Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-22

President Garfield and the Public Schools,
ACTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUsTEEs--rHE LATE
PRESIDENTS RELATIONS TO THE WASHINGTON
SCHOOLS.
special meeting of the board of school trus-
tees was held last evening, at the Franklin
building. to take action in relation to the death
OF the President. The object being stated. Mr.
LoVejoy remarked that the event had awakened
the sympathy of the people of the country. over
which had been cast gloom. He offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
THE RESOLUTIONS.
"Called together to give expression to senti-
ments of sorrow for an event which has cast a
gloom over a whole people. to lament the I'M
timely death of the chiefexecutive of the nation
to mourn the loss of warm friend and active
champion of the public schools of the country
the board of school trustees of the District of
Columbia in special meeting resolved:
First, Having shared in the hope and Joined in
the prayers of the American people for the re-
storatiOn of the late President j. A. Garfield to
health. to his family. to his great public trust
and his sphere of usefulness, we now unite with
our countrymen in mourning his death.
Second. That while Others lament the loss of
the President, the party leader, the son, the
husband, the father and the friend. we regard
ing him as identified with the cause of public
euucatlon. from the hour of his struggling youth
through the progress of labOriOus manhood i'm
the moment of his supreme success. especially
regret the loss to the public schools of the United
States OF one who was regarded as a champion
Id the past and the missionary of the future of
the American system of free schools
Ihis appreciation of the value of education to
the country and government enlisted his SYM
pathies and energies as a statesman; the bene-
hts and delights of education to the individual
enlisted his encouragement and enthusiasm as
a man; the recollection of his early struggles
made him the friend of fOrtuneess merit. and
inspired his efforts to smooth the path which
lead from the vale of ignorance and slough of
poverty to the vantage ground" of knowledge
Third.-We recognize that by his death the
public school cause and every public school
child has lost a friend, willing and able to help.
and we feebly attempt to express our apprecia-
ton of education and the loss which the cause
Of education has sustained.
We approve the action of the president Of the
board of trustees in ordering the schools to be
closed on Thursday. Friday and SATURDAY. in re-
sPect to the distinguished dead. and we tender
TO the afflicted family of the late President our
respectful and sincere sympathies"
REMARKS BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
Mr.. LovejOy said that the election of Mr..
Garfield gave assurance to those engaged in the
cause Of education, especially those in the Dis
trict; that there was one at the head of the
nation who was champion in the cause of pub
lie school education. He was such a chamniOn
not only because he was advancing Others to
benefits of education to the nation and the
people: that the system not only educated the
but made citizens, and he looked on
every child as the germ of an American citizen
Mr.. Farley remarked that he had occasion TO
make synopsis of the speeches of the late
President on the subject of education. and that
he favored the cause of common school educa-
ton, because, first, it promoted national unity.
second, it promoted social equality, by bringing
the children OF the rich and poor together on a
common plane. and third, it promoted intelli-
gent citizenship If We studied these points we
will find the position that common school occu-
pies.
superintendent Wilson remarked that he had
had an acquaintance of many years with James
A. Garfield, and ne was one of the most illustri-
Gus products OF free schools in a free country
He was just such man as could be prOduced
under the institutions of free government
There was no statesman so intimately connected
with the cause Of education as Garfield and he
well remembered the address made by him
which resulted in the establishment of the edu-
bureau. He was i'm large sense a citi-
zen and neighbor, and he took quite as much
interest in the schools Ofthe District as any citi
zen. his children attending the schools in the
Franklin building. The last time he appeared
In public it was on their platform, Cat the normal
school cOmmencement)
Mr.. Matthews. the president. said he was clad
that the resolutions spoke of the deceased only
as friend OF education, for they had nothing to
do with him as statesman. AS man his
beautiful home life was known through the
world. We knew him as the friend of popular
education and in his inaugural, which proved
to be his farewell address. he said: at is the
high privilege and sacred duty of those now
living to educate their successors, and fit them
by intelligence and virtue, for the Inheritance
which awaits them. In this beneficent work
sections and races should be forgotten and par
tisanship should be unknown. Let our DednIe
ind new meaning in the divine oracle which
declares that a little child shall lead Them for
our little children will soon control the destinie,
Of the Republic"
There could be no hesitancy in passing the
resolutions after reading these sentiments.
Mr.. Smith moved the adoption of the resoln-
tons. Carried 10y rising vote
On motion of Mr.. Brown the resolutions were
ordered to be engrOssed. signed by the members
Of the board, and transmitted to the family of
the deceased.