Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-02-16
Meeting of the school Teachers.

AT meeting of the teachers of the public
schools, held Saturday morning last. at the
sehOol-house on H street, between 9th and 7th.
the Superintendent, Mr.. z. Richards, presided
and made remarks touching the contemplated
appropriation for the schools by Congress.
speaking hopefully OF the probabilities Of its
passage.
A class from the Third District CMr. Vests
scLooI were present. and exercises of reading
ION place, showing great proficiency of the
class.
Mr.. Richards invited some other class to
present themselves at the next meeting Tor eX-
emplifcation Of some other recitation. He said
he had witnessed marked change of improve
ment in some OF the schools in consequence OF
thCse meetings; that the teachers Who attend
them were progressing more than thos. ~n0 did
not, in the object which they wer. Intended to
promOte-the uniformity Of teaching. Although
it was voluntary on The part OF the teachers, yet
It showed who We're most interested in the pro-
fession. In the lower grades of our schools we
are up to the perfection of the Northern schools.
He desired such state of proficiency among
the teachers as would not require a book to be
used in recitations; that the teacher should be
able in all cases to detect errors without having
the text before them. In these remarks he did
not depreciate the schools of this city, which
had attained so good name abroad, but he
wished to stimulate them to further progress.
honor system in the schools In place of punish
ment- 1t had been tried in his district with
very satisfactory results. He said there had
Dten speech made IN congress by MI. PrOSSer,
in which he had made representations on the
schools of Washington that were unfair, and
d:d injustice to the teachers. These remarks
had been spread broadcast all over the country,
and were calculated t. do our schools injury.
MIR. Richards said he felt called upon to say
that MIR. Prosser had used the remarks alluded
to in order to bring the strongest argument he
could % the necessity Of Congress doing some
thing for our relief, but not in a spirit of rdi-
Guile TO the schools. His remarks had reference
to our school houses more than to the proticien-
cy OF the schools. He (Mr. r. had given NJ.
IIOsser some information, which no doubt
elected the remarks, and it was in reference to
The condition Of some of our school houses which
were 2 disgrace to our city, and ought to be
swept away. Mr.. Prosser was laboring for an
Appropriation for the benefit of our schools and
Nas an ardent worker in the school cause.
Nj. West said he had read the remarks OF Mr..
PTo>,Tr. and some of his statements he was will
ing To forgive him for, but there was one which
he could not accept that was that the school
system of Europe was superior to ours. The
school system in tits country was the best
known in the world. The school institutions OF
Europe still retain ideas OF teaching practiced
century ago, and which were discarded in this
country to the manifest advantage Of our sys-
TEN.
Mr.. Dulin thought they ought not to discuss
in the teachers meeting the remarks of Mr..
Prosser or anybody else outside OF the teachers
of the District.
Mr.. Richards stated that at the meeting two
weeks hence he should have something to say
on the life and character of Mrs. Margaret Ami
don, former teacher of the female grammar
school of the fourth district.
Adjourned.