Evening star., 1898-11-22

that amount of generaF knowledge which
VIII assist them in becoming good and use
full citizens? Ought not the children of
the nnprosperous, who are thus handicap
ped in the race Of 'lifegi ahd who possess SO
few opportunities for self development, to
be in very peculiar 3sense the wards of
the community in which they live, and to
enjoy all the advantages which it can con-
fer, especially when the estimate of dis
tinguished educator is recalled, that ma
Jority of human beings acquire before
their eighth year one-Raf of all the knowl-
edge which they ever possess?
1T must be remembered also that a law
for compulsory education is on the statute
books of this District and that no serious
attempts are made to have it oheyed. In
deed, no such law could be other than
dead letter, as long as the present crowded
condition prevails. In 1856 there were T.
600 more children on the school roll than
ton which subsequent years have not
ameliorated. This renders any law to COM
pei the children of the District to go to
school a mockery of legislation
The subcommittee report declares the
congestion in the school attendance in this
city Is greatly aggravated by the large
numbers of children who come INTO the
District every morning from adjoining
states. This invasion, says the report, IS
In direct violation of the law under which
the schools were organized ana in direct
opposition to their best interests. but no
serious attempt seems ever to have been
made to prevent it.
From facts that have come to the COM
mfttee 1t is of opinion that 1000 or 5000
children come into this District every day
and attend school. Most of these live in
Maryland and Virginia. and not less than
800 are children of parents who neither
pay taves in the District nor find employ
ment in the District.
1t is stated from 500 to 1000 are the
chi .dren of clerks and employees who work
in Washington, but who live outside of the
District and pay their taxes 10 increase the
revenues of other communities. Several
hundred come every morning on boats aad
railroad trains from Alexandria, a city
which charges $50 Il year tuition to every
student in its public schools rom outside
the committee, is a gross imposition on this
District and wanton injury to the chill
dren of our primary grades VINO are de-
prived of proper schooling thereby.
superintendents Views.
Mr.. W. B. Powell, superintendent of the
Washington schools, was seen by a reporter
for The Star this morning and interviewed
en- the subjects embraced in the reports.
THE question of admitting outside chill
dren in the Washington schools is not
new one by any means" said he. 1T has
claimed the attention Of the executive de-
partment of the public school system year
after year. We have endeavored to devise
ways and means of excluding all children
OF nonresident and non-taxpaying parents,
Dut IL mas always been found lmpractlcable.
This is federal city, and the conditions
here, as every one must know, are differ
ent from those to be found IN any other
part of the country. There is no law pro-
viding for the collection of tuition from out
side children. Neither is there a law COM
manding me to forbid the attendance of
such children. SO under the circumstances
| see no immediate relief in sight. l think,
however, the number of outsiders In our
schools has been overestimated. From the
latest figures on the subject the number of
children in the public schools whose parents
neither pay ttxeS nor do business in the
city is considerably less than 1000.
Lower Grades Preferred.
In regard to the other point made by the
board of trade committee, / have always
contended that If Washington can furnish
but a limited amount of money for the
schools the beginner should be provided for
first and best of all IA city does more good
IN establishing kindergartens than high
schools. No city, however, should limit Its
educational facilities, to primary schools or
% primary and grammar schools.
washington can uafford schools of all
grades for all the children eligible to at
END Upon the schools our civilization
rests. We need more buildings that we may
10 away with the halliday schools, and bet
er school buildings that our influence may
De greater over the children. We should
not have one class of schools at the expense
II another, but more and better schools IN
Inc with the presenttssstem.