National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-09
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Business Transacted by the School
Trustees.
Four scholarships Offered by Howard Uni
versity - Taking steps to Perfect tho
Course of study A Discussion
Upon Religious IIolidays-.Tho
Schools to be Closed Next
Friday aud Monday,
Tho Public Schools.


The Board Of School Trustees met last even
Ing at the Franklin School building, Pres.
dent w. W. Curtis In tho chair and Mr. John
H. Brooks secretary. communication was
received from the Commissioners, calling at
tcntion to q recent order IN reference to the
approval of bills. Applications for teacher.
ships wcro received from u. II. Perabcau
lmusicl, Flora B. Grant W. T.. Bruce, Hen.
ricta b. Turner, ID. f. Weeks, Hattie NJ.
Hal 8, Maria Baldwin, aud Julia f. Jones.
Applications for iamitors' places were received
from George II. Childs B. +. Coylc, and
Gabriel Gross.
pastor Of the Baptist Church at Mount Pleas.
ant, in reference to the payment of the rent
for the school in that building, was referred to
the subboard OF the sixth division.
A communication from Theodore n. Gill, of.
form to sell the building corner Of Seventh
aud Pomcroy streets, was referred TO the COM
mittec on building and repairs.
A communication from j. NJ. Vail, in refer
ence to he course Of study in the lower grades,
was referred to the committee on textbooks.
SCHOLARSHIPS AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY.
The following communication was read
Howard UNIVERSITY,
WASHINGTON. u. C.. March II, 1870.
! Nr. William ". QUITE. PERSISTENT, &c:
! DEAR SIR: | have the pleasure Of informing
/ through Won the Board Of Trustees OF the public
schools of the District that the executive commit.
tee of the trustees Of Howard University authorized
me TO place at their disposal four SCHOLARSHIPS Tor
| the coming .year-two for males aud two for ic.
mOlcs-which will admit, mt the option of
the applicants, either, into the, normal or prepar;
ntory department: snl1 scholarships TO he assigned
| 10 coored pupils Of the District schools on exam
| nation. Particulars can be settled by subsequent
personal conference with the particular committee
WILLIAM W. PATTON.
President of Howard University.
Upon motion of Mr.. Lovcioy tho commuui-
cation was referred to the committee on prizes
and the secretary was directed to acknowledge
its receipt with the thanks of the board.
The report of the superintendent for the
month of March was submitted showing the
whole number of pupils enrolled to be-white,
l27s!; colored, 1,05l total 1883. Average
number of pupils in daily attendance-white
l2li3: colorcd. G,G2O: total, 1872. Number
of teachers employed schools, POI col
ored schools, 40; total iOl. Number Of cases
of tardincss-white schools, 1863; cOlored
schools. i5l Number of cases Of corporal pun
ishmont-wlite schools, %; colorcd schools,
81. Number ofpupils dismisScd--whitc schools,
IL colorcd schools. II.
GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER MONDAY.
Superintendent Wilson submitted several
communications, signed by principals and
, teachers, asking that Good Friday and Easter
Monday be formally restored as holidays The
petitions set forth that since the abolition of
these holidays in the schools the ahSoutccs on
the schools was practically suspended, aud also
, that the re-establislmcnt Of the holidays would
afford a necdlul rest between the Christmas
and summer vacations. The petitions were
strengthened by Il communication from Super
. intendent Wilson to the same effect, and rec
= ommmendmg that the schools be closed on the
@ 1lth and Nth instants
, Mr.. Lloyd presented a petition from ianitors
. and also one from teachers of the eighth grade,
: female teachers in reference to salaries, which
# were properly referred.
- The committee on accounts reported bills APP
= proved amounting to Si52l93.
= A resolution offered by Mr.. Farley was
= adopted, directing the committee OIL course OF
y study, in view of the erection oftwonew schOo
buildings, to examine into aud report upon
the feasibility of having n common study hal
I for schools of the sixth, seventh, and eighth
grades.
Mr.. Middleton offered resolution request
ing the District Commissioners to modify theil
il order fixing the time of appointment of schoo
k trustees on July 81 so that they might be ap
n pointed July l. He urged that this change
" was desirable IN order not to cmbarrass the
work of the board ut that time. After sOmt
r debate the resolution was lost
q CHANG Es IN TEXTBOOKS AND STUDIES.
% Mr. Rhces offered a resolution requesting
# the superintendent, supervising principals
=, and teachers to furnish the committee on text
~ books written statements Of any changes they
u and examinations.
Il This provoked considerable debate. Mr.
~ Brooks and Mr.. Rhees maintained that thu
~ committee had ample means of obtaining in
10 y formation through the superintendent ant
~ supervising principals and teachers, II neces
'e sary, without taking any formal action. MI
Rhccs held that, owing to recent attacks upor
:, the public school system of Washington, /
IL was the duty of the board to get all iniorma
ton possible IfrOm the sources at their com
mand, withithe view of remedying any evil
that may exist.
e' Mr.. LOvejoy offered an amendment that onl,
of the superintendent and supervising principal
IT. be requested to furnish information.
al Mr. Curtis, speaking in favor of the resolu
~ tiOn as tending to call out vast deal of nfor
" nation and intelligent comment, submitte
no the following resolutions, to be considered b.
y the proper committees:
~ Rcsolred, That in the inh sixth seventh an
~ eighth grades the course of study shall be optoni
n with the parents or guardians Of each pupil as
/, all studies except reading, writing spelling an
- shall be restricted to such studies each pupil n
ie' spectiyey may have elected to take,
Resolved, That the committee On textbooks an
m course of study be requested to report on the eXp
- dency of changing the course IN reading so as
H. require but one reader in any given year.
After considerable debate Mr.. Lovejoy
amendment was lost aud the original resolu
go tion adopted.
~ THE EASTER HOLIDAYS.
The matter Of granting holiday on Goo
Friday and Easter Monday was called up III
der a resolution offered by Mr. Lovejoy TO co'
the schools on the llth and 18th instants. NJ
nd Curtis stated that the reason that these hol
days were abolished was that the lsrealt,
RI who patrOnZod the public schools kept pet
tionipg that their children be permitted to |
absent without loss in their school record q
certain Jewish festivals and advanced the a
he gumcut that the Christian children had hol
,oe days on Good Friday and Easter Monday. II
-, prophesicd that the same trouble would ocC u
H' If tho holidays We're restored. The debate this
re- followed was long.
lIt Mr. Brooks favored granting the holiday
(ft for the purpose Of giving a needful rest, bl
ny objected to granting them because they we
ny Christian holidays. lie would as soon vo
for the introduction of MahOmedan iestiv
in the public schools as q Christian festival.
&c. Mr.. Matthews said that there was no use
Of dodgng the fact that the schools were close
uc- if they were closed, on those days, becau
.be they were Good Friday and Easter Monda
nd lie did not know why the Jews should not o
nd joct TO the Christmas holidays on the san
mel grounds
Mr.. Nourse thought the Jews had every re
sou to be satisfied with their treatment in Il
country,
m. Mr.. Holland favored granting holidays
o., the purpose of recreation, but preferred soet
10y ing some other days than religious holiday
ng Mr.. Smith favored the resolution on religlo
eM grounds,