The Washington herald., 1914-09-04
SCHOOLS open
SEPTEMBER q
Washington System Conceded
to Be Model for Any !
City in United States.
PROGRESSIVE AND RIGID
Fact that This Is Seat of Government.
Public Schools Have Excel
lent Advantages.

Every kid in Washington has ''2l"
marked OF on the September calendar.
Despite the European war with III
hold-up OF school supplies and Its prob
able responsibility for putting teachers
who summered there, on the tardy list
the kids will be mustered out for schoo
duty with clean scrubbed faces and 6
new set Of books Monday morning, Sep
TENDER. n.
A Model System.
The Washington school system has
been conceded by educators the country
over for the past thirty years to be
the model in public school systems In
the United States, probably because this
is the seat OF government and the sys-
tenn has the advantage OF being accessible
to the United States Bureau of Educa'
ton, from which II CLEANS ideas and
help from the best scientific, as well a
practiced educators. of the country.
That the Washington school teacher,
are appointed on merit and not by po-
litical pulls has been another reason Of.
fered for the superiority Of Washing
toms corps OF teachers. and that II also
contributes to the efficiency Of the
schools, Is the judgment Of q number
OF educators who have come here from
different parts Of the country to study
the methods.
1t would be foolish to claim that
Washington's school system Is a model
that could not be pedestaled for the
use OF the country because each in
dividual community has its distinctive
needs in an educational system, but for
the usual city OF the same size and
relative conditions, washington's school
system ranks among the highest.
Whfla ~ - A.
cation has not been ready to pick up
every new fancy and fad offered in the
educational line. they have put into ef-
feet all new methods that have been
credited and received. and have gained
a reputation throughout the country as
being among the most progressive.
Fresh Air Schools.
The fresh air schools established last
winter by Superintendent Ernest /.
Thurston under the direction OF S. N.
Ely have been a pronounced success.
Two were operated last winter for the
benefit Of children who needed the open
air 10 maintain strength enough to con-
tinue their studies, and il Is the plan
Of the board 10 continue the out-of-door
classes this year.
The playground Industrial work that
was made a feature Of the summer
Fairgrounds this year was reported q
success from an educational standpoint
and the exercise and mental recess from
'rithmatlc and spelling will make the
youngsters, in the opinion OF educators
and physicians. more fit to take up their
class room duties this month.
The compulsory military service given
in the District high schools has been
made a feature OF many schools through
out the country. and the competitive
drill each spring not only keep UP q
warm interest among the cadets, but
the practice for the efficiency drills
makes for higher standards of physical
development among the boys.
According to statistics, Washington
has a greater percentage Of high school
pupils for its population than any other
city in the United States. Last year
$500 boys and girls attended the differ
ent classes in the high schools OF the
District, and more than 1.0Oe were gTadu-
ated last spring.