Evening Star Newspaper, April 21, 1929, Page 90

4" . THE SUNDAY STAR. WASHINGTON. D. C. APRIL 21 1999—PART 7. Plank Road in Brightwood Was Historic, Much-Traveled Way BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. HERE a point is in doubt, there is generally more than one way of explaining it, and as the writer seeks accuracy in the subjects he writes for The Star each week, he feels he should further explain how Bright- wood got its name, as well as mention other things about that indefinite terri- 'tory which were intentionally omitted from an article on this section of the District of Columbia, published a fort- night ago. One of the delightful results of writ- ing about old Washington is the pleas- ant and sometimes unexpected contact | one is brought into with some of the older natives of Washinglon, whose knowledge of past events can 10 & con- ciderable degree be depended upon. Of course, if one were to believe all that he was told and passed it along to the public in the way in which it was cosived, he would rather complicate do history an injury, and though the writer realizes that perfec- tion is to be sought for, yet he is also aware that no living person has—and undoubtedly never —reached the faultless stage. However, he does believe that when one is born in a certain section and lived there for more than helf a century, that person—if his mind be clear and well balanced-— should know considerable about that particular place. It was with this idea in mind that the writer, a few days ago, called upon Mrs. Annie C. Osborn at her delightful home in Brightwood, fo; the purpose of cbtaining first-hand informat: n about this part of North Washinglon, | and in course of a most agreeable con- versation heard her relate what appears to be the real reason why this section of the District was ecalled “Bright- wood.” According to her version, following the name Crystal Spring, which gen- crally epplied to this locality, the name | Brighton was given it—by whom, no| one knows. Soon afer receiving this | name, a post office was established at | the norihwest corner of Georgia ave- | nus and Piney Branch road, in the| country store then conducted by the late A. G. Osborn. It was to this corner a number of years ago that Mr. | Osborn took his bride—now the Mrs. Oshorn with whom the writer had the | interview. Soon after the seleciing of the name “Brighton,” and the estab- | lishing of the post office, an unfore- | seen complication arose. There hap- | pened to he another post office im the northern part of Montgomery County, Md., of the same name, 15 miles from Laurel, 14 miles from Rockville and 26 miles from Baltimore, and the mails intended for these two places were eternally getting mixed. The corner had previously been owned by Mrs. Abigail Shoemaker, mother of | the late Louis P. Shoemaker, who had let the place to L. Brunett, a French- man, as a roadhouse. After giving up the business Brunett continued to live| in the neighborhood, and no doubt be ing one of these who were suffering be- cause the mail addressed here was go-| ing to the cther Brighton, and vice versa, he'suggested leaving off the suf-| fix “on"—or “ton,” as it really should be—and substituting in its place the| “wood,” which so met with general fa- vor that since that day the name| Brightwood has been the name of this uncertain area. * ok k¥ ELDOM is any attention paid to the derivation of names, which so fre- quently have as beautiful a meaning &s | they would imply. For instance, the Anglo-Saxon word “bright” means just| what one would take it to mean in this| case: Brilliant in color; cheerful. “Ton” | means a house or town, and combined. | “Brighton” means & bright house or| town; and following out the seme ety- mology “Brightwood” would signify a bright, cheerful wood, or, in other words, a bright, cheerful place of a forestlike | kind, as Brightwood quite probably was around 70 years ago, when its name was coined. It may also be interesting to know | that the word “Washington,” according to one_ authority, means washing- house. However, if we separate the word more closely it would really mean more than this: “Wash” meaning a place | where washing is done, “ing” meaning | an offspring or descendant, and “ton” meaning house o town, and combined we have the general meaning—the de- scendant of a man who lived in & house near a wash, perhaps near a stream| where the community laundry was brought for cleaning. Prior to the Civil War the roads and thoroughfares leading to and from Brightwood were few and