St. Charles Parish Police Jury--1897

13 July 1897--Police Jury met pursuant to a call issued bu President. Present, A.E. Picard, Madere, Kenner, Kuhlman and Youngs. Dr. N.C. Stephans was invited to address Jury. On motion of Mr. Picard, 2nd Mr. Madere the following resolution was adopted. Whereas complaint has been made to the Jury, to the effect that Julis Isaac, lesse of the Ferry No. 1, has on several occassions violated the Police Jury ordinances, relative to public ferries, Be it resolved that the lease of Ferry #1 to Julis Isaac be declared forfeited. On motion of Mr. Madere, 2nd by Mr. Kuhlman, the President is hereby authorized to lease Ferry #1 privately for the unexpired term. The President sold said Ferry #1 to Dr. N.C. Stephen for the sum of 50 cents.

14 July 1897--Board of Reviewers met. The protest of Charles E. Alter, owner of the Ormond Plantation in the parish against thee assessment made by the assessor of said property, was taken up and after due consideration Mr. Kenner moved to reduce said assessment from $22,000 to $18,000. No 2nd to motion. On motion of Mr. Kuhlman, 2nd by Mr. Madere the assessors figures were sustained. The protest of Mr. J. C. LeBourgeois was taken up and after due deliberation the figure of $18,000 was sustained.

The protest of the Pecan Grove Plantation property of Citizens Bank of Louisiana was taken up. Motion of Mr. Kenner the assessment of $9000 was sustained. The assessment of Davis Plantation owned by Citizens Bank of Louisiana and on the motion of Mr. Madere the assessment of $10,000 was sustained.

Schoolboard Records 4 April 1896

Absent: A. Kinler and A. E. Picard

     Communication from residents of 3/2 regarding the advisability of changing the location of the colored school was read, received, and laid over for further action.
     All bills due and outstanding for building 2 schools in 2/3 and 3/3 are hereby approved and ordered paid, not to exceed $500 each.
     Ninety dollars is appropriated for the purpose of placing lightening rods in all schools owned by the parish.
     Mr. A. Strauss is authorized to paint the school recently erected at Madisonville not to exceed $22.40.

     Teachers appointed:

1st Ward
Trinity White               Miss A. J. Doherty
Freetown Col              Johnson H. Gilmer
Troxler White              Mrs. J. J. Troxler
Hahnville Col               Aaron Brazier

2nd Ward
Fashion White             Miss K. Gilmore
Gassenville White        Miss J.D. Triche
Gassenville Col           G. S. Washington
Madisonville White      Miss M. E Smitts
Madisonville Col         Miss E. Logan

3rd Ward                   
Dolhomer White          Miss M. L. Connely
Prattville Col               Miss V. Pierson

4th Ward
Des Allemands White   Miss E. Porteous
Paradis Col                  Andrew Smith
Boutte White                Miss N. Humphreys

5th Ward
Elkinsville White           Miss K. Gleason
Elkinsville Col               Mrs. D. G. Roussell

     All opened 1st Mon in Feb except colored school at Baumgarden opened following Mon.--teacher changed.

                            to be continued

Police Jury Minutes, 5 July 1897 continued

On motion of Mr. Picard, seconded by Mr. Kuhlman, the following resolution was adopted viz Resolved that all persons, associations of persons selling mineral, water, soda, mead, pops etc except as provided by Act 150 of 1890 shall pay a license as graduated under section 11 of said act and when gross sales are less than $2000 the license shall be $5.

The finance committee reported for approval and on motion of Mr. Madere, the following bills were ordered payable out of contingent fund of 1897.
     Lewis Ory, Sheriff--attending District Court May term 1897, $30; expenses for testing dogs June 1897, $13.97; keeping courthouse clean, May and June 1897, $20.
     G. Lorio, for stationery 2 July 1897, $15.40
     J. C. Triche, for 3 boxes pens June 1897, $3.00
     R. J. Perkins, 500 court blanks, 7 June 1897, $4.00
     Mrs. G. Myers, prescription for smallpox, $1.50
     A. E. Picard, expenses for attending Board of Assessment on railroad, 1897, $65.
     W. E. Uniacke, expense for serving subpoenas, 7 May 1897, $2.20.
     John Rupp, for burial of Joseph Brown on 6 June 1897, $12.
     William Scott, for burial of unknown black man, 19 June 1897, $12

School Board Records 6 July 1895 and 5 Oct 1895

     6 July 1895--Board voted to repair the school at Hahnville  at a cost not to exceed $200 and authorized a fence to be built around the school at Elkinsville at a cost not to exceed $30.
     The police jury donated $500 to the school board and the school board voted to set this amount aside to be used exclusively in the purpose of building a schoolhouse in Ward 2 or 3 , if the people donate a lot for that purpose. 

     5 Oct 1895--School board members meeting were T. T. Baudouin, Charles Elfer, A. Gassen, A. E. Picard, P. M. Picard, P. M. Kenner, W. L. Youngs, and A. Kinler. J. Triche and Abe Strauss recently appointed members, presented their commissions and were recognized as members of the school board.
     Total receipts of $1413.05 for the quarter, balance is $1111.09. Total repairs at Hahnville were $180 so the board voted to have the building whitewashed.
     Report of Lewis Ory, Sheriff and tax collector that he had received a list of 2429 names of persons owing a poll tax and that he had collected $682 leaving a balance of $1747 which he was unable to collect because  the persons had no property subject to seizure .
     A communication was received from Mr. J. W. Frellsen regarding the school lands and offering to rent same for $100 per year for four years. Read into minutes.
     The board passed a resolution to examine the books of the sheriff and treasurer. Charles Elfer, assessor of the parish has failed to render to the school board a list of persons liable to pay a poll tax by the first Saturday in October as required by law under penalty of removal from office and a fine.  Mr. Elfer requests more time and was granted until Saturday, 12 of October 1895.
     Board authorizes to lease to J. W. Frellsen Sec. 16 in T.13, SR 19E and Sec. 16 in T14, SR 21E for 4 years at $100 year payable at  the beginning of each year.
     Board approves expenses of Superintendent for attending a convention at Opelousas for $24 and the Secretary for $3.70  for postage and stationery. 

