Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-16
Enrolment of Pupils in Pittsburg's
Public Schools Expected to
Take aJump Upward.
A REMARKABLY RAPID INCREASE.
Several Additions to Ward Buildings Ne
cessitated by the Growth
of Population.
THREE NEW PRINCIPALS APPOINTED.
Preparing = Display of schOlan' Work for the
Exposition.

catlon are pusl1y enghSeu preparing 1Or the
opening of the school year of 1S90-91 on the
first day of next month. On that day
thousands of boys, and girls also, will start
for the temples OF learning provided by the
city at rate of speed most sptly described
by Shakespeare in his "Seven Ages OF
Man" Mr.. Shakespeare, it might be well
to state here, gained renown some centuries
ago as poacher, but finally wound up as a
highly respectable justice of the peace. He
also wrote some pieces. This fact was dis
covered by Adonis DixeY, a gentleman
with irreproachable lower limbs and PEN
chant for matching coins. Owing to the
fact that Labor Day falls on September i
nothing will be done on that day except to
enroll and then dismiss the children. The
school year proper consists of 200 days, 20
in each of the ten months from September
to June.
1t is expected that the enrolment in the
Pittsburg schools will pass the 80, 900 mark.
The usual annual increase is from to per
cent generally aggregating about 1000
pupils. This year, however, judg-
ing from the unexampled in
crease in the number of dwelling
houses erected, there is a possibility that
the enrolment may make a sudden and de-
cided leap upward.
CHANGES IN THE FACULTY.
There have been but few changes during
the past year in the faculty of the different
schools. Three new principals will take
the reins of government. At the Forbes
+ II Eafa fho
principalship, which he has held for over 80
years, and Miss Jennie C. Simpson assumes
the position. AT the Ralston school Miss
Kate Neumont takes charge in place of
Professor A. G. Burgoyne, and at the
Homewood school Professor Hickman, for
merly Principal of the McKeesport schools,
takes the chair vacated by by Professor R.
W. Mckee.
Some Improvements in the way of new
buildings have been made. The Franklin
School, now in course of erection, but which
will hardly be finished much before the
close Of the coming school year, is expected
to be the finest and most complete public
school on this continent or perhaps in the
world. 1t is to be handsome in design and
to have all the latest improvements in heat
ing, lighting and ventilation. At Glen
wood brick iour-roomed school building is
being erected, and a four-room addition is
being built to the Minersville school. These
changes have been necessitated by the rapid
growth of Plttsburg's population. The
cooking department of the Grant School has
received fresh coat of kalsomIne. The
pupils are not taught to compose fancy
dishes with French names and dyspepsia in
every mouthful in this department
PIE AND ELECTRICITY.
Their efforts are mainly directed toward
the construction of pie "like nv mother
used to make" bread and other simple
dishes. The preparation of food for the
sick is also included in the curriculum, and
the pupils are taught that corn beef and
cabbage does not form a suitable diet for
patient in the last stages of typhoid fever.
The institution of schools for instruction
in the common branches of mechanics is not
being pushed. It is hinted that this is
direct stab at drugstores in the immediate
Deigbborhood of ward schools, whose pro-
prietorS had laid in large supplies of arnica
and sticking plaster for the benefit of the
boys who might main themselves by collid-
ing with cross-cut saws, jack-planes and
tack hammers. The only move in this d.
rection is the placing of an electric plant,
for which Mr. Westinghouse donated the
dynamo In the High School building. The
machinery is now being placed in position,
and will be ready for operation about Oc- |
tober 1. 1t is expected that this plant will |
furnish the High School pupils with prac- |
teal instruction on the subject of cleo |
tricity. The Central Board Of Education |
has received from the Legislature the au-
thorIty to appropriate funds for the pur-
pose of establishing manual labor schools. |
The board, however, is divided on the sub |
ject, and when the matter was brought up a |
resolution for appropriating money for this |
purpose was defeated.
AN EXPOSITION DISPLAY.
The board mas appropriated 81, 900 for the
purpose of making display of the work of |
the pupils of the public schools at the |
Pittsburg Exposition. A display OF this |
character, consisting of manuscripts pre-
pared by the pupils of all the grades was |
sent to the Paris Exposition, and received |
an award of merit. Superintendent John
son, Of the Pittsburg Exposition, while Wis
Iting Paris last wear, saw this display, and |
when he returned he requested o similar |
display for our own Exposition.
City Superintendent Luckey and his
party are expected back from Europe with
in few days. The party has been inves-
tigating the educational methods of Europe,
and incidentally having little fun.
The Central Board of Education is COM
posed OF one delegate elected by each sub
school district, who may or may not be a
member of the ward School Board. The
Constitution of the Commonwealth gal
lantly provides that women q years of age or
upward shall be eligible to any Office of con-
troll or management under the school laws of |
this State. Perhaps-frightful thought-this
is because lady never gets out of her teens
until she is too old to take an interest in her
education. The members
of the Board hold Office three years, about
one-third retiring each year. Any member
who fails TO attend two consecutive meetings,
without any excuse, is liable to be bounced.
AN IMPORTANT BODY.
The Central Board holds the title to all /
school property, erects buildings, fixes and
paws the salaries of the teachers, and decides
upon the text books to be used. Every year
an estimate is made of the probable expendi-
lures for the succeeding year, and an sppro-
priation for the amount is granted by the
city and placed to the credit of the Central
Board. The tax for school purposes varies
greatly in the diderent wards, ranging from
1-20th OF a mill in the First ward to mills
in the Thirteenth ward.
In 1869 the Legislature passed an act pro-
viding for the maintenance of separate
schools for the exclusive education of chill
dren Of color. This law was repealed in
1881, and race or color distinctions were de-
clared unlawful. This change of base was
probably FASTENED Dy the Supreme Court