Evening star., 1941-06-01

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Colonial-appearing home of Mr.. and Mrs.
Jacob Thornton, nephew Of the young
EngIShman who surveyed the Mason
and Dixon line Their daughter, Mrs.
Emily Myers was one of the leading
teachers in the District and another one,
Mrs. Lucretia Doyle, was the scion OF a
large family noted in the uplift of the
city This home was seized by Gen.
Slocum of the 4th Rhode Island Regi-
ment when his troops reached the city
IN 1861, and here he made his head
quarters.
Adjoining the Doyle home to the west
was the residence of Mrs. Matthew Gait,
next to that of Washington Rives and
close by the home of Dr. Marmion. At
the northeast corner of Eleventh and
F was the home of the Brent family;
next came Foley's crockery and furni-
ture house and then the home and
grounds of Columbus Alexander, who an
tagonized Alexander Shepherd in the
early days Of the Board of Public Works.
On the southeast corner of Tenth and
F streets was st. Joseph's Orphan Asy-
lum. west of which lived John Denham.
Where the old Masonic Temple stands.
Mr.. Doyle places the dry goods store of
Anthony Conauy g. Sons. Later on, the
southeast corner was occupied by the
hostelry of Tom" Walsh, and adjoining
his place the home of Roderick Foster,
in the rear of which lived John Birch,
ly,, a. oF u
Historic Center.
In a view of F street, from Ninth to
Fifteenth streets, given the writer re-
Gently, the Moses Building is shown,
which sets the date the photograph was
taken as subsequent to 1885. The old
st. Cloud Building is in the left FORE
ground and farther along is the Origi-
lal London Misfit Store conducted by
larry Friedlander, the B. H. Warner
Building, A. F. Fox, real estate, and the
Evans Dining Rooms. The Treasury is
at the far end Of the street. A corner of
the Patent Office and its inclosed grounds
are in the right foreground and the
large building at the northwest corner of
Ninth and F streets is the old Masonic
Temple. A drugstore and Domestic
ewing machine store occupy the first
floor of the Masonic Building.
A good view of one of the old one
horse cars is shown in front of Harry
Stamford S pharmacy. The Washington
Loan and Trust Building now occupies
his site together with the adjoining low
buildings.
An early private school in this street,
located between Eighth and Ninth
streets, south of the Patent Office, was
kept by Mrs Peckham, who lived there
with her daughter Abbie. One of the
pupils who attended this school was Miss
Louisa S. Weightman, who, if she were
living would be SO years of age. But she
never forgot this modest school and dear
old Mrs. Peckham. 1T was a little
school," she said, kept in a tiny house
small parlor occupied the front. This
parlor we children were sometimes al
owed to peep into.
Then came the schoolroom, also small.
1t was heated in winter by small wood
stove. At the one window stood desk at
which three could sit to write. Around
those sat who were not engaged in writ
ing. Also there were two little stools.
Mrs. Peckham called them cricketS,' on
which, as a special favor, we might sit
at her feet.
Garden Shown.
Back of the schoolroom was the
kitchen and then the garden, and still
marvel at the numbers of flowers that
tiny yard produced.
when very good we were allowed to
walk up and down and admire the mag
nificence of that garden.
There were no classes. Each child had
its own lesson, so no one was kept back
by the lazier mates. If we missed word
in spelling we took our book and studied
some more-and Mrs. Peckham always
began again at the beginning-so there
was no chance of word properly spelled
by accident.
II, myself, and probably others, COM
menced our education at 3lz years and
by the time we were we were good
spoilers and readers.
The curriculum included arithmetic
up to simple division, geography ard
Peter Baileys History of the United
States-then we were ready for Mrs.
Burr or some other large schools.
81 still remember the names of some
of those childrenAand wonder if any
of them are living. There was Louisa
Swarts, Susie Gideon, Eliza Sweeny.
George and John Whiting and w. P.
Johnstone, the well-known physician of
this city-his sister, Belle Johnstone, and
his brother Barnard. I think all of us
were well instructed in the three RS and
the girls were taught to sew. When I
left Mrs Peckham Iacould stitch and do
overcasting as we'll as / can now, and in
those days when mems shirt bosoms were
stitched by hand those things counted"