Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-29
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Their Origin andGrowth in the District
Of Columbia.
PRESENT ORGANIZATION is UNIQUE
At One Time There Were Four
Boards in Existence.
COMPILATION OF THE LAWS

THE laws relating to city school boards
Is the subject of a recent compilation by
the bureau of education, in which, among
others, complete history of the schools
of the District of Columbia is given.
The organization of the school system of
the District of Columbia is regarded as
unique.
Prior to 1871 says Mr. James C. Boy
kim the author of this compilation of
school laws the District of Columbia was
composed of three distinct corporations,
independent of each other, but all amenable
to the control of the Congress of the United
States. These corporations were the city
OF Washington, the city Of Georgetown,
and the levy court, which governed the
county, or that part of the District which
lay outside the limits of the two cities
TIE city OF Washington was the most pop
uious and most important of the three
corporations.
The first act of the city of Washington
relative TO schools was passed in 1904 by
the city council, and established a per-
Inanent institution for the education of
the youth OF The city of Washington. Su-
perintendeEce of the schools was placed
under the direction of thirteen trustees
seven Of whom were elected annually ky
the councils and six were chosen by those
who contributed $40 for the promotion of
SCHUOiS, edcn contributor having
votes as he had contributed sums of $40.
I'm 1916 the city was divided into two
districts with separate boards of trustees
who were elected in part by the city coui,-
ellis and in part by contributors as be-
fore.
First Real System.
THE first real attempt to inaugurate q
public school system in the modern sense
was that of 1874, the schools having been
previously in the nature of charity schools.
The schools were then put in charge Of
a board of trustees Of twelve members
elected by the city councils, three from
each of the four school districts, the mem
bers from each district constituting SUBJ
board for that district. The method of APP
pointing the trustees was changed in 1853,
the mayor receiving authority to appoint
with the advice and consent of the board
of aldermen. By the same act of the city
council the mayor was made ex-officio
president of the board of trustees. aud the
appointment Of the secretary and the
treasurer Of the board was also given to
him.
In all this time the real control of the
schools was in the hands of the city gov
eminent, to whom Congress had given
power to provide for the superintendent
of the public schools and to endow and
collect taxes for the same
THE trustees of the schools received
limited powers from the city councils, but
the latter reserved the right to suspend
or revoke any Of those powers and to ex-
ercise supervision over all the acts CT the
board, even to the minutiae of school dis
cipline. The power Of making all appro-
priations, of electing the officers of the
beard and of altering its organization, of
determining the grade and number of
schools, and of fixing the salaries of the
teachers was retained by the city councils
Provision for superintendent of pub
lie schools was made in 1860, and his sal
airy was fixed at $500 year. He was
appointed by the mayor, with the advice
ard consent of the board of aldermen, was
directed to preside at the meetings of the
board in the absence OF the mayor, and
was entitled to vote on all questions be-
the powers of the Office were curtailed and
the superintendent was made practically
the executive officer of the board.
The ColOred Schools.
I'm 1862 the colored schools Of Washing
ton and Georgetown were organized by
act Of Congress under a separate board
of trustees Of three members one appoint
ed each year for three years by the Sec
rotary Of the Interior. These trustees were
to receive a share of all moneys appro-
priated for schools in proportion to the
number of colored children to the whole
number of children.
THE number of trustees was increased
from three to nine in 1873 and their ap-
pointment was given to the governor of
oIed schools was established in 1867.
THE three distinct corporations, namely
the ci>y of Washington, the city Of George
town and the levy court for the county
of Washington, were abolished in 1871 and
in their stead was substituted single
territorial government, having a governor
and a legislative assembly. Congress made
1t the duty of that assembly to maintain
n system of free schools in the District
but provided that all the acts of the old
corporations should remain in force till
repealed. In August, 1871. the legislative
assembly enacted that there should be
three boards Of school trustees in the Dis
trict, one for Washington one for George
town and one for the county.
The Board of Trustees.
THE board Of trustees for the city of
Washington was to be composed of twenty
members, five from each of the four school
districts OF the city. That of GEORGETOWN
was to have two members from each of
the council districts Of the city Gt had
five members in 1873 and the board of the
county was to have seven members These
were all to be appointed by the governor
for term of two years each. This act
with another act passed two days later
provided for a superintendent of schools
secretary and treasurer for each of the
three school organizations, who were also
to be appointed by the governor All these
trustees AID officers were directed to per-
form The duties of their respective office
anu al laws ana ordinances of the three
cid corporations were declared to he In
force in the respective localities except
SO far as they might have been affected BY
the acts OF the legislative assembly.
THE act of Congress of 1862 establishing
a board OF trustees for colored schools. Of
course. remained in force. SO that there
were still four school boards in existence
each independent of the other.
Reaching Consolidation.
I'm 1874 government for the District
by commission of three persons, as in
force at present. was formed. The Com
missicners made numerous changes in the
government of the school. They consoli-
dated the four school boards into one
board of fifteen members. nine Of whom
were to he residents OF Washington three
OF Georgetown and three of the county
A month later the number was increased
to nineteen. two additional members being
appointed from Washington and two more
from the county.
ssIn the n Con1reas If 1879 proyld,,,.-