Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-07-01
Public School Exarniaea

The Superintendent of Schools concluded
his examinations yesterday, at the Wash
ington building, where Nos. l and 2 of
Washington School were examined, making
quite creditable showing.
At p. m. all the boys of that school,
with those of Peabody, Nos l and 2, as
sembled in Peabody Hall, where Mayor
Beckham, after some appropriate remarks,
in which he again expressed his regret and
that of the community at the retirement of
Supt. Carne, distributed the cards of honor,
and various prizes given by the teachers
The superintendent medal was awarded
to John Thomas Ryan and one given by Mr..
Duckrell, to Charles H. Davis.
The following is the list of pupils to whom
cards OF honor were awarded in the first d.
vision Mr.. Ficklin's,) the only one with
which we have been furnished:
For Diligence in Studies Earnest s.
Coakley, Louis Eichburg, J. Albert Field.
sherman b. Fowler, Martin P. Greene, VIM.
H. Hayes, Arthur H. Kemp, John P. Lucas.
John II. Ryan and Leftwich H. Swain.
For Studies and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TT
Davis and VIM A. Smith.
After the distribution, Superintendent
Carne said that in parting with the children
OF the other schools he had felt great regret,
put his regret was far greater in seyerinn
his connexion with Washington School
because it had lasted longer. When the
people OF Alexandria first recovered their
power of self-government after the war the
City Council had elected him one of the
guardians of the trust which had descended
to them from Geo. Washington, the founder
OF the school, and his associates had chosen
him president of the board He had ALWAYS
esteemed it the highest honor which had
ever been conferred upon him, and he had
endeayored to fulfill the duties of the office
as well as those of Superintendent, towhicb
ne had succeeded, to the best of his ability,
1t had become imperatively necessary for
nm to retire, and he would have done so,
had ne been reappointed, his only object in
being candidate having been to keep poli.
tlcs out OF the school system. AS it was, nc
injury, but rather benefit, would result from
the change in Alexandria, but the fact re.
NAMED that change had been made for
party purposes, and he much feared tina,
the precedent thus set would be followed tc
the detrlment of public school interests. He
hoped and prayed that the bad results which
were sure to follow in other places, woulG
warn the party which might next come in
to power against repetition of the error
lie had one duty to perform, the browning
one of his administration, of which he was
too proud to delegate it even to the Mayor
He had once been charged with keeping
down the grade Of the public schools for sci
fish purposes that charge he thought had
beed triumphantly refuted last year, and
again. on the present occasion was it an.
swered by u stubborn fact. John Albert
Field, educated entirely in Washington School
had passed the University Local Examination
nth honor i'll English, Mathematics and Geology
and though he had taken a less number of studies
was the only one who had received honors or
them all, and, therefore, stood ut the head of the
list. In other cities of the Commonwealth Their,
was good deal of big talk about their high
| schools but tho fact was that Alexandria alone
submitted her work, every year, to disinterested
Judge, the University of Virginia, and though
she had no high school, that work spoke for her
Let others follow her example if they think they
| can excel her. He then cordially thanked tho
white teachers for their haud,ouie present. men.
| toned IN our columns last week, and thank inc
them for their uniform cooperation with him and
compliance with all his requests, babe them fare.
| we'll.
Edgar SnOwden esq. Chairman of the School
Board, closed the proceedings by brief speech
highly eulogistic of Supt. Carnes administration
| and after that gentleman had returned thanks for
beautiful basket Of flowers placed upon the Ia.
Bile for him by one of the teachers, the assembly
| dispersed :