Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-19
HUNDRED YEARS old.
Public School Ce ntennial
Celebrated Last Night.
PROMINENT SPEAKERS
HALE GUESTS OF HONOR.
Commissioner mcfarland Outlines the
History of Public Education
in the District.

The anniversary meeting of the public
school system, held last night at the First
Congregational Church. brought out host
of the prominent educators of the District
OF Columbia
The large auditorium was filed with an
audience interested in school conditions,
and the platform upon which the speakers
Were seated was brilliant with floral deco
rations Members of the committees on
education of the Board of Trade. the Bust
ness Mems Association, the Citizens AS
sociations and many of the past officials
OF the public school system. together with
many senators and representatives. were
ancng the audience Rev. Edward Everett
Hale. chaplain of the Senate. and Secretary
of War Taft were the guests of honor.
The program of exercises as published
in The Star yesterday. was followed, with
the single exception that Secretary Taft,
who had not been announced as q speaker,
was prevailed upon 10 make few remarks
in the early part of the evening before
leaving to fill another engagement.
Secretary Taft spoke in high praise Of
the educational advantages offered by the
city because of its position as the capital.
Introductory Address.
Rev. J. G. Butler. pastor of the Lutheran
Place Memorial Church. pronounced the in
vocation. The president of the board of
education. Mr.. J. Holdsworth Gordon. who
presided, delivered an Introductory address.
briefly explaining the. objects Of the cele-
braton. and inviting every one to inspect
the evidence of the school activities al
shown in the various exhibits to be onened
tomorrow and Thursday throughout the
day and evening.
DR.. Edward Everett Hale who for many
years has been leader in the educationa
thought of the country, and who years ago
was associated with local educators In pro-
noting the progress of schools at the ma
tionai capital, spoke on the growth of ed
ucation in the United States. DR.. Hale.
enc of the principal and oldest members
of the Harvard alumni, has seen the sys-
TENS Of education throughout the country
spring from the tentative stages to the pres
ent enduring public institutions.
Review Of the System.
Commissioner Macfarland concluded the
exercises with an address in which he re-
viewed the school system of Washington
from it's modest beginnings one hundred
years ago, with les sthan fifty pupils, to
the organization of today with more than
fifty thousand. The only point of resem
blance was that the teachers are still
poorly paid. He said, in part:
There is nothing impressive about the
beginning of the public school system ex-
cept Its board of trustees. with the Presi-
dent of the United States as it's head and
the United States Supreme Court room as
its first meeting place, and it's ambitious
program, which proposed not only pri-
mary and secondary but university sduca-
ton. having in mind George Washinyton's
last desire for national university at the
national capital. 1t was immensely sig
nifcant, however, a beginning. A living
seed was planted, and size is not important
in seeds 1t grew very slowly, and rather
poorly. for the first half century. The
pauper idea was the worst Of its difficult
ties, and it was not until after the civil
war, which also marked the beginning of
provision for the colored children, that
that idea was entirely cast out.
No National Aid.
''rhe national government gave nothing
for the maintenance of schools in the ma
tionai capital. as it did nothing for the
maintenance OF any other municipal SER
vice here until 1878. The people of the
District, by gifts and taxation. supported
the schools like all other municipal SER
vices. Congress did loan the ground for
the two primitive school buildings and au-
thorized the people to spend their own tax
money Moreover, between 1912 and 1888
Congress authorized fourteen lotteries for
the benefit of the Washington public
schools. The accumulated lottery fund,
whose interest went to the support of
those early school, and which amounted
to $4,000. was used by Congress half a
century later to build our first high
school building in 1881
From the beginning many of the best
citizens and public men, including the
mayor and leaders in Congress, took an
active interest President Jefferson gave
$500, as well as his name. and, while Presi-
dent Madison would not let q school be
held in his stable, at 14th and G streets,
President Monroe did give the desired per-
mission, and other Presidents were equally
friendly. But it was not until the infiu-
'ence of John Quincy Adams and others,
chiefly New England men, one of whom,
the friend of all the world, Edward Everett
Hale. is happily with us tonight. brought
in the New England ideas in the '4Os, that
the real growth of the system began. In
1S41, when only eco out of a school popula-
ton of 5000 were enrolled, William w.
Seaton of the National Intelligencer. mayor
of Washington, nine times elected, began
the movement which led to the reorganfza-
ton of the public schools on the New Eng
land system; so that he may be called the
father of our modern public schools.
1.-The greatest progress came in the fifteen
years Immediately after the civil war. The
pauper idea was destroyed. This and the
Improvement in the schools through the
appointment of a superintendent to give ex-
pert supervision, the Introduction OF the
graded system, the organization of the nor
NAL school. of advanced grammar schools.
and, finally of high schools. gave the pub
lie schools for the first time the general
favor OF the people. and created the desire
which has grown ever since for better
buildings and equipment and constant de-
velopment of the system.
Improvements Noted.
Constant improvements have been made.
For example, since 1900, the present board
of education. besides carrying out the desire
of Congress for closer and more uniform
administration. has placed the personnel on
a strict merit system. making the tenure of
teachers and other employees turn eff
cheney and good behavior, providing for
promotions of teachers on efficiency rec
ords and length of service, and the APP
pointment of special teachers by examina-
ton. It has also restored suitable text
books in grammar and Spelling, provided
monthly reports TO parents as TO the stand
ing of pupils, secured medical inspection
and care for pupils. introduced school gar
dening. a weekly fire-dfill and other new
features. besides drafting for the Commits
sioners compulsory attendance bill ana
a bill to provide adequate salaries and regu-
lar promotion for teachers and officials,
which we hope will be enacted by the pres
ent Congress-.
The exercises closed with an informal re-
ception.
Mr.. VOLTS Fluctuations.
A telegram was received by Commissioner
Macfarland from Simon Wolf. who Is now
In Chicago. in connection with the ohserv-
ance OF the school centennial The message