Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-22


place yesterday:
The Male Primary school Of the Third district,
Is situated on r street, between Fifth and Sixth
streets east, Navy Yard)
The location Is an excellent one affoTdinp
plenty Of room and air. and the house Is snacious
ana IN tolerably good order. A little brighten
ing up OF the walls and ceiling, and a small
amount OF paint aPpli, to the windows and doors
would contribute greatly to the appearance Of the
room In all other respects, however, the room
mas clean and tidy appearance and the teacher,
Miss Mott, evidently has Z" a place to put every
thing" and facility of " keeping everything in
its proper place The school, conseo uentlv
wore an orderly and subdued air, which was sufti.
cient to convince us that there was one ruling
spirit Within who maintained control In the man.
ner best calculated to advance the interest of those
committed to her care
The school enrolls sixty scholars, of whom
nfty seven Were present. Their appearance like
derry; and every face wore marks Of GOD humor
ana content Their manner during the examina-
ton, too, was especially worthy of remark. With
very lew exceptions, they answered the questions
promptly and clearly, without any peitness or
shyness, and 1t seems that Miss Mott has fac.
ulty Oh inspiring them with self-reliance and re-
spect Tor those Older than themselves.
Eney are divided into five classes, whose re-
spectlve studies are as follows:
First Class - Spelling, reading geoprapby.
arithmetic, history, writing, grammar. Second
class - spelling, reading, geography, writing
a,ltnn'etic, Third ciass-speiIing reading geog
l.
ing reading, exercises on the slate, arithmetic
FiHh class-sPelling, reading, arithmetic sxpr-
cises on the slate Totals in spelling 60: read
ing, 80 geography, -; arithmetic, Sc history,
The examination was conducted by Mr. Fred
eTick Whyte and DIR. ]. r. WiIIetts' of the sub
committee Of the Trustees Of the Fourth district,
ana participated in by Mr.. NcCatl ran and
Misses Moore and Choate teachers OF other
schools Throughout the entire examination the
ahswerstevinced familiarity with the several
studies highly creditabie to both teachers and
scholars, and gratifying to the committee and
VISITORS. Their examples Of hand writing were
especially good, considering the aye of the wri-
teTs; and we have seldom visited a school where
an equal degree OF proficiency in this study was
so general. Among those exhibited TO MS. were
some exercises on the slate by Masters Prake
Jacobs, Cook and Mafski, the letters of which
Were clearly defined, well-shaped, and regulaf,
ana Huently written. One feature Of this school
which We must not omit to Inc ntion is the sing
Ing class. This was led by Mr. VIM A Love
lace, who has quite 4 large number of scholars
uider his tuition; and the study is entirely dis
unct from the regular course Of studies taught in
tue school Mr.. l.. teaches on a system of his
own, by which the elementary knowledge Is
more palpa6ly impressed, and yet Invested Of tie
sang several pieces with great taste and accuracy
or expression and time
Male Primary School Of the Fourth District.
Mr.. Augustus Edison, teacher is located in Island
man, on virginia avenue, near Sixth street Ii
s.
emit. The examination YESTERDAY was conducted
by the subcommittee of the T ustees of the Third
District, consisting of Col. Randolph Mr. Van
SdhtVoofd and Dr. lrOnsides. Mr.. Thompson,
former teacher, and several ladies were visitors
The schoolrOom is small, but well ventilated
and very eligible place, except that having
formerly been used for store, 1t still bears the
marks of that peculiarly and the walls ceiling
windows and doors need whitewasb paint SS
We speak of these things because we believe
there Is nothing that tends noIe to Impress the
minds OF children with a love of nea,ness and
Cleanliness III their persons, aud cores DO nd iup
elevation OF moral feeling and selfre ps CT In IN
tdiDess in their surroundings, whether ia tue
schoolroom or at home. with this belief before
us, we cannot but regret that all the schoolrOoms
In the city, and particularly those for small chill
hren are not thoroughly neat and clean inside
and out We ogly remained in this school a
.hort time, during which two classes Of smaller
boys were examined in OrthDgTaphy They had
not yet recovered from the CONSTANT which will
always affect school children when strangers are
In the room, and especially when the questions
are put To them by strangers in somewhat unac-
custoInsd form, accent and expression They
did not, therefore, spell as we'll ay thew wouId
have done, no doubt, on ord nary occasion and
In some Instances missed simple words because
they were unable TO concentrate their tbouoLt.
on the task assigned them. As they Progressed
they were gradually overcoming this embarrass-
ment, and as We left early, we will allow an
other wEo remained during the afternoon to
speak for us Of the merits or dement's OF this
school, as follows
The occasion called together many visitors
among whom we noticed Mrs. Skidmore and Mr.
thompson OF the corps of teachers. This school,
IKE most OF the public schools, has disadyan-
tages In Its situation, and in its want of accom-
Ilodation. Sixty boys are crowded into a narrow
roam, on noisy and much FREQ uented street and
The examination of Mr.. Edson's school yaye
good satisfaction. Tue boys had many fair
scholars among them, and the classification of
the school was judcious. Their teacher has
fh0ty lnNga and 4
press W hat appeared 10 he noisy (but not rebel
nOuS) disposition. Allowances should. however
be made for the disadvantageous loration The
examiners were well pleased with the attendance
OF the scholars at the examination. Every boy
was in his place Some of the boys evinced
quite a proficiency in reading and in mental
arithmetic, and they all sang we'll.
The examination Of the Male Primary School of
the second district, Situated in the basement, of
the Church Of the Ascension, on II st between
Ninth ana Tenth SITS by Messrs Walsh Price
and BraLd ,rustees OF the thi dstr, yeste rday
afternoon, afforded one of the most uratifyiny
evidences OF the advancement Of our schools and
the merits of tue system Of education therein
we have ever witnessed. The exercises com
menced at O'Clock, and were not concluded
until after d. They consisted Of reading, spell.
Ing, writing from dictation arithmetic and geoy-
riphv; and In all OF them the scholars made
excellent exaIaj nations. The classes In arithme.
TIC, both mental and written, were examined by
Mr. 5 Thompson, and the ready responses
gwen 10 the various questions, surprised or graf
lhed all who We're present. Great care and at
tention had also been bestowed upon the pupils
IN teaching them TO write-manv Of the children
writing almost the ease and holiness of experts
Great praise is due 10 the accomplished teacher
OF this school, Miss Ogden, for the manner in
which she has educated these children and for
her devotion to her duties. Her pupils have
great reason to congratulate themselves that III ey
are placed under the charge Of lady whose en-
ergy, talents and long experience az a teacher
enables her to train them we'll The exercises
were varied by vocal music, and at their conclu-
clusion. the school sang q The Star Span lied
Banner , MIR. Brandt tn. n addressed the school
on behalf OF the trustees, complimpnted the
scholars upon their prog during the last wear
and urged them not to forget, in vacation the
lessons of the school room, but to re-coInmence
In autumn their good work with redoubled dill
gence. There are 81 pupils attached to this school
aac only two were absent. In common with the
trustees. We were pleased to see on this occasion
a much larger number of visitors than had VET
attended the examinations, and are q lad to OBJ
serve the interest manifested by all w no we e
present, the major portion OF whom We're ladies'
Among the visitors present at this examination
was Mr.. Hyde, guardian of the public schools
or GrOrgetOwn, and four ont Of the five teacher
Ia charge of the schools of that town, besides a
number Of The pupils. These things show very
commendabl- zeal in the great snbject OF public
education on the part of those charged with these