Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-24
DISTRICT SCHOOLS
THE
Result Of an Inspection by the Board of
Trade Committee.
Surprised by the Magnitude OF the
System-Methods Generally Approx.
ed - Manual Training.

VI tlaue commlttee on schools, has submit
ted the following report:
The committee on schools have spent az
much time as possible in visiting schools
OF the District, In inspecting the school
buildings in examining the system under
which the schools are conducted and the
manner IT. which the work is done under
that system.
The first duty imposed upon the COM
nl:ttee was very pleasant one, and con-
sisted In arranging for patriotic addresses
to the scholars on the occasion of the
celebration of the anniversary of the birth
OF George Washington. The suggestion
was made by yourself and this committee
very cordially co-operated in the prac-
tical execution of the suggestion. Very
h'ahy members of the board of trade ami
othef prominent ana public spirited citi-
1ens kindly consented to address the
Schoois upon that occasion. The time al
lowed and the novelty of the work did not
permit the extension of the plan to all the
scf"ols. but in all the larger and more
Important, and in very many of the small
er, patriotic and instructive addresses were
'ade TO the scholars. The report in every
Instance showed that the exercises, in
"nich the children joined. were in a very
righ degree interesting and were doubtless
productive of very great benefit
Your committee have been very agree
AMY impressed, in their examination Of
the schools. although that examination,
much to the regret of the committee, has
Deen very incomplete. The school houses,
though, perhaps in some cases not sufi-
clent for the complete accommodation of
the scholars, are we'll arranged. well VEN
tilated and well kept We inspected the
easements and the basement accommo-
datiors and found them very complete, ex-
ceedingly clean and well ventilated, and
In gccd sanitary condition. The school
rooms also we found well ventilated and
well suited to their uses.
A Great System.
The magnitude of the school system In
this District had not before been appre-
ciated by US. We find that, including the
night schools, there are about forty-nve
thousand pupils under public instruction in
this District 1t Is a matter of common
remark, but the import of it does not seem
always to be fully comprehended. that
der training to take the place of
the men and women Of today
and that the work OF the principals
and teachers is the most important that is
done in the community. Our examination
has confirmed us in the belief that this
" ork is well done. We are unable, in the
tine allowed US, to to into any detailed &C
count OF the system Of instruction or the
out The central idea, however, of the
system appears to us to be in harmony
with the primary meaning of the word
education" The objects sought to be ac-
Of the children with facts and informa-
| ton. as the training of them to observe
and reflect. and to express orally and in
writing the results Of their observation and
reflection. The children are taught. begin
ming with the lowest grade, to exercise
both the mind and the hands Manual and
mental instruction go together. The chill
dren in the lowest grade are led to OBJ
ho CT Nlrcf htv,rrc
ly their parts and appearances, to count
the parts and then to state in their own
language what they see. AS the instruc-
ton proceeds 1t goes from the simplest to
the more complicated, and as the subject
examined includes IL greater number of
parts, the expression of it proceeds also
from simple to more complicated express
sion, and the simplest sentences increased
The teacher stands over the child and cor
reefs his articulation and instructs him
In the use Of words. The system seems
to be orderly and Oh philosophic principles.
1t Is rot at first book learning. but it is the
foundation Of book learning. which is orig
inal observation and reflection. Then,
when the children have been taught for
themselves to some extent, to see and
think, they are Introduced to books; and,
from rejecting and describing what they
have seen of things. they are led to OBJ
serve and explain what they see in books
Having (unconsciously. perhaps) found out
the eIeSSity VI tHe use Oh "OruS and
forms of expression in their attempt to de.
scribe what they have seen in things, they
are In better position to appreciate the
| words and sentences in the descriptions
which they find in the books.
Minds, Eyes and Hands.
This idea is developed in other and high
er grades. and the minds and the eyes and
| hands of the children are trained together
by this method. In it's higher develop
| ment the system takes on more practical
forms and the children are taught prac.
teal work: the girls sewing, and the boys
carpentering and blacksmith work. and the
construction Of machines These practical
results have appeared to us to be Of the
highest Importance and we have been sur
prlsed at the excellence of the work done
| by the boys and girls in the Industrial de-
partment of the schools. 1t seems wonder.
| full that so much could be accomplished by
the children in learning to sew, in wood
| working, and In metal working, by the use
| or very few hours each month in the in.
dustrial rooms; this work being apparently
! incidental to the general system Of in.
struct1on. The result must be that while
| all the scholars are better trained ana
| learn something Of great practical use III
| after life, many of those having higher
| opportunities for special work must ac
! quire sound beginning of skillful, prac
| tical workmanship.
An elective element runs through tn
! whole system IN the higher grades, so lkat
! those having special aptitudes can devote
| more time to special subjects.
! I'VE were pleased to observe that, to
very large extent, at least, the teachers
were really instructors and were in men
| tai contact with the children, giving then