Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-02

BILL but to point out the faults OF the en-
tire school system. Mr.. Clarks remarks
entertained the subcommittee and every
body else within hearing distance. He pref
aced his testimony with the remark that
he was born on the banks of the Ana
costa river" and started to read long
written statement which hadn't anything
in particular to do with the school sltua-
ton, but which contained the information
that Mr.. Clark was grown man When
Commissioner Macfarland was in sWaddllng
clothes and he was asked by Chairman
Morrell to get down to the facts. winch ne
proceeded to do.
Mr.. Clark said that the public school sys-
tenn of Washington was founded on a wrong
idea The elementary schools prepared pu.
pills for the high schools and the high schoo,
prepared pupils for college. He thought
more attention should be given to the
three r'sn and less to the fancy work or
education. He said that statistics snow
that only Z per cent of the children VINO
enter the first grade ever reach the nsh
school, and that 20 per cent drop out before
Trey get to the fifth grade. Consequently
he thought that the principles OF tundamen-
al education should be more firmly ground
ed in the pupils and that there should not
be so much stuff In the curriculum That
there as-no time to drill the pupils prop
erly in the valuable elements or practlcdi
education. People did not know what was
going on IN the school rooms, Mr.. clark
said or they would be intensely indignant.
The witness then proceeded to severely
critieise the educational system inaugural
ed In Washington by the late Superinte1i-
dent Powell He said that under the POW
ell regime he had once gone to the Normal
School to watch one of the classes under III
struction and had remained there tnfee-
quarters of an hour.
"And what do you suppose they were
doing all that timer asked Mr.. Clark.
II don't know" replied Chairman Nor
rell.
.eThey were discussing the all-important
of Univ a wOOQDpckerS eggs were
speclxled" replied Mr.. Clark Indignantly.
After the laughter had subsidized Mr.. Clark
went at the Powell system hammer ana
tongs but was interrupted by Representa-
tive Green a member of the subcommittee
who wanted to know If PowelPs ideas had
not been discontinued in the public schools
some years ago.
Powell's System Followed.
"They were supposed to have been dis
continued" replied Mr. Clark, but as
matter of fact they are being followed here
in Washington today. We have text BOOKS
In the schools now, and except for that dif-
ference the Powell system is the one that
is followed
Mr.. Clark then went on to say that one of
his grandchildren, a little girl twelve years
old could read and write, but had not
learned the alphabet yet. This, ne salo'
was one of the delights of the Powell sys-
tenn Under that same system, Mr.. clark
said chat he had often. seen crowds or
pupils journeyihg out in the country TO
study the hills and valleys the mountains
and plains instead of working on some
thing that would be of benefit to them:
Mr. Clark said he had made 1t his bust
ness TO visit the public schools of the city
hundreds and hundreds OF times. ihat ~
the way the trustees did IN his day, he sam.
hui he was willing to wager that mighty
few of the present members of the board
of education had ever been inside the Vafl-
Gus school houses except perhaps on COM
mencement days or similar occasions.
Things just as foolish as the speckles on q
woodpecker's eggs were being discussed IN
the public schools now, MI Clark asserted
There had been big howl in 1900 when
the fact concerning this new and approved
system had become known to the people,
and in his opinion there would be worsa
howl today IL the citizens of the D3strics
realized just how bad the present condi-
tions were. Anybody could go INTO the
sch ool rooms now, Mr. Clark said. and they
would see the children studying apples ana
reaches and oranges, and perhaps they
might see q mouse there. Pupiis were
taught just such stuff as this. They had
to learn why mouse digs crooked hole
instead of straight one before they learn
their letters.
Mr.. Clark then read to the committee
letter from a railroad man, whose name ne
declined to make public at this time. prom
Using TO give information to member OF
the committee or any one else VINO might
want It in a private way The witness then
SAID tnat the fduioda Iah ~ Hoeo eAoti -
informed him that pupils graduating from
the local high schools did not know enough
to write a business letter. In his business
ne had to employ many young men, and all
an applicant had to do now was to show
diploma of graduation from a local high
school and he would not get job. 1t was
the universal opinion, according to Mr..
Clark that the public school system OF
Washington was no good. He thought that
the only possible benefit that education
could bring to the working classes was in
SO far as it aided In making a living. This
the educational facilities of Washington did
not do.
Moreover, the local system was top
heavy with supervision Too much money
was-spent for high-priced officials who did