II-HISTORY AND CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

1. ACTION OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

To the action of Congress, as the fountain of supreme and exclusive jurisdiction over the District of Columbia, we must look, for such originating and controlling legislation as has been had on the subject of public schools and other institutions of popular education.

In the original charter granted by Congress to the city of Washington in 1802, no provision was made or power given for establishing public schools. In the amended charter of 1804, the following section was introduced: "The said corporation shall have power to provide for the establishment and superintendence of schools."

Immediately on the acceptance of this amended charter the corporation of Washington passed an act "to establish and endow a permanent institution for the education of youth," which will be cited in full under the legislation of the eity on this subject.

For sixteen years there appears no trace of further legislation by Congress in behalf of public schools, although the presentation of several memorials by the municipal authorities of Washington and Georgetown, and by the inhabitants of the District, for some substantial aid in the construction of houses and the support of teachers is recorded. In the year, 1820, the charter of the city of Washington was again amended, so as to read: "The said corporation shal also have power and authority to provide for the establishment and superintendence of public schools, and to endow the same." But no endowment of public lands, or of any kind, lollowed this grant of power.

In 1848 Congress again amended the charter by the following words: "The said corporation shall have power to lay and collect a school tax upon every free white male citizen of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, of one dollar per annum;" also "to lay and collect taxes for the support of public schools;" also in section 9 of the said charter, "That the school tax which may be levied and collected in pursuance of the powers in this act given, shall constitute a fund, or be added to any other fund now or hereafter to be constituted by any act of the corporation for the establishment and support of common schools, and for no other purpose, under such regulations as may from time to time be established and provided by the corporation."

On the 20th of May, 1862, an act of Congress was approved to provide for the public instruction of youth in primary schools throughout the county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, without the limits of Washington and Georgetown.

In this act special provision was made for the education of the children of both white and colored parents. (Statutes at Large for 1861-'62, chapter 77.) On the 21st of May, 1862, another act was approved, "providing for the education of colored children in the cities of Washington and Georgetown, District of Columbia, and for other purposes." (Statutes at Large for 1861-'62, chapter 83.)

Again, on the 11th of July, 1862, an act was approved "relating to schools for the education of colored children in the cities of Washington and Georgetown, in the District of Columbia," in which three persons therein named were made trustees of said schools, "and their successors in office, who are hereby created a board of trustees of the schools for colored children in the cities aforesaid, and who shall possess all the powers and perform all the duties conferred upon and required of the trustees of public schools in the said cities of Washington and Georgetown by the aforesaid act," of May 21, 1862. The said trustees are to

be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. (Statutes at Large for 1861-'62, chapter 151.)

The last act required the municipal authorities of Washington and Georgetown to pay into the hands of said trustees ten per cent. of all taxes levied and received on the real and personal property in said cities owned by persons of color."

On the 25th of June, 1864, another act was approved, "to provide for public instruction of youth in the county of Washington, D. C., and for other purposes." This act modifies and amends the act of May 20, 1862. (Statutes at Large for 1863-'64, chapter 156.)

Again, on the 23d of July, 1866, an act was approved for the purpose of construing the act of June 25, 1864, so as to require the cities of Washington. and Georgetown to pay over certain portions of all moneys received or expended for school or educational purposes to the trustees of schools for colored children in said cities, to be used by them, at their pleasure, for such schools in Washington and Georgetown; and on the 28th of July the Commissioner of Public Buildings was directed to convey to the same trustees lots No. 1, 2, and 18, in square 985 for the use of schools established by them for colored children. (Statutes at Large for 1865-'66, chapter 217.)