far between. ‘The Seventh street turnpike, now Geor- gia_avenue, was one of the early roads of Washington and, like all early roads, was narrow and at times—especially after heavy rains—impassable. Fortu- nately for the people of Brightwood they had a very influential and impor- tant neighbor—Francis Preston Blair, whose home was at Silver S8pring—and. of course, when Montgomery Blair, the son, came into prominence his support in securing needed improvements was also generzlly to be had. In this con- nection, it was no doubt due to the elder Rlair's efforts that a piank road was Iaid on the Seventh street turnpike in 1852. These so-called planks, it is said, were trees gplit in halves, with the rounded side down. They were laid from Boundary street, now Florida avenue, all the way to the District line, and, at the time it was said that it was expected to eontinue this type of road to Silver Spring, where the Blairs lived, No doubt Mr. Blair had every expectation of r:’uklng good end frequent use of this road. 1t is probeble that this plank road wes hardly wide enough for two teams to0 pass each other, and only the light- er vehicles, such as carriages and bug- gies, were permitted to make use of it, the heavier teams, including farm wag- ons, being forced to wallow in the mud n the higher part of the road, the lank road being depressed several inches below the other part of the pike. * % ¥ ¥ BEFORE Alexander R. Shepherd came into sufficient rmmlnenu to have a road named after him, Shepherd road, ‘which is now practically abandoned east of Georgia avenue, was the Milk House Ford road and ran from its intersection with Rock OCreek Church roed, near | the Woodburn Public School, &s far west as Tennallytown, The Military road did not come into existence unitil toward the beginning of the Civil War, when it was erected 1o connect the forts to the north and northwest of Washington. Piney Branch road, which is fast los- 4 g o ‘WASHINGTON SU| TIER STREET. | that his desire was realized, though it OLD COUNTRY RESIDENCE OF RGEON, AT PINEY BR Farms in Vicinity of Highway Included Some Landmarks and Early Homes of Makers of District of Columbia— Station House Remembered by Old Residents—School History in Suburbs. EMERY PLACE, IN BRIGHTWOO! QUARTE D, D. or G A SIGNAL STATION DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND HEAD- D. N. COUCH AND F. A. WALKER. BLEAK HOUSE, THE HOME COLUMBIA (1873-1874), OF ALEXANDER SHEPHER JUST OFF GEORGIA AVENUE NEA GOVERNOR OF THE DISTRICT OF R THE DISTRICT LINE. ing its identity, was the only other road |to Robert Lamar Beall, said to be & |which in time was sold to the brother then runnin; Part of this road is now known as Colo- rado avenue. Many a bicycle enthusiast of 30 or 40 years ago will recail the short, delightful n afforded by riding out Piney Branch road to Brightwood and returning to the city by way of Seventh Street road. Nor is this same entRusiast likely to for- | get the Argyle esiatz on the Piney | Branch rogd and the Virginia deer which would scathper into the woods | u;;;m the approach of & team or & cy- clist. Argyle was owned by Thomas Blag- | den, and it was truly a magnificent place to behold, with its beautiful green | foliage in the Spring and its wonderful | array of colored leaves in the Fall. The wooded scenery elong the driveways of Rocic Creek Park seem to approach it nearest in splendor, in this vicmnity. * ok k¥ IKE some other roads in the District, | the Seventh Street turnpike once had its toligate. It was located where | is now 6400 Georgia ayenue, on the prop- erty purchased in 1900 by Lewis White, and now occupied by his son, Harry B. ‘White. During the Civil War. the elder | Mr. White was encamped near this spot with the Unlon troops, and engaged in the Battle of Fort Stevens, July 11-12, 1864, The beauty of the surrounding country at that time so appealed to him that he determined to move here when the opportunity presented itself. It was not, however, until the lapse of 36 years was his great satisfaction to spend the | remainder of his days on the battlefield | | where he had fought for the protection | of the Capital of the United States. The | foundation walls of the tollgate property | still exist, but are covered over in the lawn in front of the White residence. | Tollgates have always been a source | of worry to the people, and happy was | the man who could beat the tollman out of but even a few pennles. Thus, it | will not prove surprising to learn thntl this tollgate, put here many years &go, did not