Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-13

VENERABLE coLoRED PEOPLE WHO HOPE TO
LEARN TO READ
Carpenters, steam-ftters, plumbers, cigar
makers clerks, male and female; printers, la
borers, florists, some one hundred in all. pre-
sented themselves last evening at the doors of
the Franklin school building. They were the
pupils attending the first session of the night
schools. Similar scenes were enacted at the
other school buildings throughout the city
where the night schools are held. As the
scholars focked in their names were taken
down, and also their place Of residence, occu-
patton and age. There were half-grown boys
young men and men advancing toward middle
what the record shows; and as each person
gave his or her age, there can be no doubt
about the facts. The girls were in the minor
lty as to numbers as well as age OF the
100 registered at the Franklin building last
evening. There were only eighteen girls
Like in the of other children before
school takes in, there was more or less noise
and confusion. The girls clustered together
and chatted, and the boys punched each other
socially, as is the nature of boys. The man
who gave his age as thirty-five wore a serious
AR and evidently meant business. So did the
older boys. In fact, they were all earnest
enough and as soon as the brief preliminary
examination was made, the pupils took their
-
HOW THE PUPILS ARE GRADED.
The pupils are roughly graded on the basis
of their knowledge of arithmetic. Those who
understand fractions or have nearly attained to
that height of knowledge are placed in the
second grade. 1t is presumed that their attain
ments In other branches have kept pace with
their mathematical studies. The young man
who has not reached fractions probably can't
read very glibly or write very WELL So such
chnla oil x~r,ti IN, ~ ,-,x IL
are taught arithmetic, penmanship, drawing
and language, the latter embracing grammar,
history, geography. The second, middle
grade, is about on level with the fifth and
sixth grades of the public schools, while the
next, or highest grade, is on level with the
seventh and eighth grades. In the highest
grade of the night schools the pupils study per-
centage In arithmetic.
In looking over the schools as they are
assembled in the bright gaslight of the school
rooms the spectator is struck with the we'll
dressed, comfortable appearance of the pupils.
The young men and boys wear good clothes,
and have, as a rule, bright faces. They pay
strict attention to the teacher, and are evil
IDENTIFY anxious to learn. The principals of the
various schools give the pupils the highest
character for behavior. 1t is evident enough
why this is so, as all of them are obliged to
work for their living during the day, and they
come voluntarily to the night schools to make
up deficiencies in their education. As a rule
no reader pupils. Some may be little slow
and dull, but about their willingness there is
no question.
CHANGES IN THE ATTENDANCE.
The teachers who were connected with the
schools last year state that, while the attend
ance remains about the same during the win
ter, yet there are constant changes Pupils
drop out and others come in. While the
nightly attendance in all the night schools
does not exceed 1000, yet during the winter
some 1000 pupils enjoy the benefit of the
schools for a greater or less time.
Superintendent Powell visited most of the
schools last evening and expressed himself as
being pleased with the interest shown in the
matter by the attendance.
THE CoLoRED SCHOOLS.
The colored night schools were opened last
night in the Cook, Lincoln, Randall and
Stevens buildings. Long before the opening
hour knots of people gathered in front of the
different buildings. They we're the pupils anx-
ious to begin work. Their ages ranged from
seven to sixty-fve years. The Stevens night
school was opened by Principal E. w. Brown
at o'clock. He made preliminary examina-
ton OF each pupil in turn, and assigned them
to different rooms according to their attain
ments. The pupils were composed for the
most part of people obliged to work during the
day. They all seemed anxious to begin work
and states and books, in more or less dilapi-
dated condition, were brought by most of
them. Some of the pupils while being exam
ined were inclined to be funny. The majority
were orderly and somewhat bashful, and took
a serious view of the proceedings.
Deed / wants to learn to read THE EBENIN' |
STAR and be able to tell whose President" said |
one aunty fully sixty years of age to a STAR re-
porter. Il works all day at the wash-tub" she |
continued, but amt too tired to try to learn |
to read and write" One applicant when Prin- |
cipal Brown approached him said he was Just |
fourteen years old and that he attended day |
school. but did not learn enough. When asked |
if he thought he could attend both scho OILS and |
learn their lessons he answered he would try |
very hard, and was accepted and assigned to a |
room upstairs. Miss K. U. Alexander had
charge of the fifth and sixth grades. AS soon
as the pupils were received they were set to
work doing examples in arithmetic but with
this exception no regular work was performed
Across the hall Miss Tibbs holds sway over
fifty pupils. She has charge of the first and
second grades Adjoining this room Miss A. ].
Cox has a large school embracing the third and
fourth grades. Principal Brown will look after
the seventh and eighth grades down stairs Be-
fore o'clock had arrived upward of 200 pupils
had been received In the other school build
lngs the attendance was also large
The aggregate enrolment in the colored