Evening star., 1936-06-21
By John Claseh Proctor.


back to the very beginning of the
city itself, and we do not have to
look far in any old newspaper before
we see one or more of such schools,
seminaries or acadenies-as they
were then usually called-advertised.
There were, for instance, the school
of John Mcleod, "an Irish school
teacher" opened here in 1908, later
known by the names Central Acad-
emy" and Columbian Academy" and
then, still at an early date, Miss C..
A. Taylor, Female Academy and
Boarding School,: miss, E. Hawley's
Academy of Young Ladies, at house
formerly occupied by Mrs. Howard
and lately by Mr.. T. Mcleod" and
any number of others.
One of the foremost and best known
institutions of learning, however.
which has survived to the present
day is the Gonzaga College, though
it is now actually and officially Con
zaga School," its college department
having been discontinued in June
1911. But, regardless OF its present
title. it will always be recalled by the
old-timer by its earlier and popular
name.
Just when Gonzaga College had its
actual beginning is a question not
easily settled. In historical sketch
published by the college some years
ago is the following statement, which
IS worth repeating:
Toward the close of the year 1896
Gonzaga College celebrated its dia-
mond jubilee, or the seventy fifth
year of its existence, which would in
dicate its foundation to have taken
place in 1921. However sensitive in
dividualS may be about any addition
to their years, every extra year which
an institution can lay claim to is con-
sidered an extra link in the golden
chain Of its prosperity, and on con-
sulting its records we find that Con-
zaga College is older, by some years.
than its admirers estimated. For
Father Grassi, who had been superior
of Jesuits in Maryland, writing from
Italy in 1919, mentions the building
of the Old Seminary. as it was called,
as already completed at that time.
He writes: In the new city Of
Washington there is large congre-
cation, but only one priest, who OFF,
ciates at st. Patrick's Church, close
to which the Jesuits have put up a
house destined for the education of
youth
1T may be doubted if the house of
which Father Grassi speaks was
originally destined for the education
of youth; this destination seems to
have been rather an after thought,
when the building was found to be
unsuited for its first destination
THE memory" of the newspaper
can generally be more relied
upon than can the memory Of man,
and so, it is interesting to note that
the date of the old college building
which stood for many years on the
north side of F street between Ninth
and Tenth streets, is pretty definitely
set by the National Intelligencer Of
August 81, 1916, which. in enumer-
ating the number and kind of build
ings erected in Washington, between
the Capitol and the White House that
year, mentions 81 houses of brick and
ID of wood, Including" as it states,
"a large academy" and as this was
the only building Of this description
erected in the city about this time,
there can be no mistake as to its being
this one.
Two further statements can be
proven, namely: That it was erected
as a seminary building, and that a
school was first opened there in the
Summer of 1917, and, though it might
not have then been under the direc-
tion of the Jesuit priests, yet George
town College, and Father Matthews,
of st. Patrick's Church, were un-
doubtedly sponsors Of the school, as
clearly indicated by an item printed
in the press Of June "a, 1917, which
reads:
George E. Ironsides, professor of
language from New York, has opened
school in the new seminary adjoin-
ing st. Patrick's church in this city,
for the instruction of young gentle
men in English grammar, writing,
arithmetic, geography and mathe-
matics; the Greek, Latin and French
languages. The healthy and airy sit
uation Of the seminary, and its large
and commodious apartments, will en-
able him to accommodate boarders, to
the moral instruction of whom the
strictest attention will be paid. The
character which Mr.. I. has always
hitherto net r1n
member of society, induces him to
hope for share of the public patron
age. For particular information as to
terms, &c, he begs leave to refer to
the President and Professors of
Georgetown College and the Rev. Mr..
Matthews of st. Patrick's Church"
WHEN this seminary building was
wv erected in 1916, F street was
more like country road than a street,
and the names of those listed as re-
siding there two years later includes
only 81 persons, and their families,
and it may be interesting to record
the names Of these early Washington
fans and their occupations as indicat-
ed in the list. They were: William Ar
cher, carpenter; Capt. Baker, clerk,
Post Office; John Boyle, chief clerk, |
Navy Department; Mrs. Brown, board
ing house; Robert Brown, stonecutter;
Mrs. Brush, Abraham Butler, tavern
keeper; Nichalos Callan, grocer; Mrs. |
Clark, James H. Causten, Sttorney;
Lewis Clephane, portrait painter;
James Clephane, printer; Mrs. Coch- |
rane, George Crandell, carpenter;
James B. Davidson, U. S. Bank; Jack |
Dickson, stabler; Francis Dickens, |
clerk, House of Representatives; Dick
son, stonecutter; Mrs. Dowling, tavern |
keeper; Mrs. Elizabeth Dougherty, |
tavern keeper; Joseph Dougherty, por-
ter cellar (maybe porter seller; Jo-
seph Dive. contractor, and William |
Drake, carpenter.
Willard Ellis was chandler, Rich
ard Forrest, an attorney: John Gard
ner, chief clerk, Land Office; George