Evening star., 1935-12-15
BY JESsIE FAINT EVANS.

OlQ lJ6OTEcJOWu wears I16I BhTldIlOS
of historical association with the dig
nifty becoming lady of her years and
importance. One which deserves to
be kept ever green in local annals is
the fact that the first school of record
in what is now the District of Colum-
bia was opened in Georgetown in 1882
by Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch.
Charles Hart, in the Journal of the
Education Association of the District
of Columbia, and w. B. Bryan, in a
History of the National Capital, refer
to this school as being located upon
the present site of 342l N street
What leader of youth and of men
DR.. Balch, the man who fostered this
pioneer educational adventure. must
have been. Dominic on Sunday,
teacher on week days, and soldier in
both the Revolutionary War and the
War of 1912. this man of God left his
imprint upon his time and upon the
lives of those he served.
This first school was known as the
Columbian Academy. In all probabil-
ity it was set up in connection with
the home which served DR.. Balch as
the manse, for it was his dynamic lead
ership which organized the earliest
Presbyterian church located in this
section In fact, DR.. Balch's church
was for long time the only Protestant
church this side of Alexandria in all
of what is now Washington, D. c.,
other than the Episcopal Christ
Church, located beyond the Capitol,
near the present site of our navy
yard. 1t seems to have been very
nearly Protestant community
church with the various denomina-
tions worShipping in friendly unity
under his spiritual, educational and
civic guidance.
Distinguished Co-Workers.
We know that George Washington,
Jefferson and Albert Gallatin, first
Secretary of the Treasury, occasionally
worshipped with DR.. Balch and ac-
lively co-operated with his aims and
purposes. Thomas Jefferson, we find,
subscribed SIS to a building fund for
later church. AS other denomina-
tions established churches of their
own, DR.. Balch, to the end of his days,
was invariably invited to have prom
inent part in their dedicatory exercises.
Thomas Jefferson and DR.. Balch had
certainly a meeting of minds in their
beliefs that library and school are
twin objects of public concern if
those who would seek knowledge are
to be satisfied beyond the mere rudi-
ments of school room instruction. In
1894, II years after the establish
ment of the Columbian Academy, the
Columbian Library was organized in
connection with this early educational
institution. Thus, the Federal terri
tory has DR.. Balch to thank, not only
for its first school, but its first library
in this pioneer collection of books for
general use set apart so long ago.
Fittingly in their time the Linthi-
cum Institute and the Peabody
Library, both the gift of residents of
Georgetown, brought to others the
freedom of knowledge and that "be-
quest of wings" which only "the
looSened spirit" Of book can bring.
Today in the same spirit and vision
the public schools and the George
town branch of the Public Library
carry the torch of learning aloft
for all the citizens of this community
in our Nations Capital.
Teacher From Scotland.
1t seems likely that Rev. Mr.. Allen of
Marischol College, Aberdeen, Scotland,
who in 1875 started long teaching
career in Georgetown, was for a time
connected with Columbian Academy.
1t was probably this school, too, which
was continued by John Richmond in
the Spring of 1897, when he an
nounced to the public that he was
opening a school in the lower part
of Scotch Row at Mr.. Balch's George
town" Scotch Row" has reference to
the homes Of group of seven sturdy
Scotch families who came to George
town about 1875. Establishing them
selves adjacent to each other on
Thirty-second street south of M,
they became a vital part of George
towns development. Whether DR..
Balch instigated this Scotch exodus
and guided it to its new world haven,
we do not know, nor how he came to
remove himself and the Columbian
Academy from the earlier location at
3421 N street.
We Go know that in the course of
the years DR.. Balch came back to
live on N street, just below the site of
the school that he established. Here
he spent his last days and here he
closed his eyes upon a colorful Ca
reer, rich in service to his Maker and
mankind.
Fittingly, upon the side wall of 1902
N street, which was the last abode of
Stephen Bloomer Balch, the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution have
placed bronze memorial tablet. 1t
commentaries the patriot and soldier
as well as the educator and preacher
of the Gospel whose span of the years
was from 1747 to 1888.
Mrs. Sally Mackall in her charming
memories of early Georgetown, recent
ly lent to me by her descendant, Mrs.
Ward Evans of Cleveland Park, tells
of how during the War of 1912 DR..
Balch not only organized company
recruited from the roster of former
pupils in attendance at the Columbian
Academy which he had founded, but
drilled them in person. This service,
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