The Washington times., 1895-06-19

A night high school was now established
and proved a great incentive TO the
pupils of the lower grades in having
goal toward which to work. The promise
of receiving a certificate showing that a
course OF night school trimming had been
completed was OF the greatest value to
the schools, the attending pupils, and
the community at large. The students
became pcrceptibly more regular in their
attendance and a marked improvement
was shown in the scholarship of the
schools. Several certificates We're earned
BY pupils during the year Just ended, hav
ing graduated from tie Night High School.
During tie first year the Night High
School occupied the Franklin School Build
ing under the direction of one teacher,
Who had under him nineteen pupils at
tie beginning of the year, this attend
auce steadily growing until at the close
of the session there were seventyfiye
pupils enrolled, the feculty having been
Increased to six teachers, including the
principal, Prof +. A Springer whohas been
at the head OF this department of the
night schools since the beginning up to
tie present time.
I ne following extracts taken from an
article ca tie Night High School by Ralph
+. Upton, OF the Business High School,
which srPeared in the p8rer representing
that school, VIII be interesting as show
ing TIC present scope OF the Night High
School:
''oa March II. 1895, the Night High
School closed TIE most successful year of
its existence. This year has demonstrated
that tie attendance of the pupils is suffi-
cieHly regular 10 warrant tho assumption
that appreciation Of tie advantages Of
the sctCol is greatly on the increase. In
some OF the classes the attendance on
. - Tori ..Rt IL,
compared in regularity very favorahly with
that OF many OF the day schools, and when
one considers the obstacles and tempta-
lions TO lie surmoUlted by those who at
tend from evening to evening the re-
suits attained by this school, both in
attendance ard scholarship, are very sur
pTisinG.
TIE total enrolment was 400 OF this
number 372 were under twenty-five years
of age: AZ between twenty and thirty
five; 3 Lctween thirty-five and forty-five,
and over ioTty-five. One pupil, when
asked her age, remarked. My gray hair
speaks for self" This great diversity
in the age Of the pupils does not cause
that embarrassment on the part OF teachers
that one would think it might, as rearly
all who come and brave the storm and
slcet Of winter ard resist the allurements,
social and other, which conspire against
regularity in attendance, to get the few
hours OF instruction here weekly distrib-
uted, are OF the material that 10 slight
disparity of age IN classes lessons their
enthusiasm for instruction or Hunts their
inclination for knowledge. 1t is wei to
add that the average age is twenty-five
The curriculum embraced the following
studies: Latin, bookkeeping, typewriting,
drd wing, arithmetic, geometry, short
hand, ana English. There were many in
the faculty WHO are also teachers in the
Business High School These two schools
have always worked hand in hand. They
have occupied the same building stree
the establishment of the night school. as
the latter school has felt the need OF type
writers and other concomitants, which
are uaIy available III the Business Highs
building"
This Night High School fills q peculiar
niche in our common school system of the
District, and ii hutild be given greater
eucourIE cement. Those who attend, both
teachers and pupils, do so with great
sacrifice VI both private business and social
duties. and al tie present writing the great
success of the school has not warranted the
cool reception that il has received in some
quarters probably due TO ignorance in
great measure of the workings OF this
branch anG If its beneficial results. This
year at the closing hours the pupils have
been clamOring for an increased cur
rlclllum, ana nave asked lHdI COURSES ne
added in 1giC, Greek, German, and French.
The great enthusiasm shown this year in
a new course in rhetoric introduced in the
English department. and the desire of the
geometry class to continue their course
after the close of the school under Miss
Throckmorton shows the caliber of the
average Night High School pupil, and
when we consider that many Of these very
pupils are themselves taxpayers, it seems
that greater and closer attention should be
given to their wants