meet with the approval of those who lived close by and had to pass that way. A meeting of some of the prominent residents to the north was | soon called and it was determined to | purchase a right of way in order to ge- tour around the toligate. This detour road—now a section of the Piney Branch road—had its beginning at | about 6400 Georgia avenue, ran south ralleling that avenue and ended acroes he streec from the Masonic Temple, where it can be seen today. In 1858 the following are listed s property owners along the Seventh Street turnpike from Rock OCreek Church road to Silver Spring: On the right hand side going north—O. B. Tay- loe (probably meant for Benjamin Ogle Tayloe), T. Mosher, A. White, Matihew G. Emery, E. Ray, R, Butt, M. P. Causin, B. Reeve, later sold to B. H. Warner; W. M. Morrison, Dr. Noble, Mr. Colclazer, A, P. C. Shoemaker and B. C. Daly, who evidently conducted the Oak Grove post office. On the left hend side of the turn- pike going north, between Rock Creek Church roed and Piney Branch road, were the properties of J. Weinberger, J. Horner, Mr. Summy, W. Little, A. Ray, the Washborne heirs, E. Osborn, J. 8aul and Mrs. H. White, Between Pine Branch road, Rock Creek and Mill House Ford rosd the farms were ownea by J. Hoyle, J. Pilling, F. Tittman, Rev. D. PFinkel, B. Jost, Mr. Stewart and W. King, North of 'Milk House Ford road, along the turnpike, were the tracts of A. Shoemakey, Emory Chapel, W. B. Beall, J. Beldon, T. Carbery, B. Clagett's heirs and F. P, Blair, * k¥ % Tfll Beall property originally included 338 acres and extended slong the Seventh Street pike, or the Old Plank 1oad, s it was sometimes called, from Emory Church north to about the Wal- ter ed Hospital property, where it crossed Gieol avenue, and included 8 sirip of land which is now a part of Takoma Park. This land once belonged ims brow, lived—um-ah—v] FORD THOMPSON, NOTED ANCH ROAD AND WHIT. 1 the Rock of Dumbarton, upcn which |ton from 1822 to 1823, who later sold | ;ome 40 and more vears sgo in the rear | g into this country village. | descendant of Ninian Beall, patentee of | of Thomas Carbery, mayor of Washing- station is not the first station house In Brightwood, but it is much the superior |to the little frame shed used gs such | grant the original part of Georgetown |it to Mr. Cameron, and this farm now |of the dwelling then occupied by Officer was laid out before the District of Co- lumbls was thought of. Robert Lamar Beall left this property to his son, Wil- liam Brooke Beall, whose daughter, Mrs. Annie C. Osborn, in turn inherited forms the larger part of the Walter Reed Hospital grounds. It was from a tree on the Lay farm that a sharp- |Joseph N. Fiefield, just north of lhel {car barn, and most likely the Daly| | property. Brightwood always was a | Matthew G. Emery and now cn:cuuledl by his daughter, the widow of William V. Cox. The original part of this structure, which faces Georgia avenue, is at least 100 years old. Under the ownership of Mayor Emery it under- | went considerable modification and im- | provement, but the old home still forins shooter tried to pick oif President Lin- | peaceful part of the District, and the a4 part of the building as we see it coln during the attempted invasion of it and who today lives upon the land | Washington by Gen. Early in Ju owned by her early ancestors. 1864, but the sharpshooter missed hi Robert Lamar Beall had the habit of | mark and did no further damege than marrying widows, and before his end |0 wound & surgeon standing near Mr. finally came had taken unto himself | Lincoln. three. Each of these three, it 1s sald, Mrs. Oshorn told the writer that the | station house, such as it was, no doubt answered all the necessary require- | ments. In passing, it might be said | that “Brightwood stll lives up to its | early reputation, and the genia! Capt. | Lord of “No. 13" has little worry from his neighbors except when they fail today. The writer was told the other day | by Mrs. Lydia K. McIlhinney that she was born in the Emery house several years before the Civil War. that her father, Albin Schoep!, was g one of thos not only brought to him issue, but had | same sharpshooter was later mortally | to show a light on their parked cars at | ca)rene to n:'ifcfim;rx:"mpe'fl?& ;al;!; issue by him, with the result that guite | wounded by another sharpshooter and | night and have to talk it over with|of 1851 with Louis Kossuth, the leader a family of children was ralsed upon | was, upon evacuation of the Confeder- | him the next morning. 