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 50
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" At a time like the present, when every pretender to literature and science lauds in turgid language his own institution and everything connected with it, the principal of the Masonic Hall School, conscious of the extent and solidity of his researches in the branches of the sciences above enumerated, has the confidence to assert that he will instruct the youth in them, not superficially, but according to principles susceptible of conclusive proof in the rigid language of irrefragable demonstration."
Mr. Delvin taught in Washington about six years, and then opened the Prince Street Academy, in Alexandria. Still later, in 1833, he asso- ciated with himself Philip. Smith, and opened a school on F Street in Washington, in which were taught the common English branches, the mathematics, and the classics.
Miss English's Academy, in Georgetown, was opened February 27, 1826, in a small two-story brick building on the corner of Washington and Gay streets. The building gradually grew in size, by additions, until it was a large building, and it was known for many years as " Miss English's Seminary." It was six and three stories high, and contained about twenty rooms. Miss English died in 1865, at the age of sixty-six. She was the daughter of Mr. David English, a gentleman well known for many years as the cashier of the Union Bank. When she retired from her profession as teacher, she was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Clarke, and he was succeeded, in 1857, by Miss Harrover.
Difficulties in the way of educating colored youths were, in the
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early days, quite numerous. Prejudice, stronger a third of a century after the founding of the city than at its inception, compelled all efforts to partake largely of a personal character. The race, however, began to establish schools within two years after the whites organized their work. Many of their schools were taught by colored, but most of them by white, teachers.
The first schoolhouse erected especially for the education of the colored youth was built about 1807, by George Bell, Nicholas Frank- lin, and Moses Liverpool, all of whom had been reared as slaves, in Maryland and Virginia. It was a fair one-story frame building, and stood on the site of the present Providence Hospital. As soon as it was finished, a full school was opened under the management of Mr. Lowe, a white teacher. It continued for several years, when the building was used for a dwelling.
At that time, the total colored population of Washington was one thousand, four hundred and ninety-eight, of which number the aggregate free colored, from which class only such a school could be recruited, was four hundred and ninety-four.
Of these colored pioneers in school work, Franklin and Liverpool were calkers at the Navy Yard, to which place they had come from the lower parts of Virginia. They were freemen, but it is not known how they secured their liberty. They were unable to read and write, but were desirous that their children and the children of their neighbors should be more fortunate. In this educational enterprise, the leading spirit, however, was George Bell. IIe lived beyond the Eastern Branch, and had been the slave of Anthony Addison. His wife, Sophia Browning, saved from the sale of market products $400, with which she purchased her husband's freedom. He, in turn, subsequently bought hers for five pounds, Maryland currency. In process of time, they purchased the freedom of their children.
Bell and his family were, for a time, the recognized leaders of the colored people in all matters educational and religious, and fully impressed their personality upon the future of their race in the city.
In 1818, the Bell Schoolhouse, which had for a number of years been used for a dwelling, was again taken for educational purposes. The school was known as the "Resolute Beneficial Society," of which William Costin was president, James Harris secretary, and George Bell treasurer. An evening school was organized in October, to continue through the season. Children were instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, or other branches. The school continued several years, with an average attendance of sixty pupils.
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The first teacher was a Mr. Pierpont, of Massachusetts, and the second was John Adams, the first colored teacher in the District.
The third school was established by Henry Potter, an English- man, abont 1809, in a brick building which stood on the southeast corner of F and Seventh streets. Ile had a large attendance; but after several years, removed to Clark's Row, on Thirteenth Street, between G and H streets.
About this time, Mrs. Anne Maria Hall began a school on Capitol Hill, on First Street East. She changed about quite frequently, and continued in the work, with great success, for some twenty-five years.
Of the carly teachers of colored children in Washington, none are mentioned with greater reverence than Mrs. Mary Billings, the projector of the first colored school in Georgetown. She was an Englishwoman. Her husband, a cabinet maker, came from England to Washington in 1800, and dying in 1807, left his wife to maintain and educate three children. At first she taught both white and col- ored pupils, but prejudice arising, she concluded to devote her energies wholly to colored youth. Accordingly, she established a school, about 1810, in a brick house ... Dunbarton Street, between Congress and High streets, and continued it until the winter of 1820-21, when she came to Washington and opened a school on H Street, near the Foundry Church. She conducted a night school, and had pupils from Bladensburg and the surrounding country. She died in 1826.
