The Washington critic., 1888-06-14
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Record of the Year-Commenoe
ment Exercises.

Tho Record OF the Near-Commenoe-
ment Exercises.
The heart of the Washington school
boy rejoiceth, and likewise, though, per-
haps in lesser degree, does also the
heart of the school girl rejoice for after
next Wednesday they will he free to fol-
low the dictates of their own little wills as
to how they will spend their time, unfet-
tered by rules enforced by stern-laced
schoolma'ms or changing bells.
On the Goth the schools of Washington
will close what has been very satisfac-
tory yaar's work.
And TO the scholars the past year has
probably seemed shorter and less irksOme
than any previous one they have passed
during their short school lives.
The manual training advertisement has
proved very popular among the children.
during the year 1900 little girls have
pricked their dainty pink fingers with
their sharp needles while learning to sew,
and in future years, when the like num-
Der of little boys who have mashed their
200 fingers and $500 thumbs innumer-
able times while learning the carpenter
work, get married TO the little girls and
find the buttons gone from their shirts,
they will appreciate the good done by the
innovation.
Carpentry has been taught in four of
the manual training schools, turning and
metal working in one, and cooking in two.
The introduction of manual training has
had its effect in all of the schools. The
drawing lessons in all the schools, even
the primary ones, have been modified so
as to in n measure prepare the pupils for
the work of the manual training schools
when they get to them.
The pupils enjoy the manual teaching
keenly, and hail the hour for its COM
mencement with almost as much glee Us
they do the hour for recess. Especially
i'm the colored schools is this work popu-
lar. And in many n poorly furnished ne
gro home there is a table or chair, triile
shaky on its legs perhaps that is proudly
pointed out as one Johnny made hiSsef."
The 5000 appropriation for the man
ual training department is especially
welcome and the facilities are to be
greatly bettered next year.
The High School also had a successful
year, and, a week from tomorrow, 2l3
graduates from that institution will have
finished their common school education.
About two in three of them are girls and
forty.one of the 2l3 will graduate from
the business course.
Over GOO of the High School pupils are
undergraduates. Besides these, there will
be about $50 pupils certified from the
eighth grade schools to the High School,
ana tne TOTAL enrOllinent III Tue dlBl
School next year is expected to reach
100 or more, an increase of more than ~
per cent. over last year.
The estimated total enrolment of all
the schools during the year now ending
was $1,000. Last year it was 33,41S. The
Normal School will graduate its total en-
| rollment of forty embryo school mains.
Any increase in school facilities that
may be needed depends entirely on
what Congress appropriates. The Board
of Trustees met last night and decided to
make change in the music and history
| textbooks, adopting Barnes history.
Unless the board makes some unex'
pected change, the children will have to
| go back to school again on the 18th oi
next September. A petition has been cir.
| culated asking that the vacation last un
! til the second Tuesday in October, but nc
change is likely to be made.