Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-02
Our Public SehOOls


The Board of School Trustees and Superin-
tendent Wilson in their last annual reports
(sbstracts Of which appeared in TIE STAR of
yesterday coincide in their views relative to
the desirability of high school for pupils of the
public schools who have completed the ordinary
course Of instruction The trustees their re-
port say: "An our efforts at further develop
ment must be more or less cramped, until the
system here, as in other cities, Is rounded out
and perfected by such an institution" Super
intendent Wilson recommends that the Hfund
to endow public schools, I" which, with the inter.
est, now amounts TO $50 900, be used 10 purchase
site and erect building for this school. Our
city has made wonderful progress in the
way OF school buildings and educational
facilities generally, within the past ten years,
but there is yet room for still further improve
ment. There is no good reason, as the superin-
tendent says, why our public schools should not
Keep pace with the progress OF the capital in
other respects; why, in fact, they should not
even ou.strip, in point Of excellence, those of
any other city in the union. There is no valid
reason either why Congress should not aid
education in the District OF Columbia, as il has
aided il in the territories.
Mr.. Wilson does not believe in the common
notion that young and inexperienced teachers
should be selected teachers in primary
schools. and regrets that the scale of salaries is
frequently arranged TO conform to that idea.
He thinks il far preferable to place in charge
ofsuch schools teachers of well-kno ability
and experience, and let the inexperienced be
employed in the second grade. This plan hss
been tried and works very satisfactorily. In
regard TO the relative efficiency of male and
female teachers, he SAYS: 1--WE have, thus far
in our experience, found female teachers to be
cutie as competent as male teachers, and, in
some respects, better adapted to the work of
teaching"
The recommendation that all the school
boards flour in num5er) in the District work
under some general system is worthy of consid-
GRAFTON, since, As he says, three of boards are
not clothed with sufficient powers to enable
them to manage school affairs with the highest
degree Of efficiency, and the amount of school
TAX now depends entirely upon the within or
caprice OF the District egislature. This change
ne believes would insure greater economy in
the expenditures, a higher degree OF efficiency
In the management of the schools, and more
rapid progress in developing them.
The reports in question, while they form
very gratifying exhibit Of the condition of our
public schools, show that those directly charged
with their care are not presumptuous enough to
believe that they have reached absolute perfec-
ton, and that they are DESTROYS of instituting
any Improvements which will place Washing
ton In advance of, or at least on a par with, any
other city in the world in respect to facilities
popular education. For the earnest zeal
vhave manifested, and for the gratifying
of ,neir labors In behalf OF the pu bic
ois, the Board of Trustees and the Super
,ndent merit the wsrmest recognition of the
immunity.