1t is | ate army, brought down the road and |Officer Fiefield was s much liked in | For a while Kossuth was quite lavishly the Beall farm at Brightwood. However, if | of the Hungarian revolution of 1843-9 through one of these widows, & Mrs, | placed on the Jawn in front of her old | his time as Capt. Lord s today, he, in- | entertained here prior to returning to Nicholson, formerly a Miss Edmonston, | that Mrs. Annie C. Osborn is descended. ‘The Beall farm, according to Mrs. | on The J. Ford Thompson home was man. Incidentally, Inspector Louis | | home, where he soon afterward expircd. | deed, had reason to be a happy police- | his own country, Schoepf. however, re- mained in the United States, where his Piney Branch road, just a short dis- | Stoll, an old resident of Brightwood, is | daughter, Mys. McIlhinney, and other Osborn, was made up of several grants [tance east of Georgla avenue, and here another guardian of the peace that his | childr and is said to have included parts of |the great surgeon spent many Sum- | neighbors in this “neck g; the wpods” | ED e b Girls’ Portion, Dulaney in H Mite, Poor Tom's Last Shift and Re- survey of Partneship. To the north of the Beall fract fac- ing Georgia avenue was the Lay farm, ed for Col. Henry | mers during his Support, Widow's | dwelling is still standing lifetime, The old g end appar- ently in good condition. It is probable that the ground upon which it stands is also a part of the Beall estate, The present thirteenth police preeinct | like to swear by. | * % % | VERY old landmark, briefly here- |A tofore referred to, stands on the | Emery estate, owned by the late When the Civil War broke out Schoepf, through the influence of Judge Advocate General Holt, was made a brigadier general, and served from September 30, 1861, until January 15, 1868, when he was mustered out. He led on May 10, 1886. When the Neuroses Bloom BY WEARE HOLBROOK. R. GALLUP hadn't wanted to be an uncle in the first place. It was, he felt, almost as much of & responsibility as being a parent. But if one’s sister will get married and have chil- dren, what ean one do about it? Mr. Gallup did his best and took up the duties of unclehood just where they had been laid down by his own uncles in the latter part of the nineteenth century. He began to smoke a pipe and act whimsical. The pipe madé him rather dizzy at first, and his attempts at whimsicality were misunderstood by his business iates, who accused him of drinking during office hours. But he persevered. He knew that uncles were supposed to be able to carve toy boats with their jackknives at 3 moment’s notice and answer ques- tions concerning the home life of birds, animals and insects. At the risk of amputating his fingers he practiced boat carving and managed—after con- siderable bloodshed and blasphemy—to transform a cigar box into a falrly plausible mudscow. His nature study included & reading of the complete works of John Bu hs and several trips to the Museum of Natural History. By the time his nephew was 5 years old Mr. Gallup was a seasoned uncle. He could smoke his plzc without ehok- ing and be elfin in & bluff, hearty way without feeling self-conseious. And when the lad elimbed up into his lap and said: “Tell me a story, Unele Ned,” Mr. Gallup was not un- prepared. He had at least half a dozen stories in his repertory; they were long, tiresome storles, like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” In Mr. Gallup's childhood these stories were expected of ell uncles, The young:lt rncnuon demanded no Scheher: originality was frowned upon. In fact, it was nmot uncommon for & story teller to preface his remarks with “Stop me if you have heard this one before.” ‘That was before the day of the bedtime story, and zoology hed not yet supplanted mynwlogz in nur- sery lore. Little Johnny Skunk and his sister, Winnie-the-Phew, were with- out & biographer, A few simple s of murder and violence were &ll ¢ children had and all they seemed to want, * kKK ¢ A STORY, en?” seid Mr. Gallup, taking his pipe from his mouth and gazing 8t his nephew with that kindly, quizzical expression which he had rehearsed in front of the mirror. *“Very well, Chester, you shall have-—Hm-m, let me see. * * * Once upon & And then, suddenly and unaccounta- tack of stay . For the life of him he could nol remember & story. He felt like an_after-dinner speaker who has been called upon too soon. “Once upon a time——" Mr. Gallup repeated and stopped. Little Chester waited patient! twice ly. “That makes upon a time,” reminded “e—In the middle of & deep, dark forest,” continued Mr. G;llu&.’ bly, Mr. ohllnp‘:;;wmnud a sligl you “Peter Rabbit,” suggested little Chester, “That's it,” declared Mr. Gallup tri< umphantly. “Peter Rabbit! Well, sir, one day Peter Rabbit ealled to his mother and said: ‘Oh, mama, see what I found in the yard!’ So Mrs. Rabbit came runnhl‘n out_of tncflnoumml:& sure enoug was something yard! » what do you suppose it was?” “One of those damn carrots,” replied ‘Ittle Chester, “A carrot,” Mr. Gallup econceded promptly, “Yes, sir, o great big yellow carrot with a lovely mn top. And mr;n‘- you think carrot came came from Parmer Brown's gar ht at- “I THINK PETER RABBIT HAD A MOTHER FIXATION,” HE SAID. shade of impatience. “Listen, Unele Ned, who is supposed to be telling this story, you or me?” * kN ¥ PTER that Mr. Gallup had to go it alone, and it was slow going. The only encouragement he got from his nephew was an occasional “And then what?” It seemed to take Peter Rabbit hours to pass a given point. Little Chester listened attentively, but there was something critical in his manner which made his unele feel uncom- fortable. ‘When the end of the story had been reached Mr. Gallup heaved a sigh of re- Hef. “Well,” he said, patting his nephew on the back, “what do you think of that, eh?” Little Chester was silent, “I think Peter Rabbit had a mother-fixation,” he sald presently. “A what?" gasped Mr. Gallup, “He subconsciously identified Farmer Brown with his mother, who had made him eat carrots when he was & baby, And that was why he couldn’t help eat~ ing the carrots in Parmer Brown’s gar- den,” little Chester explained. “You see, Uncle Ned, he was & paranoic, like k the Giant Killer.” Like Jack the Giant Killer?” echoed Mr. Gallup feebly. “Yes. Jack had a prongunced psycho- his uncle. | nig lap mopping | have & Whe! sis. Of course, he didn't really kill those giants. But his_delusions of grandeur were 8o powerful that he was able to convince himself and the entire village ne 0. Mr. Gt id grimly. “I want to few words with your mother.” n he told his sister what her small son had said she took it ealmly. L4 E"‘b}.’ picked it up from the fiye trist,” she emmgd. “You , we are raising with especial emphasis uj hygiene. The house has full of psychiatrists and child-psychologists "”:3“1‘5“5:‘“ 'fitm'u n:lm was only ys' ol gan giv- ing him tests—just simple little tests, such as tiekling the soles of his feet with 8 feather every half hour, and flashing colored lights in his eyes.” * ok ox % “ 'T for?” inquired Mr. Gallup. “To form his life pattern. You cuse see, all the results of all tests for the (and nodded. Iast. lassified and have been cl their | ehart we can find out beforehand just what he will do in any given eireum- stances. It's a great convenience.” “Doesn’'t he ever fool you and do mwmu unexpected?” Mr, Gaillup asked. “Oceasionally he does,” she admitted. “For instance, the other day he put & tack on grandpa’s chair and grandpa sat down on it. Now, there is nothing in Chester's life pattern about putting tacks on chairs, and we were very much surprised—especially grandpa. But Chester explained that he was | merely studying grandpa’s reaction to tactile stimuli. . . . I really belicve the ehild is going to be a psychiatrist himself when he grows up. Yesterday I caught him pulll off the wings of flies, and doing it $o earnestly that it reminded me of Prof. Diffenderfer- Oolgpllll of Vienna.” “Can’t something be done about it?” ventured Mr, Guu:&camaouuy. “We hate to ourage him, be- cause it would disarrange his life pat- tern. . . . But I must Warn you not to cross your legs while Chester is + around; the little dnrnnf‘ has & perfect mania for testing mfi 's knee-jerks, and sometimes he rather overdoes it. Last week, when the Rev. Mr. Maulsby came to call, Chester cracked him across the shins with a base ball bat, Of course, Reverend Maulshy was awfully sporting about it and tried to laugh ‘it off; but his laughter was 8 bit hysterical sther he ind I doubt wh toward Chester.” feel quite the same After his encounter with his nephew Mr. Gallup was & sadder, wiser uncle, He went home and immediately launched into a study of the new psy- chology. He read Freud and Jung and Dorsey and Watson i an effort 10 un- derstand little Chester better, It seemed to be the only way that he could establish a mental contact with the younger generation. And the ne:: time little Chester said, lup was able fo s the lad's own Jangusgé. “Very well,” he said prompt- ly, “what story?” “Tell me about Red Riding Hood,” suggested