Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-11

anatomy Of the fly have been fully de-
Scribed In song.
A song with a Spanish melody. called
the Boat Song" and which the little
tots used to kill--as they would say in
the vernacular of today-and which will
be recalled by many grown-ups OF ma
ture age had these words:
Lightly row, lightly row!
Ger the CLASSY waves we go;
Smoothly glide! smoothly glide!
On the silent tide.
Let the winds and waters be
Mingled with our melody:
Sing and float. sing and float,
In our little boat.
Far away far away,
Echo in the rocks at play;
Calleth not. calleth not,
To this lonely spot.
Only with the sea-birds' note
Shall our dying music float;
Lightly row. lightly row,
Echo's voice is low!"
Sometimes we make changes, lust to
make changes and without sufficien:
justification for making any change a.
all, and I believe those who learned II
write by the Spencerian system viii.
still maintain that its merits are SUI
perior In every way to the verticsl
system which replaced 1t, or the Ozark
system. which / believe We now use In
our schools. I would like to show yoJ
page OF the teachers pay roll for
1870, bearing In beautiful Spencerian
hand the signatures OF some OF tho
teachers then instructing in our public
schools. 1t really IS refreshing in com
parison with the writing we are nov
accustomed to see. and demonstrates t.
my mind that We have not at all pro-
crossed along this line.
"A BOUT the same time boys were be.
Ing educated In the old Grace
Cnurch School. later to become the city.
doctors lawyers. merchants. tradesmen
leading citizens. and what not; another
institution at Eleventh and C streets
northwest, commonly called the Theater
Comique. was doing an extensive bust
ness among the boys. educating them
In the fancy steps of the can-can and
what was then generally thought to bf
Ine naugntiest show on eartf-"The
Black Crook"
the black bottom
One OF the chief entertainers of tina,
old playhouse-now remodeled into the
President Theater-was Jake Budd
who. in addition TO being the manager
took his place regularly on the boards
JAKE was born actor. and when In
MS prime was probably the funries;
man on the stage. He was born In
Philadelphia. and began his theatricaI
career In that city in 1856. in a com.
pany known as the Alabama Minstrels
then playing at Franklin Hall. Sixth
street below Arch. The following wear
he travelled to Minnesota and through
the West. but soon returned to Phila.
delphia. where he continued to act al
different theaters until 1862. Mr.. Budd
travelled extensively. and although SOM
folk might think from the variety house
he was playing in here In Washington
that he was hamfat actor. he wa:
anything else but that. and before com
Ing here as manager and a member oi
the theatrical firm OF Budd. O'Neil &
Co. had filled some very important en-
Easements. For 10 years. from 1865 tr
1873. he was end man and genera,
comedian with the Buckley Serenader.
In Boston and also filed other attrac.
tive assignments Billy Williams, whr
assisted Budd. was also a clever Negro
!mpersonator. and delighted the bows ir
We olden DAYS. as we'll as did Johr
Robinson The latter was evidently no.
a rrohibitionist. as the following line.
then sung would indicate:
Jake Budd and his dog Nellie
Played seven-up for beer.
John Robinson signed the Temperance
pledge
In the nadhouse In the air"
Budd was the author OF a number o
burlcsoues and sketches. some OF whicl
| were; The Two Tramps." The Oys
ter Dealer" Big Foot Wallace" TIL
Railroad War" "A Messenger from
Alexandria" "A Big Mistake" "A Prac
teal Joke" BIT Jones Cousin" anC
numerous other burlesoues and farces
some Of which are still remembered. nc
doubt
To many. two very disagreesbie fea.
lures connected with that playhouse
were the permitting Of smoking and the
serving OF beer 10 the patrons. So fal
rs the show itself was concerned. Il
was generally OF q high average anC
beyond severe criticism.
One OF the rules posted where every
body could see and which is said &c
have been strictly enforced read:
mo person will be allowed to curse
or swear. or use the name Of the Deity
either on the stage or of. nor to Use
any vuigarity either upon the stage OF
.,fE MI IT, l,t~ k~A lkeE