Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-05-15

| private and charity schools. are, for white
1912; for colored, 1924 making total % IL $50
| modal oDs number IS, $50. Nearly two-thirds Of
| the school population of the District are
entirely unprovided for m the public schools.
| Ii is proper to add, however, that 56OI
whites, and Cos colored, in all 6.2n9. are
reI orted as being in attendance upon private
and charity schools; and adding this number 10
those reported on the rolls of the public schools,
the number of children not receiving school
instruction Is very nearly IL 600.
But this showing is even more favorable than
the actual tate Of the facts will warrant.
Commissioner Eaton reports that the num-
Der OF seats fer pupils in Washington city Is only
800, and that the white public schools of
Washington can accommodate about one thrd
or the white school population, aud the COL
ored public schools about one-haf Of the col
ored school POPULATION" Yet, meager rs are
these accommodations, il is stated that the
number OF applications for admission is reduced
by the fact that "a large number of the schools
are Kept in buildings and rooms which are no:
acceptable TO many of the parents
Tie report of the Superintendent OF Public
Schools for 1869 and $50 states that while some
| of the schools were crowded, in others scarcely
more than half the seats we're filed. He adds
that these facts show that il is not the capacity
hat Il lacking so much as the quality and fitness
OF the accommodations The school buildings
owned by the city OF Washington are valued.
with the lots, at Sil3,91s of which 500 900 are
| held by the Trustees of the Colored Public
Schools. Fifty-th schools occupy premises
for which an annual rental is paid OF nearly
| Sl5,qO. The general character and unsuitable
ness of many of these rented premises in the
city OF Warrington, are shown by the official
| reports, which state that they were formerly
"eDgine-bobses, sheds, churches agriculture
| seed-rooms, sto, e-bouses, private dwellings
| workshops, Masonic lodge rooms, lecturer ooms
public resorts, mission schools, old stables mar
| ket houses. and mess-houses for the poor" In
| Georgetown there are but three school build
| iDgs. according to the report of Hon. A. HYDE
| president Of the Board of Guardians; one An
| old church, costing for purchase and repairs
| S3,Ceo; one built for the purpose al a cost of
and Ir.-
| S10eC0-an expenditure of $40 600 for school
| accommodations for Z, $50 pupils.
In the county OF Washington there are eigh-
teen school houses, costing since 1Sc5 the sum
of S@6,12S; which shelter eleven schools for $50
white children, and twelve schools for sos co.,
ored children-a total Of l.o6i, leaving l,I32
white school children, and 65S coored school
chiloren In the county-a tot al Of 40 not pro-
viGed for.
The school system of the District IS of CON-
Paratively recent origin. and while the figures
above given show that there liz a lamentable
deficiency, not only in school accommod stions,
but in the character Of those accomm odations
the bisfory Of the common schools of the Dis
trict shows a continuous advance in the face
OF obstacles not to be met with In any other To-
cality.
A considerable rumber of States, and most
If not all Of the Territories, have received di-
rect aid from the general government in the
toam as OF large grants OF land for school pur-
ceited such aid, notwithstanding the fact that
q very considerable portion of the population
in the service OF the United States government
pay no taxes here; and il Is officially estimated
that g one-third of the pupils of the public
this class.
PUBLIC LANDS FOR DISTRICT SCHOOLS
There have been donated by Congress for edu.
eatiOnal purposes TO the Territories of Wash
lngton, Dakota, Arizona. Wyoming. New
Mexico. Idaho, Montana and Utah, in the ag-
ereeate, ~ 692 l99 acres OF public lands wor y
not less than $4,000 coo. These Territories paid
a ra MT fnr rr.frs ka<l
June so, 1870, in the aggregate, the sum az
SAP, ISL of internal revenue while the District
of Columbia alone, during the same period, paid
The State of Minnesota, which has received
donation OF 3,l36,O.0 acres Ga land for educa-
tioI al purposes, paid during the last fiscal wear.
SAT 400 OF internal revenue tax.
Tie ceipts OF internal revenue for the same
year in each OF the States Of Minnesota, Della
ware, south Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Yer
mont, Kansas, Oregon, Nebraska, Mississippi
Nevada, and Florida, were considerably les,
than from The District of Columbia.
Congress has donated to the several States
and Territories al aggregate of IS 5.6, 1O2 acre.
OF land for educational purposes. Hitherto tn
District OF Columbia, which is called upon to
furnish educational facilities for the children OF
citizens from all parts OF the Union temporarily
residing here, and paying no taxes here has not
share to the extent OF single acre of land in
me WISE bounty OF the liberal Government of
which 1t is the seat
1t is respectfully recommended that measures
be taken to obtain from the National Congress
the District to aid either bv direct appropria-
atoms Of money, or the donation Of LANDS, 10 be
applied to the development and maintenance of
q school system, which shall be worthy of the
nations capital, and both Q model and an
example for the nation.
Insufficient az are the school accommodations
or the District, the city OF Washington has ex-
pended liberal amounts for school purposes,
as is shown by comparison with expenditures,
q OF
aquestion which you will determine, whether
the mode of expenditure has been the best that |
of schools in the District possess only temporsrv
and unsuitable accommodations in rented tene-
ments for which large annual rental ia paid.
The amount now paid annually in rents for the
present unsatisfactory accommodations would |
go far towards paying the interest upon the |
cost Of permanent and conmodious school,
houses.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH
The attention Of your honorable bodies is re-
spectfuy called to the sanitary regulations pro-
posed by the Board OF Health, which board, |
under the act OF Congress, IL invested with very
full authority and powers. The sanitary code
PROF osed by the board eontemplates such sup
Elemental territorial legislation as may be |
necessary, in the judgment OF the Legislature,
70 carry the proposed measures into effect. It
mas been framed not only with reference to the |
present but to the future wants OF the rapidly 1
growing cities OF the District. Many of the
provi-iors suggested are merely proposed re |
snss tpents, in consecutive form, Of municipal |
RVS, heretofore enacted from time to tine, |
which .or the want of q properly organized /
board have not been enforced. The other pro-
visions have been collated from the sanitary |
laws in force in other cities, where they have |!
proved effective for the preservation of health |
hese suggestions have been drawn mainly |
from the codes Of the cities OF New York Gin
cnnati, st. Louis, and Chicago. IL remains for /
the Legislature, in its discretion, to give the /
weight and authority Of Territorial law to such
prof. osed regulations OF the board as are uot !
covered by authority OF the act OF Congress,
PENAL AND RKPoEMATORY IksTIrUrioNs-A
BOARD OF CHARITIES AND CORRECTION
Further and more compreh eneive- legislation
Is necessary with reference to petty offenderr |
against the laws, and their mode Of punish
ment.
A more thorough and Ell Gent system of pub
lie charities is also demanded. Cases are almost
daily occurring in which the families of Offend
ers are, by reason OF the confinement of the lat
ter, entirely deprived Of their usual means
however scaDty, of support. Thus, the in |
Docent are made to suffer TO- the guilty, |
and even to suffer more than the guilty. 1t il |
suggested that the present system OF punish. |
ment by confinement be 50 moditied a. TO furp-
hh, 30 far as practicable, employ ment to the in
mates Of the jaie, indrmaries, and work houses
OF the District. and that the labor Of the per |
soDe 80 emPioyed shalLbe fairly fehuuerated |
at stated per diem compensation.
The cases Of pauperism will undoubtedly en-
brace many incapable of remunerative labor:
but those sentenced for petty offepses or crimes |