Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-10
NEW RULES ADOPTED
Important Action of the Board of
School Trustees.
CHANGES WERE MADE NECESSARY
The School Divisions to Be ENTIRELY
REMEMBERED.
OTHER lotion TAKEN

An adjourned meeting of the board of
trustees Of public schools was held at tn,
Franklin building yesterday afternoon, at
which considerable important business was
transacted. There were present Messrs.
Whelpley Gin the chair, Darlington, Har-
| ries, Bruce, Shadd, Cornish and Hazen, Mrs.
Stowell and Mrs. Terrell
Changes In the Schools.
The following changes in the schools were
| announced by the trustees of the various
| divisions and received the approval of the
board:
Second division A-Promote-H. A. Duffy
| from sixth to seventh grade; o. A. Ebert
| from fifth to sixth; Susie Purcell from fourth
| to fifth; w. E. Barton from third to fourth;
M. -. Wood from second to third; Margaret
Williamson from first to second. Appoint
Alice Hanley, normal graduate, to teacher,
first grade; II. G. Paddon, Janitor, Peirce
annex. Leave of absence-L. G. Nash.
Fifth division-Leave of'absence has been
| granted to NJ. c. o. Lazenby and E. L. Du-
vail, teachers.
| Sixth division "A -Appoint-Thomas F.
Tucker, janitor Brightwood School, vice
| Peter Bransom, resigned; Edward L. Saul
Smith. resigned; Henson Williams, janitor
at Ivy City.
| Eighth division A-Leaves Of absence
granted M. E. Benjamin, teacher, for three
| teacher, for three months from January 1.
Free Library Endorsed.
Mr.. Harries offered the following resolu-
| ton:
Whereas the public educational system
| of the District of Columbia would be ma
terially strengthened by the establishment
| Of free public library and reading room,
| therefore be it
| Resolved, That the board Of trustees of
public schools of the District of Columbia
! heartily indorses Senate bill 1247 and House
| bill 1929, which have for their object the
| establishment and maintenance Of such q
| free public library and reading room as has
| been proposed and urged by the Washing
ton board Of trade
Mr.. Harries pointed out briefly the mani
! fold benefits to be derived from the estab-
| lishment of the proposed free public library
! and reading house and referred especially
| to its advantage as an aid to the public
| school system in the general cause of edu-
| cation and progress.
Mr.. Bruce gave a hearty second to the
motion for the adoption Of the resolution.
Among the pressing duties which devolve
upon the board from time to time" he said,
there has been no measure of greater inn
portance before us than the free library
bill, nor one in which the people of the Dis
| trict take so deep an interest. It is, in fact,
the peoples measure. For the, last few
| months have been spoken to by representa-
tives Of all classes of the people Of this Dis
| trict advocating favorable action in this d.
| the resolution will receive the unanimous
| Endorsement of the board"
The resolution was then put to the meet
| irg and was adopted by reclamation.
The Revised Rules.
The report Of the special committee ap-
pointed to revise the rules and bylaws Of
! the public schools was then taken up. 1t was
| submitted by Mr.. Harries, and was the
subject Of full and free discussion, in
| which all the trustees participated. Mrs.
| Stowell and Mrs. Terrell in particular
showing deep interest and a comprehen-
| sive knowledge of the details Of the school
| system. The rules by which the schools
were governed were adopted in January.
1889. and were found to be unsuitable for
the present system, which has undergone
provements since the date named. A re-
vision of the rules, so as to make them
conform to the present order Of things was
determined upon several months ago, and
the important work of bringing them up to
date was intrusted to q committee of
which Mr.. Harries was the chairman.
Many of the old rules were obsolete and
frapplicable to the present situation, many
Others required important changes, and in
several instances 1t was found necessary to
make entirely new rules to cover subjects
that have come within the province of the
board since the rules of 1889 were put into
force.
The revised rules were considered sepa-
| rately and were passed by, unless objection
separate schools for white children and for
colcred children, in accordance with exist
| ing laws. The second rule came in for
some discussion. 1t provides that the
humber of teachers appointed for each d.
vision shall not be less than one for each
! fifty pupils of the average enrolment. 1t
| developed that Mrs. Stowell, Superintendent
Powell and others considered the average
number of pupils for each teacher as ex-
cessive, but that no change could be made
| without the special authority of Congress.
| Mrs. Stowell thought the average enroll
ment should be thrty-five pupils. In re-
spcnse to an inquiry, the superintendent
| said that the actual average enrolment at
present is forty-five. Finally, on motion of
as to provide that, so far as practicable,
the enrolment shall be limited to forty
pupils for each school.
High School Director.
An important change was made in the
rules pertaining to the High Schools, by
which the principal Of the Central High
School is made director of the first six
divisions, under the control of the superin-
tendent, and shall aid the superintendent
in advising High School teachers as to the
best methods of instruction and govern
ment." This rule was made for the pur-
pose Of insuring uniformity Of instruction
in all the High Schools, and the principal
of the Central High School was designated
as director because Of his peculiar fit
ness for the place. and also because the
Central is the largest Of the four High
Schools affected. Mrs Stowell was inclined
to believe that his selection might be con-
strued as discrimination against the
other High Schools. She favored a rule
placing the selection of the High School
director at the discretion of the board but
she failed In her effort to have the rule so
amended.
Remembering the School Divisions.
A long series of bylaws was then pre-
scented for consideration. the feature Of
which Of chief general interest was the re-
numbering of the school divisions of the