Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-01
ABOUT TIE NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS.


4
erection OF school buildings is matter Of ami
| mated discussion Just now. the following, fr IN
the annual report Of superintendent Wilson
now In course OF publication, will be Of inter
| eSt as showing the reasons given by the school,
| authorities for the new buildings:
''~inCe the date or q Lst report the two new
| buildings then In couroe OF erection have been
/ finished and they are now occupied by the
Schools. The board named the one in the first
| division the Force building after the late Mr.
| Peter Force, an b0DOTed citizen aud mayor OF
| Washington. The other, In the third division
| was at 1rst named the L'Enfant building after
| the distinguished French engineer who deSig nt d
tbe original plans for the streets. avenues and
| pubic reservations OF this city. protest. on
NE ground of the difficulty, II not ImpoSsbI.ty
| Oh Obtaining generally correct pronunci alton
| vi tnls French name. was made b. citizens or
| the division, and the board substituted Peabody
! Ia honor OF the we'll known philanthropist.
| Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant for more than
! half a century has rested in an Obscure and
| almost unknown grave In the vicinity of the
capital city which his genius contributed large.
~ 10 make I'm its plan one OF the most attrac I've
ID the world, and Il Is emneutly fit and due
| mat his name should be kept In remembrance
| ana bohored by the citizens Of Washington and
| IL IS IN De hoped that a more successful effort
| IN some form, will De made at an early day.
| THE TWO NEW BUILDINGS,
| containing twenty -four school.rOoms, enabled
the board 10 release only twelve rented rooms,
| as The other twelve rooms we're required 10 ac-
u
at The beginning OF the year. The intere, s OF
Tie schools I'D the matter Of sites and butldupS
has been neglected and ignored 10 the ,sU 10
an t&u Mt tnat greatly crippleS their present
tIllclency- The subject calls for the most
serious attention of those specially charged
VITA tne administration o. the schools and the
legislation that provides for their establish
ment and support AS there seems to be some
apprehension That the board may be asking ex-
cessiVe and unreasonable appropriations for
school sites and buildings a statement OF the
tmDOrfAuf
THE LEGAL SCHOOL AGE
in the District of Columbia is from to Il years
inclusive, shorter period than that fixed oy
law as the school age In most OF the states and
territories. In eight OF the states and terrific
Ties the minimum school age Is ( years, In
seventeen IL Is years and In the Others eX-
ceptlng two IL Is years. The TWO exceptions
are Alabama and New Mexico in each OF which
IL Is years. IL is therefore quite evident that
mere mas peen no extravaganza In marking the
limits OF the school age.
am Indebted TO the Hon Francis A. Walker,
superintendent OF the United States census for
report or The enumeration of the school pOpu-
lduOn OF The District made In June last. The
hum Der of children OF school age then was
~ 55s. The number of seats nov provided 10
all the public schools for these - 55S children IS
about 22 OOO-in round numbers only % O0J
seats for a, 600 children. or these 81 900 seats
about 1.tOO-hearly One-third OF the whole num-
oeF-are 10 rented buildings, many OF which, as
IS Well KNOWN are most unit for the purDOIe.
and tue rent or these buildings untt az they
are, costs the District about $50. 900 annually
sum suilclent TO pay the interest on more
IMAM Soyo,ooO at the rate now paid on the Dis
ulct debt.
TIE DEFICIENCY IN SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.
Inc BOARD has for many years past annually
cdHeO attention TO the great and Increasing de-
nclency in school accommodate, s aud has suc-
gested and urged various plans for supplying
Tue same. AT one time 1t was proposed TO Dor
TO" s500,oo0, and with this sum at once to pur-
ccmmodaIe all the children. AS debt OF about
So Gl0,0D had been made for the pur-
posi- OF furnishing good streets Tor the city, 1U
Was thought hot unreasonable CnaL a half nil
Hon dollars should be added 10 tt 10 furnish the
city Win the number or respectable school
houses required 10 give all the children an o.
portuhlt5 10 attend school without the risk Of
hop i1Tlng health. In reference to this the
toard Was told that Congress would rot consent
10 any further increase OF the debt OF the Dis
tTict, for any purpose whatever. Finally about
two years ago the committee OF the House
having charge Of District affairs and the com
miitee OF the board charged With looking alter
Nglslatioh Ior the schools agreed upon the
prOpt Si1On 10 appropriate annually 500 900 for
The purchase OF sites and erection OF school
buildings until the District was properly sup
pDed. For L" o successive years this appropria-
tloD. OF an equivalent one, was matte. Four
buildings have been completed and two NOR.
art well iii Ger way. The board has asked that
tie SlGo eco snail Or appropriated for the same
purpose Ia the OIL new pending iii Congress Tor
the Iscdi year ending June 30, 1882. In view OF
the facts stated above, could less have been
asked Ior Win due regard 10 the interests Of
Int schools?
he CLAIMS or A HIGH SCHOOL
The foregoing discussion OF this subject
relates exclusively TO what are usually termed
elementary schools, or schools be ow the h1 n
school grade But meanwhile lie. claims of a
hsI .CilOO FOR the hl,e Children OF the ID strict
have forced ID HISe!V"S upon the attention OF the
BOARD q school OF this grade Tor coloreu
Chli0itn was established many years ago.
For long SERIES OF years in each OF the Or IN
n9r schools few or the brigaeSt pupils we're
allowed to take uD some advanced studies
1De hGM0er or these pupils increased With the
s!O%i OF the school, until 1t bee anne I'M rac-
liCable 10 instruct them longer In tuis way,
The time OF the teacher devoted TO the adj
Vsncei class. consisting OF a few pupils was
LeeGed by the lower class that constituted a
large proportion OF the school, and the seat,
occupied by these few were wanted By the in
cIeaSlng number or those less advanced
Ihese advanced pupils were therefore collected
and formed INTO school by themselves,
making the beginning OF high school. There
was uO separate building that could be assigned
fGr thelr use and they have therefore 0een
placed ID the third stories Of two OF the build
iLgs designed and constructed for schools or
the lower grades, as these rooms though not
adapted 10 the wants or the high school, could
De spared With the least detTtment There Will
Dc an attendance In the high school the present
year or about $50 pupils, a number as large as
can De accommodated In its present gu arIers
II
at TIE commencement OF the next school wear
The question OF suitable and sufficient accom-
mo0allohS for the white children of the Dis
tTic; or Columbia who seek the advantages OF
high school therefore had to be considered
THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY.
1t should De stated that the course of study in
this high school extends through only two
years, while the courses OF nearly all the other
high schools OF the country extend through
IOuT IL 1t are embraced ohly EuglIsn
branches; neither the ancient nor modern
III It's curriculum. In fact it includes barely
eLough studies to qualify the girls TO become
teachers III our own schools, and the boys 10
nh places OF responsibility In the Industrial
ana commercial business of our own city. In
large me- Jority OF the high schools of rhe
Country The course extends through four years
the ancient and modern languages are studied
and boys ana girls are graduated from them
prepared GOT admission to any college or uui-
yeIslty or 10 enter upon the study OF the
iearhed professions. To meet the demands OF
the high school. the board was unwilling to
les ominended that the funds agreed UPON as
Necessary 10 supply the pressing wants OF
the schools below should be diverted and tE
was feared that no increase Of the aDpropri-
alton 1or school buildings could be obtained
way, however, seemed TO be open for meeting
the emergency.
THE SCHOOL FUND.
fund, now amounting TO about SO 900 and
invested IN 3.65 District OF Columbia bonds. had
been created for the benefit OF the white schools
OF Washington more than half a century ago.