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

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el outh was or- November 14, 1870, the high school for the ids tases OCT AR saiplie Tallis ganized as a “Preparatory High School” because the enro pe Racer ase Meets last year of the grammar school course, and was located in Mg teviod tlaverhill Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church with Miss Ems a J. Hutchins (whi N. H., as Principal. f ; The first high school for white children was established in Aue) pi was known as the “Advanced Grammar School for Girls”; and was os ty, a ae year the first class of colored students graduated, by a ee hool of kin tS cae , denominated an “Advanced Grammar School for Boys.” These two Sah s es merged in 1880, and in 1882 occupied the new Central High School, wien just come, ey! In September, 1871, the High School was moved to Stevens building, with ‘rans Mary Jane Patterson as Principal. From September, 1872, to June, 1877, the ae School was located in the Sumner building, and during the first year of this perio Prof. Richard T. Greener served as Principal. In September, 1873, Miss Mary Jane Patterson again was made Principal, and held the position until June, 1884. In September, 1877, the High School was moved to the Miner building, where it remained until June, 1891. In September, 1884, Prof. Francis L. Cardozo was made Principal, and so served until June, 1896. From September, 1891, to Juue, 1916, the High School occupied old M Street building, with Dr. Winneld Scott Montgomery as Principal from September, 1896, to April 30, 1899; Judge Robert H. Terrell from May 1, 1899, to December 31, 1901; Mrs. Anna J. Cooper from January 2, 1902, to June, 19.6; Mr. William T. S. Jackson from September, 1906, to June, 1909; Mr. Edward C. Williams from September, 1909, to June, 1916. October 2, 1916, Dunbar High School was opened, with Mr. Garnet Crummel Wilkinson as Principal; and on his elevation to Assistant Superintendent in charge of colored schools, Mr. Walter L. Smith, a member of Dunbar faculty, was promoted to Principal on September 15, 1921. The High School was orgauized in 1870 With 1 teacher and 15 students. At this time the colored school system included 64 schools, (not buildings) 66 teachers, and 4,964 pupils. The first class would have graduaced in 1875, but in order to supply the great demand for teachers at that tume, the members of this class and the next succeeding class were appointed to teach before co apleting the prescribed course of study. As a result of this action of the Board of Trusiees, the first class graduated on June 7, 1877, in the assembly hall at Sumner School, with 11 members, 3 male and 8 female. Miss Fannie M. Costin, a veteran teacher now in the Washington schools, was valedictorian, and the late Honorable Frederick Douglass made the address to, the class. The faculty numbered 3 teachers including the Principal, and 94 was the total High School enrollment. f For a time high school graduates were admitted to the Normal School by competi- tive examination, and the number so adinitted was limited to 20 only; and in 1887 the annual number of entrants was increased to 40. In September, 1896, one year was added to the Normal School course; and in September, 1898, all limitations on the number admitted to the Normal School was removed. In 1922, including Mid-Year, June and Summer classes 60 male and 90 female were Academic students, and 15 male and 26 female were business students, Prominent numbers on graduation Programs, from time to time, have included President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878; President Grover Cleveland in 1887; Secretary of the Treasury, Charles Stebbins Fairchild in 1sgg- President wit Howard Taft in 1909; Bishops in the church; United States Senatons and epresentatives; eminent Judges; high Government officials; District of Columbia epee pure national educators; and many distinguished citizens. unbar Hi, chool wa i anneal the District AOE a Sat soutense uaban By ths Nuary 17, 1916. The school is a » 191 students eraduated;

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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

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brick, stone-trimmed building of Elizabethan architecture with a frontag e of 401 feet, and cost $610,000 including ground and equipment. The course of study includes all the academic and business subjects taught in similar schools of accredited standing, including domestic science, physical training, and military science. In 1923 the total enrollment in all departments was 1,659 of which 535 were males and 1,124 females. The faculty numbers 69 instructors, 32 male and 37 female, many of whom are graduates from the leading colleges and uni- versities of the country; and Dr. Georgiana R. Simpson and Dr. Eva B. Dykes, Dunbar, ‘10, have been awarded the Ph.D. degree by the University of Chicago and Radcliffe College, respectively, and Mr. John W. Cromwell, Jr., of the department of business Practice is a certified public accountant. Dr. Sadie Tanner Morsell, Dunbar, '15, and Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in ’21, is also one of the four outstanding colored women of America honored with the Ph.D. degree and closely associated with Dunbar High School. : In September, 1886, Business Subjects were first included in the High School Course of Study, and the following year the Business Department was organized as a part of the High School at Miner building, under Prof. Francis L,. Cardozo. In 1891 the Business Department was also moved to M Street High School, and in 1896 it was moved to Garnet building. Two years later, in 1898, the Business Depart- ment was moved to Douglass building, where it was made a part of Armstrong Man- ual Training School in 1900, and in 19C2 was moved into the new Armstrong School building. In 1909 the Business Department was moved to the old Mott School, and in September, 1911, was moved to the Phelps building. From 1887 to 1900 the Business Department was under the Supervision of the Principal of the Academic High School, and from 1900 to 1912 was under the supervision of the Principal of Armstrong Manual Training School. In 1912 its designation was changed to “Departmeent of Business practice” of the M Street High School, and Mr. William T. S. Jackson made Head Teacher. October 2, 1916, the Business Department was moved to Dunbar High School, and November 1, 1919, Mr. G. David Houston was appointed Head Teacher. When the High School was established a classical and a general course were provided, both four years and elective. The demand for teachers being greater than the supply, from 1877 to 1894, the course of study was shortened to three years, but in 1894 the fourth year was restored. In 1895, academic, scientific, English-history normal preparatory, and a business course were provided; in 1923, academic and business courses only are offered. When the Department of Business Practice was established only a two-year course was provided, but in 1907 a four-year business course was added, from which graduates are regularly admitted without prejudice to the Miner Normal School and to other institutions of college grade. Among the provisions and innovations Dunbar High School offers are an auditorium with 1,500 seating capacity, a large stage, and moving picture facilities; a pipe organ; five pianos; a large swimming pool; two large gymnasiums with up-to-date equip- ment and dressing rooms with showers for boys and girls, respectively; modern laboratories and lecture rooms for teaching zoology, chemistry, and physics; spacious and well-appointed library with accommodations for 4,350 volumes; armory and rifle range for target practice; wireless outfit; drawing rooms; 35 class rooms; greenhouse; retiring and emergency rooms; locker rooms with accommodations for 1,500; a lunch +c in with modern kitchen and seats for 350; and $185,000 has been appropriated to purchase ground adjacent to the school on which to erect a commodious stadium. The following tables show the number of graduates from the Academic High School and the Department of Business Practice, respectively, male and female, from the organization of the High School to June 30, 1922: