Evening star., 1917-01-14
FORMAL OPENING OF
THE DUNBAR SCHOOL
Dedication Will Be Featured
by Exercises on Every
Day of This Week.
WELL EQUIPPED BUILDING

Dedication and formal opening of the
new Dunbar High School. 1st street
between " and o streets northwest. is
to take place this week. Exercises are
TO be held each day in the new building
FROM tomorrow through Friday.
The building. which takes the place
OF the old NJ Street High School
structure. was named for Paul Lau-
renee Dunbar. and is regarded the
finest and best equipped public high
school for colored youth in the country.
The building and equipment cost $500.
900. exclusive of ground.
Among the many interesting fea-
lures of the celebration will be the
presence OF Mrs. Matilda Dunbar. the
mother of the poet, who will be the
guest OF tn. faculty of the school, and
Prof. Richard T. Greener, the first
colored graduate of Harvard Univer-
sity. and former principal of the
colored high school.
Exercises of the Week.
Tomorrow evening Justice Frederick
l.. Siddons of the District Supreme
Court will preside. Commissioner
Louis Brownlow. representing the Dis
trict Commissioners. will present
formally Dunbar High School to the
school authorities. The school will be
accepted by Rev DIR. John Van Schaick,
tr.. president of the board of education:
Ernest L. Thurston. superintendent of
schools. and Roscoe c. Bruce, assistant
superintendent in charge of colored
schools. The principal address will
be delivered by Archibald H. Grimke
on the life and works of Paul Laurence
Dunbar, for whom the school is named.
Addresses will be made also by Rep
resentatives $. ID. Fess, Jacob Z.
Meeker and other prominent members
OF the District committees In Congress
and Snowden Ashford. the municipal
architect.
Tuesday evening Fountain Peyton.
member of the board Of education, will
preside. Addresses will be delivered
by Philander p. Claxton, United states
commissioner of education: Mrs. Cora
lie +. Cook. member of the board Of
education: Edward c. Williams, for
mer principal of NJ Street High School;
Prof. Kelly Miller. dean of the Col
lege of Arts and Sciences at Howard
University. and Justice Robert H. Ter
rell and Richard T. Greener, both
former principals Of the coiored high
Dr. w. E. b. Du Bois. editor of the
Crisis. from appearing on the pro-
gram.
wednesday evening an organ and voice
recital will be given by Roy Tibbs. pro-
fessor of pianoforte and organ, at How
ard University, and Harry Burleigh,
baritone. of New York.
Thursday evening DR.. j. Hayden John
will preside. Addresses will be made by
Dr. D. F. Wiseman. representing civic
associations and James A. Cobb. repre-
senting the District bar. There will be
bN-A a.
of parents. short addresses will be made
by Rev. A. G. Garner. Mrs Julia N. lay
ton. Rev. Sterling N. Brown. DR.. Albert
Collins. w. w. Cohran, Henry J. Davis
and Mrs. Gabrielle Pelham
Friday afternoon, at o'clock, there
viii be a symbolic procession of school
departments and activities by under
graduates of the school The program
also includes the presentation Of esthetic
dances. folk dances. ehoruses and scenes
from the "Chantcleer."
Friday evening. Campbell johnson.
president of the Alumni Association. will
preside. An address will be delivered
of Miss Mamie II. Burroughs. president
OF the National Training School for
Women On behalf of the alumni,
Charles II. Houston will present to the
school a draft covering the cost of a
bronze memorial tablet of Paul Laurence
Dunbar, the bas-relief being yet unfin-
ished. Acceptance on behalf of Dunbar
faculty and students by Garnet c. Will
kinson. principal of Dunbar School, will
follow. Addresses also will be made by
DIR. W. S. MONTGOMERY. Mrs. Anna J.
Cooper and W, T. S. Jackson. former
From 8 to 7:30 pm Friday has been
set apart for class reunions. The pro-
gram each evening will be interspersed
with vocal and instrumsntal music by
Miss Charlotte Wallace. Or. C. Sumner
wormly. Dunbar Chorus. Folk Song Sing
ers, Miss Mary Europe, Prof William
Braxton and others.
Development Of the Dunbar.
The Dunbar High School Is the cher
ished resultant of forty-six years of
secondary school work in the District.
In November. 1870. the local high school
for the education of colored youth was
organized a. a preparatory high school.
and was located first In the basement
of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian
Church. with Miss Emma j. Hutehins
(white) of Haverhill. n. H.. as principal.
In September. 1871. the school was
moved to Stevens building with Miss
Mary Jane Patterson as principal From
September. 1872. to June. 1877. the high
school was located In the Sumner build
ing. and during the first year Of this peri
cd Prof. Richard T. Greener served as
Jane Patterson again was made principal.
which position she held until June. 1854.
In September. 1877. the high school
was moved to the Miner building. where
II remained until June. 1891 In Sep
tsmber. 1854. Prof. Francis L. Cardozo
was made principal. and no served until
June, 1896.
In September. 1891. the high school was
moved TO 81 street, where II remainad
until June. 1916. during which time DR.
Winfield Scott MONTGOMERY was principal
from September. 1895. to April 80 1883:
Judge Robert II. Terrell from Nav 4
1929. 70 December 81. 1901: Mrs. Anna j
Cooper. from January. 1902 to June 1906.
William T :. jackson. from September.
1906. to June. 1909. and Edward c. Will
1915
October 2. 1916. the Dunbar High School
was first occupied. and at a meeting OF
the board OF education held July II, 1915.