Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-10
The Public schools Of wa.hias..u.

Puoic ScnoOi svstem OF tue U0tr1ct. as givei
here, is interesting. The first act OF the city o
B Washington in regard to schools was that o
December S, 1904. passed by the Third Coun
Gu. By this act the supsrintendence Of school,
was placed under the direction OF board com
posed Of thirteen trustees, SCI ven to be elected
annually by the Councils. and six to be chosen
by those who hould con tribute ten dollars fol
the "promotion OF the schools" each contrib.
utof to have as many votes as he contributed
sums OF $40. This board had power to ap-
point its president and treasurer, to make by
laws, receive donations, ana TO vest and apply
the funds placed under its care. Provision
was made tor the education of children whose
parents or guardians werr unable TO defray
the expense. The proceeds OF taxes on slaves
and dogs. licenses for carriages ana hacks
restaurants, taverns, retailing liquors, billiard
tables, public amusements, hawkers aud ped
dIers, were appropriated for the support OF
the schools SO far as the Trustees might decide
to be necessary, not exceeding $l,StO annually
The employment of agents was authorized "a
solicit subscriptions at a distance" and $500
were appropriated 10 defray expenses thus in
On the Doth October, 1865. an appropriation
OF $500 was made for the support Of ga perma-
nent institution for the education Of youth y
quarterly report to the Mayor of the number
OF children educated, stationery and books sup.
piled, and the amount of money expended
Under this, the rirst school was opened with
appropi alton of ST 500 allowed from taxes and
licenses in 1904
The charter allowed the city to raise funds
oy lottery "for eteeting any important i'm
provement TOR which the ordinary revenues
were insnfieient,n provided that the amount SO
raised should not exceed $4,000 clear Of xpen-
ses, in each year, and be approved by the Presi-
dent of the United States. Accordingly, in
November 1912, resolution was passed to
raise $1,000 in this way ssfor building aud en- :
downing two Public School. houses on the Ian.
Gnsterian system which was approved by
President Madison. For a number of We .rs
similar resolutions were adopted, and funds
were raised by lotteries, not oaly for schools,
but for Penitentiary and City Hall. The re-
SUIT OF the experiment, however, was unfortu-
nate for the city, as, instead approving prof.
table spec 1lation, it eventually tailed deb.
of over 100000 on the corporation
On the 2sth OF June. 1916, the city was di-
boards of trustees. the first composed OF the
First and Second Wards, and the second of the
Third and Fourth Wards. The board Of the
first district consisted of nine members, six
annually chosen by Joint ballot OF City Coun.
ellis. three from each ward and three elected
by contributors OF $40 as before. The board of
the second district consisted OF seven mem
bers. chosen by Joint ballot Of City Councils.
AT the same time another act was passed ap-
propriatlng Sl,500 for the support of the school
in the first district and $500 for the one In the
second district. to be paid in proportion 70 the
number OF pupils from each ward.
The acts providing for the election OF trus-
tees by contribution. and for the appropria-
ton OF 81 500, were repealed in 1878, and the
schools were "to be conducted upon the prm-
clple Of instructing poor Scholars TO which
the appropriation of $1,000, then made for the
first district, was to be limited. The trustees
were also auth orized to place certain scholars,
grade OF Instruction, at an expense for each
not exceeding $40 per quarter"
BY the act OF October "a, 1870, 1000 were
appropriated for the First District. consisting
UNorI
$3.50 for the Second. consisting OF the Fourth,
Fifth, and Sixth Wards, in proportion to the
number Of pupils taken from each ward. 1t
was ordered that sit shall not be lawful TO
suffer any children to be taught for pau, but
said schools shall consist entirely of children
tuition
All the acts of the Councils. from the first,
expressly provide for The setting apart of
school funds that they might not be used for
any other purpose. An act OF Sd July 1924,
Of the wards the amount appropriated for
schools, after the intere-t on the public debt
bad been paid. showing that they were con-
sidered next in importance and obligation.
BY ACT OF j uly %, 1876, SAC. 900, raised by the
lotteries previously authorized, were appro-
priated, solemnly pledged. and set apart for
the purpose Of ehdowing two Charity Schools,
one in the Eastern and the other in the Yves.
tern districts Of the city," and the Mavor was
required to invest this amount in corpor. ion
stocks, the interest 10 be pcid quarterly to the
Treasurer OF each school, TO be applied By the
Trustees 10 the payment OF the salaries of
teachers and contingent expenses
In 1888, February IS, $1,000 were appropri-
afed 70 the two Districts as above, and the
Mayor was directed to purchase stock with
unapproprated balances remaining to the
credit OF the school fund, aud thereafter to take
the same course with all unexpended balances
at The end Of each year. The amount OF this
stock now held by the Mayor Us67) is S5s,645.
the interest of which is transferred by the
Register to the credit Of the school fund In 1859
Mayor Seatoh called attention to the fact that
only 12CO children out of 2,jG0 in the city were
receiving instruction, and recommending ac-
ton by the council and the adoption Of the
New England system OF common schools His
views were seconded by Mr.. j. +. Halliday,
and Rev. @. A. Davis, members of a COMMITTEES
Of the Common Council. In their report it was
proposed that seven schools should be estab.
lished open TO white children between the ages
OF 8 and IS years. to be supported by a tax Of
properly OF the city. The change from edu-
eating only INDECENT children, to throwing
open schools to all classes, and the proposal
much opposition. The result was the passage
OF the act of December 6, 1874, which was
really the first attempt at organizing
scnool system; me city was districted and
Of school trustees. The election OF good and
substantial school house for not less than $50
pupils, on Judiciary Square, was directed at
a cost limited to 1900, as well as the purchase
of q lot and the erection of q building in the
Fourth District for not less than $50 pupils, at
q cost OF not more than $1,3OO uFor the
purpose OF rendering the means Of instruction
more ample" the Trustees were to require
from each pupil tuition fee in advance, not
exceeding fifty cents per month, and all
pupils were to provide their own books In
cases OF obvious inability TO pay. children
might be admitted free OF charge. The fees
were to be deposited monthly In bank and
when the amount was sufficient, additional
female teachers could be employed at q salary
not exceeding $3.50. The appropriation for the
support schools under the new law was in.
creased to q little more than $4,000
This combined free and pay system went
into operation on the LIST of January, 1915, and
continued till the lst OF September, 1919. Ac.
and at first the schools were nearly full, the
amount received from payipupiIs (Sl,O5O) being
almost enough to pay the assistant teachers
But each succeeding year the number Of pm
pills diminished, as we'll as the receipts for
tuition, till 1913 the Trustees reported TO the
Councils that they had dismissed the assis t1nt
teachers in consequence OF the fees to which
they were restricted being inadeq uxee for their
support. The plan of educating some ct the
pupils in the school gratuitously and others
for pay, caused q stigma to rest upon the
former, producing i'll feeling and social dis.
tinctions, which led to the abandonment OF the
system The charter of the city having been
renewed, power was obtained to levy q special
tax and also capitation or poll tax Tor the
benefit OF the schools. BY the act Of Maya
1s4s, there was imposed SO school tax of one
dollar upon every free white male citizen of
this city, OF the age of 81 years and upwards.
which shall be due and payable at the