Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04

community and has justified the wisdom OF
Congress in enacting 1t.
Among the bills presented by the Com,
missioners and still pending which should
sion of Congress IL that for child labor
law, which would take the District out OF
the unenv;abie position Of being one OF the
very few Jurisdictions In the United states
that have no child labor law.
Other pending measures upon which the
Commissioners especially urge action arc
the Fairgrounds project, the branch library
bill, the registration of nurses bill. the bet
ter registration of births bill. the regula-
ton OF so-called assessment life insurance
and several measures for better dealing
with contagious diseases including the reg
istration of tuberculosis cases; also pct
ter provision Of inspectors to enforce the
health and sanitary laws.
Juvenile Court.
There is particular reason for eratifica-
ton in the enactment by Congress OF the
legislation recommended by the Commits
sioners for a juvenile court and a proba-
ton system similar to those in successful
operation elsewhere The Commissioners
had for five years maintained a separate
system Of treatment for juvenile Offenders
by using the house Of detention and Sc
curing separate trials for juveniles at the
guardians had done valuable probation
work. but 1t was necessary to have the
legislation which is now provided in order
to secure the full benefit of the principle
involved. The appointment of William H..
De Lacy as Judge of the Juvenile Court
was followed by it's establishment July
last, and 1t has been in successful opera
tion. with good effects already visible, and
much more Is expected Of it.
The Commissioners in their special re-
port on the care of delinquent and de-
pendent children in the District OF Co
lumbia submitted to Congress January g.
the best means of determining the status
of delinquency or dependency in the cases
of children before they should be COM
mitted either to the reform schools or to
the board of childrens guardians or-kept
on probation, and they are gratifed to
have this important requisite in the sys-
tenn of caring for children
Public Schools.
The high reputation of the public schools
of the District Of Columbia has been main
tanned during the past fiscal year. The
celebration Of the centennial Of the public
schools in December 1905. brought out
concentrations of their progress from the
President Of the United States and many
others Of eminence. including the COM
missioner Of education of the United States
In the character Of the teachers, of the
training and of the results they were
deemed to be in the first rank. The high
water mark of their achievements was
reached in the centennial year. The cfti-
zens of the District, many of them grad
yates Of the public school system. mani
tested a just pride In its achievements.
Congress gratified the community by
adopting the Commissioners recommended
ton for an increase in the salaries of the
officers and teachers Of the public schools,
a measure of justice which had been too
long deferred, and 1t also passed bill
recommended by the Commissioners for an
effective compulsory education law.
Congress further provided for a change
In the organization Of the school system.
including the appointment Of board of
be appointed by the Supreme Court of the
District Of Columbia, and the new board
began its duties on July 1. 1906
The Commissioners desire to place upon
of the board Of education between boo and
1905, which they believe were Of great value
to the public schools and therefore to the
national capital. They point to the out
the character Of their work. The grad
yates whether from the high schools, man
ual training schools. or grade schools have
more generally than II common elsewhere
whatever they were next to undertake, and
the cordial reception Of the high school
graduates by the leading universities and
colleges and the national academies at West
v
eral recognition Of the excellence Of our
public school system.
As the most important interest Of the
District Of Columbia. the public schools
Of the Commissioners. They recommended
as much of the estimates Of the board OF
education as they felt could be advocated
at this time before Congress-. They de-
Inmates submitted by the board Of educa-
ton for new building projects in addition
to those which the Commissioners recon-
mended. because Congress created at the
last session q commission, consisting Of the
Engineer Commissioner. supervising archi-
tect of the treasury and superintendent Of
schools, to report upon the whole ques-
ton Of public school buildings in the Dis
trict. and the recommendations Of that
commission were necessary to an fntelli-
gent consideration of the building projects
deferred by the Commissioners.
Statistical Statement.
The entire enrolment for the year was
81 1902, an increase Of 1852 over the preceding
year. OF this number 35.2O1 or 67.7O per
cent were white and 1871 or $3.50 per
cent were colored- OF this number a.
513 or Alb per cent were boys. Of which
1886 per cent were white and 14.19 per
cent colored, and 27.479 or 52.s5 per cent
girls. Of which s4.74 per cent were white
and 1911 per cent were colored.
The whole number of teachers provided in
the appropriation act was 1.544. The whole
number employed was 1,536-1, O38 white
and 49s colored. This number includes
kindergarten teachers at the Normal
schools, 81 kindergarten teachers-62 white
and 30 colored.
The pupils were distributed as follows:
Male. Female Total
Number Of pupils in normal
Number of pupils in high
schools -: ......... 1.146 1.s4s s,oss
training schools ......... $40 525 LOGS
Number Of pupils in primary
and grammar schools. -. 21,747 $3.50 IS. 500
Number Of pupils In kinder
gartens ................. 1,oe7 1908 2,27o
Totals ................. 24,513 2747s 51,9 1872
The number of male teachers, including
supervising principals. was 1913 or 1890 per
cent, and the number of female teachers
was 1885, or $40 per cent.
Superintendent Report.
The superintendent Of schools in his an
nual report to the board Of education
stated:
During the fiscal year two new buildings
for the graded schools were completed The
John w. Ross. an eight-room building In
the first division. intended to relieve the
crowded condition Of the schools on Column
bia Heights and the Henry 7. Blow, in the
sixth division, which was to relieve the