Evening star., 1916-08-20
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

Fifty years ago Washington was
sadly deficient in school building equip
ment. but was making
New Schools an effort to supply IA
cilities for public edu-
Neeoeu. cation. In The Star of
August 10. 1855. is the following:
I'VE were glad to see in the board of
aldermen last Monday evening such
unanimity in favor of going on with
the erection of the new schoolhouse In
the first school district. The board
authorized the mayor to continue the
work to completion. and, II necessary,
to borrow the funds to enable him to
do So There was only one member
who opposed the measure. and he based
his opposition on the general ground of
economy in public expenditures and the
bad policy of anticipating tho revenue.
Now, there are two sides to this
question The building and furnishing
of comfortable. well ventilated school
houses, though tho first cost may be
considerable. Is true economy. even II
we look to financial considerations
..
ton to pay tho annual interest on the
money for their construction. II such a
course is necessary, than to pay flve
times the amount yearly In rents for
miserable basement rooms and tumble
down barracks. hot in summer. cold in
winter; crowded. badly lighted. and
not ventilated at all? Tho Wallach
School building, at the eastern end of
the city, about which 80 much has been
said. Is Justly esteemed By all friends
monuments Of our city, and a delega-
tion from New England a section
noted for its interest In the public
school system). who inspected tho
building not many months since. pro-
nounced It one Of the finest institutions
of the kind in tho country.
Lot US bend every energy 70 promote
tho cause Of education. 1t would pay.
morally and financially. Eminent Eng
lish writer's. ortticising the late Euro
the preponderence of Prussia in con-
tinental affairs and her wonderful sue
cess in placing herself in the front
rank of nations, not to the needle gun,
nor to tho policy of Count Bismarck.
but to 'geist,' q word now used by
gence of the masses of tho people which
is tho direct result of a system Of edu-
cation which reaches all classes, and
for which Prussia (where the state
COIHpclS lHo dtIoHQdnCe OIL all CnllureQ
at the public schools) has long been
noted"
Tho arrival OF Queen Emma OF
Hawaii in Washington was made the
occasion of a BILE
0ueen Emma reception fifty years
ago She was shown
and Indians. all tho sights" OF
the capital, including in her rounds a
trip to Mount Vernon on the revenue
steamer Northerner. According to The
Star Of August II. 1865, she had an in
teresting encounter with some North
American Indians on the evening of hei
visit to the tomb of Washington:
"At a little after o'clock her mai
esty was waited upon by the several
Indian delegations which are now in
the city on business with the Indian
office. They were accompanied by
Charles e. Mix, esq, acting commits
them to the queen. The delegations
were received by her majesty in one OF
the large parlors of the hotel. and as
the Indians were introduced to her she
shook each by the hand. The queer
appeared to be much pleased with the
language. whereupon Gov. Pytchlin ad-
dressed her in the Chocktaw language
which was interpreted by Mr.. Wright
She carefully examined the bows, ar
Pawnees and seemed especially divert
ed by the odd appearance Of the little
papoose, which was carried on the back
Of a squaw. She conversed with Big
Bear. the chief, through the Interpreter
and seemed anxious to know how they
0auarnod Cow PVtChlin aXnlaln :
ed to her that the civilized Indians
governed themselves. but the wild ones
belonged to Mr.. NIX
There was an American-Mex Is
sue at this time fifty years ago. even
as now, as told in the
Mexican Port followins-in The Star OF
August IS, 1866:
C1oslnS. THE proclamation OF
the President, stating that our government
will hold null and void the late decree OF
Macmillan closing the port of Matamoras
and other Mexican ports, now in pos
session of the liberals, is not only con-
sistent with our policy. but in strict
accordance with the law of nations.
During our recent civil war we had
constant reminders from England and
France of the futility of paper block
AIDES, unsupported by competent mill
tary or naval force. Our strict ad-
herence to this recognized law, very
inconvenient to US at that time, and
very profitable to other powers, gives
us the right now to claim its enforce
ment when we reap the benefits and
others have to suffer its disadvantages.
This important step taken by the ex-
ecutive to maintain our national rights
and dignity will, we have no doubt,
meet a ready response in the popular
heart, whether the result be war or
peace. 1t shows that the adnnfstra-
ton. while jealousy guarding the In
terests of the people Of all the states.
and endeavoring to bring about har-
mony and good feeling at homo, is de-
termined to enforce our rights abroad,
by taking such an attitude in respect
to our foreign relations as will COM
mand the respect of othor nations and
meet the approval Of all true Ameri-
cans"
wasnington had a number Of queer char
acters during and after the civil war
in evidence in its
Race Trouhle streets, one Of whom
is the subject. Of the
Teareo. foil owing paragraph
in The Star of August 20, 1855: