Evening star., 1907-09-01

EDUCATION IN SOUTH
Continued from Eighth PayeJ

Continued from Eighth Pase)
the student body may be fostered, and as
an auxiliary in that direction there are
number of private schools IN the city and
in Maryland and Virginia where the home
life, moral influence and religious inspara-
ton are important adtuncts to the curricu-
lum.
Social Distinction.
But It is not religious opportunities alone
which the institutions Of the new WASH
,ugton or the fine old colleges and acad-
emies Of Maryland and Virginia afford.
The social distinction OF the schools in this
section is without parallel. It is NO un-
usual explanation Of the reason 50 many
preparatory and finishing schools are opened
either In the city itself or in the beautiful
and historic valleys Of the nearby counties
to have the principals point out the advan-
tages to their pupils of period OF resi-
dencs near the nations capital. The great
departments. the Capitol building itself. the
libraries and scientific institutions, which
are the marveis Of tourists. supply constant
object lessons to the student. And the
social life Of capital city where as in no
other city of the country the local and
provincial peculiarities have an opportunity
to be lost In q thoroughly cosmopolitan
atmosphere attracts q large proportion OF
the many pupils who come from all over
the south, west and east. In locating q
school in these sections . number Of owners
say they finally decided upon Washington
or its vicinity after q careful consideration
Of the claims of Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia and even Baltimore. This decision
was reached in consideration Of the peculiar
educational advantages Of the region, as
we'll as the natural benefits of the climate,
the charm of the scenery. the historic asso-
Citations, the cosmopolitan life, the leisurely
and studious atmosphere and the social
opportunities.
On Industrial Lines.
Noticeable in the new activity which is
raising the standards Of public and private
schools, demanding higher attainments Of
teachers and providing fong-deferred In
creases in teachers salaries, Is the interest
in Industrial and agricultural education. 1t
Is not merely that Washington itself af
fords any number Of schools from which
to choose pertinent business courses, but
there Is every chance Of becoming techni
cally proficient in the requirements for the
government civil service Stenography and
typewriting, bookkeeping and arithmetic,
business methods and banking are taught
In an unlimited number of training schools
and business colleges. and preparation Is
given for army and navy examinations, for
the civil service and for special lines Of
public work. The night schools and drill
schools give the busy student chance for
work whenever he may choose to put it in.
Along with this practical teaching, which
aims to reach down to every individual
need and expresses itself in the work Of
special teachers, drilling courses, prepara-
tory schools, business colleges and cor
respondence institutions, there are, quite
different from the old academies where the
young miss learned plain sewing and fine
cooking. many thoroughly modern estab-
!ishments where domestic economy and
domestic art scientifically taught The
maiden of today has no excuse, if she so
desire, for not being expert as milliner,
a dressmaker, plain cook or the deviser
of the subtlest of culinary compounds. And
her brother, In like manner, may come out
from school a thorough mechanic, skilled
in woodwork, ironwork or in the mysteries
Of electrical appliances.
Shown in Languages.
The differentiation of school aims now
has been carried to what must be an almost
ultimate division. Art schools flourish and
musical universities and colleges spring up
everywhere; every phase of private and
public life has its special courses and each
has specially equipped professors.
In no department does the modern idea
show more clearly than in languages. There
are In and close by Washington delightful
home schools where an atmosphere of
Germany or France is so cleverly main
tanned that the manner as well as the Ian
guage Of the foreigner is breathed in. In
the cities the matter of language goes a
step farther, and commercial opportunities
are making possible institutions where
Spanish, Italian, German or French alone
are taught. The day of old academic skill
in reading language without attempting
to pronounce or speak it is done away with
in this earnest and effective method of
making conversation In a language the
basis Of the instruction