Evening star., 1938-04-03
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.


school all their OF which they them
selves support WI t any appropriation
from Congress or Jther gratuty or en-
dowment. This has a regular classroom
with rows of desks, which are historic,
b!ackboards and all the other appur-
tenances, and a corps of seven teachers,
each with at least one college degree and
hired for part-time instruction as the
occasion arises. Some so pages from both
the House and Senate are attending this
school daily, for regular hours, and re-
celve report cards, which have to be
signed by their Senator or Representa-
tive. and approved BY the District Board
OF Education. which supervises their
course of study.
Ernest l.. Kendall, who graduated from
the Oklahoma Teachers College and
took special courses at George Washing
ton University. is founder and principal
OF the school, which has been in operation
for seven years. He is head of the de-
partment of high school English and his
tory, with Gerald Fitzgerald as his as
slstant. The other instructors are drawn
mostly from George Washington Univer-
slty. Where they are either instructors
or taking postgraduate work The head
OF the department of mathematics and
science is Norman Lafayette; of foreign
Languages. DR.. Lester Born. who taught
at u. w. U. for seven years: eighth grade
teacher. Louis Lazaroff; assistant in
mathematics. Robert Norvell, and COM
merclal subjects Charles Martin The
classroom is open daily from 7.l5 m. to
II. 81 am, and in the evening from to
pm. supervised study and individual
instruction is the general system. under
Amusement of DR.. Harvey A. Smith. as
slstant superintendent of District schools.
The District Board of Education fur
nlSEes the report cards and O. KS credits.
Inc enrolment and reports are sent in to
the board the same as from District
schoolS, covering attendance, truancy, etc.
Ihe pages school has an extension
branch library from the Washington Pub
lie Library. There are boys in this
school from 26 States. They have a
recreatlonal period once a week at the
Y. M. c. A. for four hours of physical
training. Competitive schedules in all
kinds OF sports are arranged between the
Senate and House pages Each team
elects member of Congress as it's spon-
sor or patron. and members of Congress
take up a collection to furnish athletic
equipment. Weekly reports on class
standing are sent to the member through
whom each boy received his appointment.
In the intelligence test 20 BOYS in this
school received superior group rating and
the general average is high II. O.. Six
seniors are graduating from high school
this year. The boys go to school in shifts
and work in shifts The school is situat-
ed on the west terrace in the central
part OF the Capitol. convenient so that
boys can promptly respond to a call from
the floor OF either the House or Senate if
there is rush work and their services are
required. In their classroom the BOYS
use the desks which were formerly in the
House and taken out during the admin
lStratlon of Theodore Roosevelt-thev
were used by men whose names are
printed large in history The bows pay
their own tuition and the school fur
nlshes its own supplies. The teachers are
paid out of the tuition fees.
X X
The youth of the land can always find
insprational example and announcement
IN the lives of individual members of
Congress who, from the humblest starts,
made their way to high achievement not
only in political life. but in industry and
social welfare. Here's an example, writ
ten especially for group of students
from the division of Journalism of Lehigh
University, who are now doing extension
work at the Capitol under the direction
of Prof Dale H. Cramley: Their uriver-
sity was founded by Asa Packer, who also
built the Lehigh Railroad in 1852. and
was president of the company at the time
of his death. He served two terms in
Congress and declined reelection. He
had previously been in the State Legisla-
ture and served as associate Judge. AS
young man Packer learned the trade of
carpenter, and through his industry
established a yard for building canal
boats, before he went into the coal and
railroad business.
(Q) What United States Senator had
his name changed? (A) David Levy
Yulee, who was a Delegate and Senator
from Florida, born in the West Indies.
He was clerk in the Territorial Legisla-
ture and a delegate to the State constitu-
tional convention. When Florida en-
tered the Union he was elected first Sem
ator. BY an act of the Florida Legisla-
ture and at his own request the surname
"Yulee" was added to the name under
which he had been elected. The United
States Senate on January IL. 1886, Or