Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-15
THE COLORED SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Henry johnson Takes Issue With State
ments Made by President Mitchell.

ments Made by President Mitchell.
The annual report of the operations Of the
public schools Of the District just printed is
prefaced by brief statement by Mr. John I.
Mitchell, president Of the board of trustees. In
which he says:
THE seventh and eighth divisions, embrac-
ing the colored schools of the city, have been a
subject of serious thought with the whole
board Of trustees. The question has been
asked by the best class of colored citizens and
by others who feel a deep interest in the success
of their schools. Are we getting the best re-
suits obtainable for the expenditure OF meansF
From.the best information that ]. as the president
of the board of trustees. have been able to OBJ
tam, / am clearly of the opinion that we do
not have been visited by and have con-
suited with the most intelligent and educated
of the colored citizens. with whom it has been
a subject of anxious thought What. say
they, shall we do TO improve our schools! We
know that we not obtaining the best re-
suits: we are not abreast of the white schools,
nor do We yet expect to be: but we are too FAR
behind them. and such should not be the case
We have intelligent, earnest men in the board
of trustees, representing more nearly the col
ored schools, who give their time and personal
supervision to the schools of their respective
divisions Yet the work is not what it should
be. There must be some reason for It. Some
OF the supervising principals and teachers OF
colored schools are men fully capable, by both
education and culture. to lift these schools TO
higher standard than they have yet obtained.
But there seems to be something somewhere
that prevents il. What Is it? 4 submit this
question 10 the consideration of the Commits
sioners of the District"
THE OTHER SIDE.
These statements have excited considerable
comment among the colored citizens interested
in the public schools. Mr. Henry johnson, an
ex-trustee of the schools. writes as follows:
The president of the school board, Nr. Jno.
T. Mitchell, in his annual report says: The
question has been asked by the best class OF
cOlOred citizens and by others who feel deep
interest In the success of their colored schools:
Are getting the best results obtainable
for the expenditure OF means!' From the best
information that 1, as the president OF the board
of trustees have been able to obtain an, clearly
of the opinion that We do not Mr.. Mitchell
further states that he has been visited by and
consulted with the most intelligent and edu-
Gated of the colored citizens, and quotes them
as saving: We know that we are not obtaining
the best results; we not abreast of the
white schools. nor do We yet expect to be; but we
are too TAR behind then, and such should not be
the case. The above charges i'll every re-
spect are too serious to pass unchalIenged, and
1 propose to show by the consolidated statis-
tics, compiled by Supt. Powell, that President
Mitchell has done grievous wrong TO the col
ored schools and their management and that
the so-called educated colored gentlemen
would be benefited by attending the schools
they seek to depreciate.
The consolidated sheet prepared by Superin-
tendent Powell. page H. annual report 1890
gives the whole number of pupils enrolled
white and colored) as So 1856, which includes
normal. high. grammar and primary schools.
Increase for the year, whites, 665; colored Sl5.
Per cent of increase. white, %; colored, 81.
Average number enrolled. whites, 20, ia; col
ored. ll,1S7. Increase. whites. 1873; colored.
AZ Per cent of Increase, whites. 9 3; colored.
Al. Average daily attendance, whites, IL, 504;
colored. II. 500 Increase. whites, 1893; colored.
421. Per cent of increase. whites, %; colored,
AZ. As to the profitable expenditures
of means the comparative cost of
tuition is as follows: Per pupil. including
supervision (based on average enrollment),
whites. S17.55; colored. Sl2.04. Average
number pupils TO teacher, excluding princi-
pal, High school, white. 1874; colored, 2S.9.
Eighth grade, white, 46.7; colored.
SOL. Seventh grade, white, 53.S; col
ored, 54.1 Sixth grade, white, 49.4:
eolored, 55.4. Fifth grade, white, 54.2;
coiored, 5S.4. Fourth grade, white, SOL:
eoiored. 60.4. Third grade, white, SAB: col
ored. 59.3- Second grade, white, 52.7; colored.
Dos First grade, white, GIG; colored, 60.4.
he cost per pupil, based on cost of supervis-
ion, whites, .9z; colored, Sc. Ii necessary
tuere can De SHOWN Otner scnoOl statistics
equally as favorable to the colOred schools as
the above. and while not claiming perfection
or sup. riority Tor the colored schools, ten
years of active official relations with Supt.
Cook and his efficient corps of teachers, &C.,
enable me to assert that no more serious
thought actuates the school board. including its
president, for the Improvement OF the colored
schools than that which pervades the heart and
conscience of the ladies and gentlemen in
charge OF these schools"