Evening star., 1934-04-08

Elizabeth Smith, Elizabeth Donaldson, Alice
Prout, Lille Allen and Viola Leach
Mary HALEY received the silver medal in Pri-
mary School No IL, and the following received
diplomas: Alice Noyes, Annie Joy, Mary Nc
Bride, Lydia Ragan, Jessie Bogert, Mary Asch-
enbach, Mary Clark, Sarah I. Evans. Mary
Poletti, Maggie Pumphrey, Virginia Blunt, Caro-
line Raabe Emma Posey, Elizabeth Kepner,
Mary Champion, Sarah Fieury and Mary NJ
Ragan.
THERE were not many houses in South WASH
! ington at that time, and the same can be
said of the entire city. which in 1870 had
population about one-fifth what it is today.
The block in which the Potomac School stands
was then only partly built up, one of the
earliest residences being that erected by WASH
ington's first mayor, Robert Brent, at the
southeast of Maryland avenue and
Twelfth street. where he died September Z,
1919.
Many years later Roswell A. Fish lived on
this corner. He was i'll some way prominently
connected with the activities of the first Japa-
nese Ambassadors, who came to this country
in 1860. You will probably recall their names
being Simmi Boojsen No-Kami and Moora-
gaH Awajsi No-Kami. This was just six years
after Japan made the first modern treaty with
the United States, and Congress provided funds
for their entertainment. They were feted to
the fullest extent. They had quarters at the
Willard Hotel and Gen. Cass and others gave
balls and parties in their honor. President
Buchanan gave reception at the White House
for them.
The next house east of the Brent home
built by the mayor for his son, Robert Young
Brent, and later it was occupied by Dr. James
E. Morgan. Next, east, lived Mrs Roland, said
to be an aunt of Judge Robert E. Mattingly.
In the next house resided John Knight grand
father of Mrs. Millard F.. Thompson. He was
an engraver in the Coast Survey and helped
to organize the engraving division in that de-
partment. A Mr. Wilson, whose daughter mar
ried the son of the Rev. Benjamin Bittinger.
pastor of the Seventh Presbyterian Church
(now the Westminster Memorial Church,.
lived next to John Knight at 1108 Maryland
avenue and then came the home of Henry
M. Knight, also an engraver and son of the
Mr.. Knight just mentioned, who was one Of
Lincoln's bodyguards at the time of his inau-
guration in 1861.
IENRY KNIGHTS home was numbered
] ! 1106, and here he raised family of de-
lghtful daughters and maybe some sons, too
However, the daughters included Dora, who
became Mrs. Muir; Ella, who married Mr..
Mears: Gertrude, who became Mrs. w. r.
Schumacher; Eva, who married a MIR. Ritter;
Kate, who became Mrs. Gee; Clara, who
changed her name to Holmes. and Jennie
Knight who has been Mrs. Millard F. Thomp-
son for 10 these many years.
DR.. Thompson is himself an early South
Washingtonian: was born at 478 Maryland
avenue and lived there until 10 years ago. He
is still busy practicing his profession, but, like
Mrs. Thompson. can still spare time to talk
Of the sunny Southwest and particularly Of
their dear old neighbors of years ago, many
Of whom have passed on.
Mrs. Thompson at first attended the private
school of Miss Annie willitt, at 476 E street
southwest, but later went to the Potomac
building. In her childhood days she was a
reader, and still retains a program of an en-
tertainment given by the Jefferson Literary
and Debating Society on April 49, 1874, most
likely at the Jefferson School, which was COM
paratively new at that time. Upon this occa-
sion little Jennie knight gave the "Crocus