Mrs. Billings's successor at Georgetown was Henry Potter; and following him, Mr. Shay, an Englishman, who subsequently came to Washington, and for many years conducted a large colored school in a brick building known as the "Round Tops," in the western part of the city, near the Circle. Later, he removed to the Western Academy, corner of I and Seventeenth streets. He continued until about 1830, when, for assisting a slave to freedom, he was convicted, and sent to the penitentiary.
About 1823, Henry Smothers, a pupil of Mrs. Billings, built what was known as the Smothers Schoolhouse, in the rear of his own dwell- ing on the corner of Fourteenth and HI streets. He had taught in Georgetown, on Washington Street, opposite the Union Hotel, and removing to Washington, opened his work in the old corporation schoolhouse built in 1806, but subsequently known as the Western Academy. His own house being completed, he removed to it in 1823, and for two years conducted a flourishing school, the attendance reaching one hundred to one hundred and fifty pupils.
In 1825, John W. Prout, a man of rare ability, succeeded to the
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management of the school. It was placed under a board of trustees, and known as the "Columbian Institute." Tuition for a time was nominally free, a charge of twelve and one-half cents per month being made. The attendance averaged one hundred and fifty, necessitating the employment of Mrs. Anne Maria Hall as assistant.
In August, 1834, Prout was succeeded in the school by John F. Cook, brother-in-law of George Bell, of whom mention has been made. He had been a slave, whose liberty was purchased eight years previous by his aunt, Alatheia Tanner. He had been for some time assistant messenger in the Land Office. His school numbered a hundred pupils in the winter, and a hundred and fifty in the summer. His prosperity, however, was interrupted. What was known as the Nat Turner Insurrection in Virginia, in August, 1831, and the Snow Riot, or "Snow Storm," in Washington, in September, 1835, created a panicky feeling among both colored and white people. The feeling in Wash- ington was extremely intense. Colored citizens, private houses, churches, and schoolhouses were assaulted, and in some cases destroyed. To avoid violence, Cook fled from the city and went to Columbia, Penn- sylvania, where he taught school for a inse Returning in August, 1836, he resumed his labors in the school which had, for several years, been known as Union Seminary. The course of study embraced three years, and the line of work was quite thorough, attracting much attention.
Shortly after, Mr. Cook began to study for the ministry, and was finally ordained, and served in that capacity for some twelve years. Teaching and preaching constituted his occupation until the time of his death, March 21, 1855. His son, John F. Cook, continued the work until May, 1857, when it passed into the hands of a younger son, George F. T. Cook, who changed it from the old Smothers house to the basement of the Presbyterian church, in the spring of 1858, and maintained it until July, 1859. An interregnum existed from this date until 1862, owing to the outbreak of the War. In 1862, however, John F. Cook, Jr., having erected a new schoolhouse on Sixteenth Street, reorganized the work, and continued it until the founding of schools throughout the city in 1867 rendered his work no longer necessary, and he retired to other fields.
Louisa Parke Costin's school was established, as a contemporary of the Smothers school, in 1823, on Capitol Hill. The Costins came to Washington from Mount Vernon shortly after the death of Martha Washington, in 1802. The father, William Costin, whose death oc- curred in 1842, had been a messenger for twenty-four years in the
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Bank of Washington. Louisa Parke Costin opened her school at the age of nineteen, in her father's house, and continued it with success until her sudden death in 1831. After her death, her younger sister, Martha, who had been educated in a colored convent in Balti- more, took the school and continued it some eight years.
James Enoch Ambush, a colored man, began, April, 1833, a large school in the basement of Israel Bethel Church, on Capitol Hill, and continued it in various places for ten years, until 1843, when he built a schoolhouse on E Street South, in which was established the Wesleyan Seminary. It maintained a successful existence until August, 1865. Mr. Ambush studied medicine, and became a Botanic physician.
