Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-14

be planned and developed on the same
wise. broad and systematic lines that char
acterize the design of the surface city.
Committees for Intellectual and
Moral Development.
The Committee on Public Schools CA. p.
Pardon, chairman; 26 members), demon
strates the economy and the wisdom of
the greatest Hberaiity in erecting new
school buildings; recommends development
of kindergarten instruction, and of the
manual training school; and urges that
there should be no abridgment of facilities
in daily attendance In the first six grades
About 60 per cent of the pupils leave our
schools with the sixth grade A large ma
jority do SO not from choice but from ne
cessfty. Some plan should be devised for
this 60 per cent to equip them best we
can for the practical work which by neces-
sity they must undertake at an early age
to write legibly. to spell the ordinary words
in our language accurately, in arithmetic
to calculate rapidly and correctly, and to
acquire as much of the grammatical use
or the language as they may be able to
master. The committee queries If it would
not be well after the completion of the
sixth grade work that two courses be ar
ranged, one preparatory to the high school
proper, the other preparatory for practical
life or the business high school or manual
training school.
IN pursuance of an admirable custom over
200 citizens were invited to preside over or
to deliver addresses at the exercises in the
public schools on the anniversary of Wash
ington's Birthday, and these exercises were
conducted with Increased interest.
Gratitude is expressed for Mr.. Carnegies
gift OF S35OOOO for a new public library
building. This library is part of our public
school system. to be appropriated for
equally from the government and District
funds.
The Committee on Universities CIV H.
Singleton, chairman; fifteen members) sets
forth at length the gratifying progress
made during the year in the universities of
the District.
Nothing very definite has been accom-
plfshed toward forming National Univer
sity under the control of the Federal Gov
eminent. Much interest in this regard has
been manifested, especially among the la
dies of the country, who have raised con-
siderable sum of money therefor. But at
recent meeting of prominent educators
called for the purpose in this city it was
considered that it was not opportune nor
eXpedient for any such governmental en-
terprise, and the scheme did not receive the
support Of those who had 1t under advise
ment.
The CoN11ttee on the Public Library q.
w. Babsdn, chairman; eighteen members)
presents congratulations upon the accom-
plishment Of two great purposes, nurtured
and encouraged by the Board. One is the
opening to the public of the Library of
Congress at night; the other the develop
ment of the Washington Public Library,
through the donation of $3Jo,000 by Mr..
Andrew Carnegie for a new building, and
through congressional legislation meeting
the conditions of Mr.. Carnegies gift.
Surely the Library Committee says, .if
this Board could place nothing more to it's
credit during the past year save that which
1t has accomplished in these directions, suf-
| flcient has been done to command the ad-
miration, support and gratitude of every
person in this community The committee
appropriations for the library in the line of
| the library trustees estimates, and in fulfill
ment of a condition of Mr.. Carnegie'S gift.
| AS one means of securing needed books, the
committee recommends that the support of
| the Board of Trade be given TO obtain leg
| islation to lodge with the public library
| the 10000 or 10000 volumes that may be
spared from the libraries of certain of the
| departments of the government, and also
| duplicate volumes, copyrighted and uncopy
| righted. in the Library of Congress The
| final appeal is for the donation of books by
| philosophical citizens to the library as a
| vital part of our educational system, an
| invaluable adjunct of our schools.
| The Committee on Charities and Correc-
| lions tB. T. Janney, chairman; 10 members)
| discusses deliberately and interestingly a
| wide range of topics. The bill authorizing
| the appointment of Board of Charities,
and the bill providing for the compulsory
| support of chtldrenby parents. though earn
| estly pressed, failed to become laws in the
last Congress, but better success is hoped
| for with the national legislature to assem-
Bile in December. Features of the cam
| paign proposed by the committee are % to
remedy the evil of combining prisoners for
| long terms through accumulated sentences
| In the District Jail without employment; %
| to secure the creation of a well-organized
| inebriate asylum: 90 to make safer and
| better provision las through a temporary
| reformatory1 for children who are so I'M
fortunate as to find their way into the
| police and criminal courts; "a to bring
| about the creation of a municipal hospital
| for the care Of the sick and injured poor
| In the city of Washington, including
| chronic and uncurable cases. The argu-
| ment for the last named institution IS
| very strongly put. Its creation is urged as
! absolutely essential, and a vigorous effort
will be made to secure approval of the
project by the next Congress.
Codifying District Law.
Since the date Of my last years annual
| report, in which was noted the completion
of Judge Cox's task of codifying the law.
Of the District, and in which was discussed
| at length the Importance and value of this
| work, substantial progress has been made
toward the goal of the enactment of the
| code into law. First the code, as framed
| by Judge Cox. was printed by the Board OF
| Trade and the Bar Association in conjunc
| ton and copies were distributed for care.
full and thorough consideration. The lega
committee of the Board of Trade, and ar
exceedingly able committee from the Bar
Association, undertook the study of the de-
tails of the proposed law The Bar Asso
citation committee appointed numerous sub
committees of members of the association
each of which considered and reported
| upon particular section or chapter of tn,
| code So great the interest felt by
| every one in this public-spirited task tina
| the courts of the District took recess fol
several weeks in order that uninterrupted
| consideration might he given by bench ant
bar to the code. Finally the amended cod,
as approved by the Bar Association com
mittee was submitted Senate bill
shortly before adjournment for the session
| in order that ii might be printed for con
| venience of consideration. This bulky bill
| is now to receive its final touches, and tn,
| formal approval of the Bar Association ant
| the Board of Trade. 1t will then be in con
dition to be pushed from the very openin,
of Congress. energetically and systemat
ically, everybody cooperating, until 1t be
comes a law.
Suburban Street Extension.
The net results Of the struggle Of thu
last two years over street extensions, anC
| the highway act are as follows:
| % Removal from the statute books o
, the highway act, law which, with othe
evil features, forbade for all time nationa
| participation in the expense of either open