The Washington times., 1901-09-10
OPENING OF THE SCHOOLS.
All the Buildings Being Prepared
for Use on September 23.
FOrty-fve Thousand Children to Re-
sume Their studies on Tint Day
More Accomn Provided
Hoard Of Educntion's Meeting.

Forty-five thousand school children OF
the District of Columbia will take up their
books and resume their studies on Mon
day, September Is. For their accommoda-
tion will be thrown open at that time four
buildings more than We're in use last
year. During the ensuing scholastic year
the compilation of two manual training
and one or more grammar schools will
materially relieve the crowded conditions
under which the young people of Wash
ington have been gaining an education
The halliday school is the difficulty
combatted by teachers and officers of the
school system during the past year or
two. Owing to the manner in which the
appropriations for school purposes were
neglected by Congress in the period pre-
ceding the beneficial regime of the Board
OF Education, there were provided too few
buildings to accommodate all pupils of
the lower grades. Last year in nearly
every building it was found necessary to
have halfway sessions only, in the first
and second grades. A portion of the
children went to school in the forenoon
and the remainder in the afternoon.
In the most crowded districts are the
new buildings located. The ones to be
completed in time for the opening day of
school represent an outlay Of ~Sl79, 900.
while repairs foot up $4,000 additional.
The appropriation for the current fiscal
year in the District of Columbia for school
purposes amounts to 81, l,7l461. The fig
ures are generous, but warranted by the
character of the work Being done Per-
manence is the keyword of the policy of
the Board of Education. The best obtain
able is always procured. Price is gener-
ally a secondary consideration.
Almost perfect specimens OF modern and
convenient school architecture are the
new buildings, the doors of which
will be thrown open for the in
coming of the wave of children
on the first day of school, The
most costly of the four buildings is the
Dent school, an eight-room structure. Lo-
Gated at the corner of South Carolina
Avenue and Second Street southeast, it
needs but a few finishing touches of the
workmen to stand ready for the touch of
the opening bell, The contract price is
s5S.500. 1t is a fitting memorial to the late
Josiah Dent, once Commissioner of the
District Of Columbia. Miss NJ. L. Kealey,
one of the best seventh grade teachers in
Washington, is to be the principal. Seven
grades only will be accommodated.
a,
has been honored in the erection of the
Webb school, at the corner ci Fifteenth
and Rosedale Streets northeast Here
also seven grades will be accommodated.
and the building and pupils will be under
charge of Miss Anna Bell. formerly of
Pierce school, Extremely handsome is the
structure which cost $40, 500.
Citizens of Takoma Park are justly
.nf ha Tal rE
which was dedicated with considerable
ceremony last spring, but which has new
er been used. Four rooms are all that are
required TO accommodate eight grades of
Takoma Park children. The classes are
small Miss Margaret Bailey, who is
quite popular with residents OF Takoma
Park, will be principal of the new school,
Twenty-six thousand dollars is the con-
tract figure.
One of the handsomest school buildings
in the District of Columbia will be the
new Birney school for colored pupils
at Hillsdale, near Anacostia. II bears
its name in honor of Gen. James c.
Brney and was erected at cost OF $685.
900. 1t has eight rooms for the accommo-
dation of seven grades. The principal will
be Miss F. ]. Smith.
More like church or a public office
building is the appearance of the new
Lovejoy colored school at Twelfth and
ID Streets northeast. 1t is an imposing
structure of light brick. and was built
at a cost of s3S,000. II is almost perfect
in regard to heating. ventilating, and
lighting facilities. Mrs. NJ. A. Wheeler
will be the head of the eight grades
which will be accommodated there after
November l.
No little attention is being paid the
progress OF the two new manual training
schools, which. when completed. will be
fitting homes for the instruction of the
young in the craft of the hand. Manual
Training School No. /, to be located at
Seventh Street and Rhode Island Avenue
northwest is now in course of construc-
tion and will be completed some time
during the course of the winter. 1t will
afford accommodation for 800 pupils
Every branch of manual training which
has been applied with success in other
cities will be taught in the two new
schools In fact, they are now taught,
but the quarters at the various high
school buildings are so small that the
work is conducted under difficulties.
One new feature to be introduced will
be cooking for girls. Every department
of domestic science will be taught by
capable instructors. Advanced cookery,
invalid cookery. and household economy
win be included in the curriculum. The
building will cost. when completed.
sl95, coo. while equipment will aggregate
si5, 900 more. The item for equipment in
cludes all machinery as wei as the boil
ers and power appliances. There will be
chemical and a physical laboratory.
Is in no raJ trair ccb
lasts four years. 1t is most thorough. and
is designed to give its graduates a good
solid knowledge of skilled labor or TO fit
them for technical schools.
For colored pupils the same facilities
win be afforded in Manual Training School
No. ., which will not cost quite so much.
for the reason that II will not be so large.
The contract fixes the figures at Sl50,0o0
for the building and s57, S05 for equipment.
Both schools will be under the supervi-
sion of the director of manual training,
j. A. Chamberlain. The principal Of No
is TO be a. /. Gardner. and of No. DR..
w B. Evans. instruction in these
branches will, however. be taken up in
the old quarters at the beginning of the
year.
In addition to the schools mentioned,
there have been sites for new buildings
purchased as follows: On Washington
Heights, for an eight-room building; at
lexington. for a twelye-room building;
In the fourth division of South Washing
ton, for four-room building: in Twin
ing City, for a four-room building; in
KeniIworth. near Benning, for four
room building: on p Street, between North
Capitol and First Streets northwest col
ored, for an eight-room building, and in
the eleventh division of South Washing
ton ON Half Street, for an eight-room