was not
contributing n cent to the support of
its schools. AS soon as this cOndi-
ton of affairs was brought to the at
tentiOn of the City Council they
$1,000 to cOunterbalance the Police Jury
appropriation of $4,000. In 1903, the
town appropriated $4,000: the Police
Jury $1,000. In 1904 the Police Jury
appropriated $4,000 out of the Parish
tax and the citizens of the parish lex
elusive of Lafayettej voted a 3-mill
tax, making a total parish cOntribu-
ton for the year 1904 of Sl5, 900. The
School Board then demanded a three
mill appropriation $4,000 from the
town to cOunterbalance the S15. 900
parish tax. This claim was based on
the ground that the School Board can
not legally expend a special tax fund
outside of the territory in which it is
collected. The City Council did not
make its school appropriation for the
year 1904 until near the close of the
school session of l904-05, and a short
time before the election of their sue
cessors. This appropriation was
$500 short of the 3-mills demanded.
and as time was pressing for some
definite data upon which to base ac-
ton in conformity with the position
taken by the School Board on this
question, the Board promptly ar
ranged for a conference between its
members and the members of the newly
elected council. This conference was
attended by the mayOr-elect and two
members of the council. 1t was
planned and understood hat the town
schools would have to be closed under
the existing conditions, earlier than
the rural schools, unless the council
did appropriate the $500 lacking to
make } mills. The members of the
new Council in this conference did not
feel justified in pledging themselves to
a specific appropriation before formal
int. Oduction into office. but ave the
Board assurance of their good will
toward the public schools, ana as a
result of the conference the Board felt
encouraged, did not curtail the town
schools for the then current session,
and trusted to satisfactory a adjustment
later.
In November 1905 a School Board
committee renewed the demand for the
balance of $500 due from 1904, and ;
mills $4,000 for 1905. Acting on this,
the Council appropriated So, 500 with
the promise of making a further APP
preparation of $1,000 later if possible.
When the town finally announced that
the additional $1,000 could not be APP
p%ropriated the schools were ordered
closed one month in advance of the
session of the rural schools. When
this action was taken the town was
81. 800 short of 3 mills for the two
years, lJUf duQ 15Oc. Lie
tions of the town and parish for 1902
and 1905 stood as follows
For 1902.
Town. 900 (33 per cent
Parish. 5000 (66 per cent
For 1905.
Town. SO, 800 Us per cent
Parish. 20. 900 (S5 per cent
In addition to the above comparison
which needs no comment, it must be
remembered that the present main
tenance of the Lafayette schools is
more than twice what it was in 1902
when the Board received $1,000 from
the town as against 81 5000 from the