National Republican., 1883-09-12
TEACHING THE HooDLuMs.
Scenes and Incidents In the School ci
ThIrteen-nnd-n-haIf Street HesterdRy.

ThIrteen-and-n-half Street Yesterday.
A drunken sailor was brutally beating
very dirty and scantily attired negro woman
on the porch of the now public school build
ing, on Thirteen and d-a-half street, between
G and d street northwest, when reporter Of
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, called there
yesterday. The building, dilapidated
looking old trap, and formerly the scene of
many drunken orgies and midnight brawls,
essayed an air of respectability, with new
coating of brown and garish yellow paint. lt
was alone in this house, though, for the sur
round ings formed as striking picture OF alb
iect wretchedness as may be formed OF n COM
bnation of filthy grog shops, bad smelling,
overcrowded, tumbled down tenement houses,
and other wrctched places where vice. filth
and squallor reigus supreme. Why an insti-
tuition tor tho education and mental develop
mcnt of young children should be located in
such place the reporter could not learn.
but the inappropriateness of the site was
fully established by various answers to in
quiries by the reporter, who circulated among
the denizens of the horrid place.
"My kids" said runs eller in the neigh
borhood, passing out glass of three cent
whisky to negro youth, sees enough o
this ere sort o. life by ben' forced TO live ere
and I'm d-d ef will let 'em go to school
ere too. / wants 'em brot up ladies and gem
tlsmen, and edercation brings that about, If
they is edicated in tho right place. No. sur,
none o. my kids goes ter that shebang."
A policeman having ordered the drunken
sailor and woman away from the porch, the
reported assembled, entered the dingy old
house, and, after rapping on door on the
first floor was admitted to the school room.
Shades of the late Benjamin Franklin, what
sight was there! In n long, cheerless cold
| looking room, outrivalling in cheerlessne's
Dickens's celebrated Drothboys hall, were
L 80. n, AN4ly ala
| but badly battered, and scattered among them
about a dozen little boys and girls, some very
| neatly dressed and Others VINO APP
peared as clean and tidy as their
inferior raiment and stubborn heads of hair
would admit. soap and water smell, and
the red cheeks aud soap locks of the boys,
| only too clearly indicated their exercises be-
| fore having left home earlier in the day.
The little miss who had opened the door
| stared hard at the reporter with a pair of big,
blue eyes, and, with thumb stuck in her
mouth, mumbled out to her teacher
"Mith, 'ere's gennelmun."
Coming down from her elevated seat the
teacher, Miss Hartstall, very pleasant and
good looking young lady, gracefully welcomed
the visitor, and replied to his query:
"Yes sir this is my little brood, or at least
a part of it, and wo have commenced again
to teach the young idea how to shoot"
Rather difficult task, | imagine" the
sociations of some of your scholars"
"Well. no. not such difficult task as some
might suppose but l must frankly admit
that it is not an easy one. Some of the pupils,
| have been informed, would try the patience
of an angel but thus far l have found them
quite orderly all things considered" Then
to a red headed girl in green jersey: Come,
Mary, you must not do that again. Your
sleeve was made for another purpose"
"But, mum, Use got or cold in me ed"
"Then If you haven't handkerchief &c
home and get one"
"Oh-o-o," youngster sitting next to Mary
giggled out, "'Er mar haint got no handker-
cher, say Miss I'll gle 'er part o my shir-.'
Here the youngsters mouth was closed with
the fair plump hand of the blu shing teacher
and the reporter taking advantage of the
| confusion looked out Of the window at a dog
fight across the street.
Returning to the reporter when order had
been restored. Miss Hartstall explained that
her school was of the first and second grades;
that there were twelve scholars in the first
and fourteen in the second. They were
taught reading, writing arithmetic, and the
other rudimentary English common school
branches. She was very hopeful of the future
of her scholars aud believed that she would
be able to mako a creditable showing at the
end of the season.
In answer to the question, she added:
"No, indeed, they have not given this
school name yet. Indeed" with doubt
full expression, 81 think it has name enough
in itself"
Her attention being drawn to one of he
scholars who was eXpectorating tobacco juic
: over the floor, the visitor bade Miss Hartstal
good morning, plying her perhaps unprofita
Bile task. 1t seemed hardship indeed tina
one SO willing and bright, should be force
to wear out the best part of her young lif
on such a band of hoodlums