Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-06-27
The School Examinations

trict, Miss Jane CT. Moss teacher was exam
ined Thursday by the sub board. There are
GU pupils on the roll, of whom 30 were present
The school is divided into three classes, the
first (furthest advanced) Of which pursue the
studies OF photography. reading, arithmetic
geography, grammar, history, governmental
instruction and dictation exercises The second
class pursues the same studies except govern
mental instruction and the third class pursues
the three branches first named, history and
dictation exercises. The examination through
out was rigid the first and second class prob
ably excelling in the evidence given of adj
yaneement. A large number of pupils have
been transferred from this school the past
year, and a few have been suspended, or have
voluntarily left school; SO that Miss Moss mas
but thirteen pupils remaining 81 those who
commenced the year with her. This was of
course great drawback, but Miss M. managed
notwithstanding to bring her classes IN TO a
satisfactory standard The copy books of the
pupils exhibited neatness and progress Map
ping is taught TO a certain extent in this school,
the children deyotng portion OF the afternoon
10 It, and some specimens exhibited were very
well executed There was one feature of this
examination which was noticed with pleasure
which was the evident desire OF Miss Moss to
compel each pupil to be Judged entirely by his
own merits. We have observed that MANY
teachers, laboring under a desire to make the
most favorable impression possible, often neg
iect TO correct in an answer to question an
error which, being OF an unimportant nature
may have escaped the attention OF the exarni-
ner; thus really thoughtlessly doing the DupiI
an injustice in not setting him right. The ex-
ercises closed by the execution of two or three
Charley Clark, bright little fellow of ten
years, who appears by common consent to be
worthy leader among his school, fellows. At
the close of the examination, MIR. O. G.. Wight
made few remarks, complimenting the pupils
on the excellence of the examination, and pay
ing a tribute to the worth OF, Miss Moss as a
teacher. The children were urged to renewed
exertions ia study, and to faithful obedience
TO the commands of their teacher. Mr. w.
closed BY giving the school a holiday for Fri
dsr. This school is held at the corner of Fifth
street and Virginia avenue, and the room is as
comfortable as any we have yet visited. There
Were but few visitors present yesterday, and
II is to be regretted that parents do not take
more lively interest in these examinations
They certainly missed something yesterday by
not being present here
Secondary No. ], (male and female,) Fourth
District, Miss Anna Adams, (53 pupils on roll,
all presently was examined by j. b. Ellis.
This room Virginia avenue, between Four
dnd-a-half and Sixth streetS) was built for
school purposes, and is a comfortable one in
many respects, though hardly adequate in size
for the needed accommodation, and being
single story, with low ceilings, must be irving
ly hot under a fierce sun. The desks and seats
are in excellent order, and we noticed a really
sensible good sized stationary black board ex-
tended along the walls here, contrasting favor
ably with the frivolous. no-account, upright
pivot black boards seen in many other school,
rooms. The room tastefully decorated
with eyergreens and flowers, and il was
pleasant to see our starry National ensign oc-
cupying an honorable place on the walls. We
were also glad 10 see number of parents and
friends of the school present. Miss Adams is
an experienced and conscientious teacher, and
the general progress of the school was what
might be expected from her training. Judging
from what passed in the time we were able to
be present, her pupils excelled in arithmetic.
The main hesitation was in spelling, but this
was in the lower classes, and we have noticed
that younger pupils do not always do them
selves Justice in this branch when questioned
by others than their teachers. There was some
little hustle in the school-room rather at its
doors, resulting from the presence of children
not connected with the school, who clustered
at the open doors and windows, and were
noisy al times. Parents, in permitting their
children 10 visit schools at examination time,
should enjoin upon them quiet behavior, and
thus save pupils, teachers and examiners much
annoyance. This school is mixed one, (male
and female but the depletions from the male
side hes made it largely female school. Mr.
Ellis expressed the highest satisfaction at the
result OF the examination, and especially with
the test the pupils had stood in arithmetic,
in which branch he expressed the opinion they
were not surpassed by any secondary school
in Washington. AT the close OF the exercises
the CasselI premium was presented by Mr.
Ellis to Miss Sarah Barker by the examining
trustee, and after singing some selected pieces
OF music, The school was dismissed until Mon
day.
Secondary No. 2, (male and famale,) Fourth
District, Miss Mary A. Lee teacher, was exam
ined by Mr.. ]. T. CasseIl trustee. and Messrs
John l. Thompson and Z. Richards. Of the
So on the roll So v ere present. The school room
Is single story frame, very well ventilated
and lighted, but inadequate in space for the
number OF pupils. Much taste had been dis
played by somebody or bodies, teacher or pu-
pills, and perhaps beth, in the floral decorations
OF the room, which were not only profuse, but
arranged with great elegance. This school suf-
fered severely from the new classification In
September last which took from it thirty of its
best pupils for promotion, or quite one-half the
school; consequently the present school has
been trained up from primary classes. The
usual average of promotion is from twelve to
eighteen, and the fact above mentioned speaks
well for Miss Lees training, which not only
sent two classes up for promotion, but which
has brought the present classes up to the stand
ard exhibited in this examination. The ques-
tioning, al the instance of the teacher, was
made rigldly thorough, and the pupils showed
themselves so nearly equally good in the va
rious branches taught that we found the at
tempt to discriminate by no means an easy one
The vocal exercises here also deserve common
Gation.
Upon the conclusion Of the exercises, MIR. c.
5. Moves, by request, made presentation OF q
Cassell prize, for moral conduct, to Master
Henry Smallwood, bright-eyed, intelligent
MIR. n. said that the recipient was one of five
equally meritorious, and that the prize was
assigned TO him by the vote Of his fellow pupils,
a fact which made its reception doubly honor
able TO him. The Seventh warders were proud
OF their schools, which were admittedly the
best ia the city, If not the country, nquiringly
TO MI Richards who, if we mistake not, smiled
assent,) and he (the speaker) had, in the exam
nations Of the week, seen sufficient cause for
this pre-eminence, net solely in the ability and
qualifications OF the grammar school principals,
but also in the faithtnl and intelligent co-opera-
ton these receive AZ the hands OF the sub-school
teachers and the excellence of the material the
latter furnish for the grammar schools. He
had been struck not only by the great advance
Inent made by her pupils, but by the remark
ably good order maintained by the little COM
rnunity under Miss Lees charge.
Mr. richards followed in some judScious
end pleasantly spoken words OF advice and
compliment 10 the little folks, and was sue
seeded Mr.. Cassell, in some remarks upon The
duties ofparents, that we wish every fsther and
mother IN the city could have heard. Tne IN
consistency shown by parents, who, wholly
unable or unwilling TO govern and RESTRAIN
their children al home, expect the teacher, DUR
dsned with muItifarious duties, TO undertake
This tssk, ana accomplish in six hours OF the
DAY what they (the parents) find themselves
powerless TO do IN the other eighteen, was LOT :
ribIy nointed ont as was also the fatal want of
Iarental discipline that allows children TO run
D, large at all hours Of the night
a commemorate degree OF interest," was uis.
pIaved nv pareuts in this examination. aad
Ihcy we're evidently N uch gratifed win wnaI
they saw and heard.
No