Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-03
The Proposed Evening schools.

To the Editor of TIE EVENING STAR:
Under the caption Notes on Education. the
New York Iribouae of to-day contains the fol-
lowing statement:
The night schools of Cleveland are crowded
with eager pupils all of whom must show that
they are employed during the day A graded
hgh school for more advanced night scholars
will soon be opened"
might mention other cities in which night
schools are an established and successful fea-
ture In Boston they have attained so great q
development that night high school ia already
In very successful operation.
IL has surprised NE not little to perceive
through communications in The STAR that
there are in this city persons sufficiently inteIlI-
gent 10 Write good English who would like to
see the capital OF the nation left without night
schools while longer if not indefinitely. The
reasons offered are % that night schools were
Tried here u good many years ago and did not
succeed. and CD that as we have not large
population OF operatives like the great manu-
facturng cities of the country we do not need
night schools
In the first of these reasons there would no
doubt, be good deal of force if the conditions
%hleh caused the failure of the night schools
formerly IN operation We're still in existence but
there is good ground for believing that mate
rial change has taken place in this respect. Last
winter two gentlemen, who knew of the exist
ence OF desire for evening instruction on the
part OF certain wOrkingmen in the city visited
TO see whether the experience of that institution
Afforded any encouragement for the inangura-
tion OF movement In favor OF public evening
schools They found the institute we'll attended
and were informed by the teacher of one depart
ment that when the school term openad the
alsles OF the school room were crowded with
oOys ana young men anxious 20 be admitted to
seats, and that many had to be turned away
after coming number OF nights in the hope that
they might be among those fortunate enough to
gain admission
one reason why evening schools are likely to
succeed better now than they formerly did is
that the day schools have by this time laid a
better foundation for them. 1t is unfortunately
true that those who (measured by their ign0-
rance are most in need of such schools are
often least disposed to avail themselves of their
Dement'S; but many boys and girls who are COM
PEELED 10 leave the public day schools TO engage
IN some bread-winnlng occupation would ca
gerry embrace the opportunity to continue their
studies, as far as their leisure might permit i'm
evening classes
Another changed condition relates to the
Character OF the evening schools themselves A
night school kept up tor only tour months in
the year does not give its pupils the oppOrtu-
NIFTY TO form habits of study, but on the con-
trary, leaves them altogether too liberal an
allowance Of time for the formation of habits of
Inherent character. Then a night school
taught Dy jaded day-school teacher could
hardly have been taught with the shirt ra
CURED to make il a Ice school, to which pupils
would be likely TO feel attracted. i have some
reason to believe that If night schools should be
established now the enterprise would be nnder
taken with more liberal and enlightened con-
ceptlon OF what night schools ought to be in
order TO deSeTre success
As TO there being no large population Of ope-
ratiVes here, that may constitute a reason why
Je,reT night schools are needed here than in
some other places Of equal population, but it
certainly Il not a reason Tor needing none The
Claim upon night-school opportunities depends
On the fact Of being employed during the day,
not upon the nature of the employment, and
there are many so employed here who work
fewer hours. and who would. consequently have
more leisure for the preparation of their night
school lessons than the operatives of our manu-
featuring cities. Ftp
Washington d. c., December 10 1884