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THE NEW DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL, WASHINGTON D.C.
by J.C. WRIGHT

AFTER purchasing their freedom, George Bell, Nicholas Franklin and Moses Liverpool came to the District of Columbia, and in 1807 erected a one-story frame school house for the education of colored people. This school was placed under the charge of a white teacher, and two years later, in 1809, 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 to teach slaves.
 A number of private and pay schools were successfully conducted in Washington for nearly half a century; but towards the close of the war, the large increase of the colored population in the district and their destitute condition attracted public attention, and secured for them much assistance from public-spirited people, resulting in the free school becoming a fixture in Washington.
 "From such aid there were, in the spring of 1864, 11 schools with 21 teachers and 1,000 pupils; in the school year 1864-5, 27 schools with 61 teachers and 3,588 pupils; in 1865-6, 40 schools with 72 teachers and 3,930 pupils; in 1866-7, 55 schools with 75 teachers and 3,427 pupils." (Superintendent Cook's report, 1874-5.)
 May 21, 1862, Congress passed an act 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 colored children of the district. This was the beginning of free schools for colored children supported by the public money.
 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 six and seventeen should bear to the white children of like age.
 In 1870 the High School was organized. It was first located in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, then it was moved to Miner, then to M street, where it remained until the erection of the present Dunbar High School. When organized the school was a preparation High School; and the first class from this school should have graduated in the year of 1874-5, but the members of this class, as well as the class following, were appointed to teacherships before completing the course. As a result of this action on the part of the trustees, the first class graduated in 1877, with eleven members. The Academic and Business Departments of the M Street High School last June graduated a class of 112.
 From the beginning, herein set forth, the public schools for Negro youth in Washington have developed until they now have 1 Assistant Superintendent, 4 SUpervising Principals, 3 Normal and High School Principals, 51 school buildings--including Normal, High, Manual Training and Vocational Schools--573 Teachers, and an enrollment of 18,444 pupils.
 The last addition to the Negro schools of Washington is the Dunbar High School which replaces the old M Street High School, and was first occupied the second of October last. Mr. Garnet C. Wilkinson, A.B., Oberlin, 1902, and LL.B. Howard, 1909, is the principal, and has under him a faculty of 48 teachers, many of them being graduates from the leading colleges and universities of the country--2 matrons, 13 janitors, 1 engineer and 4 assistant engineers.
 The course of study includes all the academic and business subjects taught in similar schools of accredited standing, as well as domestic science, printing, physical training and military science. The enrollment is 1,149 pupils.
 The Dunbar High School is a brick, stone-trimmed building of Tudor architecture, and has a frontage of 401 feet. The building and equipment, exclusive of
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THE NEW DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. (Scurlock)
The Greatest Negro High School in the World
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