Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1929, Page 93

NDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, P, @, MAY 12, 1 929—PART 7. 'Old School Square on the “Island” Made Washington History Early Southwest Teachers, Including John E. Thompson, Had Many Pupils Who Have Reflected Credit Upon Those Who Guided Them in Study Days—Jefferson School Records Are Recalled. Cluss, who was responsible for many handsome structures in Washington and |elsewhere. The dedication ceremonies | took place cn December 7, 1872, remarks | being made by Joseph M. Wilson, o e school trustees; J. Ormond Wil- superintendent of public schols ‘Thomas E. Lloyd, member of the buil ing committee; Henry D. Cooke, gover- nor of the District; W. M. Murtagh. school trustee; John Tyndall, professor o | of national philosophy in the Royal | Institute of Great Britain; Jugoi Arinori Mori, charge d’aflaires at Washington | from Japan: Senator James W. Patter- |son from New Hampshire and John Eaton, jr., United States commissioner of education. The principal address was made by Birdsey Grant Northrop, secretary of | the State Board of Education of Con- necticut, and_Prof. Joseph H. Daniel, who, many will recall, was there with a choir of 60 voices, who sang, it is said, | “in fine style.” Rev. Byron Sunderland invoked di- vine blessing, and Gen. U. S. Grant, | then President, wrote expressing his re- 'nt or former resident of | grets that he was unable to be present. ‘The names of the good boys and girls BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. HERE are many Washingtonians today who recall with pride South Washington, or the old “Island,” as their birthplace. And why should they not? Im- portant people have lived and died in the “Sunny Southwest.” Southwest Washington today has many attractions. There are beautiful places to lock upon and muse of the past. and some nice, quiet, shady streets Dbordered by comfortable and attractive homes. Gov. Alex: in South Washington, and Robert Brent, Washington's first mayor, serving from 1802 to 1811, for years lived at the Mansion House, which was on G street between Ninth and Tenth streets, and died in 1819 at the home which I built at the southeast corner of Twelfth and Maryland avenue. In this neigh- borhood ‘the celebrated novelist irs. E. D. E. N. Southworth, taught school in her early life. Nor would it be difficult to add to those already mentioned a long list of distinguished persons, no longer with us, who were born and reared in that part of Washington south of the Mall who obtained their education there and who always freely gave credit to its schools and its teachers for whatever success they may have attained in after life. It is not infrequently that we hear some pre: South Washington speak in endearing | | terms of some old teacher like John E. | who were mentioned in the first honor | Thompson, and of School Square, upon | list of the male and female grammar a part of which now stands the Jeffer- | school of the Jefferson Building were: | son School Building, dedicated in 1872, | Gold medals—J. Walter Cooksie and though plans are being made to carry |Susie A. Mockabee. Diplomas—John | on its activities in the near future |T. Tayler, William E. Thomas, Stark B. | elsewhere. How_ very interesting must this old | lock be to many an old timer, and | even the youngster for that matter, for | the Jefferson Building, together with a | number of portables located between D | and School streets and Four-and-a-half | and Sixt streets is still being d for | public es. | | PHE first school built in this block | was erected in 1845. It was of | brick, two stories high, 27 feet 8 inches | in width by 47 feet 10 inches in length, | and had 12-foot ceilings, and evidently HOUSE AT SOUTHEAST CORNE! Taylor, Douglas J. Miller, Elias B. Rowell, Porter Garrett, Levi Callisher, | Charles J. Dentinger, Benton J. Stahl, James Hall, Millard F. Thompson, James B. Taylor, Daniel C. Smithson, George W. Sanford, Jeremiah Hepburn, Robert Scammell, John Alman, George Cooper, Alice E. Cooksey, Bettie Haven- ner, Mary McArdle, Susie Porter, Bertha Herman, Carrie Ranney, Sophie Lipp- hard, Julia Kelly, Ada Willey, Isabelle Haliday, Mary Law, Annie M. Wilson, Mary