Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24

village, a name associated with the
Washington City Orphan Asylum.
Indeed the present reference to this
institution does have a more beauti-
full sound and Is therefore an i'm
provement over the older and more
matter of fact way of referring to
the home Of the little residents Of
this well-known asylum who some
day will likely follow in the footsteps
of many who were reared here and
who have gone forth into the world
and made fame for themselves and
reflected glory upon the fine group
of women who have given of their
time and energy that the children
under their direction might not be
denied education, training and OPP
portunities.
Recently. the children of Hillcrest
celebrated their notable anniversary
at the Orphanage Asylum. in the
400 block of Nebraska avenue NV,
and among the well-known persons
In attendance was DR.. James E.
West, now "a, and the chief Scout
executive of the Boy Scouts of
America. who made a special trip
from New York to be present upon
this suspicious occasion. At the
time, The Star quoted DR.. West as
recalling his entrance to the asylum
when he was 615 years old and as
declaring that in the succeeding
years there, lone thing I acquired
was sublime faith in God"
Effect of War.
The beginning Of the asylum, to
an extent. grew out of the War Of
1912, which resulted in the making
Of many orphaned children. and
through other causes. The first
meeting of group of women for the
purpose of forming this orphanage
took place in the hall of the House
of Representatives on October 10,
1915. and Mrs. James Madison, wife
of the President, was selected to
serve as first directreSS; Mrs. John
P. Van Ness, second directress; Mrs.
S. N. Smith, secretary; Mrs. Josiah
Coldwell, treasurer, and the following
lady managers: Mrs. MCGOWAN, Mrs.
Ramsey, Mrs. Obadiah Brown, Mrs.
Roger Weightman. Mrs. Chalmers,
Mrs. Joseph Machlin, Mrs. James H.
Blake, Mrs. Breckenridge and Mrs.
Diggs of Green Hill.
Previously these public spirited
women had met and pledged their
support. Dolly Madison said, Il will
give a COW and $40 in money" And
l." said Mrs. Monroe will contribute
$50" My pledge" announced Mar
cha Van Ness, will be $40 in money
and a lot, on which to build suit
able orphanage." Other donations
included pewter plates, a pine table,
iron spoons, a rolling pin and roll
of linsey- woolsey for making much
needed clothes.
House Rented.
The organization of the institution
having been effected under such
favorable auspices, small frame
house, fronting on Tenth street. be-
tween Pennsylvania avenue and D
street was rented from Mr.. Wood
worth for S120 a year, and five
little girls were cared for from the
beginning. At the close Of the first
year the orphanage was moved to H
street NV, between Ninth and
Tenth streets, where had been
erected a frame building on large
lot in Mausoleum square, donated by
Gen John P. Van Ness and Mrs.
Van Ness.
In 1922 larger building was Sc
cured on Seventh street between H
and I streets, into which the insti-
tuition moved. During the mean
time. in the winter of 1928, a fair
was held for the benefit of the asy-
lum. and it was about this time also
that Congress donated, in fee,
number of desirable city lots, esti-
mated by the Commissioners to be
worth $4,000. With these grand do
nations the institution and its CO.
operative patrons felt justified IN
building the well-known H street
asylum, after plans furnished by
Architect Bulfinch. However, the
lots donated by order of Congress,
did not supply ready cash, and
after a lapse of is years the trus-
tees had been able to dispose OF
but 2 of the % lots presented by
the Government. Indeed the insti-
tuition became land-poor and could
not pay its taxes, and the City
Council of 1847 found it neces-
sary to remit the accrued taxes
and exempt their property from
taxation for two years.
The new building was erected on
the south side of H street to the
west of Mausoleum lot, where now
stands the Printcraft Building.
The cornerstone was laid by Mrs.
Van Ness in the presence of a
large gathering.
Family Associations.
To Marcia Burnes Van Ness the
site selected for that building had
more than a passing attachment,
for it was the burial place of mem
bers of the Burnes family before
the mausoleum was built, and near
by was the farmhouse of her grand
father.
The mausoleum lot was sold at
auction on June 8, 1872, under an
equity proceeding for the dis
position of the undivided part Of
the estate of Gen. Van Ness, and
the mausoleum was removed to Oak
Hill Cemetery, together with the
remains of John P. Van Ness, his
wife Marcia, their daughter Ann
Elbertina Middleton, George W..
Montgomery and Cornelius p. Van
Ness.
Orphanage Work.
In the old brick orphanage on H
street, the lady managers per-
formed, for half century, a work
Of lasting credit and honor to them
selves and of the greatest value to
the community, but finally, due to
the added burden brought on by
the Civil War, additional accommo-
dations were found necessary. Then
came an offer from William Gait
of $25, 900 for the H street building,