National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-12
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Business Transacted by the Board
of Trustees.
Touching Appeal from n Houseless Congrc.
gation-A New Rule About studying at
Homo-suggestions Regarding the
New Buildings to be Erected
A Hint from the Super
vising Principals.
Meeting of the SCHOOL Bcard.

tary. DR. Arthur Christie, the new trustee
from the sixth division, appointed on the 4th
inst. in the place of Mr. c. b. Smith, resigned,
was present and was introduced to his col
leagues
A communication was read from John f.
Hanna, offering to sell lot 49, square 2S4, adj
joining the school building on Twelfth street,
between X and l., for Sc, 525, for the purpose
of aifording yard or playground for the
school. il the price was not satisfactory Mr..
Hanna offered to have the value of the prop
erty fixed by arbitration. He offered also to
allow the board to fix its own time of payment,
at per cent. interest.
Mr.. Loveioy thought the offer very liberal,
and rs il was very desirable to obtain posses
sion of the lot, lie recommended that the mat
| ter be brought to the attention of the District
Commissioners.
After some discussion tho communication
was referred to the committee on buildings
and repairs with power to act.
| communication from the Health Officer
called attention to nuisances at the schools cor
ner of Tenth and II and corner of Fourteenth
and @ streets. Referred to committee on build
ings and repairs.
! Mr. Brooks stated that he had already taken
measures to abatc the nuisances.
| communication from w. l.. Mcllhonny,
offering to furnish copies Of the Encyclopedias
| Britannica for the libraries of the supcrintcnd-
ents, and also communication from j. \.
Chandler regarding an improved mode OF COM
mercial training, were referred to the commit
tee on textbooks.
sHELTERLEss CONGREGATION.
| A letter was read from Rev. r. NJ. Checks,
pastor Of Mount Sinai A. NJ. L. Church, setting
| forth that their church building. corner of
| Fourteenth and 3 streets northeast was de-
| stroyed by fire on the Goth of February, since
which time their people had had no place to
worship, and were scattered that tho Sabbath
school children were roaming over the COM
mons; that the people were poor and unable
| to provide themselves ut present with place
for worship, aud praying the board TO grant
| the congreg ton n room in tho LpvCiOy school
building for religious worship until they could
| fit up q house.
Mr. Brooks moved that, instead of following
the usual rule in cases of such applications,
the matter be referred to the subboard of the
seventh division for report. lie thought this
this case presented special claims to the con-
sderation of the board.
Mr. Lovejoy thought it their duty to inform
the applicant that the board had no power to
allow the use of school buildings for other than
school purposes.
Mr.. Farley thought the local trustees had
the power to allow such use,
The rule was read stating that the school
building could not he used for other than school
purposes except by consent of two-thrds of the
board. After further discussion the motion Of
Mr.. Brooks was carried
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
The abstract of reports Of the supcrintend-
ents for the month of February was submitted,
showing tho whole number of pupils enrolled
to be-White, 13,l03; colored, 7,l23 total,
20,226. Average number of pupils in daily at
tendance, 10 1911. Number of teachers employed
White schools, POI colored schools, 40; total,
40l. Number of cases OF Misunderstanding
schools, l,I79 colored schools 526 total, zoos.
Number of cases of corporal punishment
White schools 20 colored schools, 70 total,
81. Number of pupils disnssed-White IL ;
colored % total, 81
The subboard of the sixth division recon-
D mended that the committee on buildings and
repairs be instructed to negotiate with Mr..
John A. Prescott for the lease Of the building
corner of Sixth and Sumner streets, now used
for school purposes for the term of five years
at an annual rental Of $3.50. Referred to the
committee on buildings and repairs. recon-
{ mendatiOn from the same subbonrd that the
,. supervising principal of the sixth division be
r allowed 300 per annum to detray the expense
of a horse and conveyance was referred to the
committee on teachers.
The resignation of Miss Mary 5. johnson, {
h, teacher in the second division, was received.
/ The subboard of the second division an
= nounced that MissVirginia r. Gettngs had beer
y designated rs principal at Riggs School build
: ing, Miss Amanda NJ. East at McKclden, ant
y Miss NJ A. Farmer at Ninth aud S streets.
, Applications for positions rs teachers wer,
received from Miss Flora A. Stanton, c. O'Don
i oghue, Miss A. L. POmeroy, and Mrs. Agne
e | Ketcham Hill.
y Applications for janitors positions were re
> ceved from Charles A. Briggs, Frank W. Pol
lock, Edward A. Clark, and John Il, Mitchell
e The committee on accounts reported bill
v approved amounting to S9s561s.
. Mr. Davis, from the committee on eXamina
u tons, reported q schedule or calendar for eS
u aminations and closing exercises which wa
o. adopted.
y STUDYING AT HOME.
Mr.. Farley, from the committee on ruler
y reported favorably upon an amendment pre-
g posed to the rules providing for the division
=, Of schools of one grade into two sections, S
II that one section shall be studying while tn
y other is reciting In assigning lessons fc
ID study at home the following directions sha
- be observed No lessons shall be assigned
Z pupils in the first or second grade the lessor
$ for pupils in the third or fourth grade shall ne
(, require more than one hour; in the fifth, sixth
u or seventh grade not more than one hour and
l. half and in the eighth grade not more tina
two hours. Neither arithmetic nor penmal
ship shall ever be assigned for study at HON
4 In all cases where studies are required
I" home the work to be done shall be 1efnitol
y stated, and so thoroughly explained by Il
N teacher that intelligent pupils can master
ID without assistance. The report was adopte
r. The committee on teachers approved Il
nomination of Miss NJ A. Farmer as actin
teacher, No. o, fourth grade school, second
gu vision, in place of Miss Mary l., johnson, /
y signed.
81 Mr. Lloyd offered resolution to increase u
= salary of the assistants to the supervisor
y principals to a sum not less than 81 200 per a
u mum. Referred to the committee ON teacher
- THE PAY OF SUPERVISING PRIN CIPALs
~ A communication, signed by all tho supe
u vsing principals of the white schools, VI
y read, inviting attention so the following fac
y obtained from the latest reports in Superi
Io tendcnt Wilson's office:
~ In Cincinnati, st. Louis and other cities the M,
~ who perform duties similar TO those Of the sup,
h, vsing principals Of your schools supervise ON I
average only 500 pupils and usually II single bun
ing while they receive an average annual salary
$1,000. In New York, at the reduced rates, the prl
In Boston every master receives 5000 for supernteu
w ing one building and less than 500 pupils. on I
~ other hand, In the District OF Columbia the SUPP
O. wishing principals receive salary OF only SIG
@. while they supervise from five 10 fifteen buildir
! and from 200 to 84OO pupils each. Your aitenti
u is invited to these facts for such action as you nj
q deem just ana proper
OF The communication was referred to the col
ea mittee on teachers,
re Mr.. Brooks called up q report, submitted
a special committee last year, Recommending,
sanitary grounds the discontinuance of the pl
of having jauitorsresde on the school premis
~ Mr., Brooks moved that the report be adopte