Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-07
Not Near Enough Buildings, Say
the Trustees.
HEALTH AND EDUCATION NEGLECTED
Statistics and Recommendations
in the Annual Report.
~
Mr.. POWELLS STATEMENTS

has been submitted to the District Commits
sioners. The board, in referring to the re-
port Of Mr.. Powell. as well as those of the
| supervising principals Of the different divi-
sions and the principals Of the high
schools. states that while the statistics are
| highly encouraging to the friends of edu-
cation and most creditable to the District
| Of Columbia, they disclose very marked
inadequacy of school accommodations. The
| trustees feel 1t incumbent upon themselves,
| therefore. to present this matter to the
| Commissioners. and through them to Con-
| gress for consideration. to the exclusion of
| all others. The report goes on to state
that for some years preceding the school
| year Of 1SS6-S7 the annual appropriation
for school buildings was fixed arbitrarily
at 100000. Irrespective Of the needs of the
schools.
The result Of this policy was that the
attendance of pupils SO rapidly outgrew the
provision made for them that In the school
year mentioned one-third OF the schoo.
population was limited to alf-day attend
ance upon the schools. This condition
awakened the interest of Congress with
the result that new school buildings were
appropriated for, so that within a COM
paratively few years thereafter the ac-
commodatlons were very nearly adequate
for the pupils in attendance. For several
years past, however, exceedingly limited
provisions have been made for school
buildings, while the increase in the num-
Der OF pupils has been so rapid that the
same condition confronts the trustees as
that which existed nine years ago. The
trustees go On to state that the whole of
the first and second grades, embracing
forty schools and aggregating an attend
ance of about two thousand pupils, are
limited to halliday attendance. They say
that If the pupils of the first and second
must continue under this limitation, 1t
will require at least five new buildings
above that grade now actually In attend
dance a full days schooling without max
ing any provision for the annual increase
In their numbers. The report states that
only about two-thirds of the children of
school age are now in attendance upon
the public schools, large proportion Of
whom are permitted to attend one-half of
each school day only. There is a square
mile in one portion of the city in which
there is no school at all and several 9TH
err sections are but little better of In this
particular. At the Pierce school on 1tth
and G streets northeast over fifty appli-
cations were received this year in excess
of the utmost seating capacity Of the
building. and there was no other school
building reasonably near enough to ac-
commodate the children who had to be
refused. 60
UnHt for Use.
The trustees point out many other in
stances showing the overcrowded condition
of the schools, and then have this to say:
THE showing thus presented is suffi-
ciently unfortunate without the emphasis
of any further fact. The board feel 1t to
be their duty, however. both to you and
the community, to point out the further
fact that the above inadeQuacy of accom-
mediation after resort has been had not
only to rooms which. as shown in Superin-
tendent PowefPs report. are without excep-
ton unfit for school purposes. being with
out ventilationr other than open windows
and open doors, which are always harm
full and fraughts with danger. and are
without adequate and, in some cases. even
without respectable closet accommoda-
tion. but even after converting the base
ments Of school buildings into school rooms.
never intended for such purpose and
wholly unfit Tor 1t. having no means of
ventilation, no proper means of heating
and lacking all the necessary conveniences
no member of Congress would consent to
the use Of such rooms for his committee
or for any other purpose which would re-
quire him to pass the working hours of
the day In them, and no member, we are
confident would be willing to condemn
the immature bodies of little school chill
dren to conditions, sanitary and otherwise.
SO unfavorable.
1.-The above observations relate to the
graded schools. and particularly to the
lower grades. which. II there must be a diff
ference demand the first and principal
consideration.
There Is, however, another and most
deserving branch Of the public school sys-
tenn. the Business High School. In which
the necessity for additional accommoda-
ton is equally imperative"
The description of the condition of this
building, rented structure, with a capac
ity for $50 pupils, into which 40 are now
crowded by using the basement, tallies
with that recently published in The Star.
Teachers Enough.
The trustees declare that the schools are
equipped with a sufficient number of teach
ers. and If as many school rooms as are
needed would be supplied every scholar
could be given fun days schooling With
out the employment OF an additional
teacher. or adding another dollar to the
expenses for teachers salaries.
MIR. POwcll's Report.
The report of Superintendent Powell is an
extensive document, and discusses the
questions relating to public education in
the District with much fidelity and COM
prehension. He lays particular stress upon
the value OF free text books, and the effect
they have in improving the conscientious
discharge OF responsibility on the part of
teachers and producing gratifying care
on the part of the pupils. He asks for
$1,000 more than last years appropriation
for the purpose of purchasing free books,
because of the wear and tear occesioned by
three years use of those on hand. Mr..
Powell also urges the immediate meeting
of the necessity for new school buildings
and rooms. not only on the ground of good
or even fair teaching. but also out Of con-
sideration for the health Of the pupils. He
recommends strongly the establishment of
pedagogical libraries in every school room
in the District and discusses at length the
great value of efficient teachers. He treats
the Teachers Annuity and Aid Association
exhaustively and approves 1T heartily, and
particularly conlmends its object to secure
from initiation. fees, dues and entertain
ments the sum. of $4,000 as a minimum en-
dowment fund. % n
Mr.. Powell says the manual training
schools were prosperous and well attended
last year, and states that every child in
the District schools is now provided with
tuition In manual training branches be-
longing to his grade of school, except
those attending the schools In the out
lying neighborhoods.
Some Statistics.
The figures of the statistics which ac-
company the superintendent report are
interesting. The attendance and cost Of
the white and eolored schools is set forth
as follows: -.
White-Normal schools, SO pupils; high
schools 1906 grammar and primary
schools, "a, 1876. Total white enrolment,
26 242 Increase for the year, $50, or 3.SS
per cent.
Colored--Normal schools, 70; high schools,
AGO; grammar and primary schools, 4,43G;
decrease fer the year, GO, or O.45 per cent.
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