Evening star., 1896-09-17
The Primary Schools of Primary Inn
pOrtance.

The Primary Schools of Primary 1m-
pOrtance.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In addition to other interesting informa-
ton, The Evening Star Almanac prints
statistics which show that the public school
fund of the District of Columbia, per
capita, far exceeds that of the average in
the United States. We cannot, therefore,
reasonably expect any increase per capita
in that fund, but the money we have could
be spent more economically and more
profitaby.
Every year great complaint is made
to overcrowding in the schools. Many
pupils in the lower grades can attend for
only half the day. There is a remedy for
this evil, and the trustees have the power
to apply it without legislation. 1t Is made
by law (section 30, Revised Statutes. d.
c. the duty of the school trustees Ito pre-
scribe the course of study and the text
books to be used in the schools and
generally to prescribe rules and regua-
tions for the management, good govern
ment and well-orderins of said schools.
The organizing and grading OF the
schools is done by the trustees. High
schools are not specially provided for by
law.
The remedy is this: Abolish the high
schools and use the buildings and money
for the primary grades and for manual
training SCHOOLS. IN the nlSn SCnOOlS tney
teach music, algebra, geometry. trigo-
nometry. analytical geometry, surveying.
Latin. Greek French, German, physics.
chemistry, botany, mineralogy, etc, rather
a formidable curriculum for free school
The government should give every child
a good English education. but nothing
more should be attempted. There are a
number of fine private schools and col
leges in Washington. The public high
schools simply intrude in a cheap and
superficial way upon the rightful domain
of the excellent private institutions which
deserve the patronage of all who care for,
or need, the higher education.
1t is matter Of common comment that
our public schools undertake to teach too
much. In his report to the German gov
ernment % on our public schools Professor or
| studies undertaken in the common
schools AS reported in The Star of re-
| cent date, Prof. Scharf said further: THE
| inductive method of teaching is in full
| the pupils in Independent and original
| thought. Accordingly, teachers rarely ex-
plain a doubtful point, but encourage the
| pupils to look up the subject again. even If
| the whole class has failed to answer the
! question. This frequently causes the pupils
| to grope in the dark, without any hope Of
| seeing the light, and the teacher mis-
takes this cropping for thinking. 1t Is evil
| dent that thinkers of this kind will turn
out to be very poor mowers
The figures for 1876 have not been pub
| nSneQ, Dut IN 1879 the cost per pupil IN the
! high schools was S4O.52, while it was only
| $12.1o in the primary grades and $1.10 for
| manual training. The primary schools and
| manual training are vastly more important
| than higher education, as the great ma
| jority Of children must become self-sup-
| porting by manual labor or in business re-
| Quiring education only in the primary
| branches. Those who have the talent and
| ambition to go higher will find the means.
| By aboltshing the high schools and using
| the buildings for primary grades. and using
| the money saved for the lower grades and
| for manual training, much more good
| would be accomplished with the same ap-
| preparation.
| 1t is unjust to compel taxpayers to bear
| the expense of teaching children Latin
| Greek and higher mathematics, which, In
| many cases, only makes prigs of persons
| who cannot earn $40 a week in any useful
! occupation.
To teach young children is far more diff
| ficult than instruction in the higher grades
the best pay, should be employed in the
| primary grades
| The attention of the Commissioners is in.
| vited to the act of June %. 1864, still ir
| force In this District, but seldom enforced
| That law is as follows: Every person ir
the District of Columbia, having under
control any child between the ages OF
eight and fourteen years, shall annually
during the continuance Of such control
send such child to some public school IL
that part of the District in which he shall
at the time reside, at least twelve weeks
six of which shall be consecutive and fol
every neglect of such duty the party of
Tending shall forfeit to the use Of the Dis
trict a sum not exceeding $40, to be re
covered before any justice of the peace O.
the District
THOMAS w. GILMER,