New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-06-24

The Washington Boys School, at the corner of
Moreau and Louisa streets took its turn in the an
nual review yesterday. The average attendance of
boys at this school is 400 yesterday there were 372
present The great mass of them are Creoles, Ger.
mans and Irish the number of Americans being
SMALL
The schoolhouse-for we make point of noticing
the peculiar features of the schoohoues of the Third
DISTINGUISHING and elevated and comfortable enough
for its present use though it is still very nconvenent
and illsuited to the education of a crowd OF four
hundred. Alphabetically and historically the build
ing is very interesting 1t is nearly hundred
years old It proud aristocratic mansion in the
last century; being the residence of the Spanish
grandee, Brogne DeClouet who, upon the cessiOn of
Louisiana to the United States, sold out in disgust
left with million dollars, and spent it all in
his enthusiastic support Of Don Carlos of Spain.
II a great rendez vous of fashion and aristo-
cracy in those days. and among its frequent guests at
one time was Louis Philippe. After DeClouet's de-
parture, il passed through different hands losing its
beauty and name and fame as time rolled on Final
ly In its old age, it became city property and during
the municipal division, it was used as the Jail and
Recorders Office of the Third Municipality In the
basement are still the stocks then used and the school
boys now use them for paythings, getting up trials
and putting cHlprs in the stocks for amusement In
its different changes, the building was clipped of its
fair proportions-a boarded up new parti-
tions made, ETC. After the consolidation, it was con-
verted into schoolhouse, and has been such ever
since. 1t now stands melancholy, dapidated relic
OF the pastits brick pillars grinning with age and
its floors spongy with the moisture of time 1t has
on top cupola and firebell, and this is the only
modern thing about it in the architectural way. 1t
is a curiosity from top to bottom, inside and out
The principal of the school now occupying the
building, and which school was examined Yesterday.
is Dir. George II. Gordon. He is gentleman in
every respect worthy the station he fills as is proved
by the excellent discipline and good education mani
Tested by the miscellaneous and rather hard crowd of
boys under his charge. He is the first English
teacher, and his assistants in English are the Misses
Mary Ann Murphy, Rebecca Colson, Elizabeth Holt,
Josephine Curry, and Lucretia Wilder The French
teacher is Madame Calongne, whose abors are divided
between this school and the girls school of Mrs Jen-
kins, close by.
The examination throughout showed the school to
be worthy of the most honorable mention We were
present during the examination of the first and Sec
ond classes in En- fish, and were much pleased with
the readiness and correctness with which the bows
gave their answers in the different studies There
was but one boy who failed to answer promptly but
that was owing to the afiiction of an impeachment in
speech, he being one of the smarest boys in school,
Grammar, geography, arithmetic and French were
the leading exercises and in all the most credtable
showing was made.
Two excellent specimens of elocution were given
| while We were present. The first was piece in
English, entitled "Young America in which seven
or eight boys formed themselves into debating
society, and each made a speech, coming down on
education as bore, government humbug, etc, and
adjourning to imaginary juleps and long mines. 1t
was very amusing, and at the same time showed how
well the boys had been educated in reading and reel
tation. The other piece was dialogue in French,
by two boys who were not native to the tongue but
who acquitted themselves with high honor.
We should not omit stating that, notwithstanding
the rain, there was fine attendance Of spectators,
who by their pleasant countenances and hearty APP
plause manifested their satisfaction with the exer.
cises OF the day. In the critical scales of the Super.
ntendent, and Of Director or two who were present
on this occasion, Mr.. Gordon and his lady assistants
weighed fully to the mark of the seyerest expecta.
| ton.
The Fillmore Boys School, on Bagatee street,
takes its turn to-day the examination to continue
and conclude tomorrow.