The Washington times., 1915-10-31
Miss CorneIla" Recalls Days
When Scholars Now Famous
Attended Sunday School.
INSTRUCTED NELLIE GRANT
! Superintendent Emeritus Of
| Metropolitan PRIMARY Dept
J Has Wealth 4 Memories.

',Miss Corhe'ia TIrsell. Superintendent
Emeritus OF : n rIimarv Department"
10 the. way sh I, entered on the records
q MetropolI M. e. Church. But
everyone WI las gone to that church
for nearly 4 century has known
her as Mise cornelia."
Even before that church was organ
ised In 1859. she taught little Miss Nellie
ulysses 8. Grant was among those who
touRht out Miss Cornelia" on Sundays
to ask about her class.
To-day Miss Cornelia," who lives with
her brother at 20 L street northwest.
and who Is still actively engaged In
store. will take you around to the
famous old church on John Marshall
place. and there point to such names
on faded Sunday school records as
Willie Wilson. Johnnie Wilson. Percy
Hughes. Joe Ford. Fred Tasker. Harry
Milans and others.
Who They Are Today.
Now these names would be identified
IN more dignifed style as Percy
Hughes. former assistant superintend-
ent of Washington Public Schools and
Nbw superintendent at Syracuse. N. Y;
MAJ. joseph VII. Ford, medical corps.
lions In Austria: Frederick Tasker.
prominent New York lawyer and presi-
dent OF the Society for the Suppression
OF Vice. and Harry Milans. prominent
settlement worker Of New York.
John Wilson and William Wilson were
prominent in Washington business af.
fairs. and Walter Dodge. Alexander
Hensey. Harry Cochran. s. s. Williams
and Victor Griffith are other names
among the first members of her class
han MN. l... L,.-l
or professional life in the Capital.
Has Wealth of Memories.
Miss Pursell possesses a wealth OF
memories and "reminiscences of the ia.
nous old church. Her fathers pew was
directly opposite the presidential pew. -
Grant.
Both Presidents took a keen interest
in the services" she said I'VE used to
enjoy watching them. President Nc.
kinley Joined heartily in the hymns
try to sing. paid close attention to the
"Chief Justice Chase used to go to tn,
church. too" she continued. land As
there. Gen. John A. Logan was a mem
ber. and his wife still Is connected will
the CONGREGATION. Andrew B. Duval
and Capt. A: p. Lacey were two promi
Hcnt men VINO were SuDeTlntenuentS Ol
our Sunday school.
Celebrities in Pulpit Also.
"Our church has had some celebritie.
IN its pulpit. too. The first pastor re-
member very well. was John Newman
who later became bishop. and. yor
know, in recent years we had the Rev
Or. Frank Bristol. who now is a bishop
One Of the active workers in our churci
was Thomas ]. s. Perry. in his day th'
leading retail merchant In Washington
His store was In the building now oc
cupied by Parker. Bridget & Co. a
Ninth street and Pennsylvania avenue.
Two other early members OF the Sun
day school are still living in Washing
ton. These are George w. Gray, al
various times trustee and treasurer OF
the Sunday school, treasurer Of the
poor fund, and a custodian OF tht
church fund. Mrs. J. S. Tasker. still
living In Washington, also for many
years was a teacher in the school,
Wood From Holy City.
Miss Pursell has many interesting de-
tails OF the church and its associations
to tell. The pulpit. still used there
was designed by Bishop Simpson. and
ID made. in part. OF olive wood from
the Holy City. In the vestibule there Ii