The Washington times., 1895-06-19
Un6 Of fh6 Best P8atUreS
Of School Development
Details OF the Great Work Accomplished in the
BUSINESS High School, Where Young Men and
Women Are Fitted for Commercial Life
BE not simply good; be good for something nTorsau

'Be not simply good; be so
NHElaw wgoverningtheg growth ofeduca-
administrations is the la W OF evolu-
tion' rather than that Of specialcrea-
tion. In no part OF our common
school system is this process OF development
better Illustrated than in the Business High
School
In 1877, when the Boys High School
was established in the Thomson building
bookkeeping was the only strictly business
subject taught In 1882, when the school
was removed TO the new building now
known as the Central High School COM
merclal law, commercial geography and
business arithmetic were added, and an
independent commercial course inserted
one teacher, however, was sufficient to
do the teaching in all business branches,
the rolls OF the high school for that year
showing that there were but one second
year section, containing twelve pupils,
and one first year section, containing thirty
TWO pupils. pursuing the course.
From 1882 to 1889 the business depart
ment kept pace with the scientific and
academic departments in its rate OF growth,
although much smaller than either During
the year lSSS-'S9 the high school was
so crowded that halliday system was
necessarily adopted in the first year and
the work OF the other classes Of the school
was seriously bampered As a means of
relief, the trustees separated the business
course from the other courses and eStab-
listed the Business High School as a dis
tInct institution, at the same time improy-
ing the course considerably by the addition
OF shorthand, typewriting and mechanical
drawing
On September p, 1890, this school
opened in the Thomson building on Twelfth
Tbirfaau
Mr. +. A. Paul With a school Of fifty-four
pupils laid the foundation Of the ex-
celleut high school system Of this city
The tlrst class 10 enter the school from the
grades numbered one hundred and seventy,
while, IN addition, eighty pupils who had
completed the first year of the old business
course were transferred from the Central
High School to complete the second year Of
The work they had already begun, thus form
ing the last graduating class OF the business
course Of the high school. Six teachers
and the principal constituted the teaching
force at that time.
In the foHowing year the school outgrew
the Thomson building and was removed TO
the third floor Of the Franklin School.
The accommodations there proving made
quate, the Miner building, which had
lately been vacated by the removal OF the
Colored High School, was rented for its
use.
The most remarkable feature ofthe school
in its rapid growth. Like a sum of money
placed at compound interest it has in
creased with remarkable rapidity. Five
years ago its attendance was two hundred
and fifty pupils, instructed by a cOrps
OF seven teachers; to-day it ranks second
in size to the Central High School, having
an attendance OF nearly five hundredand a
corps OF fourteen teachers. In spite OF
its phenomenal growth and popularity. the
school is now housed in rented structure,
the Miner building, which was found to be
insufficient 10 accommodate the three
hundred and seventy-fiVe pupils who were
enrolled in the Colored High School when
that Institution obtained a new building
from Congress.
The urgent need for a new building hav-
ing been recognized by the superintendent
OF schools, the board of trustees and the
Commissioners of the District an estimate
was last year forwarded TO Congress for a
500, 600 building and site for the school.
This estimate was approvedby the Senate
after thorough Investigation, and the bill
appToprating the necessary money was
passed by that body, but the House for
economical reasons, failed TO concur in
the appropriation.
1t Is hoped that no such cause VIII pre-
vent the coming Congress from properly ac-
conlmodatlng and eQuipping one OF the
most practical and worthy departments OF
public instruction.
in the organization of the school the
departmental plan is followed, each
teacher being assigned TO but one sub
5ect, thus securing that thOrOughness and
breadth in teaching which results from
specialization. At present the pupils
are divided into twelve sections. averaging
about forty each. The classes in type
writing and mechanical drawing recite
in rooms which are specially fitted with
the proper appliances. but for all other
work the teachers, instead of the pupils,
change from section to section.
The first year course, which is de-
signed 10 give an elementary business
education. is so arranged as to be complete
in itself, thus permitting a pupil who has
but one year TO spend at school to obtain
the greatest possible benefit il in
cludes business arithmetic, bookkeeping,
shorthand and English, with typewriting
and mechanical drawing as electives
In the second year are added commercial
law and commercial geography.
One of the most encouraging features of
the school is the success which its gradu-
stes have attained. Within four months