P. Wilson, Sophie P. Davidson, Fannie E. Tatsnaugh, Sarah King, Fannie N. Hepburn, Annie Muddiman, Sarah Dulin, Mary Sparo, Lillian Tan- R OF TWELFTH STREET AND . MARYLAND AVENUE SOUTHWEST, BUILT AND OCCUPIED BY ROBERT BRENT, WASHINGTON'S FIRST MAYOR. faced Sixth street. The site was known as lot No. 8, and was purchased from ‘Thomas and W. W. Corcoran for $750, the deed being dated March 13, 1845. | Subsequent purchases in this block in- cluded part of lot 9, from John M. | Springman, May 12, 1860, for $3,525; | part of lot 9, from Patrick O'Brien, May 24, 1860, for $1,100; part of lot 9, from George Wright, May 23, 1860, for $928; t No. 10, (l;;xon Richard Barry, May 12, 860, for §7,320. For many years the South Washing- ton schools were in what was called the fourth district, now designated as the fourth division, and the elementary scheols of that section are now a part of it. The first teacher in_School Square—where the Jefferson Building stands, now a Junior High School—of | which 'the writer has record was Henry , Hardy. In 1849 Mr. Hardy" resigned and John E. Thompson succeeded him as principal of the school, being as- sisted by Mrs. M. A. Hinton. In this district Mr. Thompson re- mained for nearly 40 years, always in 3 high capacity. He resigned his posi- + tion in October, 1884, and died March | B9 of the following year. He was re- | garded as one of the greatest instruc- rs of his time, and the scholars who ! graduated with honor from his school were well equipped to enter life’s battle for a respectable livelihood. 1" There was more rivalry in the early days between the four districts than apparently exists today, due no doubt to the number of prizes then annually awarded to the pupils. Chief among these were the Kendall, King and Columbian College scholarships. The first of these was provided for by Amos Kendall as a scholarship in Columbian College—now George Wash- ngton University—in which he stipu- ated that it was to remain operative only so long as Calvary Baptist Church was represented on the board of trus- tees of that institution. The King scholarship was the gift of Horatio King, Postmaster General during Buchanan’s administration, and provided a scholarship in Dickinson College. { ‘The Columbian College scholarship ‘was provided for direct by that college in 1866, and the successful scholar that year was James E. Bangs of the Male Grammar School in the first district— GROUP OF EARLY TEACHERS AT THE JEFFERSON SCHOOL, IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1875. LEFT TO RIGHT: EDDIE THOMPSON, GEORGE WHITE, TRUSTEE; M1SS RACHEL GARRETT, MISS MARY LAW, MISS LOUISE STROBEL, MISS CLARA WILSON, MISS MARY WILSON AND MI: M HALLIDAY, MISS MARGARET GARRETT, BENJAMIN S s KATE JOH! ON. SECOND ROW, STANDIN SITTING, JANE McCAULEY, MISS ELLEN LLOYD, TRUSTEE: MISS ELIZABETH RILEY, MISS_VICTORIA TROOK, JOHN E. "THOMPSON, MISS IDA PUMPHREY AND ISAAC FAIRBROTHER. STANDING ON STAIRWAY: MISS ANNIE WHITEMORE, MISS FANNIE MOORE, MISS ANNIE POWELL, MISS ADELE GRAY, MISS KATIE MAXWELL AND MISS HATTIE DAV and Flora Walker. * Kk K K LOOK-IN at an old pay roll dis- closes quite a difference in the sal- | arles paid the public school teachers | years ago and what they receive now. | Of course, all salaries were much lower | at that date than we find them today, | due naturally to the fact that every- | thing was cheaper in proportion to pres- ent-day prevailing prices. In 1867 the teachér of the male grammar school of the fourth district received an an- nual salary of $1,600, and his assistant | $675. The teacher of the male inter- mediate school received $625 and the female teacher was allowed the same, as was not always the case. The teacher of the secondary school received for her year’s work $500 and the primary school teacher received only $450, while the sub-assistants had to worry along on 150. ‘Though a strict disciplinarian, like nearly all the old-time school masters, Knott, Nellie Pumphrey, Maggie Clark yet John E. Thompson was greatly be- loved by the thousands of girls and boys grown to maturity at the time of his death, and the grief at his taking away was genuine and sincere, Com- menting on his death, The Star of March 30, 1885, has this to say: “DEATH OF A VETERAN EDUCATOR. “The