Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-01

cnurcneS. educatl0nal INSTITUTIONS, ana news
papers, it furnishes also the bulk of Washing
tons criminal element In the discussion al
luded to, lack of work for the floating negro
population was mentioned as the primary
cause OF crime among them.
The absurd and injurious law which limits
appointments upon the District police force to
honorably discharged o. s. soldiers and sailors,
and thereby seriously impairs the efficiency Of
the means by which the District prevents or
Furnishes crime. was subject OF discussion In
1888. The first controller decided that the
law is still In full force and thus held the Com
missioners to its observance. Congress did not
change the law, but authorized an increase in
the police force. Difficulty was experienced
in finding among the limited class from which
selection must be made men at all suitable for
police service. Part of the new appointments
have already turned out badly. But in spite of
the clog of the appointment law, with the in
crease in force provided and the new police
patrol boat the efficiency Of the District guard
ians of the peace as protectors of life and prop
erty has probably been increased by the events
of 1888
The Police Court. where the District crimi-
nais most do congregate or are involuntarily
congregated. furnishes one or two interesting
items. Judge Miller succeeded Judge Shell,
who had held the office for many years. The
Supreme Court of the United States decided
that a jury trial must be granted in the Police
Court when demanded in certain cases. and
that provisions to the contrary in the law
tabllshlng the court are unconstitutional This
decision rendered necessary either an entire
reorganization of the Districts judicial ma
chlnery for the summary disposition of petty
offenses or legislation providing the Police
Court with jury. The Senate District COM
mittee reported bill making the latter pro-
vision, but it has not yet become law
To increase the efficiency of trial by jury in
the District shorter terms of service by jury
men should be required. A bill amending the
law in this respect was introduced in the Sem
ate, but no action was had upon it.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS AND INTELLECTUAL AD-
vANCEMENT.
Washington's development as the future edu-
cational center of the republic has received
practical impetus as well as theoretical encour-
agement. The idea of a national university at
the capital pet scheme of George Washing
ton. favored by Andrew D. White in an
1888 number of the Forum. and encouraged by
Senator Hoar in a speech before the American
Historical association. The educational treas
ures, accumulated at the capital for the bene-
fit of every kind of student, have increased
every month. In Nav the cornerstone of the
Roman Catholic university was laid. The
steadily increasing number of school children
in the District caused the public school accom-
modations to become insufficient. The
citizens committee, the Knights of Labor,
and citizens generally, appealed for
more schools. and they were finally secured. A
controversy arose between the citizens COM
mittee and the Commissioners over the for
mer's board of education bill. proposing citi-
zen's school board, to a certain degree inde-
pendent of the Commissioners The bill still
hangs in Congress. The usual wrangle took
place over the provisions in regard to teachers
i'll the District appropriation bill, which in
1883 were palpably inconsistent and injurious
They were in part modified by Congress before
passage. and in part construed into compare
tive harmlessness by Controller Durham. The
abolition of the colored superintendent of
schools was proposed to the board of trustees.
but after a long discussion at public meetings.
in the newspapers. and at trustees meetings
the decision was finally reached to leave things
as they are.
Manual training in the public schools, begun
experimentally in 1896. has now won a perma-
nent place in the curriculum. When the pu-
pills took their vacation of 1888 the field of
operations in this training included thirteen
schools-nine for white and four for colored
pupils. In them needlework and cookery.
turning, moulding and forging, carpentry and
joining were taught. Several thousand chill
dren received instruction.
trade school for apprentices was also
opened during the year under the direction of
the Master Plumbers association which prom
Used useful results.
The experiment Of night sessions of the pub
lie schools was continued during the school
year for the benefit Of those who were COM
PEELED to work during the day. There were
d
1000 persons availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity offered.
THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF wAsH1NGToNIANs
has not been neglected during the year. and
out-of-door sports have received a generous
share of attention. Bicycling and rowing have
been. perhaps. the favorite forms of recreation.
The Potomac regatta was held in August, and
the local Oarsmen were also interested to some
extent in the race on the Potomac in Novem-
ber in which O'Connor beat Teemer. Tennis
has taken a strong hold upon the young peo-
pie of Washington. Two tournaments we're
held during the year, one in May and the other
in September. Interest in the national game
is undated, though the local league team did
end the season tail-enders. Archery, too, has
added to its list of enthusiastic devOtees in
Washington.
MATERIAL GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF CITY.
Extensive building operations have been
conducted during the year, and about 2,00O
new buildings have been erected. While there
has been no increase in number over the cree
lions of last year, the style of building is in
general handsomer and more expensive An
| unusual number of costly private residences
and large store and Office buildings on a scale
not before attempted in the city, have
been erected. Among the expensive buildings
either completed or III progress during the
year. costing from $40. 600 TO $3.50, 900 each were
the Fendall building. Columbia bank. Column
bla Title company building, Atlantic building,
Baltimore and Potomac railroad round-house,
&C., National Safe Deposit company building,
Henry Strong store, st. Josephs Roman
Catholic church. st. Marks Episcopal church,
Morton flats. Lane flats. Arno hotel enlarge
ment, johnson hotel. Washington Gas Light
company station East Washington. Glover
building. Richmond flats addition. f. L. Dent
foundry, DIR. Hammonds sanitarium. and the
residences of DR.. W. A. Hammond. ex-senator
Henderson. A. I. Britton. E. Kurtz johnson.
Parker Mann. Henry E. Pellew, n. l.. Jeffries,
George A. Mcllhenny, Thomas Schwan. s. G.
Ward, W. G. Whittemore, S. ii. Kaufman.
Representative wilkins, Mrs. Meyer and Geo.
f. Lemon.
Building operations, though extensive, have
been retarded by the outrageous mechanics
lien law of the District, which. without pro-
tecting the mechanic or laborer better than the
ordinary lien law. is drawn with the interests
of the material man solely in view. Outrageous
Cases of extortion i'll which double payments
by owners to material men and contractors
were compelled caused demand for the
amendment OF the law by q requirement that
notice of intention 10 claim the lien should be
! given the owner when materials are furnished,
| In order that he may protect himself against
the contractor. In the newspaper controversy
over the question II was charged that the Dis
| tricts peculiar law was secured by the COM
bined material men. especially the lumber
| dealers, through paid attorney. The Com
missioners, or part of them. first approved
! the amendment of the law and then thew or a
| part of them. cancelled their approval of a
change and endorsed the law it stands. The
! teaching of 1888 has been that it is hopeless
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