The preceding enumeration includes all the legislation of Congress on the subject of public schools both for white and colored children. The supplementary action by the municipal authorities and local trustees is as follows:

2. SCHOOL LEGISLATION OF WASHINGTON.

In accordance with the amended charter of the city, in 1804, two years after the first charter was granted, the city councils passed the following ordinance, entitled "An act to establish and endow a permanent institution for the education of youth in the city of Washington:"

Impressed with the inseparable connection between the education of youth and the prevalence of pure morals, with the duties of all communities to place within the each of the poor as well as the rich the inestimable blessing of knowledge, and with the high necessity of estab lishing at the seat of general government proper seminaries of learning, the city council of Washington do pass the following act:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the first and second chambers of the city of Washington, That the superintendence of public schools within the city of Washington shall be placed under the direction of a board of thirteen trustees; whereof seven shall be annually chosen by the joint ballots of the council from among the residents of the city; and six shall be annually chosen by individuals contributing to the promotion of schools hereinafter provided. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum. The board shall appoint a president and treasurer, the former of whom shall be of their own body; shall remain in office until a new einction of president, which shall take place at the pleasure of the board; shall vote on all questions, and have also a casting vote in all cases of equal division. They shall have power te pass all necessary by laws not inconsistent with this act; to receive donations, and to vest and apply the funds placed under their care in such manner as they may see fit. They shall make an adequate provision, and pay at such rates as they deem reasonable and proper for the education of children residing in the city, whose parents or guardians are unable to defray the expenses of their education; they shall keep a journal of their proceedings, and shall on the second Monday in June, in each year, make a full report of them to the councils, excepting the names of those children who shall receive education without any charge being made therefor.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, &c., That so much of the net proceeds of taxes laid, or to be laid on slaves, on dogs, on licenses for carriages and hacks, for ordinaries and taverns, for retailing of wines and spirituous liquors, for billiard tables, for theatrical and other public. amusements, for hawkers and pedlars, be appropriated as the trustees may decide to be necessary for the education of the poor of the city, payable by the treasurer of the board of trustees in four quarterly payments, on the first Monday of January, April, July, and October, of 1805: Provided, That if the said net proceeds exceed annually the sum of $1,500, the surplus shall be retained by the treasurer of the city, subject to the disposition of the council.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, &c., That within one week after the passage of this act the two chambers of the council shall meet together, and by joint ballot appoint three of their members, who shall be authorized to take all the necessary preliminary steps for carrying this

plan into effect. They shall solicit themselves, or name others to solicit, contributions in money or lots; and the money shall be payable at such time after the first Monday of May next, and in such instalments, as they shall prescribe. It shall be paid to the treasurer of the board of trustees, and the lots shall be transferred to the institution in such manner as the board shall direct. Contributions to any amount shall be received. The committee may em ploy agents to solicit subscriptions at a distance, and the sum of two hundred dollars is hereby appropriated to defray such expenses as may be thereby incurred, payable out of the proceeds of the aforesaid taxes, which sum the treasurer is hereby authorized to pay They shall on the first Monday of May make a report of their proceedings to the council, and shall forthwith give public notice to the contributors to assemble on the third Monday of July ensuing, at such place as they shall name, at which time and place the individuals who shall have contributed ten dollars or upwards shall, in person or proxy, elect six trustees to hold their appointment for one year, of which election the committee shall be judges; and each contributor shall have as many votes as he shall have contributed sums of ten dollars. The judges of the election shall notify the persons elected to convene at the Capitol on the first Monday in August following.

The council of this city shall, on the fourth Monday of July next, elect by joint ballot seven trustees, who shall hold their appointments until the second Monday in July, on which day a new election shall be held, which shall be repeated on the same day in each succeeding year.

The secretary of the first chamber shall immediately notify the persons elected to meet at the Capitol on the first Monday of August, on which day the committee shall deliver over to the board of trustees all the original papers in their possession, together with the journal of their proceedings, and the entire direction of public schools shall thereupon devolve upon said board. All subsequent elections by the contributors shall be held in such manner as the board of trustees shail prescribe. (Approved December 5, 1804.)

The committee of three designated by the joint vote of the two chambers of the city council on the 12th of October, 1804, in pursuance of the third section, canvassed the city very thoroughly for cont ibutions, and obtained the names of 190 subscribers to the amount of $4,000 in sums varying from $200 to $10, and on the fourth Monday of July, 1805, Robert Brent, William H. Smith, William Cranch, William Brent, George Blagden, John Dempsie, and Nicholas King were chosen trustees of the public schools of Washington, and met for organization at the Capitol on the 5th of August following.

