Evening star., 1935-07-28
By John CIagett Proctor.

BY yOhn CI6gerr FfOCLOT.
-HERE are many artificial foun-
tains and waterfalls through
out the world, and Paris, Lon
L don, Rome and other European
cities are not without some very at
tractive ones. But to the writer's way
of thinking one must travel very far,
indeed, before he can see anything
near so pretty as the cascades in
Meridian Hill Park And he does not
think, either, that this opinion is due
at all to the fact that when he first
knew this ground it was about as bar
rem a place as can be imagined. Just
q few scrub trees here and there, and
the land covered almost entirely over
with stones and gravel. Vegetation
found very little here to thrive upon,
and If there ever was topsoil it must
have slipped through to the bottom.
OFF in the northeast corner Of the
park stood for many years
theological school known as Wayland
Seminary, which some 80 years or
more ago was razed after the institu-
ton was removed to Richmond, Va.
This organization was founded in 1865
by the Baptist Church for the educa-
ton Of colored preachers and teachers.
The building was Of brick, three stories
high, with basement, mansard roof
and lofty tower. It was erected in
1874, at a cost of $35,000, the
amount being obtained from voluntary
contributions. All the work was done
by colored labor, and 1t was very
attractive building and a creditable
piece Of work. It was large enough to
accommodate 200 students, and for
some years after it was completed
It was one of seven schools In the
South established and foStered by the
American Baptist Home Mission So
ciety.
To many people who have lived for
O long while in the Northwestern part
of Washington. Meridian Hill is one
of the best known sections, and Way
land Seminary and the old standpipe
which once stood at the top of Six
teenth street hill are reminders of
their childhood days, for in Summer
time there was always o stream of
boys vending their way to Rock Greek
for q swim. Staughton, Chaplin and
Sixteenth streets and Champlain ave-
nue. were the principal thoroughfares
used by the boys until the top of the
hill was reached. and then paths across
fields were used as the most direct
route to Adams Mill road, Milk House
road, Red House lane and Quarry
road-the same Quarry road of today
with notifications.
GONE one has said that the Shriners
have to cross the hot sands of
the desert In their ceremonies, but II
they do the heat is probably not quite
80 hot as were the pebbles and sand
of Meridian Hill In those bygone Sum-
mer days-after Old Sol had beamed
for hours down upon the ground with
al his intensity. AL of this area
seemed to be literally covered with
gravel, and they actually got hot
enough at times to cause hlisters on
the boys bare feet. And then the
paths were not always level, and
stumped toes were not uncommon,
and sometimes proved quite painful.
However, few boys were willing to cry
before the gang, and 1t usually hurt
too bad to laugh. But, then, maybe
this only fitted them for the ''stumped
toes" received In later life, which had
to be borne with silence and fortitude.
One can hardly imagine what
Meridian Hill looked like SO or so
years ago, so great has been the
change. The writer. moved into this
section nearly 48 years ago, and it
would have taken real stretch Of the
Imagination ut that time to have
anticipated what this neighborhood
would later become. At that time
there were few houses tn this sub
division, and shacks, largely tenanted
by colored people, predominated.
Many Of these humble homes be-
longed to white investors vino were