Reynolds and Barratt Nite Schools Open

Reynolds and Barratt Nite Schools Open

Norris S. Barratt Elementary School, John F. Reynold Elementary School, education

Newspaper account of the Barratt and Reynolds night elementary schools. The last two of fifteen such schools opened after the First World War. Despite the budget shortfalls and the other schools closing, these two continued to grow and thrive. Charles Vance attended night classes at the Barratt school.

WCU HIS 601/HON 452 Great Migration and Digital Storytelling, Fall 2014

Sept 13, 1934

Ben Spohn, Erica Knorr

Used by permission of the Philadelphia Tribune Company, Inc. All rights reserved. The Philadelphia Tribune, with 130 years of continuous publication, is the oldest newspaper in the United States serving the African-American community.

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Only Surviving Schools Of 15 Started AFter the World War
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     In spite of the decreased educational budget of the Board of Public Education for the current year, the two evening elementary schools, the Norris S. Barratt located at Sixteenth and Wharton sts., and the Gen. John F. Reynolds, at Twenty-fourth and Jefferson sts., will open for their new term next week. The registration dates have been set for September 18 19, 24, 25, 26.
    These evening schools enjoy a most interesting and unique history. Of fifteen elementary evening schools sponsored by the Board of Educaiton during the post-war period, these two alone have survived and are showing constant growth. Under the guidance of able faculties and student councils many interesting and worthwhile activities are carried on throughout the school year. Besides learning the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, and suh trades as dress-making, art, novelty work and home-making, the students meet in a rich and stimulating environment. Last year over a hundred students completed the elementary course and are now continuing their work in the evening high schools.
     A student in one of these schools is proving the old adage, "It is never too late to learn." At the age of seventy-six he is not only completing his elementary school work but has mapped out a course for himself that will enable him to become a comercial chemist. He says it will take eleven more years to complete his training.
     There is no cost for instruction in these subjects. A registration fee of fifty cents is returned to students whose attendance has been satisfactory at the end of the term. Attendance in theses schools reached a higher percentage during the last year than in any year in the history of evning schools. With the additional emphasis that is now being placed on adult education and with a greater number of men and women appreciating the need for better and more adequate preparation, a larger enrollment is expected this year.

Newspaper