Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-18
GENERAL REGRETS
Caused by the Retirement OF
School Trustee Harries.
OFFICIAL EXPRESSION
SERVICES OF GREAT VALUE REM
DERED DURING EIGHT YEARS.
Persistent and Successful Work in Be-
half of Local Education-Trib-
utes of Esteem.
OFFICIAL EXPRESSION

Commissioner mcfarland has written to
Gen George II. Harries expressing the re-
greet of the District Commissioners at his
inability to serve as member of the board
Of education for the additional term to
which he was yesterday appointed. Mr..
Macfarland says:
'I have your favor of this date. declining
reappontment a member of the board OF
education of the District of Columbia, made
by the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia. The Commissioners recognize
that the reason assigned. namely, the In
creasing pressure of your personal business
affairs. is valid one which they must &C
cept as conclusive. They regret, neverthe-
less the loss of your services which they
feel have been of great value to the public
school system. For eight years you have
served. first member of the board OF
school trustees, and then as member of
the board of education. In that time you
have been member of the most important
committees of those two boards. You have
had an important part in the extension of
the public school system, and especially in
the establishment of the manual training
schools and the broadening of the work of
the normal and high schools. Your devo-
ton to the High School Cadet Regiment.
the night schools and the vacation school
has been marked. During the past three
years l have been cognizant personally of
your labors in connection with the schools.
and can testify to their Importance and
efficiency.
II realize in common with my colleagues,
that you have given more time to the pub
lie service, mostly without pecuniary COM
penSation. than Is common, and that you
have earned the right to an honorable dis
charge from 1t.
I'VE note with satisfaction that you
promise to continue your interest in the
public schools. and expect that you will
serve them in every way possible to pri-
yate citizen
General Regret Expressed.
The announcement in yesterdays Star
OF General Harries' declination to serve
further on the board of trustees caused
general regret in the District, and today
on all sides expressions of this sentiment
were TO be heard among the citizens of all
classes. Since the reorganization of the
school administration few years ago Gen.
eral Harries has been regarded by the COM
munity as representing the dominant idea
in local school management. While 1t
recognized that the reasons given by him
for refusing longer to sacrifice his time and
energies in behalf of the schools sufficed to
warrant his retirement, yet 1t was de-
plored that such responsible post in the
management of the public schools should
not continue to be filled by so eminently
qualified a citizen. In addition to caring
for his private business interests Gen Har-
ries at present holds the position of secre-
tary of the Washington Board of Trade
and is commanding general of the District
National Guard. He has recently been
elected a director of the National Metro
politan Bank thus adding to his already
heavy responsibilities
Gen. Harries' School Work.
General Harries name is identified with
the record of the chief advances of the 10
Cal public school system during the eight
years of his service as a trustee, both on
the old and the new boards. Before the re-
organization he took deep interest in the
question of manual training, he having sue
ceeded on the school board Mr.. Paul Bow
en-. who had sought for some years to per-
suade the authorities to dignity this branch
of the educational work by the provision of
separate buildings and equipments. Cen
eral Harries found himself practically alone
in his advocacy of such development, but
he finally interested Congress in the sub
ject and, almost without help from other
school officials secured an appropriation
for buildings and equipment which opened
the way to the great usefulness of these
establishments. These institutions, now
regarded by all as among the finest fea-
lures of the local educational work, are in
a large degree. therefore, his creations. and
as such will be permanent tokens Of his
services in the cause of local education.
Vacation and Night Schools.
In the matter of the vacation school,
extra feature of the school work for some
years past, General Harries was an inspira-
ton and mainstay to young Mr.. Riordan,
the volunteer teacher who devoted him
self annually with the greatest liberality
and unselfishness to this missionary work.
Had it not been for General Harries per-
sonal generosity and unreimbursed gifts OF
money and his persistent advocacy OF the
idea both in and out of the school board 1t
may be questioned whether anything could
have been done toward giving the children
and adults of the city any educational ad-
vantages IN summer.
The night schools, too, reached their high
point of usefulness to the community large
" In consequence of the intelligent interest
and unhagging zeal of this member of the
school board. and 1t was against his earn
est protests that the House committee on
appropriations wrote into one OF the Dis
trict bills the provision, which later be-
came law. restricting the attendance to
those under the age of twenty-one years.
The Normal Course Extended.
One of the most significant items in Gen.
Harries work as trustee was the extension
OF the Normal School course from one to
two years, which he proposed and fought
for against a determined opposition. He
had noted that the graduates of the Nor
NAL School were evidencing signs of peda-
gogic immaturity Owing to the rapidity
of promotions through the various grades
teach before they were qualified In point of
experience or training. and the effect upon
the schools was apparently for the lowering
of the standards The substitution of a
two-year course in the training school
proved wholesome corrective and the
standard of teaching ability is now raised
materially above that which formerly pre-
vailed. the schools themselves being cor
respondingly more efficient.
In the consideration of matters affecting
the High School system Gen. Harries has
always taken advanced ground Largely in
consequence of his proposals changes were
made few years ago in the course of
study which served to eliminate much that
was useless and to substitute practical
studies
The Cadet Corps.
Owing in some part to his personal in
terest in citizen-soldiery Gen. Harries al
ways sought TO advance the welfare of the
High School military organizations, belev-
ing them most useful adjunct to the edu-
catonal work in furnishing high stand
ard of manliness, well Offering slim
ulants for the best efforts of individual stu
dents and affording opportunities for phys
teal training. His chief success in this
line was in Identifying the regiment by Civ
ing ii chance to make public appearance
with the regulars and the National Guards