Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-21
should be an expert teacher Of children
and an expert instructor of teachers.
Would Extend Night Schools.

| WOulQ ExCSuQ N1RaL SCHOOLS.
The night school term should be
heightened. 1t is now less than sixty
nights long, and only twenty nights
| long for one-night shifts. The term
! extends from early October to early
March. 1t should extend from october
| / to May I. 1t is not wise In my opin-
! ion to require any particular group OF
| young people to attend night SCHOOLS
more than three evenings a week. In
| crowded schools. like the Mckinley
| and Armstrong, however. where the
| equipment limits the size of classes.
| the buildings should be open every
week day evening, including saturday.
| in order that the several shifts may
each have two or three nights of work
per week
Our present policy should be contin-
ued and strictly enforced and no
classes formed unless the need is
shown and the registration justties
I action. Glasses that show lack OF de-
termination to benefit by the opportun-
ity offered them or that fall OF seTi-
| ously in enrolment should be consoli-
dated or eliminated.
| THE educational work should be re-
adjusted and standardized. The grade
| work should not only cover the basic
| work of the day grades. but so or :.
| ganized that the mature student or
| good mind who is in earnest may 40
the equivalent of the day grade in the
shorter night term, while the inii'a
| ture student may accomplish the equiv
alent in two night school years. Man
| ual and vocational courses should De
! extended to meet all real demand NOT
| only should the foreign class be con-
| tinued with extended time. but classes
should be established for the more ma
| ture foreigners, whether they need spe-
cIal training in English or not. who are
looking forward to naturalization 1t
should be a definite course In the
! principles OF American citizenship In
the high schools there should be an
establishment Of night courses parallel
| ing the day courses Of the academic
classes. For these there Is growing
| demand.
I'm general l feel that the handi-
to every educational privilege the day
school student enjoys in so far as IT is
| possible to supply it.
Value of Vacation Schools.
Il believe the value of the vacation
schools is so we'll established and the
demand for them is so general that
the time has come when they should
be supported by public appropriation.
1t is financially a simple and mex
pensive proposition, considering the
work accomplished. I believe it is
wrong to longer place upon the schools
the necessity for conducting frequent
entertainments during the regular
school months--with consequent inter-
ruption to school work and strain on
teachers-in order that funds may be
raised. If l sense the feeling rightly
our local communities, which have
come in contact with one summer va
cation school,. believe that the work
has a practical. far-reaching value. and
that the expense should be met from
public funds.
During the past year marked prog
ress was made on the great new Cen
trail High School. Work was COM
menced on the Park View School, and
on the new NJ Street High School. The
rebuilding of the Western High School
was practically completed. The Miner
Normal School was used for school
work for the first time. The additions
to the Birney School and to the Con-
gress Heights School became availa BILE
for use. Provision was made by Con-
gress for a site for a new East
High School and for an addition to
the Powell School. 1t is evident that
the situation as to school accommo-
dation will soon be much improved
There are certain pressing needs for
grade school accomm odation which
trust may be met in the next year or
so. l am more than ever convinced that
in general new buildings should pro
vide for at least sixteen rooms and an
assembly hall. plus one or two smaller