The record-union., 1896-01-07

Judgment the location of the school was
proper, and that if q sufficient number
of pupils was not sent to justify it's
maintenance it would be abandoned.
and their children would be excluded
from the white schools. We also guar
anteed their children police protection
in going to and coming from school.
This school was established on three
months trial, and at the end of that
time the board felt justified in continu-
ing it permanently. The pupils have
made remarkable progress. particular
ly in penmanship, and their parents
evince more interest by attending the
public exercises than do those of the
white children.
THE NIGHT SCHOOLS.
A night school had been maintained
in the city for quite a number of years.
with varying interest and success. In
the latter part of 1894 this board insti-
tuted measures designed to popularize
the institution, and Immediately the at
tendance began to increase, and an ad-
ditional teacher was found to be neces-
sary This increase of pupilage has
since been constant, so that now por-
tion of the upper story of the Perry
building is also fitted up and occupied
with classes, and the lower floor is used
for the accommodation of the more ad-
vanced pupils.
At the beginning of the present school
year a class in mechanical drawing was
established, under the direction of E.
Martin Hoen, and it has proved phe-
nomenaI success. 1t is composed mostly
of earnest young men who are design
ing to add a useful branch to their prac-
tical accomplishments; and the good
that this study will bring to them is so
manifest that I feel justified in point
ing to this feature as one of the most
valuable of the department.
In line. with this is the establishment
of a class in electrical science. This
class. however, is located in the High
School building because of lack of
room in the Perry building. This
branch is not under the control of the
board. The National School of Elec-
tricity, which had its origin in Chicago
during the Worlds Fair, and which has
established and is maintaining schools
of electricity in the principal cities OF
the Union, proposed to this board,
through a representative, that if we
would furnish a room, a school would be
established in this city.
In view of the fact that Sacramento
has in it's control the most extensive
electrical power, perhaps, in the world,
and that the doors are opening to the
employment of many men who will be-
come skilled in that science, and also
that there was an eagerness manifested
by a large number to join the proposed
o1o Nd al i11Gfifind i'm ~
couraging it's establishment to the ex-
tent of furnishing a room rent free.
From the outlook I am inclined to be-
lieve that the class will be a success. On
the opening night some thirty pupils
were enrolled.
There is also taught in the night
schools a class in shorthand and type
writing-both business and profess
sional necessities of this day. The
class is instructed by Mrs. j. G. Har-
mon. There are twenty-five pupils on
the roll. The glass has been established
about a year, and the results have been
gratifying. Some of the High School
pupils have attended to gain a knowl-
edge of shorthand to use in future at the
university in taking notes Of lectures.
The pupils in the course Of the term
acquire a speed that is In every way
practical for business purposes, with
their proficiency depending, of course,
on their application. This class was
at first regarded as experimental. but
the results that have followed its estab-
lishment have long since demonstrated
that it is fixture.
With relation to the night schools
generally, I voice the sentiment of the
board that it fully appreciates their inn
portance, and that all reasonable en-
couragement will be extended to them.
The students who attend are earnestly
desirous of acquiring useful knowledge.
With many of them there have been
life circumstances that have impeded
the acquisition Of knowledge, and they
are availing themselves of this oppor-
tunity for study after the hours of
their daily labor. That little of the pub
lie money expended in the maintenance
of these schools is yielding the most
immediate results; and tends directly to
the betterment of the condition of very
deserving class of our people.
THE PRIMARY AND GRAMMAR
SCHOOLS.
Of the primary and grammar schools
laws directly control, and with which
the city charter has practically no ap-
plication, little need be said, for there
have been no circumstances connected
with them of unusual moment. Th4
growth of the city calls for the estab-
lishment of from two to three additional
primary classes each year, and for the
establishment of a new grammar school
building about every ten years. The
primary school facilities are adequate
throughout the city. except in the ex-
treme southeastern portion. The
changes of the population centers have
made it difficult to at all periods ac-
commodate conditions to our buildings
For instance, we may take the territory
north of K street At the time when
| the Union building was erected, at Sew
enth and G streets (the first large
structure that was built). a large part
of the residence portion of the city was
within its reasonable limits.
Since, however. the railroad shooS
and the business section have impinged
to a considerable extent, on the district
and the tend of residence construction
has been in other directions, so that
that building is and will be fully ade-
quate for the accommodation of the
children of it's district. The Washing
ton building, at Thirteenth and C. has