USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > Centennial history of the city of Washington, D. C. With full outline of the natural advantages, accounts of the Indian tribes, selection of the site, founding of the city to the present time > Part 49
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great excitement at the north end of the Capitol building, in that it announced on that day the nomination of James K. Polk, "a subal- tern," for the Presidency, by the Democratic Convention. This an- nouncement was of so surprising a nature, and the telegraph was of so recent introduction, that neither the announcement nor the telegraph was believed; and in order to ascertain the truth, two special messengers were dispatched by railroad to Baltimore, but of course the result of their mission was only to confirm the telegraphic announcement.
Among the many reasons given by different persons for the continuance of the seat of government at the city of Washington, was that of the invention of the Morse telegraph. In locating the seat of government, one of the requisites was centrality, and Mr. Madison remarked that "if there could be any means of instantaneonsly promulgating the laws throughout the country, the center would be of less consequence." This means was supplied by the electric tele- graph, and hence it was inferred by some that the seat of government would never be removed.
On Monday, April 5, 1847, connection was made between Balti- more and Alexandria by means of the telegraph passing through Washington.
In the summer of 1846, the first attempt was made to determine longitude by means of the telegraph. A line of wire was extended from the General Post Office in Washington to the Naval Observatory, and another was carried from the High School observatory in Philadelphia to the main Baltimore line. Still another wire was carried from the Jersey City telegraph office to the Presbyterian church. The observations at Washington were made under the direction of Mr. Sears C. Walker; those at Philadelphia, under Profes- sor Kendall, and those at Jersey City, under Professor Loomis. Each observer had at his command a good clock and a transit instrument for regulating it with precision. The signal used in determining the difference of longitude of these three places was the click of a magnet. Signals were exchanged between Washington and Philadel- phia, October 10, 1846, but none were obtained for Jersey City. Ou August 3, 1847, the experiments were resumed upon the following plan: Commencing at Jersey City at 10:00 P. M., the operator strikes a key, and simultaneously a click is heard at each of the three places. The observer at each place recorded the time of the click, each by his own clock. Ten seconds afterward, the same sign is repeated, and so on for twenty signals. The series of signals was then repeated for
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Washington and Philadelphia, and from these sixty signals, averaged up, the difference of time was obtained with almost perfect accuracy. The difference of time thus obtained between Jersey City and Phil- adelphia was four minutes and thirty seconds.
On February 9, 1848, a paragraph in the London correspondence of some American paper noticed the fact that the electric telegraph had begun its work in England, the price charged for sending one hundred words from London to Liverpool, a distance of two hundred and twenty miles, being £5, while at the same time, in this country, the rate charged for sending a telegram of one hundred words from Washington to New York, a distance of two hundred and twenty-five miles, was only $5.
The Associated Press and the United Press both have offices in Washington, as well as all of the leading newspapers in the country, many of which have private telegraph wires.
CHAPTER XIV.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.
Early Schools -Jolin McLeod - Lancasterian School -Private Schools-Colored Schools - Public Schools of Washington- Georgetown College -Columbian University - Howard University - National University-The Catholic University of America - American University - Gonzaga College-Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb -St. John's College-The Academy of the Holy Cross-St. Cecilia's Acad- emy-The Spencerian Business College - Glen Echo Chautauqua - National Bureau of Education - Norwood Institute - Wood's Commercial College - Wayland Semi- nary -The Ivy Institute - Mount Vernon Seminary -Columbia College of Com- merce - Libraries in Washington.
PREVIOUS to the establishment of the public-school system in the city of Washington, there were here, as in all other towns and cities of the United States, numerous private schools, and these were as various in their characters as were the teachers who established them. It is manifestly impracticable to present a detailed history of every one of these private schools, and it is altogether probable that such a detailed history would be far from acceptable if practicable; hence, the history of private education in the city of Washington, as given in this volume, will be found to be more illustrative than exhaustive.
The Columbian Academy, of Georgetown, was one of the first of these private schools. It was in existence as early as 1803, and was then under the care of Rev. David Wiley, and had been for some years. In 1803, there were seventy-five pupils in attendance, but the building was capable of accommodating one hundred. The studies pursued were the common branches and the learned languages.
