St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1919-01-18
School Board
Continued from page u

attendance large enough to make two
grade teachers absolutely necessary
Like Madisonville, We do not need
them now, unless the attendance in
creases, although we have a contract
with them which we cannot break.
In the fourth ward, the Mande-
vile and Lewisburg schools have
been getting along nicely in the
hands of competent teachers. The
transfer from Lewisburg to Mande-
vile is giving general satisfaction,
so far as | have been able to learn
What has been said regarding the
attendance and the effect of the in
f1uenZa upon the schools Of the first
four wards, is also true of the schools
in the remainder Of the parish A
good many Of the people have been
compelled to keep their children at
home because Of sickness, while
many others are taking advantage of
the opportunity to use the FLU as
an excuse for keeping their children
at home. There are dozens of par
ents who do not dare to allow their
children to go to school because of
their fear that the child may catch
| the influenza, but they do not hest
| tate for an instant about permitting
| them to attend places of amusement,
where the ventilation and sunlight
| is sure no better than in the school
room.
After great deal of difficulty and
delay | succeeded in having wells
sunk at Folsom and Middle Roads
hut ,r%
at Folsom is out of commission. A
we'll is needed at the Ridge school
and the one at the Waldheim school
is noW~out Of order. TIE road be-
tween Alton and the Robert school
is crossed by several deep bitches or
branches and we should see that foot
walks are built across them so that
the Alton children attending the
Robert school can do so without
Wading in the water
During the Junior Red Cross
Christmas membership drive many
OF our teachers have done excellent
work. | want to especially mention
the Slidell and Audubon schools.
Slidell secuted 100 per cent, or 560j
members. Audubon with "a on roll
went beyond their enrolment and
secured over 100 members. Such
work as this should receive special
cOmmendation.
| am glad to report that our at
torneys, Morgan & Simmons, inform
ed me that they have arranged a /
compromise on the 18th section land
suit, and l have agreed to the com
promise whereby we are to receive
$4,000 and relinquish any claim that
we may have to section IS, township
6 south, range IA east.
According to law your board is re-
CURED to advertise for and appoint
its fiscal agent every two years. Our
hscal agent was appointed three
years ago, and it is for you to de-
eide whether you will have them
handle another two year period be-
fore advertising again or will you
instruct me to advertise now for bids
to be opened at your April meeting?
At formal meeting you voted to
give $500 to the first colored school
that would raise $500 towadrs a new
school building. This offer was ac-S
cepted and your $500 was won by 4
the Sun colored school. was sue
cessful in securing the promise for |
at least $500 more from the Rosen-T
Wa1d fund. This has been a great |
encouragement to many of the color
ed people and those at jacksonville |
have Just turned over to me $500 in |
cash with the request that you will /
give them a like amount to be used 7
for school house for their children.
The Colored Baptist Association are |
offering us half an acre of ground to |
build this house on and the support |
and influence of their organization
| am sure that all of you will agree |
with me when | say that our next |
duties should be to furnish suitable |
houses for the colored children of |
the parish. The excuses have al
ways been that the colored man does |
not own property or pay taxes to
help in the building of school houses.
In this case, however, they are
willing to do their part towards the |
cost of this building and l would
recommend to you that you pledge
yourselves to give towards this Madi-
sonville colored school as much as
the colored people will raise up to (
one thousand dollars. II you do this
we Will then probably be able to &c
cure another thousand from the
Rosenwald fund and build a modern
industrial school for them. OF
course this would be with the under
standing that the school property
shall be in the name Of the Parish
School Board. | would like to have /
the school equipped with a complete
set Of carpenter tools and work
benches. There should be one or
more sewing machines with an equip
ment /of garden tools.
The title to the Slidell colored
school building has been turned over
to the school board and | immediate
ly had the building insured 1t will
be necessary for us to make repairs
and alterations on this building just
as soon as poAsible.
In closing | bag to thank yeu fer