School Board News 1887

     At the January 1887 meeting the board agreed to open schools for six months from February through July. There were 136 white children and 423 black children enrolled for a total of 659. There was an average attendance of 422. There were 11 public schools and four private schools, one for whites and three for black children. There were 21 white and 70 black children in the private schools.
     The census of 1886 showed 1865 children of school age, but only 659 attended attended public schools and 91 attended private schools for a total of 750. This left 229 white children and 786 black children not in school.
     There was a discussion about the need for 16 schools.
     The black citizens of 4th Ward asked that the black school be moved from Boutte Station to Green's Saw Mill for 1887. Also appearing were white residents of Ward 1 and black residents of Ward 2 asking for new schools. The board agreed to open a new school for white children in the schoolhouse on Star Plantation and a new school for black children in th Bell Baptist Church.
     The board voted to open 13 schools for six months from February through July. There were six schools for white children and seven for black children. The teachers were still being paid $40 a month.