Evening star., 1931-11-01
Many Force School Pupils Won Fame

in 1885. The Louise Home in the 1900 block
founded by w. w. Corcoran as q home fO@
Southern gentlewomen. is one of the early
buildings erected on this spot when the neighs
borhood was still dotted with huts and shantieS
little over 80 years ago Bishop John II.
Hurst, author, was living at 17OI Massachusetts,
avenue, and following him at the same address
was Charles Francis Adams whose claim 10
distinction then was author" This block
seems TO have been rendesvous for authors.
for Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett lived at No.
ITO, in q home erected from the proceeds OF
her book, Little Lord Fauntleroy" Here too,
was the Force Building, a noted public school
Of the West End, which has probably been
attended by more children of prominent parents
than any other school in the city.
However, must not forget to mention the
Stewart Castle, on Dupont Circle; James q.
Blaine'S residence at 1000 Massachusetts, ave.
nue., MRS. u. S. Grants widow of the general
at 2111, and Larz Anderson's home at 2118,
nor the Shewplace at the northeast corner of
Florida avenue, where Mrs. Townsend lived
until her recent death 1t is said this mansion
incloseS the original house on the site since
the owner regarded its removal as bad luck,
but the truthfulness OF this statement the
writer cannot vouch for. Two well known
residences occupying the northeast and the
northwest corners, respectively, of Sixteenth
street and Scott Circle occupied by Mrs.
Henry r. Dimock, president of the George
washington memorial ASSOCIATION, VINO uVeS
in 1901 Sixteenth street and the one on the
northwest corner was once the residence OF
Mrs Charles w. Fairbanks widow of the Vice
President, and still earlier the home of Secre-
tary Of the Treasury William Window.
T HE old Peter Force School Building, on this
] prominent thoroughfare is no doubt worthy
of special mention. It's history is fragmentary
disconnected and incomplete. The ground
upon which it stands went to the Governments
in the division of lots at the time the city was
laid out, and in the numbering of the squares
this one was assigned number 153. In all there
were % original lots in this block, but subse%
quent to their sale by the Government, SUBJ
divisions were made and further lot numbers
assigned.
The first sale find in this square was In
1902, when William Dougherty and William
Simmons obtained four lots each Between
that date and 1906, Raborg &c Taylor had
bought from Charles Love four lots on the n
street side. and evidently they erected a build
ing ON their holdings. for in the sos they
were taxed $3.50 for improvements In 1909
Mr. O'Neale owned property at the corner OF
Eighteenth and N streets and in 1884 Grafton
Powell bought lot in this square which he
later sold to w. W. Corcoran In 1880 Ann
Shorter assessed $50 for property here.
and IN 1840 B. F. Moxley was one of the tax
payers.
Just when the Force School Building was
to have been no corner stone laying nor any
ceremony at all. Exactly when the building
was completed and first occupied is also D
doubtful point the writer could not clear up
Of course, he got very cloxe to it, but not
down TO the day and date 1t did not "just
grow" like Topsy, we know that and yet the
Board OF School Trustees, in minutes and re-
ports, seems to have omitted what some might
consider essential details. The columns Of The
Star were scanned for the missing links, but
even this repository of knowledge strange to
say, failed to deliver the goods, as some would
say
h NATURALLY, the first step was to secure tha
land, for, as stated, this belonged 10 tana
Federal Government, and So in the minutes
OF the board for November IL, 1878, we nnd
among the recommendations made to the Cons
nnissiOners Of the District of Columbia, the
following:
First, that Congress be asked to donate IN
the District of Columbia for school ptwpone1.