Evening star., 1925-05-01

JAMES ORM
: messages to the City Council for sev.
eral years. beginning in 1S40. This
t caused public discussion. The ideas OF
the mayor were warmly supported by
John Quincy Adams, Justice Wood
bury. Caleb Cushing-all New Eng
land men-and by other prominent citi
zeus. A remodeling of the schools
along New England ideas followed
The City Counvil became more liberal
in appropriations for the schools. The
! schools became more popular with the
people.
Becomes School Trustee.
while this favorable change in pub
lie sentiment was progressing MIR.
| Wilson, in 1892. began his eight years
; | of valuable service as a school trustee.
! lie assumed these duties with q full
knowledge of the city. its people and
he needs of the public schools, grow
ing out of his residence of IA wears
in the town. A New Englander. he
was naturally filed with the New
England sentiment so strongly favor
ing the public schools for the chill.
dren of all the people. From his an
pointment in 1862 to 1870, when he
became superintendent of schools. he
| TOOK an influential and leading part
in all the activities of the board of
trustees. holding important committee
appointments and advocating progress.
| sive measures. An examination OF the
official records demonstrates these
facts conclusively.
"An active campaign for new school
buildings was made during Mr.. vii
sons term as trustee and was con
tfnued through his superintendency.
The following buildings were erected.
and about in the order named, during
the 20 years from 1864 TO 1884: Wal
ZACH, Franklin, Seaton, Lincoln. Sum.
ner. Jefferson, Cranch. Curtis. Abbot.
John F. Cook. Force. Peabody. Henry,
Garnet. Gales, Grant. Banneker. Cen.
5r5l High, Morse. Brent. Dennison
and Webster
1t should not be overlooked that
the position of superintendent OF
schools did not exist prior to 1859.
Before that time there was no execu-
( tive, administrative or supervisory
officer between the trustees and the
teac hers. The trustees included among
their official duties those OF school
visitors and examiners. -,v..sr
Took Post I'm 1870.
MIR. Wilson took the oath Of Office
as Superintendent of schools June 25,
1870. after the unusual and very thor.
! ough apprenticeship which % years
of residence here and years OF serv.
Ice as trustee gave him. Thus he
began his term as superintendent
knowing we'll the problems Of the
, schools and the human agencies with
through and for whom these problems
mad TO be solved. viz. the board OF
trustees. the workers in the schools
and the people of the cftv.
OF the Office of Superintendent Mt
ne himself writes: An office Of this
Kind is never a sinecUre. Its occu.
pant does not embark for a pleasure
voyage on Summer sea Many
tunes he must he chart, compass, cap
tam, pilot and man of all work, and
Will find himself in stormy weather
sailing between Scylla and Charyb.
dis. He may not so too. fast or too
slow. too far to the right or too far
to the left, lest he may fail to gain
and hold the confidence and loyalty
OF the corps of teachers whom he Is
to lead, or the general appreciation
and support of the school board and
the public. all Of which are essential
to his highest success
In his first annual report he recon-
mended that a normal or training
school be established without un.
necessary delay'-that high school
that Congress be asked to donate
. ,000,00 acres of public lands for the
benefit of the public schools of the Dis
trict of Columbia Referring to the
question of congressional aid, that re
port closes with these words: But
whether this assistance come early or
late, or not at all. we must not falter
Our commission imposes upon US nc
less duty than that of fostering the
f,,tA A1i ~ ri.
ing generation of our city and Provi
dence will assuredIy open a way along
which we may move forward In
making these three recommendations
Mr.. Wilson was continuing to advocate
as superintendent of schools ,progres
!, sive measures for which he had
striven as a member of the board OF
trustees. The normal school became
a reality in 1873 and the high school
| a little later. Congressional aid, not
in the form of land grants, but as ar
appropriation of money was made ir
. ISIS, and has been continued since
. These three achievements, together
with the liberal building program con
, tinued through his term and the in
: PRODUCTION OF the graded system. are
outsta nding pIishments of the
administration of the schools from
1870 to 1885.
, Retired In 1885.
, mfr. Wilson was an unassumins
, man. quiet and simple in his tastes
He was methodical, practical, direct
: clear in thinking, cogent in reason
ing, convincing, courageous, of excel
= lent Judgment and discernment, 6
great organizer. These qualities ex
plain his strength as a school man anC
show why he proved to be the man o.
: the Shour for these schools-the build
: er and organizer of our present sys
5 tenn. A pioneer spirit. he cleared tn,
/ way for his successors and retired ir
I 1885. He was, highly esteemed b!
: fellow superintendent and by schoo
. workers of his day. In 1880 he served
t as president of the National Educa
s tion Association. In his constructiv,
;. work as superintendent he was ii
E close touch with Mr.. John d. Phil
brick, superintendent of schools o
Boston from 1856 to 1873 and Gen
John Eaton, United States commits
sion of education from 1871 to 1885
! Both of these men were his persona
| friends and advisers.
.Mr. Wilson was e. member of thu
governing body and active in the ad
+ ministration of the affairs of numer
: Gus philanthropic, religious, educa
= tionaI and business institutions ant
!, societies He was chairman Of th
board of trustees of Garfield Hospital
: trustee of the New York Avenu
r Presbyterian Church, director of tn
/ | National Metropolitan Bank, truste
of George Washington University, on
. lof the incorporaiorss of the Industria
!. | Home School, member OF the Coluu
! bian Historical Society. From laasuA|