Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-29
ALEXANDRIA.
Correspondence Of The Star.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, July 90, 1859.
There is in the Alexandria Library the minute
book of the Trustees Of the Alexandria Academy
extending over a space Of fifty years. II is in
many respects a highly interesting document,
and as some weeks ago / made a statement with
respect to the amount Of funds derived from Gen.
Washington by the Lancasterian School, which
find on reference to il to have been incorrect, 1
have gathered from its pages the following facts
respecting the organization of that school, and
now give them to your readers, not doubling but
that they will prove interesting ...
NNhie the scheme for establishing an academy
was In agitation in 17s5, General Washington,
who had been elected one of the trustees of the
proposed institution, addressed his colleagues,
proposing to endow itwith the sum of f 900 for
the education Of orphan and other INDECENT boys
In letter dated December 18th, he informed
them that he had intended to leave this money
in his will, and could not conveniently pay the
whole amount at that time; but being anxious to
see the woi kings of his plan, he would pay the
interest during his life, leaving his executors II,
provide for the principal
The third floor of the academy building 1.-THE
old brick house now standing in the lot at the
southeast corner Of W. lfe and w shington SITS J
was assigned for the free school, aud on the 10Th
OF April, 1876, Philip Webster opened it with
twenty free scholars, mostly sons of widows A
few girls were admitted when there were not
enough male applicants. until Mrs. Washington,
In her will, made some provision for the gratuit.
Ous education Of poor female children. A bout
1894, Edmund Edmonds was elected teacher
and the school continued thus until 1912, the
teacher being allowed to take first ten and then
fifteen and twenty pay scholars, to exc out his
salary.
On the 2sth of April, 1901, application was made
to the common council. which, il appeared had
been in the habit Of giving EGO per annum for
the education of twenty poor children for the
union Of the funds, and 5000 were appropriated
for the repairs Of the academy on the sd Of June
on condition that forty free scholars he taugh BIT
thereafter.
When the Lancasterian system was introduced
IN lSl2 the common council appropriated S2tO
for building the present school house, and agreed
To give S?iO per annum towards the education of
two hundred boys. The school thus improved
was opened in the new building in September,
lS12, Mr.. Townsend w angh being its d rst teacher
aud continuing in Office seventeen wears About
tue same time the Female Lancasterian School,
on Columbus street (now Odd Fellows Hal) was
built, and Miss Rachel judge elected teacher
This school appears to have had but a short ex.
lstence, and though committee appointed
to ertain the condition of Mrs. Washington,
bequest, their report does not appear on The
minutes.
On the 18th of June 1922 the trustees formally
resigned the school to the Common Council, in
whose charge 1t bas since remained and az the
funds derived from Washington's estate appear
to have been invested in the stock of the Bank of
Alexandria, and were, OF course, lost, the whole
charge of maintaining it has fallen, for more
than twenty years, upon the Corporation
1t will be re-Opened on the 23d of August un-
der the direction of Mr.. Samuel Il Reach a
young gentleman whose success in Teaching in
the county schools, supported by the State Liter
arv Fund, has won for him the entire confidence
of the superintendent and commissioners
We are requested to say that, in addition to the
discharge OF the young men charged with q e
disturbance in the upper part Of the town a few
nights since, the money alleged to have been
taken was asceTtained to have been lost, and was
subsequently found and returned to the owner
who had given greatly exaggerated statemei t
Of the whole transaction
Market quiet Wheat-receipts of new very
light; sales Of inferior 10 good white at 1I5c
l2Sai35c, old white at 12Oc. Corn-white and
mixed 7sc., yellow SIC.
Arrived, yesterday-Schr. Alena, Dent, Pomon-
key, corn to Washington 4 Co; sloop Ocean
Eagle, Gibson, High Point, wheat to s Shinn
Sailed-BIig Phebe Page, Lewis, Boston, coal
w owle Co; schrs. Breeze, Hulse, N York
coal by II j. Mehatfsv; A. r. Wetmors Bocent,
coal by !; j.. Mehaiiey; Frances r Randolph,
Hazleton, DiShton, coal by Borden Mining Co
Arrived, to day-Brig Levi, Travis, Barba-
does. to Il. II. Lambert