Evening star., 1901-12-03

the preparation of plans, specifications and
estimates Of cost for a municipal hospital.
Under a previous act of Congress site for
a municipal hospital was secured, consist
ing of 1881 acres of land situated in the
line of 18th street extended just north of
Richmond street northwest Desiring to
procure the best plans possible for the
structure, the Commissioners decided to OBJ
tain them by competition, in the hope of
thereby enlisting the best architectural tai
ent of the country. The preliminary pro-
gram of competition is now being prepared
by Mr.. Edmund NJ. Wheelwright of Boston,
recognized authority upon hospital de-
signing and constructions who has been Sc
iected by the Commissioners as their pro-
fessional adviser in the premises, and it is
expected that these instructions will be is
sued soon.
Board of Education,
The board of education has continued the
good work of it's first year. the only change
In it's membership being the regretted re-
tirement of it's president, Charles ]. Bell
in January last, and the appointment of
Henry V. Boynton, who was also elected by
the board to succeed Mr.. Bell as president
Then, on June 80 1901, H. H. Twombly,
secretary to the board of education, re-
signed and was succeeded by w. F. Rod
rick. The Commissioners have recon-
mended the estimates submitted by the
board of education to the favorable con-
slderation of Congress, including the va
rlous propositions for the Improvement of
the school system and the school buildings
including medical inspection and additional
buildings and grounds, and especially
new and adequate building for the Business
High School.
The report of the superintendent of
schools to the board of education for the
year ended June 80, 1901 will show a grand
total of 47,431 pupils enrolled during the
year, of whom 81 ,S51 were white and Is, $50
-hola
employed, including kindergartens was
1,2S3, of whom S57 were white and 426 COL
ored. The increase in the whole enrolment
was 912, or nearly per cent. The number
of halliday schools was 349 of which 90
were in grades above the second.
Congress has for the past two years made
generous provision for new school houses
If this liberal policy is continued the
halliday school will soon disappear. When
children have reached the third year
of school life no good reason can be urged
for refusing them the opportunity for
whole days schooling provided the work
given them is adapted to their capabilities
both in matter and in the methods of pre-
Sentation.
New School Buildings
The current appropriation act provides for
the construction of four eight-room build
ings, three four-room buildings, the en-
largement of six-roomsbuilding by the ad-
ing for manual training in the graded
schools. In addition to these there are
now under way a twelve-room building four
eight-room buildings and three four-room
buildings under the appropriation act for
the year ending June 30, 1901. These build
lngS when completed will add 100 school
rooms to our present accommodations and
practically wipe out the halliday school in
the third and fourth grades throughout the
city. When this is done it will probably
not be difficult to keep pace with the nor
NAL growth of our schools.
very marked expansion of orr school
system may be looked for In the RAPIDLY
growing suburbs. An example of this rap;d
growth is seen in the case OF the Takoma
fark Scnool, which already contains five
1uii classes In four rooms, although the
building has been occupied only since SEN
tember of the present year
NOW that our two manual training schools
are nearing completion and the needs of
our academic high schools seem to be am
ply met for number of years at least onlv
two projects of large Importance remain.
the construction of a suitable home for the
BUSINESS High School and the adaptation of
of the Normal School
says the superintendent of schools: "The
occupation Of the two manual training
schools should mark an epoch in our de-
Velopment-an epoch of equal significance
with that in which our local normal school
was instituted or that which later gave
birth to our first high school. Not that
manual training is in any sense inaugurated
VIII. Win tne completion of these buildings, but
that their occupation places an appropriate
capstone upon the edifice of manual in
struction in this city, heretofore Incomplete.
although built upon a noble foundation.
For more than decade Washington has
mad one of the most complete systems of
manual training in elementary schools to
be found in the country We have fur
nished carefully graded work for boys In
carpentry and the elements of mechanical
drawing. and corresponding work for girls
IN sewing and cooking. The work for bows
has continued progressively beyond the
grammar schools with wood turning, forg-
ing, pattern making and machine work in
iron in the high school courses. but the
work for girls has stopped short at the
threshold of the high school. Girls have
begun to sew in the third grade at nine
years of age and continued to advance in
this homely art up to the sixth grade. where
dressmakIng begins, from which point cook
ing takes Its place as the sister art of the
household This training is not elective nor
Is IT left to the caprice of the child but is
properly required of every girl in the
schools in the grades named and. in nv
opinion, no expenditure of public money has
given richer returns on the investment and
none touches more closely the home life of
tne community for practical and permanent
good.
The Normal school.
But In the mad race for the normal
school our girls have ceased at the portals
or the high school to be interested in
stitches and gussets, in roasts and pastries,
not from choice but because the pathway
of preferment has not lain through the
fields CT domestic science and art but by
way OF the academic studies alone This
is all changed in the new courses of the
manual training schools, and now advanced
cookery. the work of the diet kitchen, mil
llnery and dressmaking become a part of
tn curriculum in preparation for the nor
maj school Besides this concession to can
uloates 1or the normal school there is a
tWo-year course in domestic science and art
intended Tor those who have in view the
serious purpose of fitting themselves for a
livelihood through skilled labor.
After all, few of our graduate girls get
10 De teachers, and fewer still reach COL
lege. The establishment of the new courses
Tor girls has therefore done notable serv-
ice In diverting many of them from a fruit
less chase Tor admission to the normal
school by furnishing them with a new and
equally worthy IDEAL"
Perhaps the most important act of the
board of education during the past wear
was the adoption of rule abolishing the
annual election of teachers and making
their tenure secure during efficiency and
good behavior. 1t was thought that the
assurance OF permanent employment would
be an incentive to teachers to fit them
CaV mi Oysn .v~lo