The first seminary for colored girls in the District was established in 1827, in Georgetown, by Father Vanloman, a Catholic priest. Maria Becraft, a talented young colored woman, was the teacher in charge. She became so popular and successful in her work that she was finally transferred to a convent in Baltimore, where she was a principal teacher until she died.
The Myrtilla Miner Seminary for colored girls originated in Washington. The projector, Myrtilla Miner, was born in Madison County, New York, in 1815. Burning with a zeal to accomplish something beyond the mere drudgery of domestic life, she sought every opportunity to qualify herself for philanthropie work. She finally prosecuted her studies in a seminary at Rochester. Subse- quently, she went to Mississippi to superintend the education of planters' daughters. While there, she saw so much of the despotism of slavery that she returned to the North, determined to do what she could for the amelioration of the colored race. She chose Wash- ington as the field of her labors. In the autumn of 1857, she commenced her work in a small room, fourteen feet square, on Eleventh Street, near New York Avenue. After many changes and discouragements, she was instrumental in securing, from various promi- nent sources, means with which to purchase a school site of three acres bounded by Nineteenth and Twentieth, and N and O streets, Northwest. The priec paid was $4,000. The building, a small frame dwelling of two stories, and three small cabins, constituted the outfit for this institution. Miss Miner was encouraged by W. II. Seward and his wife, and prominent members of Congress; and yet the feeling of opposition and persecution was bitter against her. She was threat- ened with conflagration. Even the Mayor of the city, Walter Lenox, decried against her through the public press. This bitter feeling culminated in the spring of 1860 in the firing of her house while
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she was asleep. She was aroused, however, in time to save herself and the building from the flames. The War coming, and her health constantly failing, she relinquished her post to regain her health and collect funds for the erection of suitable buildings on her chosen site. In this work she continued until her death, December, 1866.
After her death, the trustees sought means by which to build a structure and continue the enterprise. General O. O. Howard offered $30,000 for erecting a suitable building. The scheme did not mate- rialize; and not till within the last three years has the school reappeared; then in a building on the corner of Four and a Half Street and Maryland Avenue Southwest. It is a primary institution, under the management of trustees.
Charles Il. Middleton began his career about the time when John- son was retiring. Ile was encouraged to engage in his work by Jesse E. Dow, a member of the Common Council. It was really the first movement for a free colored public school, and occurred in 1848-49.
With the opening of the War of the Rebellion, a new condition of things began. Schools were disorganized. The city was filled with troops and refugees, necessitating the organization of work by societies. One of these, the Colored Orphans' Home, was the outgrowth of the efforts of some philanthropie women. It was incorporated as "An Asylum for Aged and Destitute Colored Refugees and Colored Or- phans," February 16, 1863. It first took possession of a property on Georgetown Heights, owned by Richard S. Cox, a major in the Con- federate service; but he having been pardoned by President Johnson, the society had to relinquish its claim, and buy another site north of the city for $2,000. The Freedmen's Bureau erected a temporary home. Its work, however beneficent, was cramped for the lack of adequate means.
Other agencies occupied this period of chaos and strife. Among these were St. Aloysius' school for girls, the Colfax Industrial Mis- sion, Miss Walker's Industrial School, the Wayland Theological Seminary, and Howard University.
Slavery in the District of Columbia was abolished on the 16th of April, 1862. On the 21st of May, following, Congress passed an act requiring "ten per centum of taxes collected from persons of color in Washington and Georgetown to be set apart for the pur- pose of initiating a system of primary schools for the education of colored children." This provision of the law was a failure, the receipts in Washington in 1862 being $256.25; in 1863, $410.89; in Georgetown, in the latter year, $69.72; total, $736.86.
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HIence, another act was passed June 25, 1864, giving the colored people a due proportion of the funds available to the District. On the 23d of July, 1866, an additional act was passed, still further equalizing the revenues arising for school purposes. It accomplished its aim, the funds enabling the trustees to inaugurate a system of public colored schools in the two cities.
The first public colored school in the District was opened March 1, 1864, in the Ebenezer Church of the city. Miss Emma V. Brown; of Georgetown, an educated colored girl, was employed as teacher at $400. Her associate was Miss Frances W. Perkins, from New Haven, Connecticut. The attendance began with forty, but soon increased to more than one hundred.
