Evening star., 1939-04-23

Joined the School-making 7 schol-
ars IN all. Our Exercises thus far
have been chiefly in Grammar,
Reading, Geography and Arithme-
tic. Some of the pupils not yet
provided with Books-Exercises con-
sisting chiefly of conversations and
1nterrogatories," and, as the Rev.
Peirce wrote many years later:
Here began in 1889 q new battle
against ignorance and bad teach
ing"
College to Celebrate.
Naturally our Wilson Teachers
College will help celebrate the Tooth
anniversary of the work begun by
Mr.. Peirce, but in doing so 1t also
plans to celebrate the 10th ami
versary of the founding of Wilson
Teachers College on April 26, be-
ginning at 7:30 pm. We are told
that every department in the COL
lege will set up exhibits and con-
tribute in its own way to this oc-
casion. The speaker In the evening
at an assembly program will be
DR.. Karl Bigelow, director of the
Teacher Education Study for the
American Council Of Education.
Most assuredly something will be
said about the beginning of the nor
NAL school in the District of Co.
lumbia and, maybe, the advanced
grammar schools, first established
here for girls in 1876 and for boys
the following year. These schools
became so popular by 1880 that it
was safe to call them high schools,
and this was formally done.
The normal school came into ex-
istence by an act of the Legislative
Assembly, approved June %, 1873,
and the Board of Trustees of the
public schools of the District was
authorized to establish such school
for the professional training of
teachers. One teacher was author
lied by the act to serve at salary
of $500 a year. Miss Lucilla E.
Smith was the first principal, and
the first class Of 20 pupils was
opened in the Franklin Building
September l, 1873. On June 13, 1874,
The Star gives an account of the
first commencement, which follows:
First Commencement.
"The Washington Normal School
commencement took place last night
at Lincoln Hall in presence of many
spectators. The committee, consist
ing of Trustees DERRICK, Hart,
French and AtLee, who had the
management of the exercises, were
on the stand with Gov. Shepherd,
Hon. John Eaton, jr., commissioner
OF education, and Supt. j. o. Wilson.
The graduating class of young ladies,
with their teacher, Miss L. E. Smith,
all dressed in white, occupied seats
on the stage, presenting a beautiful
appearance.
"The exercises commenced with
music by Donch's Band, after which
Rev. DR.. Rankin offered prayer.
Trustee Detrick delivered the intro
ductory address, during which he
gave a history Of the school since
its organization. The two essays,
The Pioneers and The Grass of the
Field the first by Miss Alice E.
Cooksey and the latter by Miss Alice
Simpson, were pronounced very good
and well delivered. A parting ode,
composed by one of the class, was
then sung under the leadership Of
Prof. Daniel. The valedictory was
delivered by Miss Ella M. williams,
In which kind words were spoken
for all her classmates, the teachers,
trustees and the superintendent.
"The certificates of honor were
then presented by Gov. Shepherd,
with appropriate remarks to the fol-
lowing graduates: Alice E. Cooksey,
Elizabeth A. Corcoran, Mary r.
Evans, Roberta Freeland, Isabella
Halliday (who probably later became
Mrs. Green) Mary E. Little, Ida A.
Lord, Sarah E. Meredith, Anna B.
Milans, Susie A. Mockabee, Helen
E. Ralph, Enle Rodier, Alice simp-