Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-07-03
The Public School Trustees On PrOoar
and lmrrOper Names.

TO me Ldi'CT 81 The Star.
Tie public have becn informed that at a
late important meeting of the Board of Pub
lie School Trustees, Trustee w. II. Browne
- In pIesentinR the list of teachers of the Gecopd
dstrlctf Tor conhrn alton. noticing that large PRO
Forucn of the first names tel minated wlh the fash
ioIable ano foolish lie, cIlled attention the fact
anu changed them 10 lie pIOpeI names in each case
except that of Miss Dalton, WHO was christened
Ard the Upright particular Star, that
looked down upOl this proceed ing not sat
isfed with giving a iwinkling approval,
astonished the community on the next even
ing by exclalming, in. good round English,
as follows:
Nsa s" wit sPrSRer s thing to do The Mamie
nie, Virgie, Lollie, Nellie line Of pet names NAV do
for the itte tootsie, pOotsie pupils of an i1fant
school, but when young ladies have reached years
position Of teachers in our public schools, they
shouid crop these teuder nursery diminutives: and
should DO 1t for them" O''iu
TIE STAR, the School Trustees, and espe-
clally our excellent friend, Gen. Browne, are
an agreeable party TO be heard on the sub.
jects OF schools, young lady teachers and the
sacrament of baptism, or christening; but |
protest against their assumption of the legal
power 10 change the names of their fellow
cOuntrymen, or women, unless indead our
bachelor friend, the General, shall choose TO
do so in a single instance. With this excep-
,o tia LIE aenry mas no more pc er in
has To change his name TO Heavy Bass
In the District OF Columbia no name can be
changed otherwise than by matrimony or act
OF Congress, and each oftheSe mode involves
more labor and perplexity in ;he circumlo-
cution Office than some people wish to encoun-
ter; and even when success has been thus fa =
assured, the veto of Rutherford b. Hayes or
OF The prospective father-in-law may con-
denim the petitioner to wear for the rest Of
NE Journey The name of Jere mia Sykes G
or OF Joanna Juggins, as in the past.
When iather has an ugly squint and q
mother is timber. jawed, and their good little
daughter has both these featul es in strong
development, there is netting the child can
do to mitigate her MISUNDERSTANDING hut
mat which is almost impossible, viz: 10 r
come or appear to be unconscious OF her de-
fOrmity. But If the parents are well favored
ana the child combines the beauty of both of
them. ana yet wears given name Christian
or christened name, If you please, that does
not harmonic with her patronymic though
The written law does nOs permit her to change
IL, the Ter non scTipto has long tolerated de-
gree of modification sufficient to harmorfze
the combination of words, as Harry is often
substituted for Henry. Abram for A Abraham
Charles for Karl.
The ladies in review have done less than
TINS; they have accepted or chosen the house
wishes to hear a child called, even after the
boar frosts OF winter have settled upon the
head of that child.
My good friend Mr.. Fries paid debt to the
sacred memory of the maiden aunt who
named him in her Will, by calling his child
"for her." but Louise Fries early announces
that auntie would be pleased to have her
name improved, and Lulie Fries and hel
name are DOW greatly admired. Mrs Muir
ply had often told her good Irish hus band
| that his name was TOO Curry" and vet pro,
| nounced the name Bertha herself to the priest
| as genuine christening as the school bolrd
could desire. The little girl profanely SHOOK
| The holy water from her head and in the
| same spirit. ii may be has since substitut.
te Tor no In her name. and Berthe Nav Muir.
ply Is genuine lass and has as genuine ?
| pame-the name of her chiidhood-as an
| parish register can produce.
| VIII eheerfully defend in the courts of Law
ana good taste any Young lady who has moii.
| fed her given-whlch should be her chosen
| name in any OF the following or analogous
lnsiances: Jane Hayne, Mary Carey, Ellis
Peyser, Hanna Janney, Florence Torrance
| Caroline Valentine Blanche Browne. Serena
Noyes.
Yours, respectfully.
PETER VAN METER JEFrER,
Auorney-at-L Law, 501 street north west,