Miss Perkins was instrumental in securing the first public school- house for colored children. From a lady in New Haven she obtained $1,000, to aid in the enterprise. The trustees, securing some additional means, purchased a lot, forty-two by one hundred and twenty feet, on Capitol Hill, on C Street, between Second and Third streets, and erected, in the winter of 1864-65, a two-story frame building, forty- two feet square, two rooms on each floor. The school was moved into it, and dedicatory services were held May 1, 1865.
The question of the establishment of public schools attracted early attention in Washington. In June, 1804, a committee, appointed by the chambers of the city Council, reported a bill which they advised be made into a law, and which contained the following provisions:
1. That the superintendence of the public schools in the city of Washington be placed under the supervision of thirteen trustees, seven of whom should be chosen by the joint ballots of the Councils, and six to hold their appointments for life by contributing to the promotion of the schools as provided in the bill. In case of a vacancy in the number of the life members; the board itself was empowered to fill the vacancy, the newly chosen member to be a life member; and in case of a vacancy occurring among the members elected by the Coun- cils, the Councils were authorized to supply the vacancy, the person chosen to serve until the next succeeding annual election. This board was to make ample provision for the education of the children residing within the city, whose parents were unable to send them to school.
2. The tax already laid, or to be laid, on slaves and dogs, on licenses on carriages and on hacks, for ordinaries and taverns, for the retailing of wines and spirituous liquors, for billiard rooms, for the- atrical and other public entertainments, for hawkers and peddlers,
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should be appropriated to the support of such schools as should be established under the act.
3. The two chambers of the Conneil, within three weeks after the passage of the act, were to appoint three of their own number to take all necessary preliminary steps for carrying the act into effect, and they were themselves, or through agents, to solicit subscriptions at a distance; and at a time to be fixed upon, all persons who should have contributed $10 or more were to meet in person, or by proxy, and elect the six life members.
The bill was passed by the first chamber, unanimously, July 3, 1804, the members being Cunningham, Smallwood, Herford, Smith, Alexander, Carpenter, Rapine, Blagden, and Bromley. In the second chamber, the vote for the bill was Nicholas King, Mr. Hodgson, and J. C. King; and against it, Andrews, Sinclair, McCormick, and Jones.
"Thus has a measure destined to be of incalculable benefit to the city, by enlightening the minds and impressing the morals of the rising generation, by rescuing the metropolis from its darkest regret, and by rendering it worthy of the esteem of the rising Nation, failed for the want of a single vote," etc. Twelve members of the two Councils voted for the bill, and four against it, thus causing its defeat, and showing how thoroughly were the rights of the minority protected in a republican form of government.
Afterward, however, the movement for the establishment of public schools on this plan was made a success, and a meeting of the board of trustees was held August 5, at the Capitol. Thomas Jefferson, Presi- dent of the United States, was chosen president of the board, but, as he was absent, Robert Brent was chosen chairman of the meeting, and Nicholas King secretary. It was found from the returns that the following gentlemen composed the board: Thomas Jefferson, Robert Brent, John Taylor, Nicholas King, Gabriel Duval, John Dempsie, Thomas Tingey, Thomas Munroe, William Brent, William Cranch, George Blagden, James Barry, and Samuel II. Smith.
Mr. Smith moved the appointment of a committee to report to the board the proper steps to be taken for carrying into operation the act of the Council establishing the "Permanent Institution for the Education of Youth in the City of Washington." In accordance with this motion, Messrs. Smith, Tingey, Cranch, Blagden, and Duval were appointed.
On September 19, the board published their by-laws for the establishment of the Academy, these by-laws providing that this academy should consist of as many schools as circumstances would
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permit, but that at first it should consist of but two, one of which should be situated within half a mile of the Capitol, and the other within half a mile of the President's House, subject to removal. Poor children were to be taught reading, writing, grammar, and arithmetic free of expense, while the price of tuition to others was fixed at $5 per quarter. The board was authorized to appoint a principal for each school, who should receive for his services $500 per year, and in addition to this the tuition money of pupils until they amounted to fifty, and beyond, as determined by the board. But out of his income he was to pay schoolhouse rent, for his fuel, and for such other incidentals as might be necessary, and also for such assistants as he might need. There was provided a committee of three for each school, who were styled the superintending committee, whose duties were to see to the admission of poor children, etc. Robert Brent was vice-president of the board, and Washington Boyd secretary.
