Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-01-21
WASHlNGTON's SCHOOLS.
They Arc Good, But Overcrowded
in Every Department.
Scores of People Who Pay No Taxes in
the District of Columbia Take Advan-
tage of It's CredItable Educational
InstItutions-In Franklin Park.
Especial Washington Letter.

tendcnt OF the wnltc schools or the DIS
trict of Columbia, which is now in the
hands of the district commissioners, is
an exceptionally interesting public doc
umcnt.
The superintendent says that congress
has provided literally for the erection,
extension and Improvement of school
buildings during the past few years
and that most of the schools are taught
on full time. Nevertheless, it is a fact
that n number of schools above the
second grade have been restricted to
halliday time because of the fact that
there is not sufficient room in the school
buildings to accommodate all of the
pupils He says that there are over
forty thousand children attending
these schools, while there is only room
to accommodate about thirty-onc thou
sand of them, so that in order that all
may attend one-third are given only
halliday time. That is to say that
pupils of the third grade can occupy Il
room from. nine o'clock until twelve,
while pupils of the fourth or fifth grade
may occupy the same room from one
o'clock until four in the afternoon. 1t
is desirable, indeed necessary, that
there should be an additional eight
room building in each of the school di-
visions of the city, while number of
schoolhouses are needed in the growing
suburbs.
One thing that stands out most prom
inent in the report of the superintend-
ent is the fact that so many nOn-resi-
dents of the District of Columbia claim
and are accorded school privileges for
their children. There are over four
hundred mem bers of the house and of
the senate and fully six hundred en-
ploye., of the capitol and it's adiuncts,
who pay no taxes whatever in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, vet demand the priv
ilegc of sending their children to the
public schools 1t is impossible for the
school authorities to distinguish be-
tween the real and temporary citizens
of the national capital, as we have no
polling precincts, no voters, nor other
means of asccrtaining bona fide resi-
dents. Therefore it happens that any
family residing in the city, whether
temporarily or permanently, is assumed
to have the right to send their children
for instruction in the various grades of
our pUblic schools.
Quite Il number Of the children grow
| to young manhood and young woman
! hood under the tutclagc of District in
StructOrS and are fitted for admission
| to the high school. The superintendent
calls attention to the fact that the pres
ent high school building is not large
enough to accommodate the constantly
increasing number of pupils advanced
| to that grade, and he recommends the
establishment of other coordinate high
schools as very desirable adjuncts to
| the present educational machinery
| The plant for coordinate high schools
will be found to be exceedingly cxpen-
sivc. and it is not at all likely that the
| present congress, either senate or house,
will be inclined to deal literally with
any matters whatever, not even for the
| educational advancement of the rising
generation
There is spirit of economy in the
air of the national capital; but it is a
cheese-paring spirit, n sort of save-at-
hc-spigot-and-wastc the bung-hole
economy Therefore it is not like
ly that the recommendations for the es-
Establishment of coordinate high schools
will be favorably acted upon by con-
gress. It is shown by this same report
l that congress has heretofore insisted
upon limitations in the salaries of
| teachers, 50 IS to make 1t
utterly i,npGSsiblr for the supcrintend-
ent to employ the number of experts re-
quircd for 4 wril-cQuipped high school.
This may seem strange as IL corollary
of tn fact that the children of our
statr'nrn are being educated in these
| schools.
II win be interesting, especially to
| my I,l,nC,,r renders to know the cur.
rirulm adopted ~ the high schools OF