Board of Review--St. Charles Parish Police Jury

6 July 1897--Board of Reviewers met and examined the assessment list of the 1st Ward.

7 July 1897--Board of Reviewers met. On motion of Mr. Kuhlman, seconded by Mr. Picard, it is ordered that the Ellington Planting Co., Ltd be notified to show cause on the 15th day July 1897 why their assessment should not be increased. Mr. Picard moved to reconsider the above motion to raise, which was continued until tomorrow. Assessment lists of 2nd Ward taken up for consideration.

8 July 1897--Board of Reviewers met. On motion of Mr. Kenner, seconded by Mr. Picard, the assessment of Mr. George S. Washington was taken up for consideration and the assessment was reduced from $200 to $150.  

School News 1897

The St. Charles School Board met on April 3,1897. Members present were A. E .Picard, T. J. Sellers, J. Baudouin, and H. L. Younger. Absent were L. A. Keller, P. M. Kenner, and A. Gassen.

Mr. Baudoin reported on the fence at Fashion and a communication was received from Hon. J. McNeese, superintendent from Calcasieu Parish.

It was reported that a building belonging to the school board is situated on the Trinity Plantation and that the plantation was advertised to be sold on April 17, 1897 at the suit of George Binder vs. Louis LeSassier et als, heirs of  H. A. LeSassier without said building being removed. The president of the school board was authorized to enter suit in the distrist court to enjoin the seizing creditor and sheriff from selling said building.

Fifty dollars was authorized to pay extra expenses for the school building at Fashion. These are a cistern for $20, galvanized guttering , $10; brick foundation for cistern, $3; whitewashing, $5; black board; painting the ceiling and the cistern, $7.

The superintendent was authorized to correspond with Mrs. J. Dejan to get prices and condition of school benches.

School News--1897

The board met on 5 Mar 1897 to elect a president to succeed Mr. T. T. Baudouin. Mr. H. L. Youngs was elected president pro tem. All board members were present and unanimously elected Mr. Youngs as president.

The resignation of Mr. T. T. Baudouin was accepted and a note of thanks will be tendered to him for past services and expressing the regret that the board feels from his resignation.

The board president was authorized to sign the warrant for payment of a building at Fashion.

Mr. A. E. Picard was appointed a member of the committee on teachers to succeed Mr. Youngs.

Mr. J. Baudouin was authorized to buy pickets and build a fence around the new school at Fashion and to also have a gate made.

Bills were approved for payment to Gaston Debotte for repairs on the school at Killona for $7 and to W. O'Leary for repairs on the Gassen School for $4.75.

A motion was approved to have dinners served at the meetings with the cost not to exceed $4.

School News 1897

The St. Charles School Board met on 13 Feb 1897. Present were L. A. Keller, A. Gassen, Jas. Baudouin, T. J. Sellers, H. L. Youngs. Absent were A. E. Picard, T. T. Baudouin and P. M. Keller.

Mr. H. L. Youngs was elected president pro-tem. A communication from T. T. Baudouin was held over until next meeting. Reports were received from the committee on the examination of the tax collectors and the parish treasurer's books and the committee on teachers.

The president was authorized to appoint a committee for the purpose of building a schoolhouse in the 2nd Ward for white students on the land donated by Mrs. J. B. Martin. The school will be 35 feet long by 25 feet wide and 11 feet clear from the floor to ceiling. It shall be built of a good substantial lumber and shall be built on brick pillars and the total cost shall not exceed $500. Mr. J. Baudouin, Gassen and Keller were appointed to make all necessary arrangements.

Mr. A. E. Picard was appointed to look into the possibility of obtaining a deed to the Trinity School property.

Bills approved for payment were for postage and stationery, $1.50; express for school registers, 35 cents; freight on heater, 25 cents; Hansell Brothers for school registers, $17; repairs for Boutte School, $1.25; and a heater for Madisonville School, $5.10.

School Board Records--April 1896

Mrs. J. Champagne donated a tract of land to the school board to build the school at Madisonville, 2nd Ward. Thomas J. Sellers had the lowest bid to construct the school for $475 and agreed to build a fence around the lot and supply some benches.

Mr. Adam Keller donated a portion of ground on the upper line of his property in the 3rd Ward, which is as near the center of the school population as was possible to come by. The bid of P. J. Laurent of $425 was accepted to build the school, including a fence across the back and on one side where the property was not fenced. Bid of Ozeme Keller for $16.50 to whitewash the building and paint inside except the ceiling was accepted.

Ten desks were purchased from Thomas Kane and Co. of Racine, Wisconsin, at $3.30 each, delivered and a polished oak teachers desk for $12. Ten large blackboards were made for #1.50 each. Two privies cost $4 each and leveling the ground was $2.50.

The school board members for 1896-1900 were A. E. Picard, Joseph Baudouin, W. L. Youngs, L. A. Keller, Antoine Gassen, T. J. Sellers, T. B. Sellers (school superintendent), J. C. Triche, Able Strauss, P. M. Kenner and Charles Elfer.