The annual expense of all the

schools of the Society, with 5,209 scholars, was, last year, $10,000 Add the annual expense of the

African schools,

Which gives, for the expenses of the first year, .

And the revenue of the Society during the same period will be:

From the school fund,

$14,000

Leaving a balance in favor of the Society, without pay from

Giving a balance of receipts over expenditures amounting to $10,500

As the receipts and expenses for the second year may be estimated the same as those of the first, for the same schools, the whole of the balance of the first year may be applied toward the purchase of lots and erection of a new school-house.

In the new schools, a greater proportion of scholars will doubtless be admitted, who are willing and able to pay.

The annual expense of each new school of 800 children will be:

For teachers, male, $900, and female, $350, and monitors, $150,

$1,400

In the new schools, the children will thus pay an amount equal to two thirds of the whole expenses.

From the preceding estimates, it appears that the Public School Society could, without resorting to loans or other sources of revenue, go on continually adding to the number of its school-houses. But probably not faster than the wants of the city will require; for it should be remembered that there are now 7,000 children not in a course of education, and that the population of New York is increasing very rapidly.

This report was widely read and approved.

The bill passed by the Legislature, November 19th, 1824, authorized the Common Council to appoint ten school commissioners, and to designate the schools which should participate in the school fund, and directed the first appointment to be made in January, 1825. Accordingly, the Mayor, Hon. Wm. Paulding, Jr., informed the Common Council of the requirements of the law; and, upon motion of Alderman Mason, at the session held on January 17th, the following-named gentlemen were appointed :

The consideration of the fourth section of the law was referred to the Committee on Laws. The general plans recommended in the printed report on reorganization being regarded with much favor by many prominent men of the city conversant with school interests, and the trustees being informed that the Law Committee were prepared to entertain the propositions, Isaac Collins, Robert C. Cornell, and Lindley Murray were appointed to confer with them on the whole question.

At the meeting of the Common Council held on May 4th, a letter from the secretary of the Free-School Society, on the subject of extending instruction to the poor children of the city who were not included in the charity schools of religious socie*See Appendix A.

MONEYS FOR SECTARIAN SCHOOLS.

97

ties, was read, accompanied with specimens of the penmanship of pupils. The papers were referred to the Law Committee. A brief report from that committee was submitted on May 11, approving and recommending the Free-School Society to the confidence and support of the public.

At the meeting of the Common Council held on April 25, Alderman Cowdrey moved that the law relative to the distribution of school moneys be taken up; but the motion was negatived, and the law was made the special order for the following Thursday. At the same meeting, a petition was presented from the trustees of St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Peter's Church for an apportionment of school moneys, and laid on the table.

On Thursday, the 28th, on motion of Alderman Cowdrey, the special order was taken up for consideration. The petition of the trustees of the Roman Catholic churches was read, and the law reported by the committee was also read. The first section of the law was as follows:

Be it ordained, by the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New York, in common council convened, pursuant to the authority vested in them by the act of the Legislature of the State of New York, entitled "An Act relating to Common Schools in the City of New York," passed Nov. 19, 1824, that the institutions which shall be entitled to receive of the commissioners of the common school fund, payable to and raised in the said city, are hereby designated to be, the Free-School Society of New York, the Mechanics' Society, the Orphan Asylum Society, and the trustees of the African free schools.

Mr. Philip Hone, of the Board of Assistants, moved to amend, by adding, after the words "trustees of the African free schools," the following:

And the trustees of such incorporated religious societies in said city as support or shall establish charity schools, who may apply;

Provided, That the religious societies above named shall not be allowed to receive pay for any scholars except those whose parents or guardians are in the habit of attending their respective places of worship.

After some discussion, Mr. Hone called for a division of the question, and it resulted as follows:

Ayes-Aldermen Wyckoff and Reed, and Assistant Alderman Hone-3.

Nays-Richard Riker, Recorder, Aldermen King, Ireland,