Evening Star Newspaper, June 7, 1931, Page 80

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C.. JUNE .7, -1931. Incidents in History of St. Aloysius and Immaculate Conception—S't. Mary’s and Its First Pastor, Mathias Alig—St. Dominic’s Erected on Site of Notley Young’s Barn—Preservation of the Barry Chapel Corner Stone. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. VEN the worst boy in school, when grown to manhood, will lock back upon his school days as the happlest in his life, and he will probably remember more of this period of his existence than all the rest of his life put together. And though the writer does not consider himself one of the worst boys the teacher had to manage, yet he rarely ever passes by one of the old school buildings where he received a part of his educa- tion that he does not think of the acquaint- ances of his youth with whom he mingled when attending public or private schools. When the writer was four years old his par- ents—without his consent, of course—decided to move to the extreme northern part of the city, just inside the boundary line, and the re- sult was he nearly always had to go a long dis- tance to the school he was attending. To the school at Fourteenth and Q streets, where he attended for a while, it was at least a mile from his home and to the old Brewery Building at Second and N streets—the site of the National Homeopathic Hospital—was at least a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half. A private school which he attended for a year or two, in the old church building of the Immaculate Con- ception at Eighth and N streets, was equally as far as the Brewery School—so-called because it was once a brewery. Of course he remembers some of his old pub- lic school teachers, for it would be impossible to forget some of those good women who spent their entire lives in the cause of education and in character building, such as Miss Mary Ma- lone, Miss Jennie Drury, Miss Susie Porter, Miss Jennie Gittings, Miss Amanda East, Miss L. S. Nichols and dear Mrs. Quinlan. In the private school at Eighth and N streets, he recalls Miss Mary McCarthy and Patrick Vaughan, the lat- ter of whom had lost a leg, but whose mentality was of the best and whose strength was equa! to Sandow's—at least so it seemed. There was a yard at this school and the boys were not allowed to play in the street. Here the discipline was excellent, for “Corky” Vaughan was never known to smile during school hours. He was a typical old-timer when it came to im- parting knowledge, and Strong John Thomson at his best (or worst) did not command more respect—seemingly, at least. T is wonderful what one can find in old news- papers. Just a few days ago the writer acci- dentally stumbled across an item in The Star of July 3, 1865, giving an account of the dedica- tion of the old Immaculate Conception Church in which he for awhile went to school. It exists no longer, since it was replaced about 1907 by a church building that now occupies the site. But ever 80 many boys now grown gray with age will no doubt recall it with a great deal of fond- ness, as well as its strict but efficient old teacher who has unquestionably long since gone to a just reward. It was not altogether a satisfying account, be- cause It did not give the names of those who helped to build the church, for, to the historian, this is always interesting to know. But no one dreamed 66 years ago that this omission would be missed today. However, the item tells us much that is worth reading. It says: “The Church of the Immaculate Conception. The new Catholic church of this name, just fin- ished, at the corner of Eighth street west and N street north, was yesterday dedicated in the presence of a large congregalion, among whom were many of different denominations, and the services were of a very impressive character. At 10 o'clock brief services took place at the altar, after which the ceremony of blessing the church was performed. A procession was formed headed by a boy bearing the cross, on either side being a small boy bearing lighted candles, Rev. Fathers Walter and McCarthy, the pastor and assistant pastor of St. Patrick’s Church; Archbishop M. J. Spaulding of Baltimore, and the principal members of the church, which passed down the aisle, and thence around the outside of the church, chanting the litany; and the archbishop blessing the church, and then back to the interior of the church, the proces- sion passing around the walls. After arriving at the altar, silent solemn prayer was offered that those who hereafter worship here may be especially blessed and comforted. The arch- bishop then addressed the congregation, con- gratulating them on the erection of the church in a locality where it was so much needed. He commended the liberality of the Catholics, and also those Who were not attached to the church who had aided in the erection of the building. It is the intention to erect a magnificent church edifice on the large lot at the corner, which will afford accommodations to the population of this part of the city, but the debt now due is to be extinguished first. This house is 75 by 50 feet, with accommodations for schools in the lower story, which is thought may be put in operation by the first of September, with the ground has cost about $16,000, of which about $8,000 has already been raised. It is contemplated ulti- mately to make this a church to itself, with its parish bounds, but for the present it will be