Evening star., 1939-07-30

N 'AAASS poAo Vie puDuC SCAOOl
teachers years ago and what they
receive now. OF course, all salaries
were much lower at that date than
we f1nd them today, due, naturally.
TO the fact that everything was
cheaper in proportion to present-day
prevailing prices. In 1867 the
teacher of the male grammar school
OF the fourth district received an
annual salary Of $3.50 and his as
sistant received $675. The teacher
OF the male intermediate school
received 1925 and the female
teacher was allowed the same, as
was not always the case. The
teacher Of the secondary school re-
ceived for her years work $500
ana the primary school teacher re-
ceived only $3.50. while the sub
assistants had to worry along on
$3.50.
Though strict disciplinarian.
like nearly all the old-time school,
masters, yet John E. Thompson was
greatly beloved by the thousands
OF girls and boys grown to ma.
turity at the time of his death.
and the grief at his taking away
was genuine and sincere. Conn
menting on his death. The Star Of
March 80, 1885, has this to say;
DEATH OF A VETERAN
EDUCATOR.
THE life and services of
| John F. @hOrnpsop
Mr.. John E. Thompson, whose
dangerous illness has been noted
In The Star. died yesterday at 1.3o
pm. of disease of the liver and
nervous prostration. Mr.. Thomp.
son was born near Romney, w. Va,
IN 1923. and came to this city with
MS parents when he was 3 years
OLD. His father, the late william
thompson, and his mother are both
remembered by old citizens as sue.
cessful teachers of private schools.
Later his father was EMPLOYED upon
the National Intelligencer, and aft.
erwards published a weekly paper
styled the Saturday News. For
many years, and up to the time of
his death, he held the position of
magistrate with much credit.
His son, John E. Thompson, en-
tered upon his career as a teacher
IN 1847, shortly after this city was
divided into four school divisions.
and when the public schools were
IN their infancy. He commenced as
the assistant to DR.. Tobias Watkins
OF the second school district, then
located IN what Is now known as
Judiciary Square. Mr.. Thompson
showed great aptitude as a teacher
from the start, and the following
year he was appointed teacher for
the fourth district, which position
ne held for over 20 years, when he
was appointed to the newly created
once OF supervising principal of the
fourth division, position he held
until his resignation last October
Rank IS Educator.
During this long period of nearly
40 years that he was in the service
OF the public schools he held the
very first rank as practical edu-
Gator who could make his pupils
understand thoroughly the princi-
pies OF their studies, aside from mere
parrot-like recitations. The result
has been that large number of our
best citizens owe their success in
business and professional life large
~ to the intelligent training received
from Mr.. Thompson.
The roll of those who graduated
from the Fourth District Grammar
School under his tutorship includes
Drs. Robert Reyburn. Ashford,
Byington. Leach. Croggin. Amery,
Bowen and Cook; also Prof. Frank
lin OF Johns Hopkins University.
Baltimore; G. Heilprin, H. E. Davis,
professor at Wilkes-Barre College:
T. w. Noyes, lawyer at Sioux Falls.
S. OAK. and Joseph Talk, now a
teacher, who won college scholar
ships. and others who went into
business right from the school
the Grays, Thompsons, Gunnells.
Pearsons, Polkinhorns, Lees, w.
Acker, and, in fact, members Of all
the leading families that have re-
sided in South Washington"
Some OF the early teachers Of the
Jefferson School were Eddie Thomp-
son, Miss Rachel Garrett, Miss Mary
Law, Miss Louise Strobel, Miss Clara
Wilson, Miss Mary Wilson. Miss
Kate johnson, Miss Jane McCauley
Miss Ellen Halliday, Miss Margaret
Garrett, Miss Elizabeth Riley, Miss
Victoria Trook, Miss Ida Pumphrey,
Isaac Fairbrother, Miss Annie Whit
more, Miss Fannie Moore, Miss An
ME Powell, Miss Adele Gray. Miss
Kate Maxwell and Miss Hattie Davis.
Monument Erected.
After the death of John E. Thomp-
son the teachers and pupils of the
South Washington schools erected q
very beautiful monument to his
memory In Oak Hill Cemetery, on
which are inscribed expressions of
commendation and love from all Of
those with whom he had long been
associated. The monument Is of
artistic design and is q miniature
copy OF the. Washington Monument.
Another public school the writer
recalls on the island" was the
Potomac School, on Twelfth street.
south Of Maryland avenue. It vas
quite a popular school In its day.
The Jefferson School, in South
Washington, was not the only school
in Washington named for the third
President, since for many years a
public school, called the Jefferson
Stable School, stood on the SOUTH
east corner of Fourteenth and a
streets NV, where is now the Ham
ilton National Bank. It's celebrates
teacher was Strong John Thomson
who omitted the letter p" in his
last name. The school building at
Twelfth and L streets NV. is named
for him.