Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-06-06
The Old Episcopal High School in
1855


most vivid impressions. The Gagged
eagle replied, "My school days"
The average man is like the great con
aueror 10 that respect; the humble citi.
zen NAV forget his relations, bis wife and
his debts, and retrospection will bring
back to him his careless, happy school
days.
"How beautiful is Youth. how bright il
CLEANS
"With lis illusions, aspirations dreams.
Book of beginnng--StOry without end
Each made heroine, each man friend. u
visited recently in 1906 the Episco'
pal High School near Alexandria, the
first time since ! was enrolled as
pupil there in 1855; and amid the half.
forgotten surroundings, old faces, old
scenes that bad impressed themselves on
heart and brain came back clear and
distinct, just as the "chiri abscuro," ol
the photographed plate takes color and
outline and reveals slowly the picture
that lies hid on the glass.
The school buildings were used by the
federal troops during the civil war, and,
sad to relate, all the records were des-
trOyed.
| have been asked with others of the
High School boys to give ny recol-
Iections of the place, hence this article.
During my late visit the courteous and
able principal Mr.. BlackiOrd, showed
me ali through the buildings, and | was
struck with the perennial difference be-
tween the present and the good old
times" as they are called. Certainly il
the pupils had to live as those boys OF
'55 did there would not be student
left.
In my days the boys we're numbered
Just as cOnyicts are. Iwas No. 5e, and
the teachers addressed me as such.
The dormitery on the top floor was
one huge room, running the whole length
of the building. The beds, or cots,
we're ranged side by side ia rows about
four leet apart. A calico curtain
dropped between the conches. The
trunks of the boys were showed under
the cots. AT six o'clock in the morning
the bell rang and the boys were given
fifteen minutes in which TO huddle on
their clothes and hurry TO the layatory
in the basement. When the time WAS
up the luckless, lazy ones were locked up
and deprived of their malin meal ter
rible hardship according to the boy with
healthy appetite. But none OF the
boys. to my knowledge, ever suffered. fol
Mrs. Mcclure, the wife of the principal,
Was one of those women who comes as
near to divinity as mortal can do in this
world. The High School boys adored
her; she was the persOnfieatlOn OF ail
that was gentle, lovsble and ten0tr.
Her whole life was gemmed and jeweled
with good acts; she was the guide, coun-
sellor aud comforter Of all the hOmesit /
lads, and when they were i'll ii was she
who nursed them with loving care. She
reminded me of Mathew Arnold descrit-
tion of Mary the Mother OF Christ: "li
thou wouldst fetch thousand pearl;
from thy Arab sea, one would CLEAN
brightest, best, the queeniest gen"
The lavatory WAS long room with
double zine trough running its entire
length. There was plenty OF soap and
abundance of towels, but rs there was nc
fire, it was, on frosty morning, as cold
a place as could be found outside of The
Arctic regions. Faces we're rubbed III
hurry. aud | well remember that the
hands of the youngsters were split anc
scanned by chilbains
There were no accessories OF The toilet
to cause the boys to'linger, aud at The
tap of the seven O'Clock bell they filed
into the school room where prayers wert
he'd. If those "young ideas" had any
| religion they did not display it, and al
they blew on their frozen fingers an:
| stamped their chilled feet, many thoug b
| Il know did that Hsdes could not b'
such bad place after all.
At half past seven We marched int
the large dining room. There we're d
furnaces in those days, aud the stove
burning wood, heated the room only II
spots. | recall the "corr dodgers" smok
ing hot, that warmed us outside ant
within. Then came an hour TO
recreation, and sometimes, Oh, woe
ful time to us small fellows, wbeI
the usher notified us that Mr.. McGuir
wanted TO see us in his study. Th
chosen ones gathered together, aud the
started up stairs as fast as their limb
would carry them, They knew wha
that invitation meant. Mr.. Mcdulre
or "Old Mac" as the boys we're wont t
call him. was not given to sending invi
tations to take morning tea with him
so the boys put on two or three extr
Jackets with sundry socks, woolen cou
forien or anything for stuhing tbs
would desden the whack OF gooC
tough hickory limb, Tor "Old Mac
struck hsId, but GOOD who itmpers ID
wind to the shOrn lamb, had mad
him so near sighted that he couldn
see the disparity between rotund bod
and pair of spindle legs.
Mr Mcguire had evidently modeie
The High School after the famous Fog
lish Rugby and Eaton Academy. Tn
scholars were numbered and the schot
was divided into forme. The fOurt
Class WAS composed OF youngsters lik