life and services of John E. Thompson. “Mr. John E! Thompson, whose dan- gerous illness has been noted in The Star, died yesterday at 1:30 p.m. of disease of the liver and nervous pros- tration. Mr. Thompson was born near Romney, W. Va., in 1823, and came to this city with his parents when he was 3 years old. His father, the late Wil- liam Thompson, and his mother are both remembered by old citizens as suc- cessful teachers of private schools. Later his father was employed upon the National Intelligencer, and afterwards published a weekly paper styled the Saturday News. For many years, and up to the time of his death, he held the position of magistrate with much credit. “His son, John E. Thompson, entered upon his career as a teacher in 1847, shortly after this city was divided into four school divisions, and when the pub- lic schools were in their infancy. He commenced as the assistant to Dr. To- bias Watkins of the second district school, then located in what is now known as Judiciary Square. M. ‘Thompson showed great aptitude as a teacher from the start, and the follow- ing year he was appointed teacher for the fourth district, which position he held for over 20 years, when he was promoted to the newly created office of supervising principal of the fourth di- vision, a position he held until his resignation last October. “During this long period of nearly 40 years that he was in the service of the public schools, he held the very first rank as a practical educator who could make his pupils understand thoroughly, the principles of their studies aside from’ mere_ parrot-like recitations. The re- sult has been that a large number of our best citizens owe their success in business and professional life largely to the intelligent training received from Mr. Thompson. * ok ok % ¢'THE roll of those who graduated from the Fourth District Gram- mar School under his tutorship include Drs. Robert Reyburn, Ashford (de- ceased), Byington, Leach, Croggin (de- ceased), Amery (deceased), Bowen and Cook; also Prof. Franklin of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; G. Hel- prin, H. E. Davis (professor at Wilkes- Barre College), T. W. Noyes (lawyer at Sioux Falls, S. Dak.) and Joseph Talk (now & teacher), who won college schol- arships and others who went into busi- ness right from the school—the Grays, Thompsons, Gunnells, Pearsons, Polk- inhorns, Lees. W. Acker and, in fact, members of all the leading families that have resided in South Washington. “Mr. Thompson may be said to be the father of the co-operative system of building associations here, More than 20 years ago, learning of their success in other cities, he devoted his vacation time to their study in New York, Phil- adelphia and other Northern cities. Re- turning to this city, he established the old Washington Co-operative Associa- tion, which proved to be so much of a success that the same system is con- tinued to this day. “As stated above, Mr. Thompson re- signed the supervising principalship in October, being then in declining health. He, however, kept up until January 9 last, when he was forced to remain in- doors. His physicians, Drs. Hagner, Bogan, Sonnenschmidt and Verdi, of- fered his family no hopes of recovery. “About three weeks ago Mr. Thomp- son, finding the end approaching, sent for his friends, one after another, to bid them a final adieu, and quietly awaited the summons. A week ago yesterday he became unconscious, and remained in that condition, with the exception of a few brief intervals, until his death. His wife and two daugh- ters—his only son being absent in the Government service in Dakota—were at his deathbed. “The funeral will take place to- morrow, leaving the house at 1:30 p.m. The services will be held at All Souls’ Unitarian Church, conducted by Rev. R. R. Shippen, the pastor, and Rev, Dr. C. C. Meador of the Fifth Baptist Church, South Washington. The pall- bearers will be: On the part of the ex- trustees, Messrs. W. J. Stephenson and George White; on the part of the friends, C. S. Noyes and M. W. Galt, and on the part of the supervising principals of the public schools, B. T. Janney of the fifth division. and A. T. Stuart of the third division. The fun- eral will be under the charge of