Evening star., 1908-01-19
GIRLS SCHOOLS HERE
Pupils Come From Nearly
Every State in Union.
THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED
Superiority of Washington as an
Educational Center.
VIEWS OF SOME PRINCIPALS
Social and Other Attractions.
Visitation Convent Of Georgetown
Over a Century Old.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Washington is becoming n great edu-
cational center There are one hundred
and eleven private and incorporated in
stitutions in the telephone book. including
five universities-George Washington Uni
versity, the Catholic University of Amer
lea, the University of Georgetown. How
ard University and the American Uni
versty. which the Methodist Church is
building here, although it is not yet in
operation. Two classic buildings OF
marble have been erected. and the cor
poration has a noble and extensive site
just outside the city. but thus far there
is no faculty and there are no students.
1t has long been proposed to establish
a sixth university here under the aus
pices of the government, and there is a
bill pending before Congress fo- that
purpose. We have the highest institu
tion for the education of the deaf and
dumb in the world; we have the highest
institution for the education of young
women of the Catholic Church. called
Trinity College; we have several other
colleges and converts and first-clasS pre-
paratory schools for boys and young
men. and about forty private schools for
young women and girls of more or less
Importance. These are all outside of the
public school system, which is devel-
Cped In Washington to as great a degree
of perfection for both white and black
children as in any other place in the
world, notwithstanding the irascibility
and incoherence of the recent superin-
tendent. He, no doubt. did a great deal
of harm during the short time he was
in charge. and demoraliZed the teaching
force almost as badly as he demoralized
himself. but. fortunately, he did not i'm
pair the high standard of the public
schools.
1t is the opinion of those best qualified
to know that the forty schools for young
women and girls in Washington have
altogether from 1000 to 800 pupils be-
tween twelve and twenty years of age,
of whom between 1000 and 1.5O0 are
boarders and between 500 and 1000 are
day pupils. OF the latter about 25 per cent.
o. between 200 and 25O are non-residents.
adding altogether from 1.4OO to 1000
young women to the winter population of
Washington, who come from almost every
state in the Union. from Mexico. Central
and South America, from Cuba. Porto
Rico and other islands of the West In
dies, and from China and Japan.
In the Laise-Phillips school on CoAnecti-
cut avenue, for example, the alumnae list
New York. Pennsylvania. Della
ware. Maryland. Virginia. Georgia, Ala
bama, West Virginia, Ohio. Indiana. Il
linois. Kentucky. Michigan, Wisconsin.
Iowa, Missouri. Arkansas. |
Nebraska Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado |
Utah, South America. England. Scotland |
Germany and Russia. and several other |
schools have an equally widespread in
fiuence and reputation.
Experience of Mrs. Somers.
Mrs. Elizabeth c. Somers. principal OF
Mount Vernon Seminary. who is pio-
neer in the education of young women
in Washington, says:
THE Convent of the Visitation in |
Georgetown is the Oldest boarding school
for girls in Washington. and celebrated
its centennial eight years ago. 1t has
large and distinguished alumnae roster
Mount Vernon Seminary. which. l believe.
is next in age, was established in 1875. It's
early history could scarcely interest the
public; it's later history is written in
the lives of its alumnae. who have come
from almost every state and from several
foreign countries. / did not come here
for this work: | was already here and
the work found me-
How many young women have you
had under your care during the thirty
three years you have been here, and
where did they come from?''
II cannot tell you exactly how many, |
but probably 100 is a generous approxi-
mate estimate of those who have been
members of my school. The Alumnae An
nual will tell you of the hundreds of
homes in which my daughters are wives
and mothers, and you will also find
daughters of my daughters in the alum
nae list. Very probably, and quite nat
urally, the patronage of Washington
schools Tor women is not largely from
New England or the adjacent states
since those sections have their own fine
schools and need not seek advantages
elsewhere. our patronage varies. With
Indiana as the center, the east and west
almost balance among the residents men,
toned in our catalogue. This year there
is d light eastern preponderance."
What advantages has Washington
over other cities for the education of
young women"
AS the nations capital, Washington
should and does offer advantages of edu-
cational value that can be found in no
other city. Our experience has taught
US that it is very safe city for the
freedom in certain directions We nave
proved desirable for our pupils. What
ever the experience of sister schools NAV
have been, we have had phenomenal
health record throughout the life of our
school. so that / can speak favorably of
climatic advantages. Under proper condi-
tions and for the smaller numbers. Ger
tain features of social life in Washing
ton may be considered advantageous. We
do not. however. offer these as advan-
tages or Inducements, nor are they potent
factors in the prosperity of Mount Ner-
non seminary. Boston ana New 1Ork
offer more. although hardly better ad-
yantages in music and larger opportu-
mites i'll art. Washington ranks third
New York first and Boston second in
school charges and the expense of secur-
ing an education. Chicago has day
schools of superior grade. but 1 do not re-
call at this moment any boarding schools
of especial Importance or superiority in
that city"
rs it better for girl to attend a
boarding school in the country or in a
city,"
"On general principles ] should choose
a city school for a country girl and a
country school for city GIRL other ad-
vantageS being equal.
: Views of Mrs. Phillips.
Mrs. Sylvester Phillips. who Is principal
of the Laise-PhilIips School, in answer
to my inquiry, said:
Il think the strongest plea that can be
made for Washington as an educational
center is that, being the seat of national
government. pupil enjoys unlimited op-
portunities here for literary and scientific
research without cost. and this Is true
also in a measure. of art Since daugh-
ters must be educated. why not give them
absolutely correct environment and as
scciation in connection with the best edu-