A Young Ladies' Academy was opened, July 16, 1806, by Mrs. Reagan, in a commodious house on F Street, between Captain James HIoban's and Josiah W. King's. The branches taught were tambour- ing, embroidery, open work, marking, all kinds of plain sewing, filigree, painting, waxwork, French, music, dancing, reading, and writing. Young ladies could also be accommodated with board.
Hugh Maguire, then late a professor in St. John's College, Mary- land, where he had been employed for eleven years, and a teacher of twenty-three years' experience, opened an academy near the Seven
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Buildings, in August, 1807. In this academy, he taught Latin, Greek, mathematics, geography, bookkeeping, etc., for $40 per annum; Eng- lish grammar, reading, writing, and arithmetic, for $24 per annum. At first, he had as an assistant Samuel Cantwell. After teaching this school a short time, he was selected principal of the public academy, and in a year established a school at Bladensburg, which failed of support. He therefore returned to Georgetown, and opened a school near the Union Tavern, on the 6th of January, 1812. In this school he taught Latin, Greek, and the common English branches. Some time afterward, he removed his school to commodious apartments in the rear of Congress Hall, and again associated with himself, in the teaching of the common English branches, Mr. Simon Cantwell, who had taught with him before, and who was highly approved of in the neighboring county of Prince George, for capacity and industry in his scholastic duties for the then past thirty years.
A school was opened in 1802, by the Rev. A. T. McCormick, on Capitol Hill, in which he taught the common branches and the higher mathematics. Rev. Mr. McCormick kept on with this school until 1819, in February of which year he was succeeded by P. Edwards, under whom the instruction was almost completely changed.
Francis Donnelly opened a school on Monday, May 30, 1803, in a building then lately occupied as an auction store, near the West Market. Mr. Donnelly taught spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, bookkeeping, history, and geography.
About the same time, a new school was opened by J. Sewell, on North F Street, in a room then lately occupied by Mr. Coates, opposite the Little IIotel. For teaching English grammar, writing, etc., he charged $4 per quarter; for common arithmetic, $5 per quarter; for merchants' accounts, geography, algebra, mensuration, surveying, plain navigation, astronomy, and the other branches of mathematics, and the principles of mechanics, $8 per quarter.
Madam du Cherray, a French lady, then lately arrived from Moscow, Russia, where for several years she had been at the head of one of the most reputable academies in that city, under the immediate protection of his Majesty, Alexander the First, Emperor of all the Russias, opened an establishment similar to the one she had tanght in Moscow, in the year 1808, in which she received both boarders and day pupils. In her academy, she taught English, French, history, geography, mythology, writing, arithmetic, embroidery, all sorts of needlework, drawing, music, and dancing. She also taught miniature portrait painting.
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One of the most prominent and peculiar of the earlier teachers in Washington was John McLeod. He commenced teaching here in 1808, near the Navy Yard, with four pupils. Soon afterward he employed an assistant teacher, and in four or five years erected an academy building which cost him $6,000. After the destruction of the Navy Yard in the War of 1812-15, he removed from that locality and erected the Central Academy in 1816, for this purpose borrowing a large sum of money. During both summer and winter, both himself and his assistant teachers were at the schoolhouse by daylight, and they spent daily from nine to ten hours in the schoolroom, instruct- ing the youth committed to their care. This plan, Mr. McLeod said, had an excellent effect upon the minds and constitutions of the pupils. They enjoyed fair health, and in their early and regular attendance at school they acquired good conduct and made great improvement in their studies. They were not excelled, nor, perhaps, equaled, by any pupils of their age in this country or any other; and in rewarding their noble conduct, he had been more liberal than his circumstances would warrant. "At thirty-four public examinations in Washington, I gave away upward of $2,000 in premiums. My last examination cost me $200. To aid me in this expense, I never received a cent from any person, except $15 from Major-General Brown. This generous and unexpected present merits my warmest thanks. Perhaps there is not a private institution more costly than mine, of great or of no title. Unconnected with any faction, I look for no indulgence; I know my situation well. Should I succeed in this arduous and important undertaking, I expect no praise; should I fail, no sympathy. My system of education, rules, and regulations are fruits of my long experience. Having everything at stake, and dependent entirely on my own exertions, I must attend at my post, perform my duties, and my teachers must be able and willing to do the same.
