Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-21
EVENING STAR,
ICoHNUSICArED.
yHE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

'hI rCbLlG sCHOOLS.
One of the city newspapers, in its las,
issue, after quoting from the memorial
recently presented to Congress by the
Board of Trustees Of Public ScbooIS ;r.
dulged in a strain of exaggerated remark S
which, without explanation, NAV do in.
Jury to the cause they were doubtless in
tended to benefit. The simple truth is
mighty, and all that the friends of The
Publlc School system desire is that j,
should be fairly represented: that wha,
it has done, and what it has failed to az.
complish may be fully understood. The
writer of the article says, "almost ever,
application for improvement vitality nc.
cessary for the prosperous continuance OF
the nucleus Of system which we have
at present, is met with the objection
wait till Congress does something fcr
u.s."
In point Of fact, for many years nearly
every appli;ation, with the single excel-
ZION which will be noticed below. tha t
has been made by the Trustees TO the
City Councils for appropriations fcr
school purposes, has been granted.
The past and present Councils hay ,
manifested most praiseworthy liberal
lity in cooperating with the Trustees in
the improvement of the Public Schools
Every request that has been made b.
them, which was accompanied by an e.
innate, for the establishment of lev
schools, for more teachers, for increas,,
In their compensation, for new furniture
ard to pay higher rents for better school
rooms, has been granted, and it is be-
lieved the estimates Of the Trustees have
been always passed without reduction.
Within twelve years the annual ap.
preparation for schools has risen from
about LOO to more than l7,O0O-an
increase of more than one thousand per
cent. We challenge any city. North or
South, to show, within the same time. a
greater pei. centage Of increase in its ap-
preparations for Public Schools.
The memorial states that ''in 1912 the
Expenditure by the Corporation 70,
school purposes was Sl,755. There were
at that time but two schools, two teach
ers, and about two hundred pupils. The
expenditures for the year 1854 amount
ling to S1I ,633: there are now twenty
four schools, thirty-seven teachers, and
| about twenty-five hundred pupils
This statement, which will not he de-
MED, shows conclusivuly that we have
not been, as stated by the writer, vain.
ly depending upon Congress without our
making al effort either To build school
houses, provide first tate teachers, or, IL,
short, do any thing more than NOV,
| along with the current of events" With
| in few years we hsve built two new
school houses, and last year purchased
one school-house and added second
story to another.
In regard to the statement that "bun
dreds of children arc crammed into
school rooms that should not contain
fifties, it is answered by the fact that
not one Of the public SCHOOLS numbers
more than hundred and forty pupils
while the usual number is seventy, and
the average attendance does not exceed
fifty, which is the proper number for one
teacher.
1t is true that Congress was memorial.
lied at its last session on the subject Of
granting aid 10 the schools. The trustee
would have been derelict to their duty
If, after the manifest interest exhibited
by the President and the Secretary of the
Interior for the advancement of the pub
lie school system Of Washington, they
had neglected to second the efforts O: the
Executive and to press their recommen.
dations upon the attention of Congress.
The writer says, " the regulations oI
the trustees in regard to text books and
studies are daily and openly violated. >
In few instances this may have been
true; but the teachers have been recent.
ly notified, by direction of the trustees
that such violation of the rules will ne
longer be permitted, and it is not appre
hended there will be any more complaint
On this score.
"Some young female teachers, - it is
said, ''havc seventy pupils crowded into
their narrow roOms, while Others have
less than one-hall that number" Only
two schools, it i, believed, - have less
than one-half that number''-onc, the
female department Of the First district
school, and the other primary school
on the western border Of the city.
The great want at present is new
school houses, and this want has often
been brought to the attention Of the
Councils by the trustees. The present
Bard has not been neglectful of their
duty in this respect. They have pre-
pared report on the subject of school
houses, which will doubtless be laid be-
fore the Councils this evening, in which
they earnestly renew the recommenda-
tions which have heretofore been made,
to erect new and substantial school
houses, TO be constructed in the best
manner, and on the most improved plans.
1t is to be hoped that the city which has
heretofore been so liberal, will no longer
neglect this important matter.
The writer says there is no uniform
system OF instruction in the public
school in this city. We trust there never
will be! We hope there never will be Il
Procrustean system Of instruction eslsb.
hshe1, 10 which all must conform. All
good teachers have some peculiar quail
ties. either natural or acquired by which