Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-04-14
CITY SCHOOL BOARD.


Board was held last night for the pur-
pose of receiving committee Of the
Chamber Of Commerce who desired to
have an interchange of opinion in re-
gard to the falling off of the school
census. Capt Herbert Bryant presided,
ard Messrs. Cox, Phillips, Thompson,
Thomson, Bradshaw, Carter. Howard,
Kirk, Myers DR.. Smith and the superin-
tendent we're present. Messrs. A. D.
Brockett, w. w. Ballenger and Harry
Kirk, composed the committee from
the Chamber Of Commerce.
Capt. Bryant stated the object OF the
meeting and announced that the. board
was ready to hear any suggestions the
committee had to ma ke.
Mr. Brockett arose and SAID MY.
BalIenger was the chairman OF the
committee, but that the latter had re-
quested him to make statement TO
the board. Mr.. Brockett said the at
tentioo of the Chamber OF Commerce
had been called to the fact that the
CITY was to lose a considerable sum OF
money by the falling off in the school
census, as has been shown by the CEN
sus taken last summer. The Chamber
Of Commerce had talked over the mat
ter, and had concluded that there must
be some mistake in the figures, or that
there had not been complete enroll
ment. The chamber mas unable to
understand how there could have been
a falling off of925 He wanted another
census, as according to the present
figures Alexandria would lose Sl4, 600
during the next five years. lie SAID II
the Chamber Of Commerce could ali
the School Board in any way in obtain
ing correct census, it was ready to
offer its services.
Capt Bryant stated that everything
that could have been done according to
law had been done by the city super
intendeni and the clerk last July when
the falling off had been made apparent
They bad made their report 10 the
board and the superintendent had
transmitted the same to the Super.n-
tendent OF Public Instruction IN Rich
leye the figures as submitted by the
enumerators were virtually correct, as
it was TO their interest to obtain all
names possible. The chairman further
stated that he had requested the city
SUPERINTENDENT to write to the Superln-
teudent of Public Instruction in order
to see what could be done under present
conditions.
The clerk stated that the matter was
out Of the hands Of the School Board
and was now in the hands OF the Super
intendent of Public Instruction 10 Rich
mond. He referred to the fact that the
cnumerators had been paid for al! the
names they could obtain and that it was
20 their interest to make a full census.
He further said that the School Board
had not been satisfied with the cepsus
which had been first made and had
caused second census to be taken IN
the First ward, as test. Mr.. Conrad
Johnson had taken The second census.
One of the most careful policemen IN
the city had been desi grated to aid IN
making this new enumeration and
there was every reason to beliere
careful and exhaustive canvass had
been made, yet only II names had been
added.
Superintendent Sweeney said United
States census takers had been employed
in the work of taking the school cen
sus and that, to Immediately after
they had procured the figures for the
government, and they were believed
to have been we'll qualified for the
work assigned them but the clerk
was not fully satisfied. he fearing
. mistake might have been made in
the enumeration.
DR.. Smith said the reason the matter
had been dropped after the second
enumeration was the fact that 1t was
an unnecessary expense to the city
AMI nothing could be gained by 1t.
When it was shown that the but four
teen new names were added in the
second censuS-taking 10 the First
ward, the board naturally concluded
there was no good reason TO go any
further. The board. il is believed, had
been drawing more money than IL was
entitled 10 heretofore, although the
money had been expended legitimately
in the interests of the school.
Mr.. Ballepger thought it wise to
again take up the matter even if 1t
entailed an additional expenditure.
Still if the School Board believed that
everything that could have been done
in the premises has beea rasorted
70. OF course, that should end the mat.
ter.
The clerk again called attention to
the fact that the superintendent OF
public instruction had all the auth
ority in the matter vested in him.
Mr.. Ballenser still thought the
board could take another census.
The Clerk-"We can get no more
money if We do. "
Mr.. Balleuger-"les, | am aware Of
that fact. "
The Clerk-'The board would only
be 100 anxious to 60 TO any trouble IN
order to get more money.
pe,intendeut Sweeney suggested
that the board might obtain the cen.
<us returns Of the government and
make a comparison in order to DC
more sure of the correctness OF the
figures secured by the School Board.
Probably Representative Cariin could
obtain them
Or. Smith called attention to the
fact that under the law Of bv-gone