Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-06-20

Time could be found, 7 am certain, in
these grades, for all of the few forms
of manual work which have been sug-
gested.
More Night Schools Needed
"An additional evening school for
colored adults was established during
the year, making a total of four even
ing schools maintained by public
funds. Three of these are for the
colored and one for foreigners. They
have all been doing good work, though
neither the average attendance nor
the percentage of attendances has
been all that might have been expect
ed. The total enrolment in these
schools is less than $50, which is un-
usually small for a city of the popu-
lation of Harrisburg. Quite frequent
ly inquiries have been made regard
ing our evening schools, by native
adults, and we have been compelled
to state that no evening schools are
maintained for them. In my judg-
ment this condition ought not to exist
| question the wisdom of waiting for
a demand for evening school facili-
ties, on the part of those particularly
interested, for the reason that those
who would be interested are doubtless
widely separated geographically and
could not, therefore, by petition to the
board, or by other means, unite in a
common cause or request. | believe
it to be part of our duty to create an
interest in evening educational work.
This could be done by securing the
names of those interested, through
public announcement, or by first ac-
tually providing the necessary facili-
ties and afterward giving wide publi-
city to the fact that they have been
supplied.
Several hundred boys and girls be-
tween the ages of fourteen and sixteen
are compelled to leave school. each
year to go to work. In many cases they
possess the mere rudiments of an ele-
mentary education, being barely able
to read and write the English lang
uage sufficiently well to legally entitle
them to employment certificates. Fur
thermore, in many instances, it hap
pens that these children prefer to re-
main in school. They are forced out,
through stress of family circumstan-
ces, to aid in supplying the needs of
the home. If in any way we can give
these boys and girls, especially those
who WANT it, opportunity and en-
couragement through evening schools
to acquire a little education beyond
what they possess, 1t would seem to
be our duty to do so. In this connec-
ton, evening high school work might
be mentioned, or, rather, special work
in high school subjects. Our Tech
nical high school is admirably equip
ped for work of this kind, in shop,
laboratory and classroom, and It
seems wasteful that such complete
facilities are used only a few hours
a day. I do not doubt that many
would seize such opportunities If they
were but thrown open to them. "A
study of other cities lin our own as
well as other States. indicates that we
are not doing the work we ought to
do along these lines.
"Open Window Schools
Il do not think 1t will be neces-
sary for some years to come to in
crease the number of open air schools
where two teachers are employed and
where pupils ar practically fed, cloth
ed and transported. at considerable
added expense over and above the ex-
pense of the ordinary school. But
commend to your consideration the
advisability of making provision here
and there for a few open window
rooms to take care particularly of such
as need open air treatment but who do
not require the careful professional
attention given in the more elaborate
type of open air school.
In order that the opening of the new
Shimmell building may bring full re-
lief and provide against congestion In
the near future in q part of this Sec
tion of the city It will probably be
found necessary to bring together all
of the higher grammar grades into
the Forney building thereby making