Mr. W. H. Lee, one of his old pupils, and the interment be made at the Con- gressional Cemetery. “The teachers of the fourth district and the board of school trustees will hold meetings this afternoon to take action respecting Mr. Thompson's death. All the schools will be closed tomorrow. “As teacher and supervising princi- pal, Mr. Thompson won the love and esteem of all his fellow-workers in the educational fleld by the sympathetic interest he always manifested in their welfare, and his readiness on every oc- casion to aid and encourage them in their arduous labors. His sick room during his illness has been filled with tributes of their affection in the shape of beautiful flowers, choice fruits and every delicacy that could tempt the in- valid appetite.” * k ok % ,A FURTHER article regarding the funeral of Mr. Thompson published in The Star of March 31, 1885, reads: “The funeral of John E. Thompson. “‘Tributes of love and esteem from his old pupils and fellow-teachers, The services at All Souls’ Church.” “The funeral of the late John E. ‘Thompson, formerly the supervising principal of the fourth division of the public schools of the District, took place this afternoon from All Souls’ Church. The remains were placed in a handsome casket, covered with black cloth, with heavy silver handles.: All yesterday afternoon and late into the night and again this morning the friends of the deceased thronged to his late residence at the corner of Fifth and M streets to take a last look upon the familiar features. The casket, which was placed in the parlor, was completely surrounded by the floral tributes from the teachers and scholars of the public schools, as well as friends in other walks of life. The scholars of the fourth division sent a large number of beautiful floral pieces, which were ex- quisite in their beauty and fragrance. Among these were a lyre, a broken wheel, a large piece representing the setting sun, a sickle, a sheaf of wheat and a cross and crown. The teachers of the fourth division sent a large plece composed of exquisite flowers represent- ing the portals of heaven and sur- mounted by a pure white dove with outstretched wings. The supervising Strong John Thomson's school—the runners-up being Giles A. Heilprin, W. R. Brown and Henry Simpson. i * o ko N 1870 the Kendall scholarship was first awarded to Theodore W. Noyes, who lived with his family on the “Island” and went to school to John E. Thompson. The report of the ex- amining committee for the public schools was dated July 30, 1870. In 1871-2 this scholarship went to William H. Luff, also of the Male Grammar School of the fourth school district, presided over by Mrr. Thomp- son, “Strong John's” able rival in edu- cating prize pupils. The King scholar- ship went to Daniel Foley of the third district. The followi e Ken- dall prize, in the university, went to Edwin L. Scott of | the third district, the King scholarship being awarded to Walter M. McFarland. The Jefferson School Building re- placed the brick school which was built | in this block in 1845. At the time it wa erected it also replaced ninc_one-st frame buildings used for school pur- poses and which had been built in this block between the years 1850 and 1859, The first teachers assigned to the present building were: John E. Thom; son, Mrs. Mary E. Martin, Miss Maggie A. Pumphrey, Miss Mary A. Lee, E. H. Thompson, Mrs. Sarah E. Wise, Miss Annie Van Horn, Miss Susie A. Langley, Miss Victoria V. Trook, Miss Annie M. ‘Adams, Miss Rachel A. Garrett, Mrs. Harriet L 5. Miss Ellie Dunn, aret Garrett, Miss Aannie E. Fowler, Miss Ellen E. Haliday. Miss Adele B. Gray and Miss Beitie A. Robinson. Zhe bullding was designed by Adolf ner, Minnie Clear, Maggie Riley, Mary Taylor, Katie Humphreys, Cora Knott, Mary Darley, Martha Trenis, Katie Sayers, Clara Slegel, Lida Custis, Fannle . . g BY WEARE HOLBROOK. VERY one who has enjoyed the benefits of compulsory educa. tion can recall the thrill of anticipation that used to come with the ides of May. The calendar was a sort of crystal in which the ardent gazer could catch glimpses of the land uf sweet do-nothing. Four- teen days more—twelve—ten—a week . and then at last, school was over! Even in later life the calendar- watching habit_ persists