Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17

This era of the public school for the
colored race marks the passage from pri-
vate and philanthropic effort to the public
municipal support and control of schools
Personal and philanthropic sacrifice yields
to systematic and regular governmental aid
The ready and adequate response to the
needs of the educational cause throughout
the years or free schools gives the District
OF Columbia ground for congra tulation and
pride. In the beginning of this period the
problem to be solved by the District of CO.
iumbla was peculiarly difficult Into it had
come thousands of ex-SiaVeS, in squads and
battalions, and although the unstinted ex-
erdons of the relief societies. The Red
Cross of education, had done much they
merely touched the edge of the vast task
Happily the District authorities here were
not left to grapple alone with the evil A
generous general government gave needed
succor.
Congress in May, 1862, passed the first
law for the establishment of schools for pri-
mary instruction of colored children in the
cities of Washington and Georgetown 10
per cent of taxes collected from persons Of
color being designated for this purpose
This was but drop in the ocean. This en-
actment. following SO soon on the District
emancipation. which occurred in the month
of April. 1862 showed that the government
had considered the necessity of educa ton
for the manumitted people. The ptifulness
of the provision did not. however, permit
the starting of a single school, and for two
years the act was nugatory. More ad-
equate means We're provided through the
act passed June, 1864. but hostile inter-
probation by the municipal authorities de-
layed the use of the funds for schools An
appeal was made to Congress to cure mat
tiers, and it did SO. From 1864 the cause
progressed comparatively smoothly al
delay in opening enough schools to meet
the pressing demands. In truth, only one
was in operation from 1854 to 1866.
Special Trustees Appointed.
by act of Congress In 1862 the control
of colored schools was placed into the
hands of a special board called the board
of trustees of colored schools for Washing
ton and Georgetown. Thus 1t is seen that
in the very beginning the management and
initiatory work of public education was
placed under the care of the colored race
To get "a square DEAL however, it was nee
essary for Congress to enact the law of
July %, 1866 the language OF which was
clear and explicit to schools for the col
ored. This Immediately placed at the dis
posal of the trustees funds adequate to the
inauguration of system of public schools
for the two cities.
John W. Patterson. then a member of
tho House of Representatives from New
Hampshire. prepared the section which
rendered the law effective as to the colored
schools. His name is honored and per-
petuated in the Patterson School. in which
annually are gathered hundreds of the chill
dren of the race for whom he has rendered
| such signal and far-reaching service
Prior to the full force of this last act of
Congress in 1S68-67 there were five schools,
Gith seven teachers and $50 children. AS
previously stated, the first public school
was opened March 1, 1864 in Ebenezer
Church, on Capitol hill. The erection of
the first public school house for colored
children occurred in 1855 at ID and streets
southeast, where today stands the Lincoln
| School
Within the limits of the two cities In the
fall of 1907 were 9.205 children between the
ages of six and seventeen, of whom only
1888, less than one-third. were In school
The territory embraced within the corpora
lions was separated into five districts at
the outset of public instruction, and in
these were eight school houses In these
buildings were found ffty-four school
rooms, with slightly over three thousand
sittings."