Chester. * K k¥ ant residing near V—, Home primi- tive but comfortable. Environment wholesome. Family history shows no hereditary taint, although one brother is said to have played a saxophone. “H. had the usual childhood diseases, such as mumps, measles and whooping cough, but with no sequelae. She be- gan to suffer from delusions early in life. At the age of 4 she confessed to & belief in falries. Upon cross-examina- tion, however, she admitted that she had never seen one. frequently and somewhat incoherently of an old man who drove a team of rein- deer and who would, she said, climb down_the chimney on Christmas Eve and fill her stocking with toys. The fact that there were no tovs in her stocking on Christmas morning failed to shake her belief in this imaginary person. She wept hysterically, but in- | sisted that he would have left her some toys if she had been a better girl. She even asserted that she had heard the relx;gzgr scampering across the roof at| night. “Auditory hallucinations,” remarked Chesler knowingly. *““The neurosis from which H. suffered reached its crux one Sunday afternoon,” Mr. Gallup continued, “when she was ordered to take a basket of fruit to her grandmother, who was ill. In order to reach her ,rlndmathet'u cottage it was necessary for her to walk through a dense forest. * ok k¥ ¢¢’T°HIS H. did, but with great reluc- tance, for she imagined that there were wild animals in this forest waiting to devour her. The persecutory idea was so strong that by the time she |arrived at her grandmother’s cottage she had a definite paranoid psychosis, which caused her to identify her grand- mother with a large, ferocious wolf. S8he even commented upon the length and sharpness of her grandmother's teeth, hough the old lady had no teeth whatever. “These hallucinatory phenomena per- sisted until H. fled from the cottage in terror. Accosting a wood-cutter, whom we shall call X, the implored him to return to her grandmother’s cottage and slay the wolf—-" Mr. Gallup paused for & moment to heighten the lu:;)enu of his story. But ihe dramatic effect was lost on little Chester; he was fidgeting in his chair and gazing out of the window. “Er—shall I go on?” asked Mr. Gal- lup. “Oh, yes, by all means” said little Chester.” “It’s a very interesiing case.” But his voice lacked enthusiasm and his 8he said | She also spoke | ‘The Stone house, in which lived for a long time the late Dr.’C. G. Stone, a well known physician of this section, and the Washington E. Nalley prop- erty, both just south of the engine house, may be called cld dwellings for this part of the District, though not in the same class with the Emery home. Dr. C. G. Stone first lived in part of the Nalley property, which had previ- | ously been rented by the owner, Archi- bald White, to Albert T. Whiting. Dr. Stone, the writer was told, was orig- inally a dentist from somewhere around Newmarket, Md., and practiced his pro- fession for a while at Rockville. After he married Dora Higgins he moved to a medical doctor, took up the study of medicine, and from that time on for many years successfully practiced here His second wife was a daughter of the late W. W. Rapley. After living in the Nailey house for a few years Dr. Stone built a home next door, to the north, and here he reared a family of children, and it is probable that he diad here also. His daughter, Mrs. Cleary, still occupies the old home. Washington E. Nailey, popular school teacher, followed Dr. Stone in the first house in which he had lived, and here he died about nine years ago, after having been teacher and principal of the Brightwood School for many years. He left a wife, who has since pasiec jaway, and & daughter, Miss Nan Nalley, | & very amiable and delightful girl, who now resides elsewhere. | Joseph Keene, another noted peda- gogue of this section, lived for a long |time on Shepherd road. He was con- | nected with the public school system {as an instructor or supervisor for more than 40 years, and at the time of his death had reached an advanced age. * % ¥ % iA the old Emory Church before the !civil War, Brightwood had its first | public school in 1866. At first it was a | one-room wocden affair, a two-room | building not even being recommended | by the superintendent of schools until | November 13, 1877, when he made his yearly report. Even the enlarged quarters, which | resulted from the recommendation, did inot prove adequate, and in 1878 the building and repair committee of the public_schools is found recommending the sale of the Brightwood school