Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-03
AFTER A CENTURY
HISTORIC HOUSE
IS DOOMED TO GO
Once on Outskirts of Town, 9ol
Tatnall Street Was for So
Years Noted School.

A century old landmark of the city 8
growth has within the week been emptied
of its latest tenants, who were wiling III
the dcarth of lodgings to put up with i.s
lack of modern convenlences IN con
sideration of low rentals. Whlie no
definite plans have been announced Tor tne
future of the building and the site, the
condition of the one and the desirabliity
of the other make it only natural TO an
ticipatc that a new structure Will, before
long replace the building of today and
SO many yesterdays.
The chief glory that clusters about its
past is connected with It's fourlshing
state as a military school In the fftles and
early sixties of the last century under the
direction of Col. Theodore Hyatt. In the
wears lust preceding the "War of Sec
lions as Henry Watterson thinks 1t
should be called, total of perhaps 20
boarding and day pupils was enrolled. The
uniform was of cadet gray, closely pat
termed after that of the West Point of the
day. differing in the black pipings in place
of white. The caps bore the letters I'D. Nj.
A." for Delaware Military Academy, these
being the basis of frequent ructions be-
tween the wearers and the 'townies,
who put their own derisive Interpretation
of Delaware Monkey Actors ana the
like on them. and hurled these whenever
enough. challenge that the esprit du
corps made it imperative to meet or to
cherish for future occasion.
MANY SOUTHERN STUDENTS.
AZ this time most of the boarding pupils
were from the Southern States-Georgla,
Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky
and Mississippi being especially we'll
rcprcsentcd The corner building was
the rooming part, the smaller frame build
ING next IT, containing the class rooms. An
armory about 25xi0 was used for indoor
drill and equipment; an outdoor gym
nasium and parade ground were also IN
cluded in the grounds, which extended TO
the West street and Delaware avenue oi
today.
sectional feeling ran high between the
bows. and the space back of the armory
wns the scene of many fist fights, outside Of
study hours, between champions OF
Northern and Southern policies and
principles.
The first gun Mt Sumter was the signal
for the return Of all the Southern boys TO
their homes In less than a week they
were all gone, entering, most OF them
directly into the Confederate armies as
officers Many of the Northern boys, like
wise. at once or later when qualified by
age. went into the Northern forces.
FRIENDLY ENEMIES"
A story which was current after the
conclusion of the struggle relates that
two such boys, who had been chums,
bill" Bragdon of Georgia and Harry
Robinette OF Wilmington, met unexpcct-
edly face to face, peering at one another
over the crest of a hill in the vicinity of
Chattanooga in the late days of the war,
sach in charge of a scouting party. Recog-
ntion ensuing, a confab was held while
discussing the contents of haversacks and
ranteens, and the parties separated, each
threatening to have the other prisoner
within the next few hours. That would
be the fortune of war;" Robinette is re-
ported TO have said but il was his side that
picked up Bill, left on the field with one
leg gone, after the action was over. lie
himself would never affirm or deny the
truth of the incident, but it was generally
credited by those IN q position to know
At all events, Bragdon came back after
the war, minus a leg, married and settled
in the State and attained prominence IN
legal and political affairs.
On one occasion the BOYS who renamed
were to be reviewed by Governor William
Burton. and the whisper went round that
the drill master, Major Jefferson Nones,
of the regular army, purposed putting
over double quick march" four times
around the parade ground, the prospect
of which. on hot day and with full equip
ment did not appeal TO the lads. They
accordingly repaired to part OF the lot
which would be included In the route and
proceeded TO tie together the stalks of an
abundant growth of witch grass" which
fiourished there, figuring that If they trip
ned and fell, the proceedings would be
broken up long enough to regain their
wind, at least But il so fell out that the
movement was begun just before the I'M
pedment was reached, and the major,
walking backward while "Hip-hipplng"
TO mark time, and wake up the marchers,
was the first to fall, measuring his length
ANONYMOUSLY face up instead of down.
The laughter that the ringleaders could
not conceal at the cataclyamic success OF
their ruse, marked them out with what
was admitted to be practically unerrlng
judgment for the recipients of the mill
tarv punishment of confinement IN the
guard house-which had once been hen
house-and the scholastic penalty of
copying verbatim several pages OF the
dictionary, definitions and all.
MOVED TO WEST CHESTER.
The Hyatt school was later removed to
West Chester and then to Chester, and is
still a noted and hourishing Institution
under the son of the original founder
Judge Edward G.. Bradford, Levi Z.
Bird and Anthony Higgins were among the
men who later became prominent who
were HYATT cadets at this period. During
the later DAYS of the war, the school lot
was the site of the Delaware Barracks and
Hospital.
The building now 901 Tatnall street,
was erected, it is said, in 1918 and first
occupied by Bryan and Hanna Jackson,
immigrants from York, England, when
The site was on the extreme western limits
IF the town, surrounded by farming land.
In 1921 1T was boarding school for
,ovs, kept by John Bullock, an influential
Friend, and was for quarter century the
eading boys school of the town, and
irew pupils from as far away as the West
Indies. as well as from neighboring States.
At his death in 1897 Samuel Alsop be-
came the principal, and later it was taken
over by Col. Hyatt who put it on a mill
AIRY footing
For nearly half century devoted tc
,ducational purposes, the old building
became a boarding, then rooming house
harboring for a time, a few years back, the
''Old Curiosity Shop of Jacob Levin anc
thus has reached its present stage. The
prick work Is still in fairly good condition
and the old solid window shutters still
function, fastened shut or open by the ole