during the month of May. But the thrill of mflcl'- pation is lacking. Vacations aren’t what they used to be. To the younger generation vacation time means no more studying. Books are closed, rules and regulations are forgotten and teachers are merely un- pleasant memories. But to the older generation vacation time means exactly the opposite. Books are opened, rules and regulations are memorized and teachers are an omnipresent blot on the landscape. One of the penalties for being civilized is everlasting study. Man must spend the first half-of his life learning how to work when he would rather be playing, and the last half of his life learning how to play when he would rather be working. And the last half is usually the hardest, because there are so many professional helpers eager to help him. As a nation we take our recreations seriausly. We work harder to amuse ourselves than any other people in the world—except possibly the head-hunters of New Guinea. You may smile pityingly at the grim earnestness of the savage who thumps a tom-tom and gyrates in_an inter- minable shuffing dance. ~What, you ask yourself, are the mental processes of a human being who can derive pleas- | ure from an endlessly repeated serles ! of motions, motions as futile and mo- notonous as the pacing of a caged lion? Does he really enjoy his imbecile | routine? And when he finally sinks to | the ground exhausted, is he any happier | than he was when he began? To a | citizen of an_enlightened republic it {all_seems pretty silly. |~ But have you ever watched a stout, middle-aged party in plus-fours taking a lesson from the professional at a golf | club? There is earnestness at its grimmest. _Statisticians have estimated that if all the energy expended in | practice strokes on golf courses last | vear could be harnessed it would pro- pel a cannonball from here to the moon and do a lot more good. * %k k X "HE middle of May is not a bit too early to begin your vocational training. If you think you are going to scme quiet Summer resort this year and lie around doing nothing, you have another think coming. There’s work to be done, man! You remember those hearty, healthy, noisy people that you always meet when you go to the lakes or to the mountains—the people who are as brown as berries and hard as nails and fit as fiddles, and who can ride horses, sink putts, sail boats, swim channels, play ukuleles, catch tarpo, {climb trees and call wild flowers by { their first names. Well, how do you suppose they got that way? By taking too much pare- goric and falling out of their peram- | bulators head first? No, indeed. Hard work did it. They studied to prepare themselves for their vacation. The modern Summer resort has all the advantages of a high-class boarding scboo) except compulsory chapel, The [ for Vacation Rules and Regulations Tend to Upset Nervous System—Grim Teachers Are Classed as Blot on Landscape—Victim Feels Like the Far End of a Bowling Alley. ® o OF PUBLIC AT THE sUS Me- HOURS HUMILIATIO! HANDS OF AN TOSH.” In some of the exclusive resorts the instructors outnumber the guests. faculty is the most important fenture.l time. Each subject required a change of costume. |, The golf lesson came first. Mr. Odd- leigh came down to breakfast every went to Blundermere Lodge for a little | plaid costumes worn by golfers in the intensive relaxation. Before he qujie clothing store advertisements. realized what he was getting in for, he e had signed up for swimming lessons (Theory of Natation—Miss Schoesel-| [MMEDIATELY after breakfast he dunk MTWThF 10-12): bridge lessons would go over to the clubhouse for on | several hours of public humiliation un- (Seminar - Course, with lectures | Twentieth Century Experts—two hours |der the supervision of Angus McTosh, daily); golf lessons (Elementary Course | the imported professional. of nine holes prerequisite for Advanced not a theorizer; he believed in acti | Course of Eighteen Holes—subject to practice. Though Mr. Oddleigh would denounced later—Mr. McTosh have preferred to receive his instruc- | MTWThFS 8-10), and riding lessons tion in the locker room, or at least | (Principles of Equitation—Prof. Glinch | behind- the clubhouse, McTosh always |2:30 to 5:30 daily). In odd moments | took