Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-04
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A Program of the Events of the Closing
Week
The Schools Will Close for the sum.
mer Vacation on the 10th Inst
The High School Dates.

In a little more than two weeks now the
the public schools Of this city. 1t is hardly
necessary to be more explicit as to the date
when the schools close. for, doubtless the
calculation has been made a countless
number of times. and there are thousands,
not only among the scholars but the teach
ers, who know to an hour exactly how long
an interval lays between the duties cf
school and the delights Of vacation. How
ever, on Thursday, the 21st instant, there
will be closing exercises In all the schools,
and then the summer rest viii begin. All
that week will be what might he called the
commencement period Of the public schools
On Monday night the closing exercises of
the Business High School will be held In the
hall OF the Central High School building
On Tuesday morning, at the room in the
Franklin building, the Normal School will
hold its closing exercises. Wednesday evening
the commencement Of the High and Normal
schools of the colored schools will take
place. On Thursday evening the graduating
exercises of the High schools of the white
schools will take place. II will be a Joint
affair. and will be held in Convention Hall
The Closing Day.
These are some of the leading events In
the commencement week Of the public
schools. 1t gives some idea of the magni-
tude of the schools when 1t is stated that
these events interest directly but a small
proportion Of the children. As is well
known. the great bulk Of the nearly 4oouo
children that attend the public schools are
in the first eight grades. For these chill
dren the usual exercises will continue up
to the closing hour of Wednesday, the
10th instant. The following day. which
viii be Thursday. will be spent as the chill
dren and the teachers decide. 1t is known
in the calendar of the school year as the
CLOSING day." No formal program is pre-
scribed for that day. AS a rule, however.
exercises of an Interesting and entertaining
character are devised by the teachers of
the various schools. with suggestions from
the pupils. and then finally, with the aid
OF the scholars. the program, which usually
includes singing ana Rotations, Is carried
out to the immense satisfaction of admir-
ing audiences of parents, teachers and
scholars. In some schools there is no at
tempt at formal program. and the day is
spent by the scholars and teachers in the
way they think best.
The entire lack OF formality in the clos
ing exercises has become one Of the
attractive features. and II may be said that
the final day of the school year is one OF
the most delightful in the entire school
calendar. II is not the intention Of the au-
thorities to detract in any way from the
enjoyment which both teachers and schol-
airs seem TO derive from this method OF
holding closing exercises.
Exhibits of Work.
The permanent exhibit of the work done
by the pupils of the public schools which Is
In the hall Of the Franklin building, will be
contir ued, but it will be changed in ac-
cordance with the growth and development
of the schools during the year. This ex-
hibit has proved to be a very profitable af-
fair. 1t has served to give to the numerous
visitors who come here for the purpose OF
inspecting our school system a general re-
connected manner. 1t has made the subse.
quent visits Of these strangers in the schools
Ineligible and interesting
The exhibit of compositions. which will be
given in the board room of the Franklin
building. will be entirely new. This exhibit
will show what the schools do in English
from the first grade to the High School In
elusive. and is regarded as the fairest and
most thorough test of the value OF schoo
work In general.
The year which has just closed has been
one Of progress in the schools. The attend.
ance has been larger than previous years
vast system as the public schools of this
city in operation has worked smoothly and
effectively. There are. of course. directions
In which improvements are possible, and
progress Is being made as rapidly as FEAST
bic toward making the schools of this city
not only models Of the kind, but practical
and effective In their results.
Mr.. W. B. Powell, the superintendent OF
the schools. has been quite sick for the past
four weeks; half of that time he has been
confined to his bed. He is now recuperat-
ing. and his friends expect 10 see him well
and strong again.