Evening star., 1937-01-03
School Service of IS Years
Distinguishes Selden NJ. Ely
National Flag Salute
Move Originated by
ID. e.. Leader.
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

OF years, Selden MARVIN ELY.
a whose name is synonymous
with accomplishment In church. pa
triotic and civic circles as we'll as in
the educational world of Washington,
will conclude IS years of continuously
distinguished service for our public
school system at the end Of this
month.
Mr.. Ely's fame in connection with
certain notable educational and civic
endeavors also goes far beyond local
circles. At the Van Buren, School
and Annex in Anacostia Mr.. Ely led
in the first school salute to the nag
in the United States. Mr. Bellamy's
original phrasing of the latter version
as amended by Col. Balch of the
United States Army, brought to Mr..
Ely's attention by Mrs. j. B. North,
an editorial writer for the National
Tribune, who convinced Mr.. Ely Of
its patriotic appeal and effectiveness
for instilling loyalty to and respect
for the flag of our country. His use
of it in the school room inaugurated
the national movement which led to
its universal adoption.
At the Emery School, Lincoln road
and Prospect street northeast, Mr..
Ely promoted the organization Of the
first Boy Scout troop in a public
school in America, as he did the first
organization of a group of Camp Fire
Girls in the District of Columbia.
AS chairman of the Street Safety
Committee in the cooperation of the
public schools under DR.. Ballou. super
intendent Of school, with the Ameri-
can Automobile Association, he has
achieved an international reputation
for his development of Washington s
School Safety Patrol Organization to
its present efficiency and prominence.
An authority in this field, his maya
zine articles have been quoted far
and wide and his correspondence
covers many countries. Upon his
desk this past week, 7 saw letters from
Sweden, Mexico and Australia asking
for suggestions as to how groups III
these countries might emulate our
national safety patrol parade and
pageant in the Nations Capital every
May and widely acclaimed as one of
the most colorful and educational of
its kind in America. A letter from Mr..
Russell Singer, general manager CT
the American Automobile Association
contains this paragraph: For your
contribution to character training in
combating motor problems. we LOOK
upon you as one of the great safesy
leaders among educators in the United
States. Largely through your leader
ship and influence has instruction in
the principles of safety been inculcated
into the teaching program of our
public schools"
Coaching School Work.
Twenty years ago, Mr.. Ely at the
Gales School near the Union Sta
ton. promoted the organization of q
coaching school for over-age, over
grown pupils and those who might
make exceptional progress If afforded
the opportunity. This was the pre-
cursor of the present fully established
opportunity" class in our publ.
school system.
With a view to the establishment
of special school centers for the tuber-
Blake School, the famous open WIN
dow" school from which the present
two health schools in cur public
school system have been the outcome,
Mr.. Ely's open window" school only
having been closed out five years ago
with the establishment of the more
adequate set-up, which had long been
his dream. .
Mr. Ely was selected by his asso-
ciates on the corps of supervising prin-
cipals. Of which group he has for
many years been chairman. to write
the centennial report on supervision
in Washington. This was incorporated
in the report of the Board of Educa-
ton for its Tooth anniversary publi-
cation in 1904-5 and is of authorita-
tive historical interest in the annals
of our school history.
Beginning his connection with his
to the seventh grade at
the Van Buren, School in 1891, Mr.. Ely
retires in 1887 as one of its most dis
District superintendents,
with Jurisdiction over its fifth division.
In this capacity since 1908, he has
combined the dual position of Office ad-
and school supervisor with
Jurisdiction over the from $50 to 100
teachers and from 5000 to 1000 pupils
in the IL to IS school plants in this
educational bailiwick.
His Office is today. as it was when
he first came to this locality, in the
Emery School, now grown dingy with
the years. but still, as Mr.. Ely puts
it, "the geographical axis of this
school division An inscribed brief
case, pair of binoculars, an umbrella
and other testimonial gifts are remind
ers of appreciation on the part Of
groups of teachers who, because of the
changing of division lines, were obliged
to sever their official connection with
this beloved administrator.
High School Achievement.
From the window of his Office can
be glimpsed the outlines of one of
Mr.. Ely's outstanding civic achieve
ments-a high school for this North
east community which was trans
planted upon its completion the Tech
nical High School, whose name was
thereupon conferred upon it. Its 25-
acre sit and construction were made
possible through the efforts of the
North Capitol Citizens Association,
whose president Mr.. Ely was for seven
years and whose membership he in
creased from 100 to 200 during his
first year in this Office ard to $50
in the course of his administration.
Other successful civic efforts of
widespread benefit to the Northeast
where his leadership has
been such an effective one in every
phase of its endeavors, were his ad-
vocacy Of the Truxton Post Office
Substation for this vicinity and the