Evening star., 1931-11-01

Washington as very young child and attended
our public schools, afterward graduating from
Dartmouth College. Early in the school year.
1888, he received an appointment In this city
temporary teacher which, on September ID,
1883, was made permanent, and he was as
signed to the eighth grade, boys, in the Force
School, relieving also Maurice p. White as
principal, who was leaving to become assistant
superintendent of public schools in Boston,
and who taking with him as Mrs. White
the former Miss Helen I. Schimmefennig, q
teacher at the Force, and daughter of Brig.
Gen. Alexander Schimmelfennig, who served
with Mai Gen. Carl Schurz at Gettysburg
Mr. Patterson continued at the Force School
until October, 1892, when he was transferred in
a like position to another district, and the
duties temporarily taken over by Miss Frances
Fairlee until the appointment Of Benjamin
w. Murch. Miss Fairlee died few years ago
while principal Of the Park View School. The
present assistant superintendent Of public
schools Stephen E. Kramer, was also prin-
cipal at the Force
In the very early days Of this school, when
there Eas much vacant ground, especially to
the north and it was not just safe to walk
through the nearby dark streets at night the
scholars were from families in different cir
cumstances of life Some were poor, some
In moderate circumstances and some rich and
influential However, this section soon grew
into importance, and the classes became filed
with the sons and daughters of Presidents
diplomats military and naval officers, and men
OF distinction In other ways. The prejudice
against free schools having died out, they sent
their sons and daughters here to- be educated
These predominated over their less fortunate
classmates. The results in the long run we're
typically American, and today some of those
who were rich poor, and some who were
poor now rich, but all of them alike, re-
gardless of origin conditions are grateful
of the opportunity to attend this school and
look back over the years fast receding with
the fondest memory for this old building and
q thought of appreciation for the splendid
corps of instructors who taught them and who
made it possible for them to become useful
men and women to society and a credit to the
Capital of the United States.
\A /HAT big roll Of honor it would make II
w we could give the names of all the boys
and girls who attended this school. Undoubt-
edIy the reader would recall many-perhaps his
own included.
Douglas Macarthur. major general and
Chief Of Staff, U. s. A., is only one of the
many Indeed, the military branch of the
Government is more than represented in its
graduates. Here just few whose names
were given to the writer: Lieut. Col Dean
Halford, @. M. c., retired; Lieut. Col Frank
Halford U. S. M. c., retired; John Hudson
u. ..
Of the famous general, died during the
World War; Gen. John F. Myers, u. s. M. c.,
to whom the Spanish flag floating over Guam
was surrendered during the Spanish-American
War, and Gen. William NJ. Cruickshank.
Robert wallach, son of Mai. Richard Wallach,
became an Army officer, and another scholar.
David D. Porter-descendant of a line of
eminent naval ofhcers-led q detachment of
Marines over the Island of Sunar without q
commissary
~ rTNno
Evening Star, and his brothers, John, Thomas
and Henry, also attended here, did Craig
and James Wadsworth, cousins to former
Senator Wadsworth; the sons of w. s. Patton;
Charles G. Sawtelle jr., Army ofhcer, and his
brother, sons of Gen. Charles G. Sawtelle;
Ewing Cockrell and brother, sons of Senator
CockreIl; Randall Hagner; John c. Arm
strong of the District Building, and his
brother, w. Spencer Armstrong, vice president
of the Columbia and Real Estate Title In
surance Companies. The sister to the Arm
strong boys Miss Bertha j. Armstrong, taught
at this school, and left here when she married
Michael NJ. McNamee, now q retired colonel,
u. S. A., who service at San Juan Hill and
elsewhere during the Spanish-American War,
and who makes his home In nearby Virginia.
One of his last assignments was as comnandant
at Fort Myer.
THE Force School also had as students the
Ianghorne brothers, Marshall and Kerry;
the present Lady Nancy Astor; Hayden John
son. chancellor Of the National University;
Brig. Gen. Joseph P. Tracy, a native son; the
Purman boys, of DR.. j. J. Purman; John
M. and Edgar Henderson whose father always
materially assisted the schools in obtaining
fagpoles before they were provided for by the
District; Arthur and Charles Bryant, and the
writer's good wife, when she was Miss Annie
Maud Crown
Lieut.. Howard S. Fisk for many years and
still writer for The Star, and his brother,
Harry C. Fisk in the cOmposinV room of that