Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-16
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.



special meeting of the Board Of Trustees of
Public Schools YVES held last evening At the
Franklin School Building, TO consider the report
OF the committee appointed to prepare the au-
nual report Mr.. French presided, and Mr..
Harris acted as secretary. Mr.. Mcclellan,
chairman of the committee, submitted the
report, and read portion oft when, on motion
of Mr. Harris, IL was ordered that il be printed,
and proofs furnished to the members Of the
board, that it might be more carefully examined.
THE REPORT
cites the act Of Move Der 18th, 1853, requiring
report to be made to the Boards of Aldermen
and Common Council on or about the first
Monday in September in each year, and says
the act was prepared by Mr.. W. j. Rhees, and
was presented to the Councils on the 18th OF
April, 1861 and included the time between the
date OF the last preceding report and January
ness OF detail, embracing as 1t did q compre-
hensive though concise history Of the public
school system Of this city, with the legislation
long felt, and furnished q valuable book of
reference for the friends of the public schools
com3ittee was appointed to prepare the re-
operation of the Law OF Congress vestine in A
joint convention of the Mayor and Councils the
Appointments OF trustees and other Off cers, all
but two members OF the board were removed,
which prevented the preparation Of the re port.
and for similar reason the report was not
forthcoming the following year.
CONGRESS AND THE SCHOOLS.
Under this head the report says:-The legis-
iafion Of Congress, which nov affects the
schools, has been very little, merely granting
10 the corporation power "to provide for the
superintendent of public schools, and to en-
dew and collect taxes for the same, to lew a
poll TAX for their support, and to lay a special
tax OF not more than nifty cents upon the hun
dred for the erection Of school-houses and the
support OF public schools" In addition TO this
it has ordained compulsory education BY re-
curing that every child between the ages OF
arohf rlxNr
at least twelve weeks in each year; but, unfor-
tnnately, no appropriation bill has seconded
this wise enactment, and no attempt has couse-
luently: been made to enforce its wise provi-
sions. The same body has also legislated for
The establishment and maintenance OF schools
for colOred children, organizing q separate
board OF trustees, and granting them share OF
the school fund, In the proportion which they
hear to the whole number Of children In the
city. While thus liberal in granting the citi-
zens the power TO tax themselves for the benefit
of their children and the children OF those who
happen to sojourn here. the benefsctions of
Congress have been confined to the gift of the
following property. viz:-The lot and building,
now worth about "a 900, situate on the south.
east corner of 18th and street, and frame
building, erected for q soldiers mess house.
at the corner Of I'D and / streets. 1t has
also granted the use Of certain other not
has been done by the National Legislature.
many of the individual members have appre-
ciated the need of assistance and the Importance
tO, a
them the thanks OF this community are due
Thus far, despite these efforts, the only result
OF congressional legislation has been the crea-
ton OF feeling Of insecurity that has exerted
depressing influence upon the schools and Ali
connected with them. Two things the people
OF the city may demand 1t the hands OF their
rulers First, such legislation as win remove
their educational interests from the possible in
fuence OF partisan politics, and secure i'm the
management of them the consistency, stability,
and Independence essential to permanent sue.
cess, by increasing the number OF trustees
dividing them into three classes, one of which
shall be appointed annually, and giving to the
board the entire control of the schools. Second.
relieve the tay- payers Of part OF the excessive
burden now imposed upon them. The absolute
necessity and justice of this assistance wilt o,,,
pear from facts presented in q subsequent part
of this refiort.
=. The amount Of appropriations for the last
FISCAL year Tas. sle3 ;4?5; the expenditures
>l1. .52si3. In the iast 1Jur years the esscendi-
lures ial short OF the appropriations sill ,0l0f5;
but against this there Is an Offset of $50 600
worth Of bills passed by the committee on the
noatiDG re OF, leaving about $50, GOO to be cred
bills. INV
For the last year the amount actually ex-
pended for white and colored schools, not in
Guiding the cost Of new buildings, was about
thirty-sx cents On the hundred dollars Of cash
valuation Of all the property in the city. The
cost in other places is given as follows New
Haven, 10 cents; Boston, 10; Chicago, 16: Louis
vile, IS; Cincinnati, 10; Cleveland. 10; Balti-
more, %. The great excess in this city do Is NOT
arise from greater actual expenditure per
scholar, but from the comparative poverty of
tie people. a people who voluntarily give so
lavsbly OF their means to educate the children
a very large proportion OF whom are the wards
OF the nation have q claim upon the National
Legislature for assistance.
THE SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
is next referred to, and the schools in northern
cities OF eco TO 1000 pupils, with principal and
several assistant teachers. are compared with
our system Of schools of GO pupils each. the for
while our organization better meets the neces-
stiles Of such a scattered population as we used
TO have. Now five hundred pupils may be
gathered in any locality, and neither the Wal
Zach, with ten rooms, nor the Franklin, with
fourteen rooms, meets half the wants of the
districts in which they are located. After no.
ticiDg the growth of our population, one voting
city did in 1913, the repprt advocates the an
pointment of trustees for each ward.
THE sCHooL-HousESAND FURNITURE
arc next referred to, the dilapidated buildings
in which some Of the schools are located coming
in for deserved condemnation, and their aban-
dOnment is urged as soon as better arrange
ments can be made. There are In the four dis
trcts 121 schools, The rooms of 20 of which are
owned by the Corporation. The land is valued
at S94 $50, the buildings at S3I9050, and the
furniture at $40, lis, making total valuation
of S35l ,C33. The greater portion OF this prop
ertv is in the First and Third Districts and adj
ditional school facilities, especially in the Seq
ond and Fourth Districts, are warmly urged
COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE.
Truancy, although not so common as in some
places. prevails to some extent, and the report
recommends that "traant officers be appointed
TO examine the cases that occur. Under this
head il is recommended that newsb0vs boot
blacks, ard others should be compelled to at
tend schcol part of each day.
GRADING THE SCHOOLS
Is next treated. 1t is calculated that a pupil
entering school at six shall spend two years in
each grade, and finish the regular course when
he is fourteen years of age. The report recon-
mends, as there are 10 high schools here, that
an advanced class lie established in the gram.
mar scLCo OILS for high school studies.
The report refers to the appointment of
MessTs. Il. &. Dryrenforth and ~. l.. Seike as
teachers Of German, saying their ''success has
been greater than was expected by the mem
bers of the board, and there can be no doubt
that those pupils OF the grammar schools who
desire to become familiar with the language
have an opportunity Of entering upon the study
under favorable circumstances, and aided by
competent teachers; but this is q comparatively
small number. and If it was designed to assist
the German-born part of the population to edu-
cate their children in their own native tongue
or if its aim was to familiarise the youth Of our
city with it, the means adopted are most made
quate to the end proposed"
MUSIC.
of the music teachers, Messrs Daniel and
McFar land, the report saws: hTheir success has