12 Aug 2013

Lost Capitol Hill: Opening and Closing the First School on the Hill

tnLast week, we looked at the first school on Capitol Hill – the Eastern Free School – and how it opened in a rented building next to the Capitol. Today, we look at how a purpose-built school replaced it, and the state of public education in the early years of Washington D.C.

In October 1806, with two schools operating in rented quarters, money was appropriated to build two permanent buildings, one in the west, the other in the east. They were to be no larger than 20 by 50 feet, cost no more than $1,200, and be built on land owned by the United States. In 1807, it was reported that the buildings had been built – significantly under budget.

The following year, it was recorded that there were 27 students enrolled in the Eastern School, and the teacher was paid $5 per student per quarter. The money came either from the student, could they afford it, otherwise the trustees were required to come up with it.

Even this small effort looked to be undermined in 1812, when a school built on the Lancasterian system was opened. Under this scheme, younger students were taught by older ones, and thus, everybody learned – while reducing the need for teachers. Or at least, that was the plan. At first, excitement over this new method – and its apparently lower costs – reigned, and a bill passed that would have closed (or privatized) both of the two original schools, but, fortunately, clearer heads prevailed, and thus the Eastern Free School remained open.

In 1896, James Oromond Wilson (that’s the J.O. Wilson for whom the school on K Street NE is named) gave a talk about the first 80 years of the D.C. Schools. According to him it was the case that “for forty years the system struggled against a hostile environment without substantial progress.” There is no record of any further schools being built in this time – in fact, there is exactly one reference to money being raised to repair the Eastern Free School. Certainly, in 1840, the vast majority of children in the nation’s capital did not attend school: Only 213 went to public schools, about three times that number went to private schools – and over 4,000 attended no school whatsoever.

Students from Tyler school on Capitol Hill inspecting a horse and buggy. Ca. 1899. (LOC)

Students from Tyler school on Capitol Hill inspecting a horse and buggy. Ca. 1899. (LOC)

In order to mitigate this problem, a push was made to open new schools. School fees were abolished, and a $1 tax on “every white male citizen” was levied. With this new source of income, ten new schools had been built across the city within a few years.

As D.C. expanded after the Civil War, so did the number of schools, even if some had to be opened in buildings rented for the purpose. By 1874, 13 buildings across Capitol Hill were being used – either partly or completely – as schools, including six purpose-built structures. Along the way, and with no fanfare, the original Eastern School was closed.

Tags: ,


What's trending

2 responses to “Lost Capitol Hill: Opening and Closing the First School on the Hill”

  1. jsmjr says:

    Do you have a link to this talk by J.O. Wilson? I’d love to read it.

Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com
Add to Flipboard Magazine.