him out in the open. he was supposed to receive instruction spot for teaching was directly in front | in canoeing, fencing, tennis and musical |of the club verandah, which formed a appreciation. spectators’ gallery, from ‘which the sea- But after the grind started he was |soned golfers could study the patient in compelled to drop canoeing and musi- | his clinic. There McTosh would stand cal appreciation; there just weren't |him up and roll “r’s” at him until Mr. enough hours in the day for them. His| Oddleigh felt like the far end of & major subjects—golf, swimming and | bowling alley. horsepack riding—occupied most of his'_ “Don’t pr-r-ress!” he would rwmble. Several Summers ago Mr. Oddleigh | morning attired in one of those fuzzy, His favorite | “You lift yer showlders and yer head. Keep yer head down. Watch yer stance. Don't cr-r-rcuch like that. Yer not get- tin’ ready to jump on the ball; yer get- tin’ ready to hit it. Keep yer legs straight!” - Once Mr. Oddleigh gathered courage to protest. “I am keeping my legs straight,” he said meekly. “It's these bloomers that make me look that way.” But arguing with McTosh, at $4 an hour, was a luxury in which Mr. Odd- leigh did not often indulge. Most of the time he kept his head down and his mouth shut. As soon as his daily golf lesson was finished he would return to the hotel, change his clothes and trot down to the bathhouse for a swimming lesson. Miss Schoeseldunk, the swimming in- structor, was a sun-bronzed Amazon from Milwaukee. With her ample shoulders and her leathery complexion she resembled a hotel lobby chair. Her methods of instruction were Spartan in their simplicity; they con- sisted in pushing Mr. Oddleigh off the deep end of the pool and then deliver- ing an inspirational lecture on self- reliance while he clung to the edge of the tank and shivered. All you lack is confidence,” she ex- plained. ~ “You don’t trust yourself. Stop feeling for the bottom of the tank. Just imagine that there isn't any bot- tom. Imagine that you are in the middle of a big lake a mile from shore —that you have to strike out and swim or drown.” “Or b-both,” added Mr. Oddleigh, whr]s had just swallowed part of the pool. Miss §cboeleldunk used fo stand on a rubber mat at the edge of the tank and demonstrate the various strokes. They looked easy enough—on the rub- ber mat—but when Mr. Oddleigh was in the pool he forgot all scientific principles in the desperate struggle to keep his head above water. The only bright spot in his swimming course was the day Miss Schoeseldunk slipped off the tank's edge. She, too, forgot all scientific principles and shouted wildly for help until Mr. Oddleigh dragged her to safety. * ok ok % IT was fortunate that Mr. Oddleigh’s daily riding lesson came im- mediately after the swimming lesson. It involved another change of costume, but Mr. Oddleigh was so glad to get into dty clothes that even his riding habit looked good to him. He was the only person it looked good to, however. As a beginner he was given a large white mare named Beatrice. She had formerly traveled with a circus and was accustomed to jogging around the ring at a steady, lambic-pentameter gait while acrobats turned somersaults on her broad back. Looking at Beatrice from left to right it seemed incredible that any one de- scending through the air could miss her back. Yet Mr. Oddleigh did several times and he wasn't turning somer- saults either—at least not intentionally. And when Beatrice cantered the bil- lowing motion always gave Mr. Odd- leigh a peculiar “gone” feeling at the pit of his stomach. This, the riding- master informed him, was merely a touch of mal de mare. ‘The evenings were devoted to bridge and fencing lessons. Although Mr. Odd- leigh was unable to shuffie the card: fish “HE BEGAN TO BEHAVE IN A MOST UNACCOUNTABLE MANNER," ' United States, Becomes Year’s Great Job because of his riding blisters (he had no swimming blisters), he managed to master the principles of auction bridge by hovering about the tables and studying Lenz and Foster in his spare time by way of home work. Within a few weeks he was the star pupil at Blundermere Lodge. There was no rule of golf, fencing, swimming, bridge or horsemanship that he did not know. But suddenly one