National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-06
PROF. WALTER SMITH.

The Inauguration of the Advance
Movement in Educating school chill
dren.
A letter Just received from the daughter
Of Prof. smith, dated Bradford, England,
Oct. 3, 1886, thus announces the death Of
her distinguished father. ale died on
Tuesday, the 18th day Of September, on the
fifteenth anniversary of the day we sailed
for America To those familiar with the
great work accomplished by this reinarka-
BILE educator as state art director Of Massa-
chusetts, and with the circumstances at.
tending the termination Of his official adj
miuistratUn and his subsequent return to
England this alusiun ~ the coincidence Of
the day Of his departure for America aud with
that OF his decea,c Will have touching sig
uiticanCc IN view OF the further announce.
mcut that he has left widow aud Il large
family Of children absolutely peunilcss, now
that the bread winner of the family has
been taken from them.
There are thousands throughout the
United States VINO will learn with sincere
sorrow Of the death Of this remarkable
man, whose genial manner and magnetic
elUqueuce can never be forgotten by those
who have ever listened to his platform ut
terauCes Us he set forth the Importance Of
the study of industrial drawing and held
the rapt attention of his audience of teach
ers, while, chalk in hand, lie deity Illus
trated the facility with which II might be
taught.
The teachers Of this city cannot have for
gotten the charm of his ADDRESSES given at
the Jefferson school building some years
ago, while the admirable status Of drawing
IN the public schools Of Washington to-day
Is due To the impetus then given by the
wise action of Superintendent Wilson in
securing the presence of Walter Smith to
inspire the teachers for this new departure
ia education.
Walter smith came to America to make
his home here; great Inducements had been
offered hm-hlgh official position aud u
worthy goal for us honorable ambition, the
opportunity to iuuuguratc an advance
movement in the education Of the school
children Of tnls great country. These hopes
led him To leave his native land, where he
was fully appreciated and hOnurcd, and to
remove his young family 10 anew home
among strangers. When, four years ago,
owing to Uuc Of those not uncommon
changes in the composition Of school com
mittees which happen under our system Of
popular elections aud to which, sooner or
later, all our greatest home educators have
fallen victims, an adverse vote removed
him from his official position in the Boston
schools, a drplOrahlC injury to himself,
aud to the whole country, rcsulted. On learn
Ing Of this charge his Old friends in England
eagerly sought his return, aud offered him
the priucipalship of the art department Of
the wonderful New Technical College,
then lust established by the wide awake
wooden manufacturers Of the well known
industrial town of Bradford, Yorkshire.
This was a notable evidence OF the esteem
in which this brilliant genius was held in lis
native country, aud To receive such an Oiler
had become naturulZrd citizen of Amer
lea, aud had reiuiccd that his children were
10 grow up IN his country Of free schools
lie had been In charge Of the new Cduca'
ton both In Boston aud the state Of Mussa-
Chusetts, aud had succeeded in getting the
state TO establish the first Normal Ant School
ia America, aud Of this he wSs made director
His books on ART education; his scholars
vino had come from all over the Union, aud
who were enthusiastically devoted 10 thei
master: his platform addresses, eagerly
sought for in many states; Il series Of draw
ing books prepared under his direction ant
bearing his name, which were largely CirCu
latcd-all these had opened to him ia
wider Held Of influence than any single In
stltutiOn or university could offer. He wa
suddenly asked to give up the broade
TO pass his days in drllinl
GLASSES instead Of inaugurating a system Of
instruction for crowded cities and snver
cign states lie had given the best year
Of his life aud all his wonderful powers 0
mind and hOdy unreseryedly to the grea
task Of establishing a new era in the eduCa
UiOn Of the school children of America, anC
now, Just as his plans approached compile
tiOn, lust as he was about TO be able b
point to the results of his finished work,
lew dissatisfied committeeman Of the Bos
ton schools-despite the efforts aud protest