Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-02
Our Public school system.

alt is evident that without normal school
the public schools of this capital must remain
in an inferior condition or we must import
teachers from abroad, where better system
prevails."-Chroniele Of lost IROnd1y-
MIR. EDIToR:-I find the above in last Mon
days Chronlcle. itaIicsed, set out, and urged as
a special plea for a High and Normal SCHOOL,
for this poverty stricken and insolvent city. The
writer, over the signature OF "Civis," appears
TO be a lover of our Public School system, but
not wisely, If bis elaborate appeal is to lie con-
sideTed. "Civis" reminds me OF an orator from
Ohio, who, at one OF our Teachers Institute
meetings, spoke Of Washington as 50 benighted
city, under a dark cloud OF ignorance" in
school matters. 1t turned out after wards, that
the grandilcquent orator knew nothing about
schools, and had never attended single exam
nation OF pupils. i hope this is not the Case
with ''CivIs." i hope he knows by personal
observation, that whereof be afirms. Where
did he get his information about the "inferior
condition" Of our schcolsl When were we
obliged to ''import teachers from abroad, where
q better system prevailsP' MIR. Civis, please
give rs few modern instances" Let US have
the facts. You want this city, that can't pay the
teachers they now employ to omen an expensive
school for the few, W nile denying the facilities
Of primary education to the ssmanV." Now, in
support OF this idea, you and many others risk
assertions entirely without foundation in fact.
II any friend Of our schools will examine the
facts, he Will find that 'the public schools of
this capital are not sin an inferior condition.
and that we do not s.import teachers from
dOrOdO; anu, IuItuer, tnot mere mas been no
necessity therefor. l can prove by the records
Of the School Board that In the tests and writ.
ten examinations required Dy our Sanool
Trustees before they appoint teacher, that the
candidates for teacherships" "from abroad
have generally fallen wofully in the rear,
while on the same examinations the graduates
Of our grammar schools have generally beaten
the imported teachers from fifty 70 one hundred
per cent. A large number OF the latter utterly
failing to reach even the lowest educational
standard required by the Trustees who have
established and conducted thees very schools
which "Civts' asserts (withou, the slightest
quaiiflcation) to ce in an inferior condition.
This 10 the record, ana the worst feature OF II
il, for the argument in favor of this "High and
Normal School," that these successful candi.
dates IN the examinations for teacherships
have not been graduates of ssHigh and
Normal School" Here Is another fact for those
who think that there are no teachers outside
OF q "High and Normal School," These yery
ssGrammer Schools" of which CivIs implies Sc
much sinferior condition" not only educated
chiefly these successful candidates, that have
left the imported stock" 60 far in the rear, but
the existing snd thoroughly tried teachers
from these ssipferior' schools have, after years
Of severe trial, (under Disadvantages that q
High and Normal School Will aggravate, that
OF bad school rooms, and unheaithful loca.
tIons,) have In the classes produced for exami.
nation riumphantiy sustained the judgment OF
tue school Trustees who appoin ed them
NOW, II Civis has attended the examinations OF
teachers and OF pupils for series OF years
and seen, as i have, the gradual aud solid i'm
that the "record" is against him. Nor Is this