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

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courses, 1 normal school, 22,133 pupils, 791 officers and teachers, and over $1,000,000 paid in salaries. 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 Philadel- phia, Mr. Octavius Catto, (white) also served as Superintendent. In July, 1882, the office of Supervising Principal was established, and Mr. Henry Percival Montgomery and his brother, Dr. Winfield Scott Montgomery were the first appointees to this office; afterwards two additional Supervising Principals were appointed. The law of June, 1900, abolished the office of Superintendent and in lieu thereof established the present office of Assistant Superintendent in charge of colored schools. Dr. Winfield Scott Montgomery, first to hold this office, served from 1900 to 1907. Mr. Roscoe Conkling Bruce served from 1907 to 1921, and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Mr. Garnet Crummel Wilkinson. November 14, 1870, the high school for the education of colored youth was or- ganized as a “Preparatory High School” because the enrollment included pupils in the last year of the grammar school course, and was located in the basement of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church with Emma J. Hutchins (white) of Haverhill, N.H., as Principal. The first high school for white children was estabilshed in 1876, and was known as the “Advanced Grammar School for Girls”; and was followed in 1877, the year the first class of colored students graduated, by a school of kindred character, denominated an “Advanced Grammar School for Boys.” These two schools were merged in 1880, and in 1882 occupied the new Central High School, then just completed. In September, 1871, the High School was moved to Stevens building, with Miss Mary Jane Patterson as Principal. From September, 1872, to June, 1877, the High School was located in the Sumner building, and during rst year of this period Prof. Richard T. Greener served as Principal. In Sept 1873, Miss Mary Jane Patterson again was made Principal, and held the positi 1 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 June, 1916, the High School occupied old M Street building, with Dr. Winfield 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, 1906; 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 organized 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 graduated in 1875, but in order to supply the great demand for teachers at that time, the members of this class and the next succeeding class were appointed to teach before completing the prescribed course of study. As a result of this action of the Board of Trustees, 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

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Fea ff Nf Nf NN ee oe ef Nf 0 ff ed fol fe ofl co od ep oe pl ef ee oe fee fed ce ed ed oe ed dep ee ep od w ARXX WON 4 » ASLO By J. C. Wright N 1807, three slave-born and unlettered benefactors—George Bell, Nicholas Franklin and Moses Lverpool—after purchasing their freedom, came to the District of Columbia and erected a one-story frame school house for the edu- cation of colored people. This school was placed in charge of a white teacher named Lowe, and two years later, in 1809, Mrs. Anne Hall, the first colored teacher opened her school. The total Negro population of Washington at this time was 1,498; and as only 494 were free colored people, 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 the 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 instruction to those who were able to pay for it, thereby 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 outbreak 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 District 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 nea rly half a eentury. From such aid, in the spring of 1864, there were 11 such schools, with 21 teachers and 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 6 and 17 should bear to the white children of like age. May 1, 1865, the first public school in the District of Columbi was opened, insufficient funds causing delay until this time. public schools increased to 5, with 7 teachers, and 450 pupils. grammar school buildings with modern facilities for te drawing, domestic art, domestic science, physical culture, a for tubercular pupils, a fresh air school, and schools for the atypical, incorrigible, and speech correction; 2 vocational schools, 2 junior high schools, 1 manual training school 1 academic high school including a department of business practice with accredited between the ages of a for colored children In 1867 the number of In 1924 there were 45 aching kindergarten, music, nd manual training; a school

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the class. The faculty numbered 3 teachers including the Principal, and 94 was the High School enrollment. ; ’ ie time high school graduates were admitted to the Normal School by competi- tive examination, and the number so admitted was limited to 20 only; and in 1887 the annual number of entrants was increased to 40. In September, 1896, else ie be ue added to the Normal School course; and in September, 1898, all limitations on the number admitted to the Normal School were removed. : In 1923, including Mid-Year, June and Summer classes, 231 students graduated; 67 male and 120 female were Academic students, and 13 male and 31 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 1888; President William Howard Taft in 1909; Bishops in the church; United States Senators and Representatives; eminent Judges; high Government officials; District of Columbia Commissioners; leading national educators; and many distinguished citizens. Dunbar High School was named in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia on January 17, 1916. The school is a brick, stone-trimmed building of Elizabethan architecture with a frontage 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 1924 the total enrollment in all departments was 1,742 of which 558 were males and 1,184 females. The faculty numbers 72 instructors, 34 male and 38 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, 710, 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, 715, 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 1902 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 super- vision of the Principal of Armstrong Manual Training School. In 1912 its designa- tion was changed to “Department 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, eee nore sd Paes atthe Teens ee in 1924, academic and busi- Maeda aire ewes me ene “epartment of Business Practice was estab- provided, but in 1907 a four-year business course was