The Washington times., 1915-10-24
Head Of Classes at First Pres
byterian Has Been Worker
There rs Years.
BIG INCREASE IN MEMBERS
When He Took Charge There
Were IS PupiIs-1,080 At
tended Later On.

One day In December. in the early
1Ss. a young man who had bcon a
school teacher IN PENNSYLVANIA came to
Washington to attend the law depart
mont o. Georgetown University. Tho
next morning he wont TO Sunday school
ut the First Presbyterian Church. For
seventeen years now hc has been super
intendcnt, and for nearly quarter OF
a century he has been u worker IN the
school.
A. +. l.. Lcckic was the mar; In ques-
tion. Whom he took charge Of the Sum
day school Il had scvcnty-hvc members.
lie increased II until II reached eso.
though the membership Just now II 7s5,
because of groups taken out o' u py
the building OF new churches ana we
founding Of now schools In the north-
west residential gcction.
Eventfm Period.
Mr.. I.eckie's supcrintendcncy has COW
cred tho most cvcntful period In the
history OF a church. whose annals date
back to i7S, when IL was established
in the carpenter shop OF the Presidents
residence. Later the congregation wor-
shipcd In the basement ct me S%rTme W rs,s
its first building was dedicated at Doia -
ware avenue and p street southwest.
and, because OF its location. II became
known as the Little White Church IN
der the IIill."
While these "reminiscences do not
come within the memory Of any living
man, Mr. Leckic Is stepped IN the rich
historical associations OF the comgre-
cation at John Marshall place. Wi,hin
his memory. however were :he LAYS
when the Rev. DR.. Byron Sunderland.
one OF the Capitals best known pastors
in his day. preached at the church ,i Hnd
tho years when the Rev. T. De wv Mt!t
ing to the doors at every service, ana
the police had to be called In to hold
back the crowds at the doors, with
ropes
Cleveland Attended.
There too President Cleveland at
tended, Mr.. Leckie will tell you, and
70 the Sunday school "very Sunday
Mrs. Cleveland sent flowers from the
White House Conscrvatories. Ulysses
Grant. when vice president. went 10 the
dent he attended the Metropolitan NJ.
e Church, tus, h1lf ,frGo, square ,nH s%NIsy %wny
School," Mr.. Leckic said. Il was In the
class Of Elder White -roted in our
church history. His son. John B. White.
was later made District Commissioner.
! succeeded him as superintendent
When he was made superintendent,
Mr.. Lcckie set about organizing the
Sunday school pn an efficient basis
from a teachers viewpoint He Great
cd gradually kindergarten. primary,
Junior, intermediate and adult depart
ments.
Canvass Taken.
Several times systematic canvass
Of the neighborhood was taken to find
prospective members, nursery was cs-
tablished so mothers could leave their
chillren while they attended sunday
school and church.
Following tho community census paid
workers were engaged 90 that the
prospects" might be visited and en-
rolled In the school. Such men as
Judge J. r. Anderson. of the Court of
Claims; Harry BARTON. Government
architcc.; William Henry White and
George +. Schutt. proprietor. OF the Ma
tionai and New Ebhitt Hotels, were en-
listed in the work of the school VII
liam Jennings bryan was u member OF
the church while he was Secretary OF
State and he frequently addressed the
Sunday school.
'The schools :ilccess must be laid to
those who are heads of the various de
partments:, and the teachers" Mr.
T.ecKie said. DIR. l.. A. Sadler. exam
lrer at the Patent Offce. has done re-
narkable work at the head of our in.
termediate department.. Mrs. NJ. j.
Vaughan. FOR more than thirty years
has been superintendent of our primary
tendcnt of the junior department Mrs
Charles T. MaXey and Mrs. ID. W. Ed.
wards conduct the beginners depart
ments. A. Il. Mitchell, our secretary
has Installed a thoroughly up-to-date
record system which would do credit tC
a progressive business house"
Gives Annual Dinner.
Each year Mr.. Leckie gives super.
intendent's dinner in the Sunday schoo
room of the church, and there the heads
OF departments and teachers gather ant
outline plans for the coming year
There Is large yourg mems class, ir
addition to these departments. con,
Quoted by the pastor, the Rev. Johr
Britton Clark. and young women.
class OF eighty members. taught hs
DickersOn Hoover. chief clerk of Tho
steamboat inspection service.
Like ether members Of the church
iAATN-,