Dunbar High School - Liber Anni Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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MILITARY INSTRUCTORS Top row: left to right: Maj. Edward L. Webster, Maj. Milton T. Dean Middle Row; Maj. Christian C. Fleetwood, Lieut. Col. Arthur Brooks Bottom.row: Edward L. York, Ist Lieut. Orestus J. Kincaid

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Historical Sketch By J. C. Wright. In 1807, three slave-born and unlettered benefactors—George Bell, Nicholas Franklin and Moses Live. pool—atter purchasing their freedom, came to the District of Columbia and erected a one-story fra.ae school house for the education of colored people. This school was placed in charge of a white teacher, and two years later, in 1509, the hrst colored teacher opened her school. ‘Lhe tocal Negro populauon of Washington at this time was 1,498; and as only 4¥4 were free colorea peupie, including about 125 children, only this number could take advantage of the provisions made by the founders of the school, it being a crime in che District of Columbia to teach slaves to read and write. About 1818, under the direction of the “Resolute beneficial Society,” a school was opened with the avowed purpose of giving iusiruction to those who were able to pay for it, the,eby affording the first free school for colored children in the District of Columbia. Mr. John Adams, the first colored man to teach in the District, also opened his school this year. At the outureak of the rebellion more than 1,200 colored children attended private schools. Then came the abolition of slavery, and May 21, 1862, Congress passed a law providing that ten per centum of all the taxes collected from the property owned by Negroes in the Disirict of Columbia should be set aside for the purpose of maintaining free schools for the children of the District. This was the beginning of free schools for colored children supported by public money. = A number of pay schools and private schools supported by public-spirited people were successfully conducted in Washington for nearly half a century. From sucly aid, in the spring of 1864, there were 11 such schools, with 21 teachers an d 1,000 pupils. During this year 1 teacher was paid out of the public fund $400, and assisted by a volunteer teacher from New Haven, Conn., instructed over 100 pupils. June 25, 1864, the law of 1862 was so amended that the educational fund of the District of Columbia should be divided between the white and colored schools in such proportion as the number of colored children in the District between the ages of 6 and 17 should bear to the white children of like age May 1, 1865, the first public school in the District of Columbia for colored children was opened, insufficient funds causing delay until this time. In 1867 the number of public schools increased to 5, with 7 teachers, and 450 pupils. In 1922 there were 45 grammar school buildings with modern facilities for teaching kindergarten, music, drawing, domestic art, domestic science, physical culture, and manual training; a school for tubercular pupils, a fresh air school, and schools for the atypical, incorrigible, and speech correction; vocational schools, 1 junior high school, 1 manual training school 1 academic high school including a department of business practice with accredited courses, 1 normal school, 20,369 pupils, 683 officers and teachers, and over $1,000,000 7 aid in salaries. 5 Y The first Superintendent of colored schools, Mr. A. E. Newton, (white) served from 1864 to 1868, and again from 1870 to 1871. The second superintendent, Mr. George F. T. Cook, served from 1868 to 1870, and continuously from 1871 to 1900. | For a few months only, between 1868 and 1870, until his untimely death at his home in Philadelphia, Mr. Octavius Catto, (white) also served as Superintendent. In July, 1882, the office of Supervising Principal was established, and Mr. Bane, Percival Montgomery and his brother, Dr. Winfield Scott Menten aa ae € first appointees to this office; afterwards two additional Supervising Principals were appointed. The law of June, 1900, established the present office o Dr. Winfield Scott Montgomery, Roscoe Conkling Bruce served i fr. Garnet Crummel Wilkinson. hewmen Name Copyrigt, 1923, by J. C. Wright abolished the office of Superintendent and in lieu thereof f Assistant Superintendent in charge of colored schools. first to hold this office, served from 1900 to 1907. Mr. from 1907 to 1921, and was succeeded by the present