New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-10
A DISGRACE TO THE NATION.
SHAMEFUL RESULTS OF "HOLMANlSM'
IN THE DISTRICT Or COLUMBIA

BIlGHTING EFFECTS OF DEMOCRATIC "ECoNo-
MY" on wAsIuNGToN's PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN DEPRIVED
OF AN EDUCATION TO SATISFY
PARTY AMBITION.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUHE1
| Washington Dec "a subcommittee of the
House Committee on Appropriations Is hodihs 'a''y
sittings 10 consider the District OF Columbia APP
propriation bill which it is expected will be sub
mitted to the full committee for revision ana APP
proval early next week. The members OF the sun
committee are Messrs. Williams ull). DocKery 'No'
and Robertson O.aD. Democrats and Henderson
Qowa) and Cogswel (Mass), Republicans. Gehera
Cogswell has been detained at his home by serious
Illness but is expected TO return this week
Several features of this appropriation Dill are Oh
general we'll local interest and Importance
and chief among them are the provisions reia'"s
to the support of the public schools of the Natioha
! Capital, in which every person throughout "e
country who is a friend of public education Is more
or less deeply interested. These schools ought 10
be as good the best anywhere IN 'he ''''
States and they would be among the best u theS
were provided with sufficient and proper pullunsS
| and other convenences and accommodations lot
| teachers and pupils. The annual reports OF 'he
superintendent of schools and the trustees Oh 'ie
public schools which have just been made pubic
| unfortunately show that such Is not the case pu'
that on the contrary. the buildings are insuncie"'
In number that many or them are uiNl'tcu !" WY
respect for school purposes: that they are over
| crowded and poorly ventilated. and that Inc ar
| rangements and accommodations are defective ana
| unhealthful. The number OF pupils enrolled IN Inc
| public schools this year vas about 42VVO. peihS an
increase Of nearly 1900 over the preceding year Oh
course this did by any means Include the entfe
number Of children of school age. some OF "hom
| attend private schools. but the great majority OF
whom are virtually deprived OF school prN''scs
because there IL no room for them IN the s'"oo
| rooms provided. There square miles OF wen
| populated area in the Dstrc, OF Columbia N which
there are no public schoolhouses Whatever super
| intendent Cook Of the coored schools reports one
| district. a square mile In extent. well populated
| BY colored people. without single school buildhs
| and several sections that little better off In
| this particular" Among the white schools 'her'
was this year a single school building at which
| there were fifty more applicants for admission thah
| the utmost seating capacity. and there was no
| other school building reasonably near TO acconimo-
| date the overflow.
| The overcrowded condition OF he school build
ings is shown by the fact that Of the i-v' pupiis
enrolled more than one-thrd are limited 10 h..ti-
schooling each Elk instead Of Nv days In IN lower
grades thrreare more than 10 hali-day schoois ina
Si,nn rr,ctrollv the whole OF the first and second
! eradcs-comprising 1850 pupls-iorty schools. AZ
ercgatlng an attendance OF 2,v5l pupISS, %. w
third and fourth grades. are limited 20 nan -
| tendance Even should the pupils OF IN" hISt TWO
! grades continue under this Limitation OF ihrli
educational opportunities WI trIuiy q. ~ ,%,,
nye new buildings to AFFORD the pnpi.s above ' nal
| Grade who now actually IL att'hddH'" '''i
| aay's schooling without making any "ho"1n'e
| for the annual Increase In their numbers
only about tSo.ihiris OF the colorcd children OF
! school age In the city In attendnnce on IN"
| 10 attend the halliday schools The statistics oi
attendance further show that especially IN con. con.
| percentage % the scholars do not advance beyond
The eshth Grade their Larrn's sc5 nsS v forclns
these children TO attend the hali gay - "ol~' w
community is actually dcprivns them OF onehaN
| their school life.
ut vii be observed that the unfortunate con-
ditions here referred TO- says The report.
| suit solely from lack % schoolhonse accommola-
tlons. There enough teachers. allowing ior
the annual increase In their number; to gV" "N",y
china now In attendance on the puh,i' ,ooi, III,
the expenditure OF single additi"nsl noi'"l 10,
teachers salaries. As was pointed OUT on a
| factur-r who nnds It necessary 10 employ and
pay cc skilled laborcts but VINO recelHcs ,pg
! OF them owing to his own failure TO provide them
supcrintcndent Powell also observes: 1t is not
! advisable TO countenance halliday schools even
The ago Of Twelve or thirteen. and j. in the MN
or sixth grade 10 give him only hali n day a,
his lime in the streets. ~ not only robbery OF
the scholars time. but menace 10 the com
The report proceeds 10 conlemn in the strongest
tom has forced the schools to use" some rooms
h( n ae1 @ rven n to G USING h ' basement s Of
| FOR such pfrposcs ami never intended FOR Il, hav-
| ing no means o. heating ventilation. and lack
| Ing in closet facilities and all necessary con
no member o. Congress. says tho report
would consent 10 the use OF such rooms Tor ms
committees or FOR other purposes that would re-
qure him TO pass his working hours in them
and member. are confident would be wilbng
to condemn the immature bodies OF hitlc school
children To conditions, sanitary ana otherwise \"
This description Of the public school accommoia-
tons Of the National capital strong and faithful
the injurious consequences that Indifference neg
lcct. parslmony and - some extent. absolute hos
hay. fhl al Tho Tel
progressive population OF the National capital who.
wonIJ freely lax ihemsclycs to maintain A public
school system which would be abreast OF the times
in every respect. instead Of being, az II now s. 80
| far sufficient and suitable schooihouse accomo-
dations are concerned. far behind the times ana
visible shame ana disgrace - IN" Congress- 81 me
| United States. 1t may be only colncidence but II
wretchedly mcagre and utterly inadequate prov
| .ons made by Congress for school buildings In
e Mss paTy may" Sas @eardeG the o%-e Of Repre-
| he"n even more rncagre and Inadequate II 4 Re-
publican majority in the Senate had not fought hard
Republican majority in both hranches appropriated
$500 for neT school buildings Ihe LA O9 th
House OF Representative. appropriated only sgSno
appropriation at the first session OF me Lila ION
gress. which is Democratic In both branches,
| estimates OF the District Con missioners, which
were arbitrarily reduced from 100000 TO st3op by
| from the State OF Kentucky. The sub committed
which framed the % nn n from "S na as
| land one from Missouri one from the Egyptian
| region OF Illinois and two Republicans. The Demo
| cratic members who compose the majority OF the
| subcommittee that In engaged In framing the bill
OF this session. and who VIII dictate It's provisions.
are Mr. Williams. who halls from one OF the Egyp-
fan districts OF illinois, Mr.. Docl.ery. of Missouri.
| who is rather envIous Of Judge Homans title OF
| 'Economst" which the Mlssourian expects to
| wear In the LIVth Congress. and Mr.. Robertson,
| OF Louisiana. II remains 10 be seen whether or
| no, they will he inspired by the same niggardly
spirit that controlled the majority OF the sub-com-
| mittee In the LID Congress and In the nrst ses-
| sion of this Congress. II they undertake 10 re-
| peat the performance OF Messrs. Compton, Dockery
| AMI Williams at the last session. IT will be the
clear Imperative duty OF the friends OF pubic ed
ucaton irrespective OF party. to take the matter INTO
| their own hands. and make adequate ana suitable