Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-07


of times, and which had never been intended to
be lived in on dry land" We could locate i've
OF these primitive school edfces within this
hall, and have space left for modern pay
grounds around and sky above them. From
the treasurer's account Of the expenditures an-
i Ger the above resolution, we learn that OF the
appropriation made for the western school
house there remained, after its completion, an
uneNpended balance of sl7S.2s: and OF the ap-
pLoprlanon made for the eastern schooi-houSe,
an uneXpended balance of s-6 81. We are hero
Progressively reminded of the progress that has
been made by their successors in Office for TO
school building committee OF our day would
presume to leave balance on that side of the
account. We observe, too, that the part of the
city IN which we are now convened was ignored
IN that RESOLUTION. Here might have bean at
that time ali unbroken wilderness; hut if a viii
full wrong was then done, South Washington is
amply and nobly avenged to-day.
These two academies had constituted the pub.
lie school Institution, receiving the fostering
care and occupying the undivided attention Of
the trustees for period of i've years, when the
report OF school i'm the neighboriug city OF
GeorsetOTn. conducted On the LancssteTian
plan by one Mr.. George Dashieil, attracted
their attention. This plan claimed superiority
In its methods Of instruction, and greater econ
omy IL the expenditures rec uiTed for its support.
As the board had seriously felt the incOnve-
n eBce of financial embarrassment. the new
system was Looked upon with great flvoC. An
ORDER 10 'abllsh school on the LaGCas,eriau
plan was passed November II, 1911; = commit
tee was appointed to carry II into effect AMI
MI. CraEch, chairman of that comm ttee, re
ported, April 10, lol2, that they had ''eaxaeet
teacher, sent ont by Mr.. Lane aster, AT 500
neT annam for two years, his eNoeusos from
England to De paid by the trustees"
That teacher was Mr.. Henry Oald. who opened
BE school February 10, 1912, and one year there
alter made his annual report, which j. the q -
annual school report thai ind recorded in the
volume alluded TO. The following Is an extract
from this pioneer report: ''150 scholars have
been admitted into your institution from the
10th February, 1872, 10 the 10th February, ISIS,
VIZ: Is females and 81 males, out of which nun
Der have died, aud 81 have left the school TOR
various emplGynepts, after passing through
several grades OF The school, which therefore
leaves 81 on the list Progress in reading and
9pelling: So have learned to read in the Old and
New Jtstaments. and are able 10 spell words of
taree, four, and five syllables; 20 are now learn
ing to read Or. Watts hymns and SPELL
WGrds OF two syllables; 10 are learning
words OF four or five letters" The reason for
arranging the course OF study so that pupils
while learning to read in the Old and New Tes-
tamerts, and spell words Of tuo syllables while
learning to read DIR. Watts hymns, is not quite
apparent; but it is clearly evident that tight
reading received no countensrc e in that school,
The citizens OF the District OF Columbia have
never bsen unmindful OF their claim to a share
so literally extended to ell the other territories
OF the United States in aid OF education, and so
eslly as December 10, 1906, when 2 resident JEFF
ierson was tie presiding officer OF the Washing.
memorial upGa this subj ect was presented which
sets forth that, ''from the liberal PATRONAGE
already bestowed by Congress on institutions for
Inc education Q. the rising generation il various
territories Of the United States the trs tees are
led 20 hope that every requisite announcement
WIZ De extended 20 one which see ms to promise
superior advantages; that they will pas laws u
appropriate suitable lots in the city wherszl the
necessary buildings may be erected and rom
Which revenue for Che several purposes os the
institution may be derived, and to authorize The
trustees 20 have a lCttery or lotteries uu Ter
such reflections and limitations as Congress
may Deem proper To prescribe; and that thoy
Wal grant s.2ch other aEC further aid and sun
proper
Since that petition was made to the legisla-
lure ct the nation, its states have muitip,ieI |
ON seventeen TO thirty-seyen, Its population
has increased frOra six millions 10 forty millions
i's territorial ares has expanded from two aud |
a nan millions TO f0ur million square miles, and |
It's gifts from the public domain in aid Of edu-
cation elsewhere than in the District Of Co. |
lurlDla, make an aggregate OF eighty millions |
oi acres. Through two-thirds of a century OF |
great history, the Righteousness OF that PRAYER |
has been OF no avail; but still our faith abiIeS |
that this little territory, forever excluded from |
the fuli benefits and high privileges of the |
union, will at least receive fair equivalent 70 |
me ricn DOVER bestowed upon each OF her more |
favored sisters.
1 have thought it not inappropriate to this
occasion TO present these brief sketches OF the |
earliest history OF our public schools with which |
President eflerson was identified. although this
instance of his sOlicitude for the education of |
The people by no means constitutes his onlv |
claim upon us, as educatiOnists. Tor grateful re.
SIR. wilson then proceeded to state that be-
IRE jetfeTsoD's native state had vet achieved |
her independence, as a young member OF the
house OF delegates lac had devised a system OF |
public s. lols and embodied il in bill which |
lad 1t passed into law and been put in opera
ton, would have kept Virginia side by side
with Massachusetts in educational progress:
and that again short time before the meeting
of the legislature Of Virginia, in the autumn OF
1917, he wrote frogh Poplar Forest. his fayorife
retreat, TO his intimate friend and corresp pom
dent, Nr. Correa, referring to the sketch OF A
DiI. he had prepared embracing plan for Dop.
Ilar education in Virginia which, is almost
IDENTICAL With the most improved public school
yEtem OF to- qay
The ceremony IF presenting the keys OF the
buildingwas next I'd order ,appropriats addresses
behalf OF the building committee, Gov. Cooke,
and Mr.. W. j. Murtagh.
The following dedicatory ode. written for the
occasion by Edward Remand, was then recited |
by Master John Il. Taylor. in a manner which /
lid credit TO his training in elOcution:
OBLIGATORY ODE.
We meet together here to-dsy-sage, hero, man,
The myrtle ard the laurel crown have deckei |
this hour of joy;
Fen far Japan's ambassador is here the scene
And own The triumph Of the truth that knows no
Cline or race.
Still has the light that dawned for us in Jeffsr-
sonian days |
opIedu, Ike growing sun, ABROAD ltS VlVifytng |
rays,
Until to-day our hero stands, the Nations guild
ing soul.
Bene attn this temple Of the truth, to mark and |
crown the whole.
Not on the CORY battlefield are our great tri- |
umphs won,
Mid clash of charging sluadrons, and thunder |
ing boom Of gun; |
But by the priests OF knowledge, who, with their
steadfast hands, |
Still guard the Gordon OF the truth that girdles
many lands.
For knowledge, ever onward, holds her cal,n. |
resistless march,
nd builds, to span a wandering world, her
grand triumphal arch;
Deep are its strong foundations laid and, as the
years increase,
High on the summit shall be set the oliTe-braDch
OF peace.
And yet a Inightler aid We own, to keen Us
strong and true,
In this our onward, upward path, to strive ana
dare and do,
And, with uplifted, earnest gaze upon the eter-
nal stars,
Walk steadfsst in the path, and own His hand
who makes or mars.
Singing by the pupils of the schools followed;
after which Hon. b. &. NOrthrup, secretary OF
the Connecticut state board of education, de-
livered an address on the progress Of popular
education, during which no Congratulated the
people OF the District OF Columbia on the
advances they are making in that direction.
Our closed this DOnt. when IL