Evening star., 1935-12-15
Founder of First School Here
Vas Soldier, Dominic and Tutor
Character of DR.. BGEcH Reflected in
Liues of Those Who attended COIun1-
bian academy in Old GeOr getOapn.

~ Wv - ~SSV
with that which he performed during
the Revolutionary War, entitled him
to a pension from a grateful Govern
ment
Contrast of Traffic.
Today, in serene graciouSneSs, 1902
N street, with its lovely old doorway
and well-kept side garden, views the
stream of modern traffic which sweeps
past it with a sort of detached COM
poSure, as If it were communing with
that life of an older time of which Dr.
Balch, its one-time owner, was such
a dominant part.
For the last 80 years 1902 has
been continuously owned and occupied
by Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. A. Mont
gomery and their family. In their
possession are old deeds pertaining
to the property in 1892. Mrs. Mont
gomery is herself of Colonial stock.
Her mother was Susan Ball Beaver
and her maternal grandmother, Tall
tina Cuma Riggs, daughter of John
Riggs.
With loving care and pride the
MontgomeryS have preserved the in
tegrity of this historic home In its
front" and back" parlors, DR.. Balch
frequently conducted prayer meetings.
These same spacious rooms often
served too as Hymen'S altar, bridal
couples often coming from great dis
tanceS to be united in wedlock by
Georgetowns famous parson. Con-
corning one of these parsonage we'd
dings Mrs. Mackall tells of how DR..
Balchs son once played preacher"
In his sire's absence, this lad, who, as
Rev Thomas Bloomer Balch, was
destined to succeed his father in the
pastorate. donned DR.. Balch's Sunday
clericalS and went through a form
Of marriage. The parties" so our
chatty chronicler tells US, were none
the wiser, and it is hoped none the less
happy that their union had not been
regularly and properly solemnized.
"reminiscences of Georgetown, D. c."
LECTURE delivered in the Methodist
Prot ,stant Church, Georgetown, jan
uar.' 2r, 1859, and a second lecture
delivered March 9, 1859, by this same
son after he had become an ordained
clergyman, are as delightful as we
would expect them to be.
Story of a Little Boy.
Our Georgetown raconteur, Mrs.
Mackall, affectionately known even
to this generation by her myriad kith
and kin, further humanizes DR..
Stephen Bloomer Balch by telling an
other tale upon the son when he was
still a very little boy. In order to
make certain that Thomas was prop
erly quiet during the service it was
DR.. BalCh'S custom to have him ac-
company him into the pulpit, One
Sabbath when his fathers prayer had
been "uncommonly long" the little
boy reached out, put on DR., Balch's
Spectacles and gravely addressed his
fathers congregation to this effect:
Come, my brethren, while prayer is
going on, let us sing hime" Scotch
for hymn.
Perhaps the dominie's experiences
with his enterprising and prankish
son and life in general gave him those
qualities of human understanding
which were ever his with his parish
toner's problems. Certainly, he prac-
ticed the Bible injunction that man
should not live alone. Three devoted
helpmates were his earthly portion.
In orderly fashion, somehow remini-
scent Of the firstly and secondly of his
sermon headings, he referred to the
first and second upon joint tomb
stone as Elizabeth the first and
Elizabeth the second"
A simple slab in Oak Hill Cemetery
covers his own mortal remains today,
with ivy green about it, as if to SYM
bolize that his memory lives on in the
Georgetown he loved so dearly and
served so faithfully.
The preservation of this cemetery
and the erection Of its beautiful
memorial chapel this community owes
to William w. Corcoran, that great
philanthropic soul who also loved it
and served it all his days. Upon the
walls Of this chapel, memorial tab
let has been placed in honor of DR..
Balch. OF the man who at 1921 N
street inaugurated our first school of
established record, this is said:
He planted the gospel in George
town, founded the Bridge Street Pres
oyterlan Church and was for more
than so years its pastor. In life he
practiced what he preached. No
euIogy can add to such recordS