Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-01-11

~ before . o CLOCK yesterday morning. but
told his wife that he would soon be asleep
again. A few moments later his breat thing
became heavy and labored ard he passed
away without struggle.
Mr.. Thomson's life was comparatively I'M
eventful, and yet he was one of the most
interesting men in Washington, and there
are few whose death would be more widely
regretted. He was born in this city and re-
ceived his early education here and later
at Jefferson College. He taught school for
some time in Maryland, and in 1852 he
commenced his connection with the public
schools of the District In 1854 he succeed
ed Mr. Samuel Kelly as the principal teach
er of the first district male school. With
the exception of one brief period he had
been connected with the public schools ever
since. and for many years he had been the
principal of the Abbot School. During the
regime of Mayor Bowen there was con-
siderable talk Of introducing mixed schools.
colored and white pupils together. Mr..
thomson would not agree to such a thing
and he resigned. For several years he was
the principal of f1ourishing private school
on 18th street above K, but soon drifted
back to the public schools. He was twice
married, the second time, in 1876, to Georgia
G: McGill of this city, who survives him.
He also left a son by his first wife The
son lives in Maryland.
Arrangements for the Funeral.
Mr.. Thomson was for many years a
prominent Mason, and for more than thir-
ty years he was the secretary of Eureka
Chapter. He brought to the duties of that
office the same painstaking care that he
gave to his work as Il teacher, and his
loss to the order will be no small one. He
was thirty-second degree Mason, a mem
Der OF Federal Lodge. No. l, Eureka Chap
ter. Columbia Commandery No. = and the
Scottish Rite: His body will be removed
10 the Scottish Rite Hail. 1907 street this
evening, and will lie in state tomorrow
Tonight the midnight Kadosh service will
be celebrated. There will be comman
derry service tomorrow afternoon at Z
oclcck, after which the remains will he
taken TO Glenwood cemetery for interment.
The Blue Lodge service will be celebrated
at the grave.
AS a teacher Mr.. Thomson left his i'm
press on many scholar. He was in his
prime before modern methods of education
mad got such a hold, as they have today
and he believed that the only way to maxi,
boy learn was to make him work. and
WI, moih marc. II the boy would not work it
was the worse for him. for Mr. Thomson
was strong in name and strong in deed
as the boys used to say. He was con
slstent Eeltever in the virtues of cornoral
punishment '! and he was never slow to put
ms principles into practice. 1t is remem-
Dered or him that in one of his schoo,
rooms ne used to have as a motto on the
wall the phrase, Per aspera ad astra
a ai ne made MS pupils work hard to reach
the stars. Yet his boys went out into the
word, strong, manly fellows, and MANY
OF the men who spoke today with most
regret OF him were the boys he thrashed
the hardest generation ago. 1t must he
said of Mr.. Thomson, however that 49, ns
ne began his work here a different cnndi-
tlon of affairs prevailed. There was less
OF the KID glove element" in the public
scfools then than there is tcday Those
were the Gays when pitched battles were
common between the different schools and
st' mes were used with freedom There were
rev lew. .oicgies" and 'isms" taught. but
nh
writing and arithmetic. Thirty and Forty
years ago there We're all sorts of COM
petitions for prizes between the different
scncois, and 1t is said that his school in
VariaDly carried Off the lions share He
also won for his boys more Kendall scboI-
arships at the Columbian University than
did any other teacher in the public schools
his BOYS knew their grammar and they
were remiss Strong .'ohn' was s,,re. ~
be after them with strap or the birch.
Historic Banner.
A generation ago it was the thing for
each school to have banner Mr.. Thorn
sons was the handsomest in the District.
on 1t was embroidered spreading tree
beneath which were the words, 1.-The roots
are bitter. but the fruit is sweet" About
a year ago Mr.. Thomson presented that
banner. which is the only one known to he
IN G existence TO the Columbia Historical
society, and 1t will be preserved along with
the other interesting possessions Of that
body. At meeting of the society last
spring Mr.. J. Ormond Wilson, formerly the
superintendent OF schools read a paper on
the history of the schools of Washington
In which he spoke Of Mr.. Thomson as the
senior of the corps, and without a rival
In the number Of Washington boys who
have acquired under his tuition a sound
and thorough education in the elementary
studies"
MI Thomson never quite lost his faith
In the theory that the more bitter the roots
OF education the sweeter the fruits and It
was with some regret that he saw corporal
punishment abolished. Certain 1t is that
the system worked well with him, for his