Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-04

Written Exclusively for The Evcnin: Star.
The abolition of the fences around the
public parks of the city" observed the
Waterman Of one of the parks to The Star
reporter, has dore more for the parks
than even the most earnest friend of the
parks ever anticipated. 1t has been
source of education in many ways. and Il
gratifcat ton in every respect. Those of us
who are old enough will remember the
commotion which was produced when it
was announced. some years ago. that the
park fences had to go. Immediately the
cry went up that the parks would be ruin
ed: that the number Of watchmen would
have to be increased. and that even then
there would be no protection in them; that
the shrubbery. plants. grass and flowers
would be ruined in season or two. and
that destruction would be sure to follow.
The most serious argument was made III
behalf of the children and nurses who
were to look after them. 1t was contendeG
that oilers. trampS and everything that was
bad would. as il We're. camp in the parks
TO the exclusion of those who Were intended
to he benefited by the parks. Now. what
is the result? The mere fact that there are
no fences around the parks makes watch
nan of every good citizen, and in short
time those who Were feared found this out.
Though there is much more freedom in TIL.
matter vi allowing 10 play on the
grass much as they desire. there is no
injury. ard the frequent and annoying
raids on the flowers and plants have be
come thing of the past The watchmen
have, besides. much easier time and
while il was necessary. or at least it was
thought il was. to lock the gates at night.
there are now no gates to he locked. |
cannot imagine how any one or any inter-
est has been injured. and I am sure that
all have been benefited by the change. |
must add. however. that | was one of the
old fogies who thought that the abolition
of the fences would be a great and lasting
injury. Happily for me. l was mistaken
!. = : =
Now that the schools are soon to be
opened. said Prof. J. c. Murtagh of New
York. Il viii again urge upon the school
authorities here the value and import ance
Of an Improvement by the extension of
the multiplication table. The old-fashioned
idea of children learning their tables only
up TO twelve times twelve was never right
though it prevailed universally until within
the past ten years. Children as rule
learn the multiplication table as they learn
Il song Ordinarily they can go up to the
twelves in a couple Of months. Ii would
be Of great value to them if the table was
run up TO fifty times fifty. OF course. it
would take them little while longer to
learn it.and some might not be able to learn
the table in one term. but a very large
number would. ard all of them would he
able to learn it in two seasons This has
been demonstrated time and time again in
schools where the extension has been sue
cessfully adopted. In New York state
the law of the .chools requires the multi
pi1cat.On table printed in the arithmetic
carried UP to fifty times fifty. This has
been the law for some years. The same
law prevails i'll other states. 1t NAV he
thai the extra figures are not as much
those up to twelve times twelve but the
children ar benefited by the practice 1t
certainly does them no harm. Who has been
injured by learning songs? The more that
are learned the easier IL is to learn then,
How difficult it is for amateurs to learn
parts IN plays when they first !egin and
yer after they have been at it for several
months they can learn to rcDeat their
parts letter perfect iii few days while
before that It took them weeks. Following
1t w as actors have to do in their pro-
feSSlon they can learn parts in n few
hours TINS is the result of practice The
same practice VIII teach them the extended
multiplication table
\
General Sheridan was not the onlr ofl-
Ger who selected the site for his grave
al Arlington. explained one of the en-
ployes of Arlington cemetery to a Star re-
porter. Though that impression prevails
very largely Hundreds of ether officers
there are today in the books at Arlington
records of sites selected by at least fifty
ex-otticers and ex-solders who want to pc
buried there which is their right if they
desire All that has to be done is TO select
the site The government pays all the ex-
penses of interment. digs the graves places
a regulation monument on il and keeps
the grave in order. OF course when it $
preferred the regulation monument is not
insisted on and the privilege is allowed OF
having any kind of monument at the ex-
pense of those who TO occupy the
grave. or their family or friends Nearly
all OF the army nurses. ladies. who have
been buried at Arlington in the past five
or SIX years have selected their own
burial sites and quite Il number of selec-
tons have been made 10y Others who ex-
pect to rest there.
There is frequent inquiry made in re-
gard 10 the site selected by General Sheri-