Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-11-26

| 10 the attention of Congress.
POLICE COURT.
The Judge OF the police court, in submitting
! his estimates refers as follows to the transfer
| OF his court to the building il now occupies:
/ formerly occupied long felt by every one 70 be
| nuisance, TO the present comfortable and
| healthfu1 quarters. is source of qualification
20 ad arat1 aeTPr ~ VS. ana c.nenS am
half OF myself, the officers of the court and all
who do business there, TO convey to you our ap-
| curing for us suitable building
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
We invite the careful attention OF the Presi-
dent and OF Congress to the condition OF the
| public schools OF this District, as exhibited in
| the reports OF the board OF trustees and of the
| health officer. While the number OF pupils is
atgmenting yearly at the rate OF per cent,
| tEeTe Is no permanent provision for CORES
| ponding increase of SchOOl-roOm: and the cur
| rent resources OF the District are overburdened
| 10 supply the means necessary for the support
! OF the schools. SO much 50, that we feel con-
strained 10 limit our estimate on this account
| for the year ending 30th June 1879, to sum
considerably less than is estimated by the school
| board. In this connection We beg leave TO quote
here aetatement Of facts presented in memo
rial OF representative citizens OF the District TO
Congress at its last sessions
"O1icial reports show thu. while the rate of
taxation in this District for the support of pub
nc schCols Is nearly double that in most OF the
large cltlee OF the Union. the means OF educ;l-
iioh afe wholly inadequate to the wants OF our
IL.
in the last six years, nearly s. 400 900
While al the territories and most of the states
OF the I Mon have received from Congress mu-
nifcent grants of the public lands i'm aid of edJ-
cation not al acre has been Granted TO the Dis
tfct of COllin bia-the nat .in'S capital-and the
appropriations of money b. Congress for this;
object are insignificant.
inns injustice 10 the District seems the
greater when we Consider the fact that ono.
htf@ on our sch.,0l revenue is devoted to the
tfocInn oi Jiofed children. Invited here from
ole suifoihlng states by recent action OF Con-
,iV9 9 nd whose parents. as a rule. pay no
u" @: and that thirty pr cent. OF the icI.jte
, pupils in our schools are the children of per
sons connected with the public service, s.njl
and nOn-taXpayers. Thus, while the state;
furnish 10 per cent. OF the benedciartas Of Our
Schools they throw the entire Du- den of their
support on the ~ per cent. OF taX-paying citi-
ZeES.
We concur fully IN this statement. Nothing
comparatively has been done By Congress fo'
the cause Of education at its own capital, and
our schools have no endowment fund either OF
land or money. OF the s.54 SChD1i-rO0mS now
used. III, or ABOUT one-third, are reuted at an
annual cost OF about s50, 0G0 and, as reported by
the health oifesr, these rented rooms are. for
the most part, wholly unSlIited for the purpose
and menaclng TO the health of the pupils. The
great want CT our schools at present is al
ditiOnal ard suitable school accommodations
For the supply Of this imperative need they
must look 10 Congress alone: for with the OF
nreSSiye dtbt which now burdens the tax
whelmtng demand onits revenues for street and
| sewer improy emenlS this want can be met in
| no other way.
| In view of these facts the board Of s,ho1l
trustees. selected from the body of oar citizens
for their worth and intelligence. and VINO ara-
tuItously devote themselves to this all-imDOl-
tant interest, appeal for aid to Congress.
They ask that the Commissioners NAV be atl-
thOriZed TO appropriate TO the Use of the pubic
schools certain lots in square 40. purchased by
the District for market; and that Congress
fntr -g.ts
glDle lots In square l5>, owned by the United
States, together with an appropriation OF money
sufficient to place the District Of Columbia on
an equal footing, in this respect with the states
and territories whose schools and colleges are
already richly endowed by the bounty OF con-
gress. The commissioners feel that this re-
quest Is Just and reasonable, and cannot there
fore refuse 10 commend it to the favorable con-
sideration of Congress. 1t is generally admit
ted that in dealing with social and moral
problems, no less than physical, true economy
points to preventive, rather than remedial
measures as the best reliance for permanent
and beneficial results. We know of no agency
OF such pervading and radical influence on the
varied interests of society as popular education;
the basis OF all national progress, material DO
ntlcal, and moral. The people of the Unite
States have q right TO look to their caDtal for
the development OF the highest forms OF iutell-
gence and virtue, and to their representatives
here for the creation and maintenance OF the
most perfect and efficient agencies for this de
Veloplnent. The Constitution has Invested CON
gTesS with ample power for this purpose within
the limits OF this District. and the work has
already been init lated by the establishment of a
bureau OF Education, which only needs 10 Dt
developed into broader and more practical ap-
piicdtion TO secure results. both local and ma
tlo9al, OF the greatest value. And as. under
under the constitution. the wants and interest
OF this District are committed TO the special and
exclusive jurisdiction and care OF Congress- il
seems em,nently Just and wise that public edu-
cation i'll the District should be generously fOS-
tered by Federal legislation.
WASHINGTON ASYLUM
The institution known as he WASHINGTON
asylum embraces an almShOuse, free hospital
ana WOfkhOuSe. heretofore a portion or the
aims house has been used for the confinement
OF petty Offenders convicted and sentenced by
the Police Court, thus degrading the honest
poor by immediate and constrained contact
with criminals. This injustice is about to end
by the transfer OF all such cOnvictS to the new
W0rknOuse, constructed at cost Of about
$4,000, which Will be ready for occupancy
about 1st February, and will accommodate
about 100 inmates. Additional room, however,
will still he needed. This asylum, combining
the features of local charity and correction, IS
OF great social interest and importance to the
people OF this District. Involving, as it does,
necessary burden On their property, it is our
ucaD!e, Self-sustaining. This, we believe, can
be accomplished In a much larger measure than
Is the case at present, by utilizing the pauper
yatiOn OF land; thus furnishing to this I'M
fortunate class wholesome and profit
ape asi, employment without imparing the
fore invite the earnest attention of Con
gress to the suggestions on this and other
subjects contained in the very Interesting ana
important report of the commissioner OF the
asylum. herewith transmitted. He directs eS
Tecial attention to the constant menace OF life
ard property involved in the present location OF
the nited states magazine within the limits Of
the city and adjoining the grounds OF the aSy-
lum. The reservation on which this ml raLinp
Is now located, besides being wholly unslted
LOT lhe reasons mentioned, for such an e3taO
Isiihleht, would De most valuable addition 70
Tue accommodations OF the asylum and OF the
hlltu states Jail. The improvements now on
the reservation would be immediately ayafIah'e
for workshops for the profitable emnloymeDt nf
the skilled labor OF both institutions and frniSh
lacihtleS Tor the acquisition OF useful trades by
tne unSkilled labOreTS, who would then be mai
llleu ana encouraged, when released from CON-
nnenent- for life Of honest industry Surn 4
system or penal administration could not fail Ia
De highly IefOrmat0ry in its influence: while al
the same time, 1t would greatly diminish the
cost or support both to the United States and
the District oil Columbia.
We again commend to the liberality of Con-
greSS the Industrial Home School OF George
town. This charity, founded and Chiefly 81
tanned thus FAR by private benevolence now
house, where small number OF District Dau-
| pers are provided for by an arrangement be
| tween the commissioner OF the WaShinpt IN
| Asy lum and the managers OF the Home School
| The benevolent ladies who have charge of this
| deserving charity have collected within the
| walls OF this dilapidated building about fifty
| INDECENT children OF both sexes, whom they are
/ educating in various industries and for WHOM
| they provide homes SO soon as they have at