The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-08-25
ecuOOL PROGRESS REVIEWED.
interesting Data Contained in Annual
Report of Superintendent.

Ascension parish met TINS day IN Spe-
a;al session, with President w. B
etnart in the chair and the following
members present: Henry Dugas
first ward; Geo. Bergeron, second
ward. Emile LeBoeuf, fourth ward
lohn w. Hanna, seventh ward; H. E
wehb, eighth ward. Absent-E. N
pnph, third ward; W. P. Miles. fifth
ward.
The minutes of the meeting held
Anril 25 were read, and on motion of
M. Bergeron, duly seconded by MIR.
Tngas, were unanimously adopted.
The superintendent presented the
following report:
IN the Honorable President and Mem
bers of the Ascension Parish
School Board.
Gentlemen:- Il have the honor to
submit this, my second annual report
of the condition of the schools of the
narish of Ascension. My aim will be
to state briefly certain phases Of the
work Of last session and to call the
attention of the board to certain i'm
movements and needs Of the school
for next session.
School Session.
The session 1867 was q dis
tinet Improvement in our educational
system in that every child was given
the advantage of nine months ses-
sion, | have heard it expressed that
there is no need of nine months
session for the country child, for the
reason that the attendance during the
last month does not Justify the ex-
nenditure. 1t is true that our eX-
narience of last session merits this
remark, as our attendance was low;
still no one will admit, with reason.
that any child should enjoy less than
nine scholastic months of school, and
it seems to me the same reason for
nine months school term for the child
that lives in town should apply to the
country child. The argument that
they do not take advantage Of the
nine months is weakened when con-
sideration is given to the very inferior
class of school that is provided for
them. [ make the assertion, without
hesitation, that if. the proper facilities
are given the country child the at
tendance will take care of itself, and
the compulsory school attendance law
will not have to be enforced. | there
fore appeal to the board and to the
people to make every possible effort to
continue the session of nine months
for all schools.
School Plants.
improvements worthy of special
mention in our school plants are the
completion of the Galvez consolidated
school and the remodeling and finish
ing of the st. Amant consolidated
school. The former was completed
the early part of the session. Owing,
however, to the failure of the state to
make its appropriation for the school,
there are still very important features
not completed. The urgent need Of
this school is the construction of out
houses. This must be done before
the opening Of the session, and l re-
quest that the board authorize their
construction during this present
month. A good supply of pure water
is also very much needed for this
school.
The st. Amant school was greatly
improved during last session, and |
call the boards special attention to
the excellent school spirit of the pa
irons of this school. | venture to
say the improvements made last ses-
sion will aggregate in value no less
than $500, the whole amount being
subscribed by the patrons. Today
the st. Amant school has the distinc-
ton Of being one of the best con-
solidated schools in the parish.
| regret to have to report that con-
dtions in the Gonzales High School
show no Improvement whatever. De-
tefmined efforts were made by your
superintendent and State Supt. T. H.
harris on several occasions to induce
the patrons to improve their school,
Dut without results. The building is
badly in need of classroom facilities.
steps should be taken before the ses-
sion opens to make the building safe
IS to fire.
wish again to call the needs of
the Donaldsonville High School to the
attention Of the board and the patrons
OF the six wards that patronize this
school. 1t will be impossible to open
The school unless new window panes
are put in and the good ones divided
N halves to insure them against fur
mer breakage. Shades are especially
needed. This school represents a
very large investment, totalling more
laan the combined cost of all schools
oi 81 the parish. 1t would be reasonable,
therefore, to use half of the fines col
Ieeted recently to make urgent and
ieeded improvements to the building,
ana use the other half for equally
schools.
MY report would be too lengthy
were WI. to comment fully on the con-
alston OF all our school plants. My
sesire Is to report on the needs and
schools.
Annual Report.
! shall refer briefly to nv annual
mp Tqspoft to State Supt. T. II. Harris.
~ aasre I, are, | am sure, some features
~, - Me report that will interest our
@hool patrons.
psehooi Revenues and Expenses.
sta. shuoK balance July l, '16$ 1,742.05
pan pa.e current school fund. 14,885.50
in,ae jury appropriations 18,700.92
pan pnstest 18th section.......... 418.71
eaxes --.-.--..::.-.-.-......-.. 1,616.13
pau.s $50 -....--,..-..... ...-..........-. $3.50
ll.L llu' --,--,....-............ .......... l04.0O
Dna sources ---..,.---.......... 70.19
Dae from Galvez School
pstrlct ............ ...... l14.04