morning Mr. Odd- leigh began to behave in a most unac- countable manner. golf course attired in striped bathing trunks and riding boots with spurs. “Eh, Mr. Oddleigh,” cried McTosh, “what’s the idea of the fancy dress? “It's my longest and strongest suit,” explained Mr. Oddleigh calmly, turning to the caddy. “One club, partner.” He took & brassie from the bag, poised it like a fencing foil and made a series of darting lunges at McTosh. “Hey!” protested the bewildered in- structor, attempting to ward off the guf':cln “Cut it out, mon! Are ye aft? “Keep your head down,” replied Mr. Oddleigh. “Watch your stan on't from the shoulder! gave McTosh a jab which knocked him off his feet, and then galloped down the fairway, his spurred heels shower- ing divots at every step. The next time McTosh saw him he was executing the Australian crawl in a water hazard and | shouting “Giddap, Beatrice Mr, Oddleigh's antics completely de- moralized the sporting element at Blundermere Lodge, and classes were dismissed for the day. Physiclans di- agnosed his case as & nervous break- down, caused by overstudy. Hs was sent home the following morning with a letter to his family advising them to put him in a nice, quiet office and keep him hard at work. But at Blundermere Lodge Mr. Odd- leigh will always be remembered as the man who put the wreck in recreation. He appeared on the | il 7y principals and ex-supervising principals sent a large broken column. The teachers of the Twining Building sent as their tribute a pillow, a sheaf of wheat and a sickle. In addition, there were a number of floral designs and flowers from the personal friends of the deceased. “The friends hegan to assemble at the house at 1 o'clock, and at half- past 1 a short service was held by Rev Dr. Shippen, and then the remains were borne to the hearse by the pall- bearers, who were as follows: W. J. Ste- phenson and George White, represent- ing the ex-trustees; C. S. Noyes and M. W. Galt, representing the friends, and B. T. Janney and A. T. Stuart, representing the supervising principals. ‘The public schools of the city being closed as a mark of respect, there was a large attendance of the officials and pupils of the schools. The teachers g{’ the fourth division attended in a “When . the funeral cortege arriverd at the church that edifice was thronged. The choir, composed of Miss Eva Mills’ and Mrs. Morrison and Messrs. Widney and H. C. Pearson, sang the hymns which had been selected at the request of the deceased. These were ‘Abide With Me’ and ‘Lord, Forever at Thy Side.” The funeral services were con- ducted by Rev. Dr. Shippen and Rev. Dr. Meador. Upon the conclusion of the services at the church the body was taken to Oak Hill Cemetery for inter- ment. The funeral arrangements were under the direction of W. H. Lee, who was a pupil of the deceased. KOk K “ACI'ION of the school trustees. “At a special meeting of the board of school trustees, at half-past 4 o'clock yesterday, after a committee consisting of Messrs. Lovejoy, Baum, Clark and Brooks was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the senti- ments of the board respecting the death of Mr. Thompson, this committee re- ported a series of resolutions, which were adopted, paying tribute to Mr. Thompson’s memory in the following terms: *“‘“The death of Mr. John E. Thomp- son, late supervising principal of the fourth division, unveils the retrospect of a long and useful life. All that was good and great in his character and career stands out in bold relief and challenges respect, the youth devoting himself to the cause of education, the young man a pioneer of the public school system, the middle-aged man still laboring at his post, the old man with his hand at the plow falling be- side the last furrow he was running in the field of a long life’s usefulness. Sol- diers may have graven on their tombs the battles they have won, statesmen the measures which have marked their triumphs, but no epitaph compares with the testimony of good and useful lives— the fruits of a teacher's labors. We recognize the feebleness of speech in the presence of the profound grief of the many who were once his pupils, men useful in all the walks of life, who stand beside his bier and gaze with sorrow-stricken