Evening star., 1951-09-16

lkuoiC III IIlc puUllC SCIlOOiS curing
tine Civil War, had his share of
trouble and criticism. He began his
teaching career when much was being
said about State rights, and his
loyalty to the Union was questioned
and defended in the City Council.
Much of this discussion was due to
tile fact that Prof. Daniel was
Virginian by birth and had a son
II years old in the Confederate Army,
who previously ha6 been confined in
the old Capitol Prison. Alexander
r. Shepherd and Thomas E. Lloyd
were among those who stated that
The professor had taken the oath OF
allegiance, and the former said he
was convinced of Mr.. Daniels loyalty
and that he had the support OF such
men an Samuel Fowler and Matthew
c. Emery.
Whatever may have been Prof.
Daniels views on the Civil War. he
retained his position in the public
schools and continued to teach until
mis- death, and the schools under MS
direction gave many concerts where
the proceeds went directly or in
directly toward alleviating the suffer-
ing of the Union soldiers in the
Army hospitals in Washington. AT
the close of the war, upon the occa-
sion of the grand review in 1865, he
led one of the largest choruses OF
children assembled up to that time.
Patriotic Choir
OF this event an old account
states:
"On the north end of the Capitol
the scholars of the intermediate and
grammar schools took their places.
The girls were dressed in white; the
boys wore white pants and blue
Jackets. AS the veterans passed by,
these children greeted the column
with songs and, as they were nu-
merous choir, the effect was very
beautiful. The children also dis
PLAYED a large number OF banners.
On the northwest corner of the Capt.
tol was the following very approprl-
ate motto: The only national DEBT
we can never pay is the debt we owe
to the victorious Union soldiers
j. Ormond Wilson, superintendent
of public schools here for many
years, has left us a very good &C
count of the part played by the
school children upon this occasion.
He says:
In 1865 occurred a memorable in
cident in the history of the schools.
The veteran Armies of the Union,
returning to their homes in the
North, were TO march past the Capt.
tol on their route up Pennsylvania
avenue to be reviewed from stand
in front of the Executive Mansion by
the President of the United States.
their Commander in Chief; the Secre-
tary of War, the generals who had
led them to victory and other dis
tinguished citizens Every available
spot along the entire route. from
which a glimpse of procession, the
like of which in interest and
grandeur never had been witnessed
before and may never be again in
our country, was crowded with a
most eager, grateful and enthusiastic
throng of citizens and visitors came
from far and wide.
On Copitol Hill
1.-The public schools were to par
ticipate in the ovation, and promptly
at the hour named thousands of
school children were in the place as
signed to them on the northern
portico of the Capitol and all down
the grassy slope of the park in front.
extending to the line of march.
In the early morning OF that
bright and lovely 23d day of May
there they stood, all expectancy, in
spring attire, decorated with roSettes
of red, white and blue, laden with
bouquets of fragrant flowers and
floral wreaths. waving thousands of
miniature flags and bearing aloft a
multitude of banners of their reSpec-
tive schools, while high over all was
displayed the great standard of that
young army inscribed The Public
Schools of Washington Welcome the
Heroes of the Republic. Honor to the
Brave
Clusters Runaway Horse
"As the famous Gen. Custer ap-
preached, the boys stepped forward
and presented to him large wreath
of the choicest flowers, which he most
gallantly and gracefully received and
threw over his shoulder, when in
stantly his fiery charger, apparently
frightened, stretched forward his
neck and. seeming to take the bit
of the bride in his teeth, furiously
dashed down the hill and round into