The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-09-20
FIRST ROLL CALL
HEARD IN SCHOOLS
Some Fifty-Odd Thousand
Children Answer to
Their Names.
FEW FACES MISSING
IN TEACHERS RANKS
Pupils Are Dismissed Early-Ex-
periments in Grade Schools
Course Causes Interest.

More than $4,000 school children. rang
ing from the youngsters of the kinder
garteo and first grades TO the ingrown
dignity OF high school pupils. who Will
some day wear class pins. answered the
first roll call Of the new school year at
o'clock this morning
Not all Of them were singing school
Days
The old Joke, however, OF the unwill-
ne worker who has TO be towed to the
school house door by an anxious parent
is pretty nearly exploded. Up at the
Franklin, where there are about as
many pupils as at any other one school,
the scene was not in the least funeral
like.
The small boys began 70 arrive there
by a quarter past s. No, they did not
have books under their arms, because
. the books haven't been given out yet.
They carefully noted the new paint
which constitutes most Of the repairs
at the Franklin. slid down the bannis-
ters until the janitor interviewed, and
then resorted to tag in the large play
room in the basement. There was moro
room outside in Franklin Park. but tag
is forbidden in the play ROOM" which
makes a difference.
"reminiscences.
The young misses came along about
ten minutes before o'clock. Then the
"reminiscences began.
ITS pretty tough to have to come
back here without Miss Molly" re-
marke a tow-headed yoUngster.
why. what's happened TO her2''
She went and got married this sum-
mer to some man over in Baltimore"
~ am sorry about that" answered
the tow-head number, then. Frightening:
Say. Miss - didn't get married, too,
did she2''
"Naw-no such good luck. Gee. L wish
she had"
There are about thirty new teachers,
indicating that Cupid alighted on other
schools as we'll as the Franklin.
But the most cruel blow or all was
dealt to the youngsters at the Garfield
and the six schools that are undergoing
repairE- These are the Phillips, the
Jackson. the Carbery, the Phelps, the
Madison. and the Towers. It was an
nounced about q week ago that the
delay in completing the work on these
buildings might result in beginning
school in them few days later.
But kind-hearted Captain Oyster made
a personal inspection, and the children
can thank him for having the privilege
OF beginning on time.
Go Home Early.
Pupils in nearly all the schools were
dismissed today by II o'clock, and they
will get out nearly as soon tomorrow
The first two days will be devoted to
getting the rolls in order and arranging
the multitude or other details connected
with the opening OF a new session.
- One experiment which Is being watch
ed with interest by officials here as
well as by educators IN other cities is
the new scheme OF making the course
IN the grade schools more rigid. Time
cards have been sent to all the teachers
outlining the time TO be spent. and the
relative Importance OF each study. IL is
believed that this arrangement will
standardize the course IN the grade
schools 10 the same degree as the high
school course. and that Il will make the
work easier for pupils who are trans
ferred from one school 70 another dur
ing the year
Few Changes.
There are unusually few changes in
the organization OF the schools this
year. With the exception Of the thirty
new teachers named there are few
changes in the teaching force, the
Others being effected by transfers. There
IS practically no change i'm the admin
istrative department OF the high schools
sr the grade schools. The principals
and the heads Of departments remain
the same.
The work in the high schools will not
be widely different from that OF last
year save that the first mid-year classes
VIII be graduated IN January from the