Evening star., 1946-12-25
Charles Hoft, Eastern Principal
For ~ Years, Dies at Home

NCliISO 6O0SOtOss
With District Schools
Nearly Half Century
Charles Hart, who was principal
of Eastern High School for 27 of his
40 years in the District school sys-
tenn, died last night at his home, 625
Lexington place NE, after long
illness. He was II years OF age.
Mr.. Hart's wife and son, Charles
w. Hart, were at his bedside when
he died.
The prominent educator, known
as the father of Washington's high
school athletic system, retired last
years with the praise Of fellow edu-
Gators and the gratitude OF parents
in whose children he instilled the
fundamentals of fair play. After his
retirement he wrote an autobiog-
raphy, Memories of a Forty-Niner." ;"
The book was published last week,
and the first copies were displayed
at a banquet of Eastern's Alumni
Association, at which he was an
honored guest.
Mr.. Hart was instrumental IN
guiding the schools alumni group
and made it a point to remember
the names of many of his former
students.
He held that the secret for q sue
cessful alumni association was TO
give 1t something worth while to
accomplish for the school. Under
his leadership, the alumni associa-
ton committees at Eastern actually
have functioned for the benefit OF
the school. Eastern is the only
high school in the city which now
sends each of its 10000 alumni q
news bulletin semiannually.
Said Goodby to Students.
Mr.. Hart said goodby to the stu
dent body the day that Maj. Gen.
Anthony McAuliffe, hero OF Bas-
togne, visited the school, his old
alma mater. The student body
turned out in large numbers and
Michael Anthony Corrado, the class
president, brought prolonged cheers
when he summed up Mr.. Hart's part
in the schools affairs.
ITO U.s." young Corrado said SIM
ply, che Is Eastern
On the occasion Of his Goth ami
versary as principal of Eastern, he
found it necessary to admonish his
pupils that he would play hockey
If they formulated plans to hold a
celebration marking the event.
School Grew Rapidly.
Following Mr.. Hart's appointment
as Easterns principal in 1918. after
distinguished early career in edu-
cation, enrolment at the school grew
from slightly below 400 to more
than 5000
Along with other accomplishments
he helped to plan and then organ
lied one of the first systems of high
school banks at Eastern. Set up in
1913, the bank handles more than
$3.50, 900 a year and has never had
loss through student inefhciency or
dishonesty.
For 20 years he was chairman of
the important Textbook Committee
for senior high schools, and later
ne was made consultant to the COM
mittee.
For these accomplishments and
others pertaining to scholastic af-
fairs. he was awarded Eastern's
highest decoration, the Gold Dis
tinguished Service Medal.
Interested in Sports.
In line with his personal and un-
ending interest in the athletic well
fare of District students, Mr.. Hart
attended as many of Eastern's and
other schools athletic events as pos
sible, until he became Ill. It was
in 1900 that he drew up the Dis
trict's first set of eligibility rules for
scholastic athletics.
Because of his ingenuity, the
school is also noted in education
circles for its self lf-f1nanced accident
responsibility program which ap-
plies to athletes and non-athletes
alike.
Statistics compiled at Eastern
over period of six years showed
that SO per cent of the major acci-
dents at the school happened to
pupils who had no part in competi-
tive athletics. A valuable educa-
tional pamphlet called "A Study in
Accident Responsibility of High
Schools and Colleges" which was
compiled by Mr.. Hart, embodies his
survey of the Ill secondary schools
and colleges on which he based
Eastern's accident procedure.
The pamphlet has been studied
to advantage by numerous educa-
tional institutions throughout the
country.
Trophy Named for Him.
The Charles Hart Trophy, named
in his honor, is awarded annually
to the outstanding player in The
Stars metropolitan interscholastic
basket ball tournament.
A native of New Martinsville. w.
Va, Mr.. Hart came to the District
in 1890 with his parents, Capt. and
Mrs. j. E. Hart. Capt. Hart, who
had published newspaper in New
Martinsville, was taking a position
with the Pension Office staff here.
Mr.. Hart was graduated with the
second class in Easterns history, in
1894. In 1896 he was graduated from
Washington Normal School, now
Wilson Teachers College He was
quickly appointed to the faculty of
Tenley Elementary School. to start
almost half century on the stats
Of local schools.
From 1899 to 1918, he taught bust
ness at the old Business High School,