Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-25
THE PUBLIC NIGHT SCHOOLS,
They Opened for the Winter Season Last
Evening.

They Opened for the Winter Season Last
Evening.
The admirable features Of the night schools
which were opened last evening for the season
are readily apparent to any one who will take
the trouble to visit one Of the public school
buildings when the schools are in session. Last
evening they were opened for the season, and
from this time until warm weather they will be
In operation. For two hours on three evenings
Of each week the pupils in these schools will
continue their studies. The classes are SO
graded that there is place for every one, how
ever limited their attachments. The rudiments
Of reading, writing and spelling are taught and
there are classes for more advanced students.
In fact. the schedule of studies is arranged to
suit the needs OF the class for which those
schools are maintained. Every one knows
that there are plenty Of boys and girls who
through stress OF circumstances are deprived OF
the means of education at an age when the
average boy or girl is In school They are COM
PEELED to work during the ~ In order to get food
TO eat. clothes To wear and place Of shelter.
OF course. children in such circumstances
are unable to spend the working hours Of the
day in school. Then there are others who might
have enjoyed these advantages, but through
mistaken ideas they have attached but little
Importance to the benefits Of education or else
through mere willfulness have neglected their
opportunities. After q while they realize the
value Of an education, but by that time il is too
late to retrace their steps. However, nearly
every one who works for living has leisure in
the evenings and it Is to enable young men and
women to proftably utilize this leisure time that
the night schools were organized.
EARSEsrNEss OF THE PUPILS.
II such schools rs are now a part Of the pub
lie school system of the District had been
f,n Ia |, hopa tbav he
regarded one of the notable institutions Of the
city. Their praise would be trumpeted forth
and meetings would be held to patronize the
undertaking. But as Ii is the schools have been
doing effective work in a quiet way and
thousands Of the Young have been benefited
and their careers changed and improved by the
help which they have received from these
schools. A visit to one OF the night schools
would soon make plain the character of the
benehciaries. As rule the pupils are made
up of young men and women and girls and boys
who are hard at work during the day earning
livelihood. They are evidently dead
in earnest. and that is the char
acteristic of these schools-the earnestness
of the pupils. Some learning to
read. an art which under more favorable cir
cumstances they would have acquired years
before. Others are perfecting their hand
wiring or mastering more completely the
rudiments OF arithmetic. Then there are those
who want to know more abou, geography and
history and the higher branches. At these
schools they enjoy the advantages Of trained
teachers, who are employed in the public
schools, and all the facilities which the public
school system affords.
THE NIGHT HIGH SCHOOL.
Then there is business school. where there
are Glasses in typewriting, stenography, book
keeping, mathematics and even Latin. 1t is
not necessary to say anything to young men
and women who are earning their living about
the practical value Of knowledge OF any and all
OF these branches. They can tell exactly how
much knowledge OF typewriting is worth or
stenoSraphy or bookkeeI ing. and they know
the precise amount in dollars and cents which
proficiency in these branches will bring them
each week. 1t Is not surprising. therefore. to
see the various classes working away with an
enthu>iasm which il not often found in the
ordinary school room. Last night when the bus
mess school opened in the building on nth street
near over 100 pupils presented themselves
ard we're enrolled in the various classes. One
Of the school rooms is filed with rows of type
writers and at each one pupil was pounding
away on the KEYS with degree of zeal that
promises veil for their future proficiency. All
these advantages can be had for nothing There
Is no charge made for learning to manipulate a
typewriter or for acquiring facility in any of
the branches taught. The use of the appli-
ances, trained teachers. well-lshted and COM
Portable rooms all can be had free gratis. 1t is
not surprising that the total attendance at the
night schools is over a thousand. The only
wonder il that the number is not much greater.