"I have spent $16,000 in erecting literary institutions and in rewarding my pupils since my commencement in this metropolis. All those of my profession have not laid out one-fourth of that sum in the same manner since the first foundation was laid in it. There were thirty here when I commenced, and all of them have deserted the employment long ago. Thus have I stated my history since I came to Washington, and my present situation, which I hope will be sufficient apology for changing my system.
"It is now the beginning of a new year, and I must settle my accounts the best way I can, and be more exact in the future. I have
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$6,000 or $7,000 due, the third of which I never expect to see. This is my own fault. I have almost ruined myself by indulging people. My expenses are very great, and without a change the Central Academy cannot stand. I therefore respectfully request those whose bills are due six months, or longer, to settle before the first of next month, or withdraw their children. Tuition bills must be actually paid at the end of every quarter. I assure my beneficiaries and the public that imperious necessity compels me to adopt these measures."
In 1814, when the British army approached Washington, Mr. McLeod dismissed one hundred and seventy-two students from the Eastern Academy, which was, as has been said, near the Navy Yard. At that time, it was the only decent schoolroom in Washington. In 1827, although it had been occupied since its abandonment by Mr. McLeod by twelve or fourteen different teachers, it was in a very bad condition, and the Bank of Washington was compelled to take it to prevent it from becoming a nuisance to the neighborhood, as the Western Academy building was at that time. "O angels and minis- ters of grace, protect the Central Academy from a similar fate; at least, until its visionary and enthusiastic founder shall have paid the last farthing of his debts in this world and in the next! Should this prayer be granted, perhaps it may serve the last generation."
Mr. McLeod erected the Columbian Academy in 1835, making the third academy building erected by him. In July, 1839, in his advertisement he was very severe upon the practice of giving vaca- tions. His school bell was rung by the dawn of day at all seasons of the year. His establishment was in complete order, and his teachers were at their posts at that early hour to receive their pupils, and both teachers and pupils were on duty from nine and a half to ten hours each day in the summer time, and about eight hours in the winter. Notwithstanding this fact, Mr. McLeod said that there was not a more active set of pupils in the entire Union than the pupils of Columbian Academy. "The subscriber intends finishing his days in the instruction of youth, and is resolved never to give more than four days holiday in succession. For some days before vacation, it is impossible to make pupils study. The girls must get new dresses to visit in, and often where they are not welcome. Boys spend their time in idleness and wickedness, disturbing the public peace, destroy- ing their health and character, by committing all manner of vice they are capable of," etc. Mr. McLeod complained of, or perhaps rather pointed out, the fact that "since the commencement of the Western Free Academy, about thirty years before, the pupils attending
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it had not been more than one-half the time in school that they should have been, and, of course, the able and virtuous teacher [ Henry Ould ], as the trustees call him, has received during that time about $10,000, without teaching one lesson for this immense sum. The citizens of Washington and myself are of the opinion that the youth of this school are going exactly as they are taught and encouraged to go!"
In 1841, Mr. McLeod was still teaching. He then said that in addition to the $20,000 he had expended in buildings, he had paid out in premiums, at forty-two public examinations, more than $6,000. Ilis motto, he said, when he commenced, was, "Order is Heaven's First Law," and in his advertisement this year he said that in support of this motto he had sacrificed much, and "could, if necessary, sacrifice life itself." He was glad to be able to boast that he had had under his direction, during the thirty-three years of his professional life in Washington, more pupils than any other teacher in the Union.
Mr. O. C. Wight represents him as having been a stern discipli- marian, with whom the rod was a potent factor in government. He hesitated not to use it, both freely and frequently.
January 2, 1811, Charles Bowman, late professor in Georgetown College, opened a school on F Street, near St. Patrick's Church, in the house then lately occupied by Major Bowling. For reading, English grammar, writing, and arithmetic, he charged $5 per quarter, and for Latin and Greek, either or both, he charged $8 per quarter.
