Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-03
Early Education in
WASHINGTON. D. c..

before the puDllc SCHOOLS OF wash
ington were established the children
of the district were sent to good pri-
vate schools, of which there seems to
have been an abundance. Among
these early private schools were the
Columbian academy, in Georgetown,
which in 1908, under the Rev. David
Wiley, had IS pupils; Mrs. Reogan's
Young Ladies academy on + street
opened in 1906, and Hugh McGuire's
academy, near the seven buildings,
which was opened in August, 1907.
For girls the subjects were quite
different from those in young ladies'
schools. at present. They included
tambourine, embroidery, open work,
marking, all kinds of plain sewing.
filigree, painting, wax work, French,
music, dancing, reading and writing.
The boys studied Latin, Greek,
mathematics. geography and book
keeping, while English gram
mar. reading, writing and arith-
metc could be had for the low price
Of $24 per year.
One Of the most prominent and
certainly the most peculiar of the
earlier teachers in Washington was
John Mcleod. He opened his
school in 1903 near the navy yard
I witlf but four pupils. After the de-
struction Of the yard, in the war of
1912, he erected the Central academy
in 1916. During both summer and
winter Mr.. Mcleod and his assist
ants were in the schoolroom by day
light and spent from nine to ten
hours daily there instructing their
pupils. His pupils were probably not
excelled by any pupils of their age
in this country, and in rewarding
their conduct he was perhaps more
liberal than his circumstances war
ranted. To quote from a manuscript
written by him. he says: AT "a pub
lie examinations in Washington
gave away upward of $4,000 in pre-
miums. My last examination cost
me 5000, and to aid me in this ex-
pense never received a cent from
any person except SIS from Major
General Brown. This generous and
unexpected present warrants my
warmest thanks"
In 1911 Charles Bowman opened
school on F street, near st. Patrick
church. The first Lancasterian
school in the United States was es-
tablished in Georgetown, this in ISL.
The system of the school originated
with Andrew Bell. d. D.. an ordinary
in the Church of England.
The first schoolhouse erected for
the express purpose of the education
Of the colored youth O. the city was
built in about 1907 by George Bell,
Nicholas Franklin and Moses Liver
pool, all Of whom had been reared
as slaves in Maryland and Virginia.
1t was a one-story frame building
and stood on the present site of
Providence Hospital At that date
the colored population of Washington
was about 1900, about one-third of
them free. 1t was from the latter
class only that recruits for the school
could be obtained. or the early
teachers of the colored children Mrs.
Mary Billings seems to have been the
most revered and accomplished. She
was also the first protector Of the col
ored school in Georgetown.
The question Of public schools for
the city was agitated as early as
1904, as a committee was appointed
at that date by the city council. Lat
er the bill was passed and Thomas
jefferson. President of the United
States, was elected president of the
board.
A list Of the first board follows:
Thomas Jefferson, Robert Brent.
John Taylor, Nicholas King. Gabriel
Duval. John Dempsie, Thomas Ting
Eley. Thomas Monroe, William Brent,
William Cranch, George Blagden,
James Barry and Samuel Smith.
The result of the actions Of the
above board was that the first pub
lie and pay school was opened. and
known as the Washington academy.
in January. 1906. The building was
on Pennsylvania avenue. near the
Presidents house. A year later the
board determined to erect two new
buildings, one in the eastern and one
in the western part OF the city. An
appropriation of $4,000 was secured.
In 1916 the city was divided into
two districts. the first and second
wards were the first district and the
third and fourth wards the sec
ond.-Washington Pot