Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

teachers. including supervising principals,
was 173. and the number of female .each-
| ers lbs. The relatively small number OF
men employed in the service Of the public
| schools Is due to the small salaries paid TO
| men teachers in this District and Tie
| greater pecuniary inducements offered by
| the various departments and scientific bu-
| reauS of the Government to educated young
men. The schools were in session ia days.
There were 1.S43 pupils enrolled In the
| right schools, which were in session AZ
nights, and engaged the services OF o.
teachers. OF the entire enrolment of the
| schools 1.716, or 1854 per cent, were in the
| kindergartens; 1870, or SS.S5 per cent,
were in the first eight grades; 2,673. or Gas
| per cent. were in the high schools; S16. or
| 16S per cent, in the manual training
| schools, and 40. or 0.35 per cent. in tie
normal schools.
Number of School Buildings.
There were 127 owned school buildings in
| the District of Columbia In the early part
| of the school year the Mckinley Manual
| Training School, the Armstrong Manual
Training School. the Matthew G. Emery az
| rooms), the Thos P. Morgan e rooms). the
Petworth a rooms), the Kenilworth "A
rooms. for white children. and the
John M. Langston e rooms) and
the William Syphax e rooms) for
| colored children were dedicated with
| appropriate ceremonies under the charge OF
the committee on buildings, repairs, and
| sanitation. 1t Is expected that in 1903 the
Edmonds School e rooms), the Samuel e.
| Wheatley e rooms), a 4-room addition to
| the Brookland School, 4-room addition
| to the Cranch School, a 4-room addition to
| the Tacoma School. and a 4-room building
at Good Hope, all for white children, and
| the Abby s. Simmons School e rooms) the
| Henry P. Montgomery School Is rooms>
! and the Reno school a rooms) for colored
pupils will be completed and occupied thus
adding accommoda lions for 2.O7O pupils
estimating IS pupils to each room, and re-
ducing still further the number of enforced
MALT schools in these localities
The superintendent of schools says in his
annual report: ut may be said of the
buildings completed and occupied during
the year and of those under contract that
| although they do not represent as large
an outlay as in some cities, they are credit
| able examples of school architecture, and
In the essentials of light. heating, artificial
| Ventilation. toilets, and conveniences gen
erauy Tor pupils are great advance upon
| some OF our older buildings. None Of the
| schools erected since the organizati on OF
the present board Of educa ton are without
the necessary appliances for forcing a con-
slant supply of fresh air into every school
| or speed as to meet the most exactine
| scientific requirements as to the renewal
| OF air in school rooms
Expressed in terms of its beneficial and
permanent influence on the health of teach
ers and pupils, all other improvements that
nave really been made in school house con-
stfuctlon are of minor importance to that Of
improved ventilation"
Additional accommodations for the graded
schools are needed In GEORGETOWN where
an e-room building should be erected near
the curtis; In the extreme northeastern Sec
t1on beyond Fifteenth street east at Chevy
chase, at Benning, at Anacostia at Ten
ley and to relieve the Columbia Heights
ana Mount Pleasant schools. The Commits
sioners will be asked to provide for these in
their next estimates
Another messing mead NJ tb}c tyr,o a., 49,
tor an extension of the Mckinley Manual
training School This building with a
seating capacity of 251, carried through the
year an enrolment of 457 pupils making
the Central High School, at great fncon-
venience to both schools. For the coming
year conditions will be much more serious
as the enrolment of the school promises to
reach nearly $50, while the corresponding
growth of the Central High School will
make 1t impossible for the latter school to
surrender as many of its class rooms to
the uses of the manual training school as
We're devoted to that purpose during the
year just closed.
The estimate of s135, 600 for additional
class rooms was based upon plans made at
the time the original building was project
ed. similar need exists for additional
class rooms In the Armstrong Manual
Training School The only unimproved
ground available for the erection of an ad-
d1t1on lies east of the present structure 1t
has been offered to the District at a rea-
scnable price, and should be purchased and
held until an addition to the present build
ing can be authorized.
The Normal School.
The Commissioners again urge the i'm.
portance of making provision for a perma-
nent and adequate home for the Washing
ton Normal School. The work of this
school, which has always been of a high
order, is all the more praiseworthy when
we come to know that it has been accom-
plished while the school has been occupy
ing temporary quarters in building in no.
wise suited to the uses of a training school,
The plan of securing large plot of ground
north of Florida avenue on which to place
nrst an elementary school, already needed,
ana IN due time a modern normal school
building, with ample space for school gar
dening and Fairgrounds, is Endorsed by the
board of education, and has been approved
by the local Citizens Association.
1t is earnestly hoped that the clause in
the appropriations act which has been in
force for the last two years restricting the
membership of night schools to persons not
over p years of age will be stricken out
as it works hardship to many worthy peo-
pie whose early efforts to obtain an educa-
ton were defeated by misfortune or pov-
erty, and whose zeal for knowledge and
willingness to make sacrifices to get it ap-
peal strongly to all who have their welfare
at heart. The Commissioners know Of no
city which excludes adults from the privf-
leges of the night school.
Board Of Charities.
The Board Of Charities. whose members
serve without salary, has done important
and valuable work in the three years of its
existence The Commissioners ar glad to
renew their approval of the policy and rec
concentrations Of e board, and to express
the hope that Congress. which created this
board for the purpose Of improving the
public charitable system, will act In ac-
cordance with its suggestions.
The appropriations for charities form the
second largest item In the District budget
and In their expenditure affect directly or
i--directly some Of the most vital interests
Of the community, and they should be
made and expended in accordance with the
best practice and a uniform and constant
policy. The Commissioners believe that the
Board of Charities and the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians should be appointed by
the Commissioners. and that all charitable
institutions which can properly be consid-
cred public should be directly under the
control Of the Commissioners.
In Its annual report the Board reiterates
paneral nrfpcin1es which hoe ,,rraa