The Washington Academy opened for the reception of pupils January 20, 1806, under the direction of Mr. White, principal teacher at the schoolhouse on Pennsylvania Avenue, west of the President's House, and near Major Sevan's. For the admission of pay pupils, application was made to Mr. White; and for the admission of those whose parents could not afford to pay, application was made to the ยท superintending committee, which at that time consisted of Samuel H. Smith, Nicholas King, and Thomas Munroe.
The school in the eastern part of the city was opened, May 19, 1806, in a commodious brick building owned by Daniel Carroll, north of Stelle's Hotel. The first principal in this school was Rev. Robert Elliott, A. M. Pay pupils applied for admission to Mr. Elliott, while others applied to William. Cranch, William Brent, or John Dempsie, superintending committee.
July 14, 1806, the following gentlemen were elected trustees of the Washington Academy, by the city Council: Thomas Jefferson, William Cranch, Nicholas King, Abraham Bradley, William Brent, Frederick May, and Samuel Hanson. On July 21, the contributors elected the following trustees: Gabriel Duval, Robert Brent, James Davidson, Elias B. Caldwell, James Laurie, and Samuel H. Smith.
In November, 1806, the trustees of the public schools determined to erect two schoolhouses, one in the eastern and one in the western part of the city, and appropriated $2,400 for the purpose. Mr. Elliott taught his school the second year, and engaged an assistant teacher. On October 16, 1807, Hugh Maguire, who is mentioned elsewhere as having just previously established a private school, was
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engaged as principal of the west side school, in place of Mr. White, who had resigned. Mr. Maguire remained in this position until 1810, at which time the compensation was $400 per year from the children of the poor, and $20 per pupil from each one that paid.
In July, 1810, the trustees of this institution elected by the corporation were Thomas II. Gilliss, Daniel Rapine, E. B. Caldwell, Tunis Craven, Moses Young, John P. Van Ness, and Alexander Kerr. Those elected by the contributors were Samuel II. Smith, James Laurie, Gabriel Duval, Robert Brent, William Cranch, and Joseph Mechlin.
On July 15, 1811, the following trustees were elected: By the contributors, Samuel H. Smith, Gabriel Duval, James Laurie, Thomas II. Gilliss, Joseph Mechlin; and by the corporation, William Cranch, John P. Van Ness, Elias B. Caldwell, Daniel Rapine, Buller Cocke, Moses Young, and Buckner Thruston.
On July 19, 1813, the contributors elected as trustees Gabriel Duval, James Laurie, Elias B. Caldwell, George Blagden, James Davidson, and Joseph Mechlin. On July 28, the Boards of Aldermen and Council having failed to eleet trustees, the Mayor appointed the following persons: Samuel N. Smallwood, Alexander Mc Williams, Franklin Wharton, Andrew HIunter, William Matthews, Moses Young, and John Haw.
In November, 1813, it was determined to build and endow two public schools in Washington, and to build a penitentiary. To this end a lottery was established, or provided for, by the corporation, and three citizens from each ward appointed managers of the lottery - from the First Ward, John Davidson, Thomas Munroe, and John Hewitt; Second Ward, Washington Boyd, Andrew Way, Jr., and Joseph Gilliss, Jr .; Third Ward, William Brent, John Law, and S. N. Smallwood; Fourth Ward, Buller Cocke, William Brent, and John Dobbyn.
At a meeting of the board of trustees held August 14, 1814, the following officers were elected: President, Rev. James Laurie; vice- president, Thomas II. Gilliss; secretary, John D. Barclay; superin- tending committee for the Eastern School, George Blagden, Samuel HI. Smith, and William Dougherty; and for the Lancasterian School, Rev. William Matthews, Andrew Way, and Moses Young.
August 1, 1815, the Mayor appointed Josiah Meigs, Dr. William Matthews, Benjamin Homans, Moses Young, S. N. Smallwood, George Blagden, and William Prout trustees of the public schools. On the 7th, the board organized as follows: President, Rev. James Laurie;
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