Evening star., 1899-02-08
CHILDREN ARE PATRIOTIC
Report of Superintendent Powell to the Dis
triot Commissioners.
The Information Supplied for Use of
the Grand Army of the
Republic.

To enable the District Commissioners to
furnish the information to Mr. A. n.
Thompson, assistant inspector general of
the Department of the Potomac G.. A. r..
Mr.. w. B. Powell, superintendent of public
schools has reported to them as follows:
''The schools, by special request of the
superintendent. furnish flowers every year
for the decoration of soldiers graves. On
Decoration day schools are closed in OBJ
servance of the event. Our contributions
at these times are generous and are given
with thought, the attention of the children
being called to the object of the contribu-
tion.
THE flag floats from every school house
| in the District, Congress making special an
nual appropriation for this purpose. The
nag had hoated over nearly every school
mouse In the District years before Congress
made any appropriation therefor, the
teachers procuring the flags by means of
concerts and other entertainments
Patriotic exercises are held in the
schools. Memorial exercises are held on
the anniversary of Washington's birthday
The board of trade for the last four years
has furnished presiding officers and speak
ers for the various schools of the District
The meeting of the members of the board
of trade with the teachers principals and
pupils of the public schools has been an an
nual occasion of great interest and profit
able inquiry into the character purpose
and philosophy of our government and it's
relation to the lives and conditions of the
children.
Flag Day Exercises.
other patriotic exercises are held during
the year, as, for instance an hour or two
are given to the observation of Flag day
On these occasions the history of the flag
is made known and talked about patriotic
songs are sung, and essays are read by the
children.
The life and services of Lafayette were
brought to the minds of the children during
the past year by their being asked to con-
tribute a small amount for a monument to
be erected to his memory in the near future.
United States history is A part of the
course of instruction from the lowest pri-
mary grade to and including the high
schools, graded according to the capabili-
ties of the children. 1t is the primal pur-
pose in teaching of the United States his
tory in our schools to show the VARYING
natures and values of our institutions; what
they have cost in treasure in blood and in
thought; what they mean to us and what
they mean to the world. In doing this the
llves OF our great men are made prominent.
frequently the occasions of the finishing
OF subjects are used as opportunities for
public exercises that are distinctly patriotic
in their nature
The national songs are a part of the
music course, which we strive to have
sung understandingly.
IN many of our schools, though this has
not been mandatory and universal the flag
Is USED as an ornament, and is saluted
ree9iariy quarry as part of the opening exercises
lnalIy, one of the characteristic features
or the Washington schools is that of teach
ing patriotism and humanitaranism
Inc history of the civil is taught
from text books, which are furnished in
great variety. Many reference books by
accepted authors are also in use Free and
generous discussion is encoura ged In This
and all other history work"