Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-18
A Century of Public Education.

Although the centenary of the washington
public school system IL celebrated this week.
with appropriate meetings and exhibitions
of pupils work. as matter of fact the true
beginnings of the local educational estao-
lishment did not occur for fully half CEN
fury following the formal foundation in-
deed. 1t was not until after, the close OF the
civil war that the capitals public schools
were put upon a proper bass and mace 10
serve the needs of all classes of the people,
The magnificent system of today, with IT'S
range of carefully graded schools ana It's
passed group of secondary schools OF
an academic and d technical character, Is
the growth of the past forty years
The beginnings of the Districts schools
wore humble indeed but in keeping with the
notion that prevailed at the time OF the
establishment. Public education was not
highly rated. 1t was for the poor, rather
than for the public. 1t served an admirable
end in that it gave the lower classes OF
people bare chance to learn the rudiments
of reading. writing and arithmetic, 1t was,
however of virtually no value to the COM
munity beyond dulling the edge of ilhteracy
in the lower ranks of society.
Today's schools in the District are on the
contrary educating all classes of the peo-
pie. InGfe are no ulSliutIiOiis liz W
portunities are equal for all. Thanks to
diIigent work by the citizens Of the capital
and the cooperation of their good friends in
Congress. great advances have been made
during the past forty years in the quality
of the schools, their number, their equip
ment and the efficiency of the teaching
force In recognition of the spirit of the
times, the department of secondary educa-
ton has been developed until it is possible
for a student, by selecting his course, to
graduate with full equipment for life
work in any direction or for further
course of training at one of the higher
educational institutions. The boy or girl
who passes through all the grades and
graduates from one of the local high schools
is probably better fitted for a practical ca
reer than was the college graduate Of
twenty years ago.
Washington has been proud of the local
school system during these years of expan-
sion and Improvement Through all the
changes and controversies one idea has been
paramount in the minds of the citizens. to
make the schools better, to lay before the
people the fullest possible educational ad-
vantages and to remove the last fraction of
illiteracy by enabling and even compelling
every child of school age within the District
to attend. These schools are now regarded
by competent judges In the educational
world as models of efficiency and progress
siveness. Not all of them are what the
people would prefer If they had their wish.
There are not as many buildings or teach
ers as the District really needs, and the pay
scale of the teachers is not as high as 1t
should be. in consideration of their sacri-
ficing, responsible labors. But good times
are at hand and better times are coming.
Congress now recognizes the vital impor-
lance of bringing the school system up to
date, for once in the history of the District,
and there is a growing belief that soon,
perhaps at this session, the pay scale will
he placed upon a properly liberal basis, SO
that the Districts educators may be en-
couraged to devote themselves to their
chosen task even more assiduously than be-
fore.
This centenary celebration should hasten
the day of adjustment.