Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-08-26
From the Capital City.
Ts tho Editor OF the WORLD:

WASHINGTON, D. c., August Is, 1893.
Well, that august body, congress, has
assembled. Early Monday morning
people began to flock to the capitol, and
by IL o'clock every seat in the galleries,
as we'll as every available space for
standing room, was occupied. Nothing
much of interest was transacted. Tues
day the presidents message was read
and received applause from floor and
gallery. Many of the members received
handsome floral gifts. On this day 259
bills, besides number of resolutions,
were introduced in the senate; pretty
fair beginning.
The official list of members of the
house gives the democrats 900 members,
republicans 1876, and the populists g..
Counting the vacancy caused by the
death of Representative Enochs, of the
Tenth Ohio district, there are 356 mem
bers, and we may look for some lively
times before congress proper convenes
in December.
Nv
All the talk on the streets here at
present appertains to the silver ques-
ton. If you can't talk silver you are
not in it. The lobbys of all the large
hotels are the scenes of many nightly
debates.
Nv
An incident that will bear telling hap
pened in one of the departments few
weeks ago. 1t seems clerk went to
Congressman to ask him to ap-
point friend of his (the clerk's) for a
departmental position. The congress-
man pleasantly informed the clerk that
there was no vacancy so could not make
the appointment, whereupon the con-
gresham was told to make vacancy.
The outcome of the matter, which is
considered great joke, was that the
ambitious clerk was discharged to make
the vacancy and his friend put in his
place. The moral will be found by the
reader and need not be written.
Nv
1 believe the majority of the people
here have an erroneous idea of the west,
and Kansas especially. Many have the
idea that cyclone goes sailing over
the state every day. 1 have been ques-
toned many times as to the number of
Indians that inhabited my part of the
state, and when they started out on
their raids. Also as to the frequency of
the cyclones. Well, when l told one
man I had never seen either cyclone or
Indian, he looked at me as though l had
lost my mind. Though hadn't lost it, l
had an idea of giving him piece of it.
The newspapers are principally re-
sponsible for these nonsensical notions.
~
The educational system of Washing
ton is excellent, and the public school
course is thorough. There are eight
grades before the high school is reached.
In the eighth the student is prepared
to enter the high school or start out on
his life work. An important study of
this grade is algebra. In all grades
vocal music is taught. There are three
courses in the high school, viz: the bus
mess course, the scientific course and
the academic course. The business
course occupies two years, and consists
of shorthand, typewriting, book-keep-
ing, business arithmetic, commercial
law, commercial geography, English
and mechanical drawing. The last
named subject is optional with the
student. The other courses occupy four
years and are similar; the principal diff
ference being, the study of Latin in the
academic, is replaced by German in the
scientific. There are also one or two
other studies different. These courses !
are very advanced and are supposed to
fit the student for any college he may
wish to enter. They are such as ancient
history, Latin, Greek, German, chem
istry, classical English, and so on ad in
fnitum. Ii any student desires to be-
come teacher of the public schools, he |
or she, as the case may be, must enter
the Normal for a year, and if proven |
satisfactory is allowed a certificate to
teach. One of the branches neglected |
to mention was drawing. This is taught |
through all the grades and gives place to
mechanical and artistic dra uiDp IN fbo
high school. A teacher must have fair
knowledge of drawing and vocal music
before allowed certificate.
Another very important branch of the |
school system is the manual training de
partment. This is not yet sufficiently
developed, as the pupil does not 60 to
the carpenter school until he reaches
the seventh, or to the forge or wood |