Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-23

SCHOOLS ARE OPEN.
Hot Weather Does Not Interfere
With Education.
NEARLY SIXTY THOUSAND PUPILS
More Halliday Sessions for Both
White and Colored.
NO BIAS EMENT ROOM S

liminary was observed in quiet way. To-
morrow the second stage of the opening will
occur, and by Wednesday the great system
that cares for nearly $4,000 children for
greater part of the year will be in full opera
ticn.
Today the Did pupils were received. that
is those who We're in the schools last year.
Tomorrow the new pupils will be given
places. The two superin observation-disclosures.
Powell and Cook-declare that every child
presented for admission will be given a
place. This does not mean however, that the
schools are not crowded, or, indeed. that they
are not being forced to beyond their natural
capacity 1t means that, though the press
ure is greater than it should be- the schools
Will be made elastic enough to care for all
who come.
Accurate Returns Impossible.
Accurate figures of the numbers of the
school children cannot be obtain ed for sew
eral days, partly because the pupils of last
year only are enrolled today and partly be-
cause it requires two or three days after
final enrolment for the hundreds of teachers
to file their reports and for these to be ag-
gresated. Last years enrolment of the
white schools is not definitely known even
yet, but it ranges somewhere around ~, 900
That of the colored schools was 12,419, ands
Supt. Cook confidently expects this number
to be considerably increased this year, max
Ing new nlSn-Water mark Tor the schools
of the seventh and eighth divisions.
Superintendent Powell said to a Star re-
porter that he did not care to predict as to
numbers. LAS l tell all who ask pe about
the numerical prospects Of the schools un-
der my charge, l am reasonably confident
that the ctty's growth has not been
checked, but that it is going right ahead,
getting larger and larger every year. That
children to go to the public schools That
means that the schools keep pace with the
increase of the city's population. But it is
folly to try to give exact numbers as yet.
All l can say is that the schools will be
larger than ever this year."
More Halliday Schools.
But there is one element that is new in
the situation this year that is at once
cause of qualification and regret to Mr..
Powell. This Is the discovery that there
must be at least twelve more halliday
schools among the lower grades. Health
Officer Woodward has reported to the SUI
perintendent that the basement rooms in
the Madison, Taylor and Pierce buildings
are unfit for use as class rooms and in
consequence six of these rooms will be
abandoned, and the classes that have here
tofore used them will be placed on half
day allowance in upstairs rooms. thus
crowding the classes there upon the same
footing.
Il have been fighting the use of base
rnent rooms ever since it became appar-
emily necessary to resort to them,'' said
Mr.. Powell. Il am glad that the health
officer has rendered this decision. These
buildings. You must know, are perfectly
sanitary in every respect. They are in
magnificent condition upstairs. These
basement rooms too are in good shane
There Is nothing the matter with the
rooms themselves. beyond the fact that
they are under ground, and therefore can
not be as well lighted and ventilated as
they should be If little children are to oc-
cupy them in large numbers 1t will be a
hardship on the children to have to lose
part of their school advantages by doub-
ling up with Others but it would be a
greater disadvantage to them to be COM
relied to do their tasks in these under
ground rooms. This Is unfortunate
emergency but it may lead to more liberal
appropriations for the increase of our ia
clities in the future. We shall meet the
case squarely, and give every child an up
stairs ROOM 1t will mean at least twelve
more halliday schools this year, and per-
haps more; but I hope it will eventually
mean no halliday schools
The Result OF the Report.
In consequence with this decision of the
health officer and the corresponding action
of the superintendent the lower rooms of
the Madison, Taylor and Pierce buildings
will be abandoned and the six schools that
occupied them last year will be given quar-
tiers with an equal number of schools of
the same grades In other parts of the
buildings placing all twelve schools on
the halliday basis.
Mr. Powell said further to the reporter
that there was no truth whatever in the
suggestion that has been made that thou
sands of children will be turned away for
the lack of room. The effort for more
buildings will be continued, he added.
This morning the teachers met their
classes, and We're busy making up their
rolls and talking about the work Lessons
were given out for tomorrow, ard prepara-
m 10
regular work as as possible. AT the
Central High School the old pupils re-
ported with but slight falling off in num-
hers. There was examination held there
today for the admission of out-of-town
pupils, as we'll as those who have hereto
fore been attending private schools.
The chances are that the high schools
will not increase materially in member
ship this season, as the number of eighth
grades has not been increased. The total
enrolment last year was about 200, and
it may go to nearly 1900 this season. but
this advance, If there be any, will be the
result mainly of an influx of pupils from
without the city.
To Enlarge the Technical Course.
Mr.. Chamberlain, director OF the manual
training department, said this morning
that the chief effort this year will be to
increase the number of pupils taking the
new technical course" at the Central
High School, which is combination of
the OLD scientific course and the manual
training work. 1t has been found imprac.
ticable to have students take the literary
parts of the course in other schools and to
go to the Central for the lessons in the
manual training branches. Therefore the
effort Is to be to place the boys who de-
sire to take the full course to locate for
the entire line of lessons in the Central
School.
Superintendent Cook of the seventh and
eghth divisions said that so far as the
early indications went this morning the
schools would exceed the records of ali
previous years. Today only the old pupils
are being received, and tomorrow the new
applicants will be cared for As in the
case of the white schools the pressure is
very great upon the facilities and halliday
schools may be increased in number and
membership this season. But, Mr.. Cook
dc clared. no children will be turned away
The increase will be more severely felt in
the High School, which was last year over.
crowded, and will this season be even more
So The total enrolment a year ago was
6lS: the admissions from the eighth grades
viii aggregate about 300, making a total of
9lS. from which 131 must be deducted the
number of the graduates of last spring
This leaves 1871 as the maximum strength
of the school, which will probably be some
what reduced. but not to such point that
all former figures will be exceeded