Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-17
Enrolment Of Nearly Fifty Thousand
Children This Morning.
REOPENING OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Changes in the System Authoriz-
ed by Congress.
THE COURSE oF STUDY

Vacation days ended, a youthful army Of
nearly fifty thousand children resumed their
march today on the high road to education.
The opening of the public schools OF the
District was accomplished at O'Clock this
morning. under auspices that were most
desirable and encouraging. An ideal au-
tumn day. a sweeping September breeze
and an atmosphere filled with invigorat1ve
qualities put vim and vigor. into children
and teachers alike. and hence the school
year was inaugurated in a brisk, business
like, energetic and enthusiastic manner
The school season this year has begun
little earlier than usual. A week ago.
when the thermometers were registering in
the nineties and there was seemingly no
relief in sight, the early opening of the
schools was looked forward to with some
anxiety and foreboding on the part Of par
ents and officials. Happily, however the
last few days have been marked by lower
mercury, and the heat-jade teachers and
pupils have readily recuperated being In
excellent spirits today and going about their
duties in happy mood. The weather eondi-
tions were delightful.
The Washington scholastic year of 1900
1901 promises to be one fraught with much
interest and industry, the officials being
hopeful OF unusual success. For many
years the school system Of the national
capital was supervised and controlled by
board Of school trustees. These trustees
had for the active head Of the schools, in
the office of superintendent. Mr.. w. B.
Powell. During the past winter persons
Well informed in educational methods and
means, after study Of the system and
course In use here, expressed their oIsap-
prevail of the same. Their views soon
spread over the community, and the result
was complete investigation of me Dis
triet school system by committee Of the
United states Senate. Following this was
the creation of board of education the
members Of which were appointed by the
District Commissioners. with a view to
their standing in the community and espe-
clal htness for acting upon the important
questions which bear upon the proper train
ing and care of the rising generation.
w nile OF very recent origin and organiza-
ton. the board has held eleven meetings
and has gone thoroughly over the field of
IT'S labors, each member working indie
faugabiy and giving more time to school
matters than to his private business almost
The Changes Demanded.
The fact was before the board constantly
that some change was demanded by the
people before the opening of the fall term
The board was unwilling to undertake any
changes until after a comprehensive inves-
ugation Of actual conditions and until it
mad Informed itself thoroughly as to the
best needs Of the systems and the pupils
Inc result was series of meetings held
at snort intervals. At the time of its or
ganlzation the board was the sole feature
OF the educational system of the District in
existence, with the exception of course OF
the various buildings as they stood. There
was some apprehension among teachers
and their friends that the board contem-
plated sweeping change in that corps
These fears and rumors, however proved
ungrounded, for the board found that in
the main the Washington teachers were
capable instructors.
Cd aarlv
to direct its attention chiefly to the higher
powers In the system. This determination
resulted in the selection Of a new super
1ntendent, Encouragement of a number Of
principals, supervising and otherwise, and
the appointment of all, or nearly all, of
the old teaching corps. Contrary to an i'm
preston which has prevailed in some quar-
tiers, the board dismissed no one connected
with the old regime. The old force, from
superintendent TO the most humble janitor
in the city, was done away with when the
became effective Most of the old officials
and employees were candidates for appoint
ment under the changed order of things.
MIR. Stuart Promoted.
Mr. A T. Stuart, a supervising principal,
was chosen to succeed Superintendent
Powell Mr.. Stuart was well known to
nearly all of the members Of the board Of
education and held their entire confidence
Mrs. Ida G. Myers, who for a number of
years was principal of the Normal School.
and DIR. w. S. Montgomery of the High
School were chosen as assistant superintend-
ents. Mr.. b. w. Murch, the former assist
ant, was made principal of the Franklin
School. The appointment of a woman to
the position of assistant superintendent was
deemed wise move by the board on ac-
count of the fact that a very great majority
of the teachers in the public schools are
women. Mrs. Myers was unanimously de-
cided upon as the woman best fitted and
most capable of filling the office. Other
changes and transfers were made as have
from time to time been announced. in The
Star.
Superintendent Stuart at once gave his at
tention to preparing a series of changes In
the course of study to meet his own views
and to coincide with those of the board.
Mr.. Stuart's long connection with the Wash
inSton public schools and his Familiarity
with the subject in hand made the changes
suggested by him entirely acceptable to the
board.
Suggestions Adopted.
AT its last meeting the board adopted the
following recommendations of the superin-
tendent regarding the curriculum:
81 That arithmetic be taught throughout
the entire year in the eighth grade and
that no algebra be taught below that grade
That in all grades less time and at
tention be given to physical geography and
more tc the human side of geography-com-
mercial, political and place geography. with
the geography of current events specially
taught.
That Our Continent be omitted. as too
diffcult for seventh grade pupils. 1t may
be used only as a reference book
That geology be dropped from the
eighth grade.
n. That English grammar be taught from
text books in the SIXTH seventh and eighth
grades, with less attention to formal SEN
tence analysis and more to correct gram
NAUTICAL expression.
o. That English composition be hereafter
taught with the aid of text books in the
fourth and fifth grades, introducing the
study OF formal grammar In the latter part
of the fifth year. Letter writing to be
taught In both grades.
IS. That the spelling book heretofore
found in the fifth. sixth and seventh grades
be placed also for use in the fourth grade
and that provision be made in all grades for
thorough drill in spelling and definition. oral
and written.
81. That in all number work object teach
ing or development be followed by mental
drill. That the multiplication table be com
pleted in the third grade
That copy books be used, from the sec
ond 10 the sixth grades. tboth inclusive and
elsewhere when deemed advisable
%. suggest that the courses In drawing
be so simplified as to reduce by one-half tho
amount OF time given to the subject. except
in the special high school courses and 70