Evening star., 1902-01-25
An Important Factor in the Educa-
tion Of Boys and Girls.
GROWTH OF LOCAL INSTITUTION
Need of a Permanent School in
Washington.
BETTER QUARTERS WANTED

education. Several universities now have
departments OF commerce, and many col
leges offer business courses leading to de-
grees, while hundreds of private and pubic
high schools have commercial courses par
alleI with the regular high school courses.
There are today in the United states 2,SSS
public high schools in which commercial
subjects are taught.
1t would seem that the public high school I
of the near future is to meet the greater
part of the demand for instruction In the
lower commercial studies, such as business
arithmetic, bookkeeping, stenography, COM
mercial geography and commercial law. II
was ascertained by the bureau OF educa-
tion in the year 1884 that there were TO-
220 students in the public high school pur-
suing some of these studies. In 1S99-1Soe |
the number had reached 6S,S90 an increase
of over 342 per cent In six years
AS in the development of manual train
ing schools, there Is a marked tendency TO |
establish separate business high schools |
as part of the public school system. This |
has already been done IN Wasmnglon'
phia has business school on separate
floor of the Central High School building
which is under separate director ana Is
practically independent. Chicago has rec
commended the erection of a separate build
ing and New York city has actually pro-
vided for a well-equipped institution.
CONNIE rciaI Educ alton In Warrington.
AS a type Of the course toward which
secondary commercial education In this
country seems to be tending, the four-year
course of the Philadelphia High School may
be mentioned. This course includes in ad-
dition to the branches usually taught in
the high school course, the following sub
jects which specially relate to commerce:
Penmanship and business forms, physical
geography, commercial arithmetic, CONNER
cial geography, bookkeeping, stenograpny,
typewriting, Office practice, observation OF
business methods, industrial and CONNER
cial history, industrial chemistry, transpor-
tation, banking, finance, ethics of busi-
ness, commercial law and Philadelphia in
tereStS.
The first hint Of a business high school
in Washington was the insertion of the
study of bookkeeping in the high school
course during the first year Of its infancy
in the Thomson building. This was done
probably in Difference to the growth In
public sentiment of the demand for the
training of boys for business positions as
well as for college careers. From 1877 to
1882 the high school remained housed in
the Thomson building, but during the lat
ter year it was removed to what Is now
the Central High School building, the orig
inal portion of which had just been con-
structed. After this removal to more
spacious quarters there was correspond
ing expansion of the course. Business
arithmetic and commercial law and ge-
ography were added to the course and it
was made independent of the academic and
scientific courses. Thus enlarged it was
placed under the care of one teacher, who
was then able to teach all the business
branches. while the English of all courses
remained the same and was taught by the
same faculty. During the first year Of it's
independence the course was followed by
a section Of thirty-two pupils in the first
year and section Of twelve in the second
year.
From 1882 to 1889 the business course was
practically unchanged to character and
location. but during the year 1SS9-9O the
high school became SO crowded that half
day session was for many pupils neces-
sity. To relieve this condition the plan of
separating the business from the other
courses was adopted. Consequently on Sep
tember z 1860. the THOMPSON building, in
18th street between K and L streets north
west, again became the home of the business
course. A second enlargement of the course
was made at this time by the addition of
shorthand, typewriting and mechanical
drawing. At this time also there were aa-
mitted to the school 40 pupils from the
grades and so from the Central High
School The course was in the hands of
SIX teachers and the principal, Mr.. Allan
Davis.
The Growth Was Constant.
In 1s91-92 the school becoming too large
for it's accommodations was removed to the
third floor Of the Franklin building, where
| 1t remained for over one year. A second
surprising growth caused another removal,
| this time to the Minor building, in 18th
street between P and Q streets northwest,
| building which had only shortly been
| vacated by the coiored high school. At this
| time the number Of pupils enrolled in the
| first year was go and in the second year SO
| The course meantime had been broadening
| and deepening and had become no longer
an experiment but potent factor In the
| Districts educational system, only wanting
| time to be carried to the ripeness Of sue
| cess under the energetic and devoted SuiG-
| ance of faculty heartily in sympathy with
its every advancing step. And that the
| steps were advancing may be seen in the
| popularity Of the course, which in 1866
| again filled and overdowed the building as
| signed as its home, and forced the authorf-
| ties to rent for the accommodation of 500
| pupils, building in 1st street between B
and streets northwest, which had been
| occupied as the municipal building by the
/ Commissioners Of the District of Columbia,
| and which had been just then abandoned
| for this purpose.
| During the years from 1877 to 1896 there
| was steady increase in the enrolment
| year by year, and a steady increase in the
| faculty, though this by no means kept pace
| with the former, each teacher having in
| charge more than forty and sometimes
| more than fifty pupils. The school at this
time was lacking in none of those features
which distinguish the high schools Of today.
| 1t had organized and maintained two strong
/ companies of the I'd Battalion of High
| School Cadets, having always neld the
| senior company in that battalion. 1t also
| took its place in athletic sports, wrestling
| the victory from the Central High Schools
| in various contests The Business High
| School also had glee club, debating So
| ciety and other organizations tending to the
| encouragement of a proper school pride.
| The school library began its growth IN the
| Miner building and has since then con-
| tinued to grow, slowly, 1t Is true, but stead
| lily and in the right direction.
/ It had been as a weak and struggling In
| FAINT that the business course left the
academic and scientific courses, but as a
| vigorous institution advancing rapidly to-
ward the goal of its ambition, high place,
| worthily held in the esteem Of the business
| world. that the Business High School took
up Its present quarters In the LIST street
| building.
Inadequate Quarters for Pupils.
The quarters occupied by the Business
High School throughout its career have
been inferior In quality and inadequate in
space. In the Thomson building, containing
4,74s square feet. were 80 pupils, with an
| average floor space of fifteen square feet
each. In the Franklin building, there were
I 260 square feet of floor sDace and 3S5 M