Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-09-24

OdAAy CAONoOAOAA A4 WIG PAHAAS
schools of the District of Columbia
comparison Of schools of today,
with those of IS or more years
ago, particularly in the structure,
is to them almost implausible.
Before the Grant School was
erected. at Twenty second and
G streets, several makeshift school
buildings were erected in the First
Ward, one being facetiously called
the Everlasting" school. It was
two stories high and had been a
Civil War mess house, placed on
ground belonging to Mrs. M. M.
Cameron and later owned by
Jesse Shreeves. Another at Twen-
tieth and r streets had been a
mission Sunday school.
A frame building. "a by so feet,
located on Twenty-fourth street
between E and F, was used as a
public school in 1877. The writer's
wife attended this school for One
year. Her parents then lived on
M street between Nineteenth and
Twentieth. This school was in
the heart Of Foggy Bottom, and a
teacher took big chances If she
punished a pupil. On one &C.
casion, according to her recollec-
lions. a girl was corrected and
sent home. Apparently her mother
did not like this. She made her
way to the school, called the
teacher to the door and proceeded
to maui her in real pugilistic
style. When Miss Mary M
Blanchard, the teacher, returned
to the room her hair was dis
heveled and tears were streaming
down her face.
Early Rolls of Honor
Before the Grant School was
built there were five rooms in the
old building and five classes. con-
sisting of two secondary ano
three primary classes. In 1874
Miss May McArdle, Miss Susanna
G. Hickey, Miss Fannie E. Julien
Miss Isabella M. Wilson and Miss
Annie M. Dutton were teachers
there. The roll Of honor of sec
ondary school No. Z mentions
Clarence Rheem, who received a
silver medal. and certificates to
John Lowrey, Frisby Eiker, James
Davis, Richard Chism, Peter Nc
Ardle, Charles Oliver, Frank
Woodward, Henry Kolb. Albert
Spilman, Thomas Nash, George
Acton. Patrick Noonan and Al
merico Zappone.
Secondary No. Q awarded the
silver medal to Charles Kolb. and
certificates to James Ryan. Henry
Rick, Robert Palmer, John French
Edwin French, Stephen McArdle
Edwin Davis. Philip Minnix and
Harry Kidwell.
In March. 1879. the Commits
sioners Of the District of Colum-
bia, called for a design for a pub
lie school building. which stands
today at 1740 Massachusetts, ave-
nue., known as the Force Public
School, being named for Peter
Force. mayor Of Washington, D
c., 1885 to 1910. Teachers assigned
to this building taught many Of
the students from the nondescript
schools of the old First Ward, in
Guiding James r. Garfield, Charles
Taft and possibly Robert A. Taft,
the Senator. Also the Roosevelt
boys, Theodore and Quentin, sons
Of the famous Rough Rider: the
daughters Of Gen. Adolphus Gree
ly Of Arctic fame.
Memorial Tree Planted
A memorial tree in honor O!
Quentin Roosevelt was planted
in the Force school grounds with
impressive ceremonies on No.
vember II, 1918. This tree, 6
Lombardy popular, was presented
by the American Forestry Asso.
citation, and each anniversary o.
the planting is celebrated b,
some of the former pupils of tn,
school.
The late Walter B. Patterson
once supervising principal, cam,
to Washington after graduating
from Dartmouth College, ane
early in 1888 received an appoint.
ment as temporary teacher. H,
was assigned to the eighth grade
boys, in the Force school, where
Miss Janet Williams also became
an outstanding principal.
Maurice P. White, who was Il
become assistant superintendent
of public schools in Boston, Cor
coran Thorn of the American
Security & Trust Co., and Gen
-