Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14
EARLY CITY SCHOOLS
Establishment of Public Edu-
cation on the Island.
PIONEER OWNERS OF LAND
New Temple of Learning Brick
Building of Two Rooms.
PUPILS WHO GAINED RENOWN
Square Sold for 100000 in 1895 by
Robert Morris-Later Transac-
tons iq Real Estate.

1t was not till the forties that there was
public schoolhouse in South Washing
ton, or ION the Island" At the eastern
and western academies. at Sd and d
streets southeast and 14th and G streets
northwest. the three RS were taught and
there were one or two private schools on
the Island, when, about 1915, two addt-
tional schools were provided under an act
dividing the city into four districts, the
fourth district being south and west OF
the canal. This portion of the city was
of slow growth and few were the habita-
tons. which in some instances formed
isolated villages From these puipls had
known as McCormick's and Henshaw's
schools. over a mile from their homes
Under the ne" order the schoolhouse
was located on the east side of 9th street
between u and r streets. From the be-
ginning tardy progress had been made IN
building up the southern or Island section
of the city, and settlement was in spots
GOWN to 1850. Tom Moore's description
OIL Washington as "A city of magnificent
distances" was accurate as to the Is
land,' for large portion was open COM
mon. When the school house was built
there were but few dwellings near by and
within the lines of Sd, 18th. and u
streets. They could be counted on the
fingers. Nevertheless tho location was a
convenient one and there was plenty of
playground in the long stretches to the
Long bridge point AS may be supposed
little had been done in the way of street
improvement and that had been made by
the national government, IL the Few
gravel footways made by the corporation
and the Zigzag Sourses made by carts ana
wagons and foOtpaths worn by the travel
n hrjcEEarGS
be excepted. The activities of the United
States arsenal from about 1916 and the
penitentiary from ISIS had led to 4hs
street becoming much-traveled road, but
it was of Mother Earth and t times
travel was difficult. During the war with
Mexico, when hundreds of people were
employed at the arsenal in the prepara-
ton of munitions of war. there was SO
much hauling as to call for Improvement
In 1913 Congress appropriated nearly
5000 therefor and ~ street was granted
from Maryland avenue south graveled
and the west side was tagged.
Within the lines of d, q, Sd and Ith
streets a small part of David Burns tract
was taken, and larger part was Motley
Young's land, and by the lines of Nir-
ginia avenue. E. F and Az and 9th streets
ten building squares were made. 1T
would appear from the fact that 263 lots
were platted-over fifty to one square
that the projectors Of the city looked for
undeveloped, though century ago i'm
provements were looked for by Greenleaf.
Morris and Nicholson and Pratt, Francis
and others. Two cents a foot was the val
uation of the ground in 1902. but for
years but 1 cent was listed, in 1870 from
2 to 5 cents being the figure. There is
no record of improvement to be found
prior to 1880. and this for two houses
valued at $50 and 500, respectively.
Some Of the Early Purchasers.
The square between D. E, 9Th and 7th
streets-485 in the division of 1796-was
assigned to the United States. and the
fifty-sX lots were included in the opera
tons of Greenleaf and others till 1916
when the entire square passed to William
B. Todd. subdivision was then made
into eighty-four parcels, apd Thomas }.
Ycatman bought sub 49, on the 18th street
front, and in 1913 Henry Barnes bought
subs % and q, which included the corner
of 9th and u streets. In the meantime
the ground had increased fourfoid in
value. In the fiftteS were a few other
settlers, among them Leonard .. Cook.
cabinet maker. who long carried on u
chair mandatory at the southeast corner
of 18th and ID streets.
East OF the above square 4?4 was cut
into but fifteen lots. OF which the United
States retained Nos. TO 10 on 9Th, d
and + streets. and Daniel Carroll the bal
ance In 1900 Pratt, Francis & Co. had
three lots and Gen. Van Ness two years
after, four but there was no development
in the way OF settlement for years. In
1873 J. S. Clark bought lot on 9Th street.
In 1895 William Prout bought on the cor
ner of Az and r streets, and Thomas
Henry and Mary L. Neale soon after
owned here. Two small improvements
were here, one listed to Henry Neale at
$3.50, and one to + Tyler at 500. near
9Th and d streets. AS far as records
in the ten squares. In 1886 Allison Mai
lor had a lot. William A. Bradley two
lots and POmpey Jackson part of lot at
the corner of Az and f. streets. In 1889
Eliza beth Thompson and George NJ
Davis owned in the square. In 1910 r.
Tyler and after John A. Smith owned
in the square. In the i0s Isaac StOddcrt
was at the corner of AZ and f streets as
a grocer and after In the wood and coal
business.
The New Schoolhouse.
In 1s45 Thomas Corcoran owned three
lots at the corner of 9th and D streets, to
which w. w. Corcoran succeeded: and
the corporation of Washington bought lot
on 9th street. and here was the fourth
district school established. This was d
plain brick structure of two rooms, the
upper one occupied by the girls and the
lower by the boys and mere pigmy in
comparison with the buildings OF today
An appropriate on of $3.50 had been made
from the school fund. derived from the
poll tax of a dollar in December. 1874,
and the school was opened in the spring
of - with Henry Hardy "A