The first Lancasterian school in the United States was established in Georgetown. The corner stone of the building was laid on Mon - day, June 24, 1811, by the Mayor of Georgetown, after appropriate ceremonies and a prayer by the Rev. Mr. Sneethen, of the Methodist church. The Mayor was ex officio member of the Lancasterian Society. After the conclusion of the ceremonies, there was an oration by Mr. Henry Beatty. The plan of the building and the directions for its construction were sent over from England by Mr. Joseph Lancaster, the reputed author of the system. The system, however, originated with Andrew Bell, D. D., an ordinary of the Church of England, who, in 1795, while engaged in the management of the orphan children of the European military at Madras, British India, on account of his arduous duties in this position, resorted to the expedient of conducting the school by the aid of the pupils themselves. In 1797, after Dr. Bell's arrival in England, he prepared a pamphlet suggesting a system by which a school might teach itself, under the superintendence of the master, which pamphlet, coming under the notice of Joseph
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Lancaster, suggested to him the method of organizing schools in such a way that the necessary teaching force could be thus most econom- ically provided. And it was through the efforts of Mr. Lancaster that this method of conducting schools became so widely known and so popular throughout Germany, England, and the United States, and it was because of his success in securing for the system such a large measure of public recognition that it was called the Lancasterian System. It was otherwise called the Monitorial System, each pupil who had the management of a class of his fellow-pupils being called a monitor. The number of pupils that could be taught on this system depended almost altogether on the number of monitors that could be found in the school, and might be, for one head master, as many as three or four hundred.
The building erected in Georgetown, according to the directions sent over by Mr. Lancaster, was 32 x70 feet in size, and calculated to accommodate 350 pupils. The teacher, Mr. Robert Ould, who was selected the first principal of this school, was recommended by Mr. Lancaster. From the second annual report made to the trustees, December 7, 1813, the following facts were taken: The opening of the school occurred November 18, 1811. During the first two years, 410 pupils were admitted; 242 had left it for various employ- ments; 168 remained on the rolls, and 18 teachers had been sent out to different parts of the country to instruct on the Lancasterian plan, and there were left 3 in Georgetown. This school was continued for several years, and was very popular on account of its novelty and economy. Its subsequent history is referred to in subsequent pages in this chapter.
Miss Charlotte Ann Taylor opened a female boarding school near the house of General Van Ness, February 15, 1813. She taught the common English branches, French, Italian, music, drawing, and needle- work. She was late from London, England. In Washington she was a successful teacher, and in 1813 moved her school to G Street, near Dr. Elzy's house. For the common English branches, together with plain sewing, marking, etc., she charged $10 per quarter; for French and Italian, $2.50 per quarter extra; and for music, painting, dancing, and drawing there was an extra charge.
Ezekiel Hildreth, then late of Harvard College, on January 13, 1815, opened a school for both sexes in the house contiguous to Washington Boyd's, on F Street. For the classics he charged $7 per quarter, and for other branches, $5 per quarter.
Mrs. Howard, "having at the solicitation of several families of
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distinction" removed her seminary to Washington, opened it on June 5, 1815, teaching therein the common and higher English branches, and all kinds of plain and fancy needlework, as well as French, music, and dancing.
Mrs. Stone opened an academy in her house November, 1816, for young ladies. In her school she taught geography, English grammar, reading, spelling, history, composition, and needlework. Mr. Stone taught French, writing, arithmetic, drawing, landscape painting in oil and water colors, etc.
On January 4, 1819, D. MeCurdy opened a school at his residence near the Navy Yard, where he taught the common branches of an English education. He also published a book called the "Columbian Tutor's Assistant," a work on arithmetic.
Mr. and Mrs. Webber opened a classical, mathematical, and commercial school for young men, and a seminary for young ladies, January 4, 1819, at the corner of Bridge and Green streets, George- town. Their plan of education consisted of an "interrogatory and an explanatory system by which the pupils are enabled to understand their lessons with pleasure to themselves, and satisfaction to their teachers."