prop- erty, the purchase of a school site on Seventh Street road and the erectlon thereon of a two-room brick school building for white children, at an esti- mated cost of $3.500. On June 30, 1879, Superintendent Wil- son announced an addition to the school | house at Brightwood, for white children, | making it a two-room affeir, and being the resuit of the superintendent’s rec- | ommendation of November 13, 1877. | No appointment was made of a teacher | for this additional room until January 1, 1880, when Clara E. Stuart was ap- pointed acting teacher of grades 1 to 3. She was superseded the following year by Isabella R. Nalley, sister of Wash- ington E. Nalley, principal for so many years of the htwood School, and known by so many people of this vicinity. ‘The first teacher whose name is found associnted with the Brightwood School was William C. Lipscomb, jr, who taught in Brightwood until he was transferred to Mount Plessant in 1879. He was educated in Georgetown English |:nd Classical Academy, and first taught school in 1856, his public school career |not commencing until September 1, 1873. He resided on Park street, Mount Pleasant. For a time he taught grades 1 to 4, the fifth and sixth grades being afterward added. He was the father of several children, among whom were the | distinguished lawyer, Andrew A. Lip- scomb, who died & year or two H {Lisle 8. Lipscomb, the well-known ro-fity operator, and Mrs. Greenawalt. to the Military road school, in 1880, Mr. Lipscomb was succeeded by Francis A. Springer, who was assigned to teach grades ¢ to 6, and Miss Stuart had Ill’ldtl 1 to 3. Mr, Springer continued manner was inattentive. A warm breeze | swung the curtains apart; a wedge of; sunshine pushed across the room. There was & shrill whistle outside the window and the u-ther{ plunk of a base ball landing in a mitt. “What was thai?” asked Mr. Gallup.. ther auditory hallucination?” " replied his nephew, wistfully; that's Tubby Mifin and Red Hershey u}d Sn'ocly Wells. They're playing onc 2\ “T see,” said Mr. Gallup. “Their 1. Q. is pretty low.” continued Chester, “and the psychologists say I shouldn’t assoclate with them. Red ic only a high-grade moron, but he has # peach of s _round-house curve, and Snooty can fleld like old Tris Speaker himself; he just pleks 'em right out of the air,’ < Mr. Gallup nodded. “Perhaps you'd his chair. “You won't tell on me?” “No, indeed,” said Mr. Gallup. “After all, if you intend to be a c] you must study all types of aulnnce, moron the merrier.” h“Auy ol’ pepper!” shouted Chester, as e STt I o, T W of N U] ’s go!” Mr. \l’ smiled ron%lv ln&'domok his head. * te the efforts of e psychologists,” he mused, “boys will to d study their reflexes,” ol e & wiory: Uncis Hadr M. Oalr | ha seanotod” ey | “May 1?” cried Chester, jumping from hiatrist | Brightwood and, seeing a field here for | ¢ | lo SIDE from the school conducted in | When the additional room was added to ten:'l:n “:}r\:u grades !&‘ some time, but gave way following yeaz to Miss Isabella R. Nalley, who nga’!'v:d for her efforts in educating the youth nm’uu’:’:u :w:;';u ll;ld vicinity the enor- , after nine years ex of $550 a year. 4 e Mr. Springer was a graduate of Wes- leyan University of Middleton, Conn, He began teaching in 1870, and received his_appointment in the public schools |of Washington September 1, 1876, His annual salary in 1880 was $750. * % x w O F interest, no doubt, to those wno have in thelr day attended tise | county schools are a few of the ryles which the teachers were directed to ew- | force. The pupll was cautioned not to | throw paper or anvthing whatever on | the floor, nor mark, -scratch, chalk or | otherwise disfigure or injure any por- | tion of the school building or anything | connected with it. They were also ad- | monished against the use of tcbacco in any form, or to stamp or play 2t any hoisterous game within the schoolroom, | or to use any profane or indelicate lan- | 1zuage; to nickname any person, throw | sones or other missiles, annoy or mal- | ireat others, or do anything that might | wisturb the neighborhood or the school. | However, for any disobadience or in- | fraction on our part the teacher was |urged to avoid, so far as possible, the fuse of the corporal punishment. To | what extent this was followed many of | us are living witnesses. | Always of great Interest are the | pames of those recorded on the honor |roll of a school. and those especially | good boys and girls of the Brightwood Bchool during the year 1875, of co * |are no exception. They