The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-10-04
QUIZ PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Dedication OF the fraukIia schees-
House - Large Attendance - later
eating Exercises.


House = Large Attendance = later
eating Exercises.
In accordance with the announcement |
made In the REPUBLICAN, the Franklin school
building, OF which we gave full description
In our Issue Of Saturday, was dedicated TO |
the purposes for which II Is designed on |
Saturday afternoon at $50 o'clock In the |
presence OF a very large number OF our citi- |
Zcus. Tho exercises were Interesting through |
out, aud as leaf in the history Of the public |
school system of Washington, We give them |
In fulli
THE CEREMONY.
At $50 O'Clock the large audience present
in the main hall were called TO order by Act
ing Mayor John s. Croker, who made the
following
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
Ladies aud gentlemen: We have convened
here on this occasion for the purpose Of dcdi-
| eating the Franklin school building TO the
service Of our free school system. II has
been erected for that purpose, and now Is to
be set apart and used for the education and
mental improvement Of the youth Of our city.
| It Is believed TO DO the finest building Of the
kind In the country; and lis acceptance from
the building committee, and dedication TO
the great aud commendablc object for which
| II has been constructed, was deemed OF suffi-
| ciont interest and Importance 10 Invite you
here. Without further remarks at this time,
We will proceed with the order OF exercises.
INVOCATION.
Rev. DIR. Parker then advanced and offered
up feryent prayer, invoking heavens bless
ing upon the Institution and Its objects.
A select choir Of ilfty young ladies, under
the direction Of Prof. Jos. II. Daniel, sang
an 'inyocation ODE" composed for the oc-
casion by Rev. G. W. Dcnnisou.
DEDICATION.
Rev. John George Batter, d. D., then read
from the scriptures, his selections being tho
sixth chapter Of Deuteronomy and portion
Of the third chapter Of the Second cspistle to
Timothy, after which he offered up an earn
est and impressive prayer, ut the conclusion
of which, the choir rendered In a very &C.
ccptablo manner the song, "Thc Skylnrk."
Alderman WIN. II. Chase, Of tho building
committee OF tho city councils, then pre-
scented acting Mayor Croker with the keys
of the building; ut the same time he de-
liycrcd an address, In the course Of which
he reviewed the history of the structure and
the manner In which the building had been
erected, concluding as follows:
Then let us rear In each school district OF
our city such educational structure as, while
they shall furnish room and shelter for our
children, shall also furnish lessons Of beauty
and truth In nature and art; and then we
will, In the spirit of the English poet, ex-
claim: "Oh, for the coming Of that glorious
time when, pricing knowledge as Its noblest
wealth and best protection, this great Re-
public, while cxacting allegiance, shall i'd
nit an obligation on Its part TO secure TO
every child within It's Jurisdiction a practical
| education"
l Mr.. Mayor, Into your hands ! now place
the keys Of the Franklin school building.
As they unlock the doors to this building, so
may this institution unlock to the youthful
minds Of this, our lovely city, tho doors OF
knowledge.
The acting Mayor, in receiving the keys,
made an eloquent address, In which he dwclt
at length on the public spirit cvinced by our
people In erecting such beautiful school
building, and paid high compliment to the
architect, ExMayor Wallach and the Boards
of City Councils who have done the lcgisla-
tion for the construction Of the edltice. As
he concluded, Mr.. Crockcr turned to Judson
s. Brown, esq, senior member of the sub
board OF school trustees Of the first district,
aud addressed him as follows;
SIR; Representing the corporate authori.
ties OF the city of Washington, have tho
honor of delivering 10 you, the senior mem.
Der Of the sub.board Of trustees Of the fret
school district, these keys, and with then
the possession of this building. perform
this pleasing duty In the name and on bchal
Of the Mayor and Boards Of Aldermen and
Common Council of this city. You are L
receive the same on behalf Of the board o
trustees Of public schools, whose duty 1t has
: now become to carefully preserve this Frank
= lin school edilce, aud 10 occupy 1t for the ex
!, elusive purpose of impartlng knowledge Il
| the rising generation under our free schoo
system. The intelligence, integrity ant
benevolent character Of the board Of trustee
= are sure guaranty that this sacred trus
!, could not be confdcd to more worthy hands
= Guard and cherish the little children; softer
the natures, improve the morals and cxpan(
the intellect of the youth, and you will &C
!, complish q work for humanity that vii
= crown your brow with unfading laurcls an,
bring you sweet consolation In ripcr years.
On receiving the keys from tho acting
Mayor, Mr.. Brown said:
"Mr. Mayor Until recent day la,
: hoped and expected that the pleasant dut!
U now assigned TO INC would have been dis
charged by a gentleman to whom, In IN!
Judgment, the citizens of this District are in
, dcbtcd more than TO all others for the con
struction Of this noble cdiflce, and who's
: | eight years service on the board OF trustcci
and inccssant labors for the elevation of tn
, public schools cntltlc him TO the esteem an,
: gratitude of all classes Of our felow-citi
Zcns-I refer 10 J. o. Wilson, esq. But OF
his retirement from the board the duties an,
responsibility, as chairman of the buildinI
|
work done by the contractors, and the pur
chase of the furniture and fixtures, dcvove,
/. upon me. Under the circumstances you cal
, | hardly appreciate the pleasure ! feel as
n stand here to-day, In behalf of my collcc que
I aud myself, to receive these significant u,
4 bcms of honor and trust conndcd to OF
p | CHARGE
# Mr. Brown proceeded at some length /
a speak OF the building, closing his remark
Il bya graceful compliment to Mr.. Naylor, I'll
d contractor for Its completion.
@ The choir then sung accompanied by tn
e audlcncc) very appropriate dedication cd
q composed for the occasion by -. Baxter
" esq.
> Roy. DR.. Van Bookseller, of Baltimore
was then introduced and delivered an abb
A. and instructive address, which was listcnc
G. to with interest aud pleasure by the compan
q present. At Its conclusion the choir san
At very prcttily "Thc Welcome Song"
Al Ialmon Richards, esq, general superb
10 tcndent Of public schools, was then IL
II troduccd and read highly lntcrestin
S. sketch Of the history Of the origin an
N growth Of the public schools OF this cit,
rs This paper was really synopsis of the mes
a sages of the different Mayors and of the r,
is ports Of the trustees from the origin Of th
A. city. Mr.. Richards showed that our publ
It schools began with one or two hundrc
10 pupils In 1904 or 1905, at an expense of
N few hundred dollars, with one or tw
10 teachers, without u schOol-house, and hay
O. increased until now they number 10, wit
10 40 teachers, at an expense at present {
m about Sl50,0O0. The school-buildings no
In use and owned by the city have COZ
about $500, 900.
J. At the conclusion Of the historical addrcs
,r by Mr.. Richards, DR.. q. ". Samson, tn
le president of Columbian College, addrcsse
70 the audience. lie closed with an cloluer
Y, appeal to tho friends of education to rela
J. no effort In the noble work In which the
s. were engaged.
It The dedication exercises concluded by I'll
y singing, to the tune of cold Hundred" of
10 hymn composed by U. j. Baxter, esq; aftt
6 which tho benCdictlon was pronounced b
= DR.. Samson, and the audience dispersed.
CITY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or Co,
TRACT-BIDs OrENED.-Blds were opened {
h the Mayors Office on Saturday, for the 70
n lowing city improvements: For stone an
i. wooden bridge at the intersection Of q an
| Ei,rhfNnnth