Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-13


Morrell showing that the present plan OF
supervision by groups of bufldings-in view
of the large number of small buildings in
this city-is the most economical method
that could be followed here
Supervision by Groups.
Mr.. Stuart then went on to point out that
outside of the high schools. manual train
Ing schools and normal schools there are
124 buildings owned by the District and
occupied for school purposes. One is of ~
rooms. one of IS rooms. one of 16 rooms,
two OF IA rooms, sixteen of Il rooms, four
OF 10 rooms. one of rooms, seventy-two OF
8 rooms. two of 6 rooms. seventeen OF
rooms. three of 2rooms and four OF room.
None of these buildings was provided with
an Independent principal Seventy-hve OF
them of eight rooms or over have elghth
grade principals: eleven buildings of eight
rooms have seventh grade principals; nine
buildings of eight rooms have sixth grade
principals: three buildings OF -eiSht rooms
have fifth grade principals
&c. Superintendent Stuart pointed out. to
supply seventy-five eighth grade c.a5s
teachers In buildings of eight rooms ana
above would cost 81 $50; to supply eleven
seventh grade class teachers IN ouidihss
of eight rooms would cost $500; TO supply
nine.sixth grade class teachers IN ouidihgs
of eight rooms would cost S4,2Uo, and 10
supply three fifth grade class teachers IN
buildings of eight rooms would cost s.. 400;
a total cost of $50, $50. and leaving twenty
six buildings OF less imam elSnl Will
out any supervision at all
Comparing the cost of the present system
of supervising principals with the cost OF
independent principals of buildings, Mr.
Stuart said that the excess over grade pay
now paid to ninety-eight principals of build
ings of eight rooms and above would be
$40, 40, while the amount now paid to TWEEN.
ty assistants to principals is Si1, 400, a total
of S21,S which, deducted from ss9'eoo tne
total cost of supplying class teachers IN
nnety-eght buildings of eight rooms ana
above, would still leave an excess OF S6'Soo
Then there was to be considered the est1-
mated additional cost of independent prin-
cipals in ninety-eight buildings of eight
rooms and above an average salary OF
81 500 which Mr.. Stuart considered extreme
ly moderate, a total of S12,9gO, which would
make the total cost of salaries for independ-
ent principals and class teachers in the
nnety-eight buildings referred to $l4o 40
The excess of cost of thirteen supervising
principals under the Commissioners bill
over present salaries would next year
amount to only 1880 while the excess of
cost of uinety-eight principals of build
ings under the Commissioners bill over
present salaries would amount next year to
s3;;, 800, a total of $36 100 under the Commits
SionerS' bill. while the greater excess of cost
of providing independent principals and
class teachers for nnety-eight buildings as
proposed over the cost of the present sys-
TEN, would be S104 040.
The fact remained prominent, Mr.. Stu
art pointed out, that we have in WASH
ington q multiplicity of small buildings.
However we came to have them. he said,
was beside the question. They are here,
and the most economical method of SUI
pervision was by group principals, either
thirteen in number provided in the
Commissioners bill. or, vastly better,
twentyfour in number as provided by
the Foster, Goulden, Plat and other bills.
Expansion of High School System.
Again referring to the greater appar-
ent cost of the school system in Wash
fngton, Mr.. Stuart said it could be ac-
counted for In part by the expansion of
the high school system. The city of
Washington itself, he pointed out, was
planned by a great French engineer. and
was planned on such a grand scale that
IT excited ridicule across the water and.
indeed. among our own people
And what has been the RESULT" asked
Mr.. Stuart NO one regrets the grand
scale on which the capital city was plan
ned, even though it placed on the munich
pality and on Congress an enormous bur-
den of expenditure, and l wish to make
the same statement concerning the scope
and prophetic provision made for the To-
cal high school system. The high school
system was not planned by LEnfant but
it was planned on the advice of Congress,
with such scope, with such an outlook
into the future. as to make 1t the ground
work upon which construction could go
on for fifty years"
InGre was everything TO De desired IN the
ground plan of the local high school sys-
TEN, Mr.. Stuart said If the citys growth
implied an obligation then the inability 0:
the high school system of this city implied
another obligation upon the citizens and
upon Congress. Not another city in the
world had such a comprehensive and COM
plete high school system in all its parts as
has the District of Columbia. Mr.. Stuart
then outlined for the benefit o the various
branches of the high school system, and
a idea which thew
as institutions of education. He mentioned
at this point that every step in the growth
of the high schools, which had always been
an added expense, had always been author
lied by act of Congress. and he called the
of the committee to the fact that ii was
only in 1892 that the United Staes Senae
made the hig hschool course four years in
stead of three years because it was con-
sidered that prior to that time it was con-
sidered that the high schools did not suffi-
GENTLY equip the young men and -Tomen
to enter college
Another factor in the apparently great
expense of the local system was the dual
quality made necessary by separate systems
for the white and colored schools. He
should not have mentioned this, he said,
save that DIR. Kelly Miller referred to it
the other day. This dual system, he point
ed out. the result of ineorable
social custom, not defendabe one how
ever, but which made it necessary to have
two normal schools two manual training
schools, two kinds of supervision and the
like.
Another element in the cost was the ex-
pense of janitor service and fuel in the
numerous small school buildings. The plan
to tear down the old school buildings and
the insanitary structures and put in their
places large modern expensive structures
was very much, In his opinion, the superin-
tendent said, like the Mcmillan parking
plan. which appealed to artists, but which
was looked upon with suspicion by the ma
tional legislators. owing to the enormous
expenditures involved
Small School Houses Defended.
Superintendent Stuart said he should not
be willing to surrender the present con-
venience of locality of the various small
school buildings in order that thousands
of children might be herded together In i'm
mense barrack-like structures. Not only
would these structures be farther from
home. and the per capita cost to parents
increased by carfare charges of 500 year
or more, but the educational value and the
homeikeness OF the smaller schools would
be entirely lost under this plan of concen-
tration. There was just the difference be-
tween the little school house and the i'm
mense modern structure that there was be-
tween the cottage by the and the
crowded apartment house in metropolis.
Let the little school house live" he said.