include |names of Eva E. Cowling, Williamette | A. Cowling, Eva M. Dudley, John M. Creagh, Alice Creagh, George W. Wh and Katie Young. Those receiving hon- orable mention the following vear w Eva May Duly, S. Louisa Keene, Pet F. Creagh, George W. White, Phebe A. | King, Alice Creagh, John McC. King, John M. Creagh, Caroline H. Gness, L. Azadia King and John Thomas Ki In the honor roll of the Mount Plea School for the same year, 1876, appears the name of Helen Gilman Nichols, for | a long time and until recently principal of the Brightwood School The list for 1877 gives the names of Charles A. King, Henry Sartain, J. Ev- ! erett Keene, the popular Brightwood dentist—loved and regarded by all— who died during the influenza epidemic of & few years ago: Nettle L. Hurdle John McC. King. Margaret E. Thom Laura A. King, Theodore H. Thoma: | Louisa Keene and J. W. H. Norton. | "The 1878 list includes Theodore H. Thomas, Lillie N. Cissel, John T. King, Charles E. King, Pred H. Thomas, Ma- rian E. Norton, J. W. Hollis Norton, Laura A. King. William H. Drager, S. Louisa Keene, John H. McChesney, An- | na Drager. Charles G. McChesney and | sarah E. Thomas. | “'The last year that diplomas and medals were given, 1879, also appears the name of George W. White, as well | as Theodore H. Thomas, Lillian N. Cis- | sel. J. W. Hollis Norton, Anna Droege, | Agnes A. King, Charles E. King, | James E. Thomas, S. Louisa Keene, | Cicely 8. Woods, Margaret V. Cissel, | Henrietta Cissel and Frederick | Thomas C Regarding the building on Georgia venue, now used es a junior high school, the report of Joseph R. Keene, | dated June 30, 1889, contains the fol- wing statement: | "“Alot has also been purchased at | Brightwood and a very neat 4-room | brick building erected thereupon, front- ing on Brightwood avenue, near Emory Chapel. This building is now receiving the finishing touches. Three rooms will | be occupied at the opening of the school year in September next, all of which will be furnished with new furniture | similar to that at Burrville.” | So that we know this building was | originally a four-room structure, which was later added to and made its pres- | ent size, having been first erected 40 | years ago. | Bitterweed as Foe. PRING may be the time when & | young man's fancy lightly turns, when the happy birds sing their gay rondelays, when the shy violet raises its pretty head beneath the protecting cover of some broad leaf and the mead- ows put on their shimmering garments | of green, and so on through the world | of poesy, but when it comes right down to practical things, the deiry farmer in the South finds out that the yernal sea- son isn't all that it's cracke: up to be. And if you want to know wity, its the bitterweed. And if you think it's hard on the dairy farmer, consider the person €0 unfortunate as to reach for a glass of ice-cold milk, revelling in the anticipa- tion of its sweet, cooling deliciousness, and find the sweetness turned to gall when he drinks it. Perhaps that's a little exaggerated. but nevertheless the season is at hand when dairy owners find themselves hard put to avoid a loss through the bitter flavor that is imparted to milk when the cows graze in pasture in which the weed abounds. Bitterweed differs in two respects from other weeds and feeds that flaver milk. First, its effect is felt through a longer period, and secondly, while whole milk and skim are affected, cream is free from the flavor. Beveral remedies are offered the farmer. He may avold the use of the pasture so infected and use only those free from the weed or in which little of it is to be found. The cow can't be blamed for eating the weed. She won't when better food can be found. Two or three times a year, when the weed begins to show some signs of developing seed, mowing will prevent reseeding, @ third remedy, proper fertiliz- ing of the soil will help, for the weed seems to thrieve best in poor soils. . Priceless Gavel. WHZN the presiding officer of the Chicago Association of Commerce raps for order at future meetings, he will rap with a renewed authority. It is no common gavel that calls'the mem- bers to attention for it helped literally to keep the roof over the heads of 26 Presidents of the United States. The gavel was cerved from one of the main wooden roof truses of the White House when the repairs to the roof were made, during the Coolidge ad- ministration. | THE FIRST HOUE IN BRIGHTWOOD, OCCUPIED BY THE LATE C. G. STONE, AFTERWARD THE RESIDENCE OF WASHINGTON E NALLEY, GN GEORGIA AVENUE NORTH OF MADISON e