Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-03
Dedication Of the Sumner school
Building.

Dedication Of the Sumner school
Building.
INTERESTING RxKRcrsEs- SUBSCRIPTION OF THE
EDIFICR.
The new Sumner School bull ding, for colored
pupils, located on M street. between 18th and
10th Streets and which is one of the finest school
structures in the District, dedica ted yester-
day afternoon. Among those who were present
and participated in. or witnessed the ceremonies
were Gen. n; r Chapman, Gen. Eaton. Com
missioner OF Education; John F. MURRAY; Tim
olby Lubey, Water Registrar; Martin Crouin,
Chief OF FIRE department., z. Richards, City
Auditor !; q; wilson, s1Eerintendentof Public
Alfred Jones ex-trustees; Henry johnson, John
A. Gray, and W. II. Wormley, present trustees;
Lewis Douglass, of the Era; Rev. John b.
Reeves; John II. Cook, City Register; Rev. Dr.
Hill, and DR.. Tindail, Secretary to the Cover
nor.
At O'Clock, the exercises opened, Mr.. Henry
johnson presiding, with the singing OF Hosari
nah by the scholars, under the direction of Mrs
Wdrmley. Mr.. Il. Richards was Introduced,
and read the eighth chapter of Proverbs. Rev.
which the secretary stated that he had received
a letter from Hon. Charles Sumner regretting
his inability to be present. The dedication
HYMN was then sung by the pupils, with very
fine effect.
Superintendent Cook followed, with sketch
of the progress in the education OF the colored
children in the District, after which X. j.
Fleming, the architect, presented the KEYS of
the building TO Mr.. W. III. A. Wormley with
some appropriate remarks, in the course of
which he said the edifce had been erected by
colored mechanics.
Mr.. WormIey read carefully prepared his
tory OF the Sumner school building.
General n. p. Chapman, on behalf of the
Hon. ii. ID. Cooke. who was compelled to be
absent, received the keys in some very felictous
remarks. He gave an instance OF the great
change by stating that during the rebellion Mr..
Fleming had calamity led a rebel battery, and
now you have heard his remarks on the present
occasion. This is what he called practically
"clasping hands across the bloody chasm." He
then handed the keys over to Mr.. Henry John
son, president of the board, who accepted the I'm
on behalf Of the trustees of c0lored schools OF
the District in neat speech, saying that the
building should not be building of caste but
an institution of education for all.
Rev. j. Is. Reeves, orator of the day, then de-
livered an eloquent address appropriate to the
occasion, and was followed by Gen. Eaton,
Brief addresses were delivered by Alfred Jones
and John f. Cook, after which the Rev. Mr..
Reeves pronounced the benediction and the as
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.
The Sumner building Is thu stories high
above the basement; "a feet in length by 60 feet
center Of front. 1t contains a basement ten
feet high. The clear height of the first and
second stories is IA feet each; the clear height
OF on third story is IS feet but the
wide doors from front, side and rear, opening
outward. The area of tower forms large open
vestibule. The basement lie divided into play
grounds, wash rooms, and rooms for the ianitOr.
The boiler room and coal cellar are located in a
vault under the sidewalk. The first story, the
window-sills of which are elevated nine feet
four inches above ground, contains four school
rooms and airy passages. The second story is
similar, but contains, besides, libraries above
side entrance and in the tower, and the third
story contains public hall, occupying three
thousand feet, inclusive OF q raised platform,
and is large enough to seat all the pupils. This
nan las coyed stucco cornice around the cell
ing; and will seat about $50 persons: Neat
on the patent Of Mr.. X. Il. Williams, of this city,
which can be removed in a few minutes, thereby
giving facilities for converting the hall into
school room for 500 pupils in a very short time.
Two school-rOOms are located in the rear OF the
ball; loft above them affords ample room for
storage. There is private room in the tower
adjoining. Two flights Of wide stairs lead up
from the basement to the roof on the north aud
south sides Of the building. The building lie
heated by steam: All the rooms are supplied
with electric bells and clocks, the electric bat
terry furnishing the motive power for the regu-
iator In the library, as well as tor the sympa-
thetlc clocks in the school rooms. Besides it
drives the tower clock. with three dals of eight
feet diameter, giving the time at different points
east west and south. The water-clOsets are To-
Gated In separate building in the yard. The
outside walls are faced with pressed bricks; the
trimmings of doors and windows consist Of gray
Ohio sandstone; the architecture is q moderni-
zed Norman style, with ornamental arches and
recesees around the windows and doors; all the
tEC WiuOOWS arc QOuDle, WIN 1nterme0iate col
umns. A heavy brick cornice. with battlements,
crowns the building. Building and tower are
covered in with ornamental slate roof, en-
llvened by dormer windows. The principal
inside partitions consist of brickwork.
The school-roOms, passages and Fairgrounds
are all wainscOted, with q Gaping formed for
the schO0l-rooms Of boxes for chalk and spOnges.
Strips of black plastering, four feet in Width,
form blackboards all around the rooms. All the
interior finish Of the house, such as wainscoting,
architraves, frames, doors and sash consist OF q
combination Of best seasoned heart yellow pine
and oak, left in its native color and oiled. The
school-rooms are all tinted in pleasant colOrs,
and the large hall has an ornamental fresco,ng
with appropriate epblems. The gas fixtures
are Of the latest and most improved style. being
made to order specially by Shepherd & Bro
The large hall as well as the teachers platform
is covered with heavy carpets, which, together
with the tnts of the walls, give the rooms a very
cheerful appearance. The outside Fairgrounds
are to be supplied with the latest modern ar
rangements for gymnastics and athletic exer-
cises generally. The ground around the build
ing facing on NJ and 18th streets will be sodded,
while in the center choice plants and flowers
will be planted, the whole to be enclosed with q
neat iron railing. The building Is furnished
throughout with the latest style of schoo furni-
ture, and seems to be complete in all its appoint
ments. Its total cost was a little over S68,00O.
Savage Assault ON n Police Onicer