affection on the face of him who was the guide of their youth and the friend of their manhood. All this is his epitaph: “ ‘He labored for the permanent good of others; his reward was their lasting gratitude.” “The resolution also tendered sym- pathy to the bereaved family. The board decided to attend the funeral in a body, te close the schools of the fourth division during the whole of to- day and of the other divisions during the afternoon.” After Mr. Thompson’s death the teachers and pupils of the South Wash- ington schools erected a very beautiful monument to his memory in Oak Hill Cemetery, on which are inscribed ex- pressions of commendation and love from all of those with whom he had long been associated. The monument is of artistic design and is a miniature copy of the Washington Monument, Sawdust Demand. 'HERE is a growing danger that soon the tail will be wagging the dog out in Seattle. It all came about be- cause lumber manufacturing companies in the great Northwest had a white elephant on their hands in the form of the huge piles of sawdust which had accumulated and which represented a terrific job of disposal. Last year, however, some one worked out a scheme for burning the sawdust in furnaces by means of a special blower attachment. So successful was the in- stallation that gnuny other people fol- lowed suit, soon the huge piles of sawdust were nothing but a mem- ory. The demand grew apace and now the refuse is brought into Seattle from as far as 200 miles away by scow. Because of this demand, which is in- creasing rather than decreasing, and be- cause there is an abundance of waste material that could be converted into sawdust if there were anything to con- vert it with, it is possible that special :quipmelm. will be supplied to produce uel. Now, instead of the companies bein dissatisfied because they could not dis- pose of the refuse, the buyers are dis- satisfled because they can't buy as for- merly and the companies because they haven't any to sell. Uncle Sam’s Outing. UNCL!: SAM is preparing an outing for his employes the coming Sum- mer, through the co-operation of the laska Railroad, which is the Government. ‘The outing embraces a specially con- ducted tour from the Capital to Fair- banks, Alaska, leaving here August 25 and returning 32 days later. The ex- penses of all kinds will be grouped under one lump sum, which will be be- tween $520 and $550. ‘The entire round trip will total 11,000 miles of travel and will include both rail and steamship journeys. If suffi- cient people arrange to take the trip, special trains will be run from Wash- ington to Seattle, and steamers from Seattle to Alaska will be run exclusively for the excursionists. ‘While Alaska is the principal goal of the trip, efforts will be made to show as much of the Western part of the United States as possible. One’day, for instance, will be devoted to sightseeing trips around Salt Lake City, and Co- lumbia River Gorge, in Washington, will be on the itinerary. The northern trip from Seattle will be through the famous scenic inside passage. Where CoarIs Cheap. WHILE the memory of last Winter's coal bill is still fresh in the house- holder's mind, it is interesting, even though a matter of envy, to note that at least one group of families managed to get out of the fuel problem with coal bought at less than $1 a ton. These fortunate people live in the territory contiguous to York, Harris- burg and Sunbury, Pa., along the Sus- quehanna and the Schuylkill Rivers. For almost a century these rivers and their tributaries have been washing away quantities of anthracite from the hard coal fields of the Keystone State. Dredges on the river are engaged now in recovering this coal. Mostly it is of sizes equivalent to buckwheat No. 3 and boiler. Prices for this coal have gradually declined since 1920, until now they are reckoned in cents rather than dollars. U. S. Feeds Siam. far off Siam the natives turn their operated by N I thoughts toward the United States when the question of food arises, and in_ particular their attention is cen- tered upon the Pacific Coast where come two of their most highly prized delicacies, sardines and raisins. Last year more than a $1,000,000 worth of products were imported from the