Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-26
BUILDING NOT READY
BUSINESS HIGH SCHOOL IN OLD
QUARTERS.
Students May Be Transferred Before
January - No Change in
Course Of Study.

Business High School students are disap-
pointed at the prospect of returning for the
opening of the school year to the old build
ing on 1st street between B and c, which
for so many years has been inadequate. The
impressive new building at Rhode Island
avenue and 9th street Will not be ready for
occupancy by September IS, when the
schools reopen. Notwthsta nding the ener-
getic efforts Of the contractors during the
summer, the many set backs of the winter
have so delayed work that only with large
extra force engaged, it is now thought. can
the construction be completed on time. The
furnishing of the building will subsequently
require consdera BILE time. Floors are still
to be laid. painting and plastering to be
done and stairs and stone approaches to be
laid.
Piled on the sideways are the heating
radiators and excavations for the conduits
for the electric lighting was commenced but
recently. 1t is said that the equipment, fur
niture, desks and on, has all been Or
dered and only awaits the word for ship
ment, and that but a comparatively brief
time would be required to put the finished
building in condition for occupancy. 1t de-
velops, however, that a new lease has been
signed with Mr.. Thomas w. Smith, the
owner of the old District building for
period of nine months from July l, 1905.
There is every prospect, 1t was stated at the
Franklin building today, that the business
pupils will be installed In their new home
by the first of the year 1906, if not before
Course of Study.
In the circular being issued giving the
courses of study in the Washington High
schools for 19o5-19t6 there appears to be no
change provided In the business course. AS
formerly English, business, arithmetic,
bookkeeping. penmanship. shorthand. type
writing or commercial drawing are offered
In the first year For the second year,
which, like the first, is complete In itself, in
addition to advanced English, applied arith-
metic, bookkeeping, shorthand and type
writing, there are courses in commercial
law and commercial geography 1t is un-
derstood that when the school takes pos
session of it's new building there will be an
effort to extend the course in accordance
with the opportunities offered by the COM
mercial high schools in other cities.
There has, 1t is said, been much criticism
in the past that the course Of the Business
High School Is not what Is popularity classed
as a high school course and it Is believed
that unless such expansion of opportunities
Is allowed the trade character of the school
Will be established
The new building Is so constructed that
laboratory facilities provided for the
teaching of physics and chemistry and 1t
Is understood that applications have been
made TO the school board to permit courses
In German and Spanish as being the most
necessary commercial languages. These
additions are said to be necessary in order
to answer the demands of those engaging
Busine High School graduates.
Old Wall Uncovered.
In excavating at the corner of 9th and
streets to establish connection for the
school with the main electric conduit on
the west side of 9th street workmen en-
gagged not three feet below the surface
came across a solid stone wall. For two
days rock has been carted away from the
excavation. According 20 Inspector Noonan
the old retaining walls of the Browns run
bridge of fifty or sixty years ago have been
struck. Browns run came down diagonally
across 9th street at r street and empted
into Haw's creek at Sth and r streets.
wooden bridge about thirty feet wide had
high stone retaining walls, the southern
of which has been uncovered by the con-
duit trench
1t is said Haws' creek, which drained
the whole of Mount Pleasant, the farm
land of Jesse B. Haws, while ordinarily
only twenty feet fide. in time of a rain
storm flooded the whole section of field
where partridge and robin whistled, down
to Tiber creek. at O and North Capitol
streets; 9th street, which az the time was
a dirt road, was raised above the morass.
The stone walls of the old bridge have evil
IDENTIFY already been cut by the line and
the main electric conduit.