Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-18

on the grounds declare they have had
more inquiries as to the purpose OF
this tower than any other feature OF
the school.
When finished there will, in reality.
be two towers, one within the other.
with an iron spiral stairway between.
The inside one, not yet begun, will
serve as a smokestack for the heating
plant; the outside one, now about
finished, will lend an artistic touch
with its quaint, narrow windows and
ornamental balcony at the top, sur
mounted by sun dial on the southern
side.
IF you would note how far we have
progressed along educational lines,
contrast this description with those to
be found in the dusty records of the
Public Library, which tell of two
single-room frame buildings erected
for $1,000, and Of the "superinten-
DENTS salary which was so small the
trustees admitted mo teacher possess
ing the required talent and character
can be induced to take principal
charge"
Public education in the Capital dates
back to the days of George Washing
ton. who noted that. while he was
alive. Education is hardly to be at
tanned, at any rate by the poor" But
Washington planned TO have the city
which bore his name become center
of learning which the Nation might
turn to as a model. and it is safe to
say that no other feature Of our city
today would give the Father Of His
Country greater pleasure than our
modern school system.
Another of the founding fathers"
Thomas Jefferson, was even more
closely associated with the early his
tory of public schooling here. Jeffer-
son, who wrote many other famous
documents besides the Declaration of
Independence, one of them being Vir
ginias first public school law, served
on one of the first local school boards
and helped. both personally and finan-
cially. to lay the foundation of the
Capitals early school system"
The first schools authorized by Con-
gress for the City of Washington were
elementary institutions of learning to
which pupils whose parents were un-
able to pay their tuition were admit
ted on the same footing IS those whose
parents could pay. Funds for the
school were partially met by luxury.
tax, the items taxed being pleasure
carriage, ordinaries and taverns. re-
tailers OF wines. theatrical entertain
ments, shoes. billiards, dogs, slaves and
peddlers." Mayor Brent was the NOV
ing spirit OF the group of progressive
citizens who secured the passage of
the legislation.
The general public, however, did
not cooperate very heartily. The bill
provided that schools were to be built
by popular subscription. and 191 per-
sons signed pledges totalling $3,7S2,
but less than half of this amount was
ever paid.
The salary Of the "chief teacher"
was fixed at $500, out of which he had
to meet all expenses for the rent of
the school premises, and any other
incidentals that might arise. Richard
White was the first brave man to
accept the position, which went beg
ging" most of the time.
In those days Eastern" and "West-
ern" did not designate high schools,
there weren't any such things, but
were the names of the two grammar"
schools which constituted the System"
of the city. Eastern stood on East
Capitol street, near the home of Coo
gress, while Western was somewhere
near Fourteenth and G streets. Their |
operating expenses consumed only |
Is per cent OF the total expended by |
the city as contrasted to the 25 per |
cent or more now devoted to this pur |
pose. Strangely enough, as the city |
ENLARGED, this item decreased from |
year to year until at one time it |
reached the near vanishing point of |
3 per cent.
But the torch of the teachers was |
never completely extinguished. West
ern or THE Western Academy" as it |