Evening star., 1925-09-13
DR.. John w. Bischoff, Blind Organist,
Taught Many Young D. G.. Singers
Rambler Finds nandn
enandasa (oodMa

VoHN w. BISCHOFF, organist,
composer and teacher of singing,
lived among us "a years. His
~ tomb is in Rock Creek Gene
terry. You have not forgot this
man. When he died there came to
| you the thought that kind man had
gone to the shadow or the light of the
place of souls. You thought of the
spell this gentle blind man had put
| upon you by his music art and gift.
You knew that he had taught young
| persons to sing sweetly and some of
them to sing nobly, and voices he
trained had often moved you TO a
sense of calm or of devotion, and
sometimes to a sense of eXaltation.
His death brought TO you as many
thoughts of the grave and the folly
of vanity as the passing of any being
not close-knit to you by the family
tie. 1t would be easy for the Rambler
to write that when DIR. Bischoff died
you grieved, but that might be mac
curate. There is tendency to over
express ones self, to use the utmost
emphasis on most occasions, and to
speak in the superlative degree. Peo
pie are careless with words, and l
would reserve the word grief" for
the anguish a mother feels when she
sees pass the spirit of her child. No
1t is moderate and true to say that
when John w. Bischom died most
men who had heard him play seen
him on the streets, and read his name
a thousand times in the little old
Star were struck with a feeling very
close to sorrow, and that every mem
ber of the Congregational Church.
where he played, had keen sentiment
of regret.
Of l.. h &c
death. They were young persons,
impressionabe and romantic. He was
their master and the guide who was
leading them on the way of their am
bition. He was making of them great
singers. They were full of hope of
victory in their art. They wanted to
achieve because a voice in the soul
whispered, or spoke aloud, Art, my
child, makes the mind brighter, shows
you beauty which men poor in mind
and rich in purse cannot see. and will
give you solace when your eyes no
longer sparkle and the roses have
faded in your cheeks
The pupils were also touched with
what the world calls ambition. They
craved success, with applause and
other reward. They wanted TO sur
pass others. DR.. Bischoff encouraged
them. An older man who encourages
young persons often makes them love
him and surely makes them like him
Young persons, strikingly those of
humble homes, are hungry for en-
couragement. They have dreams,
ideals, ambitions. The dreams may
not come true and the ambitions may
not be reaped and they will come to
disappointment soon enough, and will
bear II as bravely as you and ] have
borne 1t. 1t Is better to have had
golden dreams that never came true
than not to have had them. When
girl dreams that some day she will be
a great singer 1t is gracious to say to
her, My dear, you have youth, grace
and voice, and with the will to win
you will win" 1t is much better to
say that than to say, "Sallie, you are
silly. Go wash the dishes, mop the
kitchen floor, sweep off the front
porch and get ready to be the wife Of
a threadbare clerk, have half a dozen
paoles, and live in a three-room fiat
with a fire escape for your garden"
John Bischoff was helpful TO many
young persons, and those who were
his pupils, some of them, now fighting
wrinkles with cosmetics, hold in dear
remembrance their music hours in
the little studio.
iDR. BISCHOFF came to Washing
ton in 1875. The 1876 Directory
has this entry: y. E. Bischoff. organ
ist, boards 13 Grant place" The 1878
Directory has this, in black face type:
John w. Bischoff, teacher of music.
Congregational Church. house. 15os
Tenth northwest" In 1880 and 1885 he
was living at No. I Grant place. in
1890 at 1904 X street in 1896 at SOC
Tenth street, in 1898 at 72S Ninth
street, in 1900 at 922 | street and in
1909, tho year of his death. he had
fiat No. "a, 91S NJ street northwest.
What follows is from The Evening
Star. Monday. May 81. 1909:
The funeral of DR.. John w. Bischoff,
known as the blind organist of
Washington over the United States,
who died yesterday morning after a
brief illness. will be held tomorrow aft
ernoon from the First Congregational
Church, Tenth and G streets north
west, where for the past 35 years he
had presided at the organ. Rev. DR..
Samuel H. Woodrow. the pastor, will
conduct the service. Interment will
be in Rock Creek Cemetery
DIR. Bischoff had been dangerously
III for more than a week. He suf-
fered from heart trouble. The end
came painlessly. About the bedside
were his wife, Mrs. Elsie Bond Bischoff
and his two children by previous
marriage, Mrs. Lucille Chester of New
York and John Z. Bischoff of Denver.
DR.. BiSchof had not enjoyed perfect
health for some time. Sunday eve
| ming, May 9, DIR. Woodrow, after the
close of the service, found the veteran
organist lingering at the organ. He
had been there for about half an hour.
DR.. Woodrow came back to the choir
loft to greet him. DIR. Bschoff closed
the instrument instead of leaving that
duty to the janitor, as was his Gus
tom. He then returned to his home
| and took to his bed. from which he
never arose. DIR. Bischoff had a host
of friends in the Capital City, who
kept his room a veritable flower gar
| den.
DIR. Bischoff had been a familiar
figure in the musical history and
events of the city for more than a
| teacher of the voice, organ, piano.
| songs as we'll as piano and organ
pieces. He had a longer list of pupils
| to his credit during the years of his
| teaching than any other teacher in
| the District. 1t has been necessary
, for many years for him to keep a
waiting list. DIR. Bischoff's studio was
| in the side room of the Congregational
| Church. He was a. founder member
, of the American Guild of Organists.
He was born in Chicago in 1S49.
| At the age of years All attack of
scarlet fever left him sightless. De-
spite this barrier, he resolved to make
a success in life and took up music.
| He steadily advanced After Spend-