Of the board of trustees created by this act, Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, was elected the first president, having been previously elected a member of the board by the city council. In his letter of acceptance, dated at Monticello, August 14, 1805, he says: "Sincerely believing that knowledge promotes the happiness of men, I shall ever be disposed to contribute my endeavors towards its extension, and, in the instance under consideration, will willingly undertake the duties proposed to me, so far as others of paramount obligation will permit my attention to them." For three successive years he was elected president of the board, and was succeeded in 1808 by John P. Van Ness, by Robert Brent in 1809, by Gabriel Duvall in 1811, and Rev. James Laurie, D. D., in 1814, who continued to preside till 1818, when the board was superseded by a new organization, by which trustees were appointed for each of the two districts into which the city of Washington was divided.

The volume of original records of the proceedings of the trustees created by the ordinance of the city of Washington, approved October 5, 1805, embracing the names of the original contributors in aid of the establishment of the first system of public schools for this national capital, and giving the reports of special committees and details of the schools from 1805 to 1818, came into the possession of the late Peter Force, and is now with his valuable collection of manuscripts, pamphlets, and books, in the library of Congress. As the only existing record of the efforts to establish and administer public schools for fifteen years, we have made extracts, which will be found in the Appendix.

We give in the appendix the date and title of all the ordinances of the corporation of Washington relating to the public schools, and shall in this summary introduce such action only as has materially affected the system and condition of the schools.

In 1808 the city of Washington made an appropriation directly of $500 for

be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. (Statutes at Large for 186 chapter 151.)

The last act required the municipal authorities of Washington and G town to pay into the hands of said trustees ten per cent. of all taxes levi received" on the real and personal property in said cities owned by pers color."

On the 25th of June, 1864, another act was approved, "to provide for instruction of youth in the county of Washington, D. C.. and for othe poses." This act modifies and amends the act of May 20, 1862. (Statu Large for 1863-'64, chapter 156.)

Again, on the 23d of July, 1866, an act was approved for the purp construing the act of June 25, 1864, so as to require the cities of Wash and Georgetown to pay over certain portions of all moneys received or exp for school or educational purposes to the trustees of schools for colored cl in said cities, to be used by them, at their pleasure, for such schools in Wa ton and Georgetown; and on the 28th of July the Commissioner of Buildings was directed to convey to the same trustees lots No. 1, 2, and square 985 for the use of schools established by them for colored ch (Statutes at Large for 1865-'66, chapter 217.)

The preceding enumeration includes all the legislation of Congress o subject of public schools both for white and colored children. The supplem action by the municipal authorities and local trustees is as follows:

2. SCHOOL LEGISLATION OF WASHINGTON.

In accordance with the amended charter of the city, in 1804, two year the first charter was granted, the city councils passed the following ordi entitled "An act to establish and endow a permanent institution for the tion of youth in the city of Washington:"

Impressed with the inseparable connection between the education of youth and the lence of pure morals, with the duties of all communities to place within the each of t as well as the rich the inestimable blessing of knowledge, and with the high necessity o lishing at the seat of general government proper seminaries of learning, the city co Washington do pass the following act:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the first and second chambers of the city of Washingtor the superintendence of public schools within the city of Washington shall be placed the direction of a board of thirteen trustees; whereof seven shall be annually chosen joint ballots of the council from among the residents of the city; and six shall be an chosen by individuals contributing to the promotion of schools hereinafter provid majority of the board shall constitute a quorum. The board shall appoint a preside treasurer, the former of whom shall be of their own body; shall remain in office unti election of president, which shall take place at the pleasure of the board; shall vot questions, and have also a casting vote in all cases of equal division. They shall hav to pass all necessary by laws not inconsistent with this act; to receive donations, and and apply the funds placed under their care in such manner as they may see fit. The make an adequate provision, and pay at such rates as they deem reasonable and pro the education of children residing in the city, whose parents or guardians are unable to the expenses of their education; they shall keep a journal of their proceedings, and s the second Monday in June, in each year, make a full report of them to the councils, ing the names of those children who shall receive education without any charge bein therefor.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, &c., That so much of the net proceeds of taxes lai be laid on slaves, on dogs, on licenses for carriages and hacks, for ordinaries and t for retailing of wines and spirituous liquors, for billiard tables, for theatrical and other amusements, for hawkers and pedlars, be appropriated as the trustees may decide to be sary for the education of the poor of the city, payable by the treasurer of the board of t in four quarterly payments, on the first Monday of January, April, July, and October, o Provided, That if the said net proceeds exceed annually the sum of $1,500, the surplu be retained by the treasurer of the city, subject to the disposition of the council.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, &c., That within one week after the passage of this two chambers of the council shall meet together, and by joint ballot appoint three members, who shall be authorized to take all the necessary preliminary steps for carryi

