Evening star., 1938-09-11
Consaga College High Rooted
Deeply in Capitals History
Courage of'Its Leaders Brought School
Through Many Crises to Become
Strong Educational Factor.
BY GEORGE CONsIDINE.

STEPPED in history forged when
Washington was little more than .
morass In winter and a dusty plain
in summer Gonzaga College High
School opens its doors this month to
commence its 1l7th consecutive year
Of service to the community.
This institution, outdating Wash
ington's other high schools by gener-
ations, Is now accredited by the Middle
States Association Of Colleges and
Secondary Schools.
Gonzaga grew up with Washington.
The superior of the Maryland Jesuits,
writing from Rome in 1919, states, TN
the new city of Washington there is
a large congregation, but only one
priest who officiates at ST. Patricks
Church, close to which the Jesuits
have put up house destined for the
education of youth" The formation
Of this house of learning was one of
the first acts of the Jesuits after the
church lifted 30-year ban on their
activities
The school building. called large
and commodious. was opened as a
scholasticate in 1920 on F street NV,
between Ninth and Tenth streets,
under the name of Washington Semi
nary, on land offered by Georgetown
College, which had been organized In
1889. The first rector was Father
Anthony Kohlmann. born at KAISER
berg, Alsace, in It'll, and appointed
to the seminary in 1921.
Devised Tuition Scheme.
Almost instantly. with the opening
OF the school. the Jesuit order began
to frown upon 1t. 1t was against the
rules OF the order to accept fees for
the instruction of pupils. Until that
time every Jesuit institution Of learn
ing was privately endowed, but under
dire necessity Father Kohlmann ac-
cepted the tuition Of externs. The
good father cannily alleviated the
strained feeling between Jesuit off,
cials and the school by appointing a
lay priest in charge Of the seminary,
which made all tuition charges &C.:
ceptable. Later Father Kohlmann
was transferred to Rome as an in
structor and numbered among his
pupils the student destined to be Pope
Leo XIII.
The National 1ntelligencer, that
Journalistic connecting rod between
ancient and modern Washington, rec
ords. as Of September 8, 1921, inter-
esting data on the seminary's hours
OF study. School opened at 7 o'clock,
and the morning session lasted until
noon. A two-hour recess followed,
after which classes resumed until 5
o'clock. School closed on July ~,
and none other than "his honor the
Mayor Of Georgetown politely con-
sented to perform the ceremony Of
distributing the premiums. Most
conspicuous OF the first graduates
was James Hoban, later a DISTINGUISHED
member Of the bar in Washington.
The student body Of 1924, in which
were Daniel Webster, jr.; BENJAMIN
Rush, jr, and the sons of Postmaster
Gen. Meigs and Commodores Rodgers
and Chauncey. entertained Lafayette
upon the French patriots last visit
to America. BY 1927 there were $50
boys In school and prospects were
bright for the future when, like q
clap Of thunder, orders came from
the general of the TAs,Iits thot N.
college should be closed and the
teachers transferred to Georgetown.
The given reason was the same old
bone Of contention-receiving fees for
the education Of day scholars. The
taking Of the much-needed fees did
not jibe with the Jesuit profession of
poverty, made upon entrance into the
order.
Survives Death Blow.
But the order did not blot out the
seminary. Militant Father jeremiah