The times., 1899-11-21

Al important ting Cf the Citizens
Association q TakoMa Taik was he'd at
Takoma HzIl last rIzit. duziag the coarse
OF which tie District pubic school S $
tcm was severely scored bg W. g. Plat
and j. J. Campbell, the latter former
teacher.
There was a large attendance Of ciu-
xens when the meeting was called 10 order
by the new president. j. B. Klunear as
It had been very generally known that the
meeting was TO BE- one OF the most i'm
portant OF the year. After the minutes OF
the previous meeting were read and ap-
proved and several new members were
elected, the reports from the various com
mittaes were called for.
Chairman S. r. Brown. Of the commi- tee
On sewers and sanitation. read the report
Of his committee He stated that be had
seen the Engineer Commissioner Of the
District regarding the question Of effect
ing proper sewerage arrangements for the
District portion Of the Park. He reported
that the Commissioner would do ali in lis
power to push the project TO a successful
ending by next year. The Maryland au
thorities in charge Of the portion OF the
village in that State had been reported to
be making arrangements for the erection
OF q water works in some portion OF the
Park. George A. Warren. the clerk OF the
common council was called upon for
statement Of the progress OF the plans.
He reported that an engineer had been
engaged by the council and that the work
OF establishing the works would be begun
as soon as possible in the spring
After several examinations the city Off
CisIs selected The Tskoma spring as the
place from which to secure their water
supply and il was expected that the yield
or water would be about 10000 gallons
per day. These statements we're also IN
cluded in the report Of the committee on
water and lights.
The report Ct the committee on streets
and walks was next The reading NJ this
renort oecasioned considerable discussion
as 10 the attitude of the common council
toward the Citizens Association. Chair
man Homer Guerry. Of The streets commit
tee stated that he had several times COM
muLicated with the council and had re-
ceiVcd 10 reply.
AT This statement George A. Warren
said that the committee had received an
Acknowledgement Of their letter. and hat
he could prove il b- his letter press. Mr..
GuerTy then remembered that the cCm-
mittee had received an acknowledgment.
but he reminded NJ. Warren that attached
10 the end Of the letter was statement
10 the effect that The council had no funds
10 spend on street improvements, and that
they had expended a sum exceeding 500
Ca street that cid not need improve
Iacn;s As much as some OF those the com
mit11e had recommended.
j. III. Clark. member OF this committed.
endorsed Air- Guerry's remarks and stated
mat the council did net appear 10 take
notice of the letters Of the association.
Mr. Plat then stated that he vas 6 mem
hsr Of the council and he remembered
The letters from the street committee
which were received ar one Of their meet
inEs. he stated that the communications
had been referred 10 the councils COM
mittee on streets and nothing had been
heard Of them since then.
The discussion came 20 IN abrupt end
bv The introduction Of Blair Lee who pre-
senIed a resolution similar To the one
which was adopted by the Bightwood As
sociation ~ its last meeting. The rezo-u-
t.on related 10 the pToporti0uate returns
from taxes and the inequality Of the ap-
preparations with regard TO the centres OF
population IN the District
Al the conclusion OF Mr.. Lees address
The report of the school committee was
called for. Chairman j. II. Clark reported
the progress which was being made On the
now in the hands Of the architect. and then
read resolution which was adopted at
The last meeting Of the lexington Ciu-
Zens' Association requesting the co-oDera-
tion Of all the associations in the Distri [
IN ehecIiHg restoration OF arithmetic
10 the curriculum Of the eighth grade
schools.
Fred. Harries stated, at the conelus. on
Of the reading OF the resolution. that the
fataf Of HHr q
schools was generally misunderstood. Fe
said that he had attended the last meet
ing Of the beard OF trustees and had Learn
I'd that D. was not the intention OF the
school authorities 10 have the study eli
minated entirely. but 20 change the course,
la order that the FIRST part Of the session
might be devoted 10 The study Of algebra
while the latter portion would be given
over TO arithmetic u. @. Plat was TeeOg-
Hized III this point and be made a ylgor-
GUS protest against the methods employed
ia The District schools. He characterized
Them as faulty In every particular.
1t Is prGpOsIerous 10 believe" he said
'that a child twelve or thirteen years Of
bge has mastered the study Of arithmetic.
Il is the most important thing they can
study, and they cannot get TOO much OF
g. Ask any Of the graduates OF the Wash
fngton high schools the simplest question ia
=
them anything in percentage and il is lay
opinion that they wll ECt know what sou
are talking about except lu vague way.
Examine any Of their cOmDosi.I0us and
you viii 1ud glariug errors Of orthography
The school system iu the District is nC
school system. IL does not teach properly
What does the child have 10 90 with al
zebra. philosophy, and astronomy ! have
a boy ten years old iu the sixth grade. and
fe brings hone book after hook a. u!ght t(
study branches that do him 10 good II
brings home volumes OF LorgfelloH. s
poems. And what has he 10 90 with them
Make pen pictures Of EysngeiiEe2 Imagin.
chiId Of ten making pictures Of Evan
LzliEs, z am heartily iu favor OF the res
aoratL0G Cf arithmetic 10 its old position
.u the eighth grade Switch the ztua.e
about again. Throw out algebra alto
gciter
They pretend to say that We canno
change ihis. laat the Commissioners wal
not make the changes at our suggestion
We have the power o. make any changi
We want Our children shall D. Jaugh
that which viii ft them FOR their lulur.
lie"
The address Of Mr. Platt was heartily ap
piauded all az The members seeming tc con
cur 10 the views he expressed. Prof j. !
Campbell. for twenty-five years a teache
N the public schools then spoke. He sah
De did not think the cdud could master al
the branches Of arithmetic in The sever
grades allotted 10 that study Il had be6i
his observation thar the average pupi
learned more IN his hCme than al school
aad be was greatly ID favor Of the adap
1icu Of The resolution OF the lexington As
scciation- The motion TO adopt was theI
a. ia