plan into effect. They shall solicit themselves, or name others to solicit, contributions in money or lots; and the money shall be payable at such time after the first Monday of May next, and in such instalments, as they shall prescribe. It shall be paid to the treasurer of the board of trustees, and the lots shall be transferred to the institution in such manner as the board shall direct. Contributions to any amount shall be received. The committee may employ agents to solicit subscriptions at a distance, and the sum of two hundred dollars is hereby appropriated to defray such expenses as may be thereby incurred, payable out of the proceeds of the aforesaid taxes, which sum the treasurer is hereby authorized to pay They shall on the first Monday of May make a report of their proceedings to the conneil, and shall forthwith give public notice to the contributors to assemble on the third Monday of July ensuing, at such place as they shall name, at which time and place the individuals who shall have contributed ten dollars or upwards shall, in person or proxy, elect six trustees to hold their appointment for one year, of which election the committee shall be judges; and each contributor shall have as many votes as he shall have contributed sums of ten dollars. The judges of the election shall notify the persons elected to convene at the Capitol on the first Monday in Angust following.

The council of this city shall, on the fourth Monday of July next, elect by joint ballot seven trustees, who shall hold their appointments until the second Monday in July, on which day a new election shall be held, which shall be repeated on the same day in each succeeding year.

The secretary of the first chamber shall immediately notify the persons elected to meet at the Capitol on the first Monday of August, on which day the committee shall deliver over to the board of trustees all the original papers in their possession, together with the journal of their proceedings, and the entire direction of public schools shall thereupon devolve upon said board. All subsequent elections by the contributors shall be held in such manner as the board of trustees shall prescribe. (Approved December 5, 1804.)

The committee of three designated by the joint vote of the two chambers of the city council on the 12th of October, 1804, in pursuance of the third section, canvassed the city very thoroughly for cont ibutions, and obtained the names of 190 subscribers to the amount of $4,000 in sums varying from $200 to $10, and on the fourth Monday of July, 1805, Robert Brent, William H. Smith, William Cranch, William Brent, George Blagden, John Dempsie, and Nicholas King were chosen trustees of the public schools of Washington, and met for organization at the Capitol on the 5th of August following.

Of the board of trustees created by this act, Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, was elected the first president, having been previously elected a member of the board by the city council. In his letter of acceptance, dated at Monticello, August 14, 1805, he says: "Sincerely believing that knowledge promotes the happiness of men, I shall ever be disposed to contribute my endeavors towards its extension, and, in the instance under consideration, will willingly undertake the duties proposed to me, so far as others of paramount obligation will permit my attention to them." For three successive years he was elected president of the board, and was succeeded in 1808 by John P. Van Ness, by Robert Brent in 1809, by Gabriel Duvall in 1811, and Rev. James Laurie, D. D., in 1814, who continued to preside till 1818, when the board was superseded by a new organization, by which trustees were appointed for each of the two districts into which the city of Washington was divided.

The volume of original records of the proceedings of the trustees created by the ordinance of the city of Washington, approved October 5, 1805, embracing the names of the original contributors in aid of the establishment of the first system of public schools for this national capital, and giving the reports of special committees and details of the schools from 1805 to 1818, came into the possession of the late Peter Force, and is now with his valuable collection of manuscripts, pamphlets, and books, in the library of Congress. As the only existing record of the efforts to establish and administer public schools for fifteen years, we have made extracts, which will be found in the Appendix.

We give in the appendix the date and title of all the ordinances of the corporat on of Washington relating to the public schools, and shall in this summary introduce such action only as has materially affected the system and condition of the schools.

In 1508 the city of Washington made an appropriation directly of $500 for