Evening star., 1935-10-20
Memories of Seat0n School
Recall Historic Neighb0rs
Nearby Minnesota Row Housed Grant,
Sherman, Douglas and Other Noted
Officials of CiuH Var Era.

fGSbS " W. LII SSo
groups of city mayors to control the
civic destinies of the Nations Capital.
1t is difficult to think Of 207 as
only one-half of a double house, but
this is exactly what it is, with the vast
front hall truly almost a house in it
self, built on afterward by Mayor
Emery when he purchased the great
double mansion from Gen. Sherman,
whose friends purchased it for him
from Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, by whom
it was occupied at the time Of his
election to the presidency of the
United States. Today 205 Is starkly
tragic in its unoccupied loneliness. with
cobwebs across its murky, staring win
dows, the grass high and forlorn look
ing in its front yard.
Mayor Emery occupied 207 until his
death. The other half, now 205, was
for a time occupied by Gustav
Lansburgh and his family. Mr.. Lans-
burgh was one Of the founders Of
Lansburgh & Bro, and from this
home his daughter, Mrs. Charles A.
Goldsmith, a civic leader of whom
this city has Just cause to be proud,
went forth bride As years ago. This
house was afterward occupied by the
family of James Lansburgh, anoth-
er member of the firm of Lansburgh
& Bro. Their son. Mark Lansburgh,
now motivating member of this firm,
and of Group Hospitalization. Inc,
lived here and went across the street
to school at the Seaton." Later, to
relieve the neighborhood's one-time
congested school population, the Dis
trict government used 1t as an annex
to the Seaton School for the housing
of the first four primary grades.
A Gift From Grant.
There are still living a few Wash
ingtonians who remember when 2O5
and 207 street were one great double
house, a gift to the victor of Appo-
matox from a group of admiring
friends. They can also recollect the
night Of his election to the presidency
Of the United States when milling
thousands with torch lights and ban
ners jammed then aristocratic street
and into neighboring ones. as they
gathered in exultation to cheer the
successful hero. Not only did Gen
Grant set forth from here to the
Capitol for the inaugural ceremonies,
but it served as a temporary Executive
Mansion for two weeks thereafter, as
Mrs. Johnson, the wife of the retiring
President, was Ill, and .he Grants did
not wish her to be Immediately moved
When you unlatch the iron gate
which gives you entrance to POT ]
street, today, you stand moment In
appreciation Of its meticulously kept
side yard, wherein there is a giant
horse chestnut tree said to be the
largest horse chestnut tree in the
city. The story Is that both Gen.
Grant and Gen. Sherman often sat
beneath its spreading branches in
friendly conversation over their
cigars.
While you await Mrs. Hannay's
coming, your eye wanders upward to
lovely frescoed ceilings, the work of
Rakeman, who also did some of the
frescoes at the Capitol. His son be-
came one of the city's renowned
violinists. Tall pier glass mirrors be-
tween double windows in both the
front and rear drawing rooms reflect
chandeliers whose shining glass prisms
remind you of those in the east room
at the White House. The original
gas connections have never been re-
moved from these chandeliers. On
either side Of marble mantles sur
mounted by mirrors In gold frames
there are oil portraits-that Of Mayor
Emery is MISUNDERSTANDING de-
picting him as the kindly alert man
Of vision and Of substance that he
was. The one of Mrs. Hannay's moth
er as she came q young bride to her
husband is exquisitely lovely. Mrs.
Hannay's two sisters are Mrs. Hancke,
widow of Gen. Hancke, and Mrs. VIII
liam v. Cox, whose husband won dis
tinction In local banking circles and
served as vice president Of the Board
of Education.
A Delightful Atmosphere.
Mrs. Hannay's amused smile as you
pause dehghtedly before the rear
drawing room windows with your
query, 'sYour lot goes all the way
through from I street to K?" answers
your question af11rmatively before she
adds: IF it wouldn't be too cool for
you, perhaps we could have our tea
served on the porch looking toward K
street."
An ancient grape vine with ripening
clusters of purple grapes, its leaves
making patterns of sunlight and
shadow, comes down over the sides Of
this porch like canopy. Before you
stretches an honest-to-goodnesS gar
den, with corn tasseling and lima bean
vines climbing their poles, f1anked by
ripeninG tomatoes, althea bushes,
sturdy perennials and ancient pear,
peach and Towering mimosa trees.
Lilies Of the valley plants encircle q
pecan tree planted by the young son
that Gen. Sherman lost. His favorite
nuts were pecans, and you somehow
feel that the carefully tended lily bed
and tree are o living remembrance Of
that beloved little boy of the long ago.
As you sip your tea you ask. Mrs.
Hannay, what was your fathers great
est interest as mayor" The answer
is what you expect: 1.-THE desire that
the children of Washington should
have more and better schools. Father
was chairman Of the Building Com
mittee for the school across the way,
which he insisted should bear the
name Of Mayor Seaton, who served
nine terms as mayor. and in a crusade
for bettering school conditions en-
listed the aid Of John Quincy Adams,
Edward Everett H6le and George J.