New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-03-28
The LOvejOy Public school.

The Formal Dedication Saturday.
The school building bearing this name has
been built and recently furnished by the
Board of Trustees for COlored Schools, and
is located on d street, near Twelfth northeast.
The building is about 36x6O feet on the
ground, and is three stories high. Below the
first floor is cellar sufficient to accommodate
the heating apparatus and fuel. Each floor
is divided into two rooms about 24x33 feet.
with entrance hall, stairways, cloak rooms, &C.
The first two stories are of brick, with
stone caps and stills to the windows The
third story is formed by Mansard roof of
peculiar construction, so that the rooms on
this floor are quite as comfortable as those
below while the roof, with its bold dormers,
adds greatly to the appearance of the building.
The front is relieved by pilasters to the cor
nice, and above which rises a stilted pedi-
ment, mitering with the second cornice, and
which supports a belfry which rises gracefully
above the roof, and at once gives academic
expression to the building and from which
it is intended the " academy bello will ring
out its ''call to school," On each side Of
the building are high open porches, which
give relief to the plain sides of the building,
and at the same time give protection from the
weather to the entrance doors, which are hung
so as to open outward to avoid accident in
case of any alarm among the children.
The brick walls outside are painted plain
dark gray, and cornices, dormers, and other
trimmings, a light Ohio stone color and sanded.
The interior walls are slightly tinted and the
woodwork inside grained oak. There are out
side blinds all around to the first and second
story windows.
The whole building is well arranged for its
purpose, with every possible facility to heat
or ventilate the building in any way desired.
as there are flues all around in the outside
wall between the windows, and also large
central hues.
Alphabetically the building is an acouisi-
ton to the city, and especially to the school
buildings. The whole cost of the building.
including fencing and out houses, is between
$15, 900 and $4,000.
Mr.. II. r. Searle is the architect, and Mr..
James II. Hill, the contractor, who has done
himself great credit in the mechanical execu-
ton OF this work. A number of gentlemen
were present by invitation of Mr.. Hill, Satu-
day afternoon at o'clock, to witness the
formal transfer Of the building to the board of
trustees, prominent among them were Hon.
Frederick Douglass, John F. Cook, esq.,,
John II. Brooks, ex-trustee Alfred Jones,
Hon. John A. Gray, and Hon. Lewis H.
Douglass, Of the Council, A. M. Green and
Charles Champion, esqs. The board of trus-
tees were represented by Henry johnson and
Charles King. After thorough inspection
OF the building, the company were invited to
a sumptuous collation. by Mr.. Hill, after doing
ample justice to the many good things.
Mr.. Fred. Douglass was called upon, and
made telling and instructive speech, stating,
among other things, that he remembered
when Washington was one-story place; but
generation had passed away, and the sue
ceeding one had erected an additional story,
and so on until to-day, when Washington
bids fair to rival the best. So with school
houses. In his day there were no schools
South for his race and the speaker feelngly
remarked, "Great God! out of the very
depths we have certainly come !" The change
mad been so rapid, and the results so grand,
that at times he felt he could stand a kick and
insult better than before for he felt that we
nad IL IN our power to resent both-not as
before, accept the indignity and be compelled
often to return thanks for the favor or honor
conferred. The speaker closed with a beauti-
full tribute to the cause of education. and con-
gratulatiOns to the board of trustees for the
interest manifested by them in it's dissent
nation.
After spirited addresses by Messrs. John F.
Cook, A. NJ. Green, John II. Brooks and
others, the company retired, expressing them
selves highly pleased with the afternoon s
entertainment.
There are now three schools in successful
operation, respectively presided over by Miss
Grace Dyson, principal, Miss Ada Curry, as
sociate, and Miss Lavinia Lewis, assistant
teacher.
The completion of this building will give
ample school facilities for children attending
the colored schools on Capitol Hill for some
time to come, making in all eighteen schools
| in that vicinity, embracing the highest gram
mar to the lowest primary.-Republicdn.