The Washington Eastern Academy was opened in 1818, by Edward Ferris, A. M. Ile said that in his academy his pupils were taught to learn, because he had witnessed in more than one university in Europe the bad effects of employing masters to do the duty and execute the tasks of the pupils.
Dr. Horwitz came to Washington in the fall of 1819, and for some time taught the Hebrew language to private students. In noticing the work of Dr. Horwitz, the National Intelligencer said that the Hebrew was "perhaps the most regular, rich, and philosophical of all the tongues spoken in the world." Dr. Horwitz was considered not only a perfect master of the Hebrew, but also a thorough classical scholar, and deeply versed in Oriental learning.
Mrs. Fales started a boarding school for young ladies November 1, 1820, at the house then lately occupied by Mr. Petre, the French consul, on Thirteenth Street, between the Avenue and F Street. In her academy she taught the common branches, drawing, and orna- mental painting on wood and velvet, embroidery, etc., besides music and dancing. She had been a teacher in Marietta and Philadelphia.
William Elliott commenced a course of lectures on mathematics November 13, 1820, in the "Long Room," on C Street. His course consisted of five lectures on numerical calenlations, including loga-
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rithms; fifteen lectures on algebra, twenty on geometry, and ten on conic sections.
The Union Academy of Georgetown and Washington was opened for students in February, 1821, under the superintendence of James D. Cobb. In it were taught the common branches, Latin, Greek, geography, history, chronology, and the various branches of mathe- maties. Both sexes were admitted.
D. Hewett commenced teaching stenography in Washington in October, 1823, charging $5 for a course of twelve or fifteen lessons, which he said was sufficient to acquire the theory, yet anyone could attend without additional charge until the art should be effectually acquired. Mrs. Hewett tanght the lady pupils.
Franklin Academy was located on F Street, north of the General Post Office. The principal of this institution was James Caden. The course of instruction embraced all the branches of an English educa- tion, bookkeeping, Latin, Greek, French, and Spanish; and for young men desirous of qualifying themselves for the countinghouse, a course of lectures was given on domestic, factory, and commercial accounts. Neither holidays nor vacations were given, nor were any deductions made for loss of time. The terms ranged from $5 to $12.50 per quarter.
The Washington Academy was located at the corner of II and Ninth streets Northwest, directly east of General Van Ness's family mausoleum. It opened in a new building erected especially for its use, on Monday, July 2, 1827, for the reception of boys. The common branches of an English education, history, mathematics, Latin, Greek, French, and Spanish were taught. "Long convinced of the beneficial effects resulting from very early and regular attendance, the academy will be open through the year for scholars at sunrise." Z. D. Brashears and R. Kirkwood were the principals.
Mrs. McClenchan opened a school for young ladies, in 1827, on Ninth Street, which she maintained for several years. Robert II. McClenchan opened a school for young gentlemen, which he named the English and Mathematical School, on Eleventh Street West, over the city library. Ile taught the English branches and a full course of mathematics.
Miss Heaney's Academy opened for students April 4, 1831, in the house then lately occupied by Madam Bonfils, on the corner of F and Twelfth streets. Miss Heaney was from Boston, Massachu- setts, and had been for some years principal of the Derby Academy, at Hughens. She taught the elementary English branches, and also those of a liberal education.
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The Washington Female Seminary was established in 1824, by Mrs. E. M. Haven, assisted by Miss Laura A. Haven and Miss Jane A. Hoskins, in a large and commodious building ou G Street, two doors west of Eighteenth Street. In this academy four courses of study were pursued. The terms for board, tuition in English, French, and pencil drawing, were $150 for five months; for lessons and use of piano, $25; oil painting and papier-mache work, $10; floral, leather, and pastel drawing, $5; Latin and phonography, $5.
Masonic Hall Academy was established in 1827, by John Devlin. In the latter part of this year, he advertised that he would continue to enforce the same rigid observance of scholastic discipline, to pursue the same efficient system in the communication of instruction, and to use the same untiring industry in the discharge of his professional duties, which had previously invariably distinguished him. In his school were taught the common English branches, and a thorough course of mathematics. Mr. Devlin concluded his advertisement as follows:
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