The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-03
rae N1eHr soHooL OPENED.
Nearly $50 Boys Enroll Thsir Names
on the CDaniuy Ef1hc

Nearly 100 Boys Enroll ThStr Nam 90
on the Opening Night
The public night school opened last night
at the Chatham Academy. with nearly 15C
boys in attendance It was a lively crowd
Of boys. too, and ready for fun If there
was any to be bad. Shortly after Z
O'Clock the boys the boys began to gather
at Bull and South Broad streets, in the
| neighborhood Of the academy, and when
| Supt Baker arrived at O'Clock there were
more boys In and around the building than
be Is accustomed 10 see there during the
day.
Besides supt. Baker there were present
Principal Train Of the high school, Principal
Spencer OF the Chatham grammar school,
Principal O'Hara Of the St Patrick's school,
DIR. Ashmore and Mr.. Thigpen Of the nigh
school and Principal WAY Of Msssie school.
The boys were gathered toto the
the Bull street entrance. They
seemed TO be in high spirits, but became
silent immediately when Mr.. Baker raped
for order. The room was well filed with
boys running from Is TO IS years
old, three-fourths OF them being between
10 and Is years. 1t was a neatly dressed, in
tegligent looking crowd, and crowd that
was q credit to the boy workers Of Sa-
vannah.
Supt- Baker addressed them, giving them
the reasons for the Inauguration Of the night
school and the purposes In view. He gave
them to understand plainly that they came
there to work, not to play, that no triiing
nor mischief making would be allowed, and
that boys creating disturbance would be
promptly put out Of the school. Boys who
came out in search of mischief, he said,
would find that that they were in the
wrong place. He announced that the first
night would be devoted to organization.
The names and ages of the boys were then
taken by the teachers. One hundred and
thlrty-three were enrolled, ard there were
several present who failed to give their
names.
Don't be ashamed 10 acknowledge your
ignorance on account Of your age" said
Supk Baker TO the boys. "You come here
to learn"
The work of classifying the pupils was
then begun. 1t was very difficult, on ac-
count OF the number present
"How many boys here can read the
MORNING NEWS intelligentlyp asked Mr..
Baker.
"Stsn nd up, boys
Less than one-haf stood up. One of the
largest boys present confessed TO Mr.. Baker
privately that he could not read intelli-
gently.
"Boys who cannot do long division, stand
up" was the next command, and number
stood up.
"Beys who cannot do fractions. stand
NJ" and more rose.
boys who cannot do interest, stand up,n
and after that over half the boys were
standing.
Supt. Baker then announced that the boys
who could not do long division and frac-
tions would meet at the academy Wednes-
day night, and those who wish
to start in percentage would meet
the teachers at the Academy Friday night
Az most OF the boys have attended the
public schools they will be classified largely
according to their grade in school, Other
studies, of course, will be taught besides
arithmetic
Supt. Baker announce that other rooms
will be provided for the accommodation of
the classes. Fully $50 boys were crowded
into the large room last night, and there
were seats for hardly more than half that
number. The warm night made the air of
the room almost suffocating.
Supt. Baker repeated his admonition to
| the boys against noise and misbehavior,
| both inside the school and on the streets, In
| going and coming from their homes. The
boys were dismissed about Q o'clock, those
who are to attend on tomorrow night being
detained short while by the superine
tendent for further classification
All were INSTRUCTED 10 come
prepared with states and Robinson's arith-
metic at their next attendance.
The teachers made many comments upon
the showing Of the FIRST night st shows
what q demand there Is for such a school, !"
said one ro
II fear the demand is greater than the
supply, said another.
at will take regular teachers and the
same system as q day school to conduct it
properly" remarked another. Teachers
who do a full days work during the day
cannot be expected to give their services
gratis for any length Of time. It would be
too much to ask Of them.n
There was some discussion as to what
could be done for rooms for the night
scholars The teachers were agreed that it
would not do for the night scholars to use
the rooms of the day pupils, mutilating and
carrying of their books.
I'VE will have to have more room, - said
Supt Baker. 1.-THE board Of education
ought to rent Armory hall and furnish it
for the night school,"
1t will cost something to conduct the
night school properly, but II the members
of tho board OF education had seen the
| crowd Of eager, intelligent boys at the acad-
envy last night, who seem so anxious to
learn they would be willing to incur some
extra expense TO carry out this enterprise