attached to St. Patrick’'s, whose pastors will see to the wants of the people. He would as soon as possible supply a priest, but in the archbishopric there is a great lack of priests, and he could give work to 20 additional at this time if he had them. “High mass was performed, Rev. Father Wal- @er being the eehilgx;qx}hfils()eg by Reyv. Father TANPC om McCarthy. Haydn's ‘Sixteenth Mass’' was finely rendered by the choir of St. Patrick’s, the prin- cipal performers being Miss Mary Murray, Miss Mollie Harrington, Mrs. Newton, Mr. George Paddon and Prof. J. P. Caulfield. “The archbishop preached the dedicatory ser- mon, taking for his text the words of Mary when Elizabeth visited her, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord."” Church of St. Mary’s Mother of God (St. Mary’s German Catholic Church) which once occupied the site of the present church at Fifth street between H and G northwest. F course, the Immaculate Conception Church was not the earliest, nor even one of the earliest churches in the city. John Gil- nary Shea, well known Catholic historian, gives Barry Chapel, erecied on Half street west and O street south, as the first building erected in Washington City for Catholic worship, but the original St. Patrick’s Church was undoubtedly erected at an earlier date. Unless the writer is mistaken, the oldest Catholic church standing in the city today— that is east of Rock Creek—is St. Aloysius, the corner stone of which, according to Sessford's Annals, was laid in 1857, and, acco:ding to the National Intelligencer, was d:dicated October 16; 1859. From this we can readily see that this noted chureh is not very old as we look upon church structures, but to the Washing- tonians it is indeed an old and well known land- mark. Especially is this so to the many em- ployes of the Government Printing Office, who have come and gone since the original printing office was erected in 1856, as well as to those who are empleyed there now, for the old clock in the tower has kept them all posted on the time of day and the hour of the night. When St. Aloysius’ Church was erected this neighborhood had undergone practically no change since the day it belonged to the orig- inal proprietor. An account of the neighbor- hood in 1857 telis us that “the bridge on H between North Capitol and First streets has been rebuilt,” and this will ccnvey an idea of the size of the stream that once flowed through this square, being a block and more to the east of Tiber Creek. The only house around here up to 1850 being that of Ignatius Boone Rev. Father Mathias Alig, first pastor of St. Mary’s German Catholic Church. Dg'gdilune 7, 1882, 5 Early Washington Catholic Churches ey et N early description of this neighborhood carries us far back indeed, even to and beyond the days cf Swampoodle, even to the days when it was safe and proper for boys to go in bathing in the Tiber in daytime with- out a bathing suit, for there were no street cars at this particular time and few streets were opened up to travel in this vicinity. “In the now well settled portion of this city between G and K and First street east and west,” so the story goes, “where now are st.} Aloysius’ Church, Gonzaga College and thié Government Printing Office, there was but lit- tle indication that the rural conditions wouid disappear till about 1850. On the eastern slope of Burch's hill * * * there was a soli- tary habitation about 1820. This was on tne church square, a two-storied frame building on a hill north of I street and east of Firsc street, occupied by Ignatius Boone, a clerk in the Treasury, «® some years. North of this/ house was a small stream flowing eastward : to the Tiber, which increased the value of | the ground as a pasture. Most of the ground '; thereabouts was worked as a farm and late in | the 40s was krown as Lynch’'s farm, and in ; the 50s as Rover's garden. With this ex- ception the face of nature was undisturbec, the streets unopened and much of the primeval ' growth remained, but approximating the lines ™ of H street there was a wagon road made by the travel over the turnpike entering the civy at Fifteenth and H streets, and by the sporting element attending the dog and chicken matches and other amusements at the old Spring Tavern, near the toll gate. Much of the ground was above the present grade and °, was of gravel, much of which was utilized under the corporation for foot walks and as the street beds. The Tiber cutting througn east of North Capitol street was & handicap to improvements for many years, but about 1850, about its crossing at H street, Swampoo- dle sprang into existence, and for many years it was r@garded as the typical settlement cf the sons of Erin. IIT'HE church and college, square 622, of 52 lots fronting on North Capitol, First, I and K streets, was bought of Mr. Oden, in 1819, by Benjamin G. Orr, then Mayor of Washington. In 1830 the valuation was half a cent per foot on the ground, which was assessed to Mr. Orr’s heirs, as also the house above noted, for $600. John Boyle was the owne subsequently, and in 1849 it was sold to Anp brose Lynch for a nominal consideration. latter owned the square south, 623, from 18 and in 1850 leased for 10 years these sq and part of that north to John Rover, who, above stated, engaged in gardening and sup- plied his stands in the markets. It was stipu- lated in the lease if the corporation opened the streets during this term Mr. Rover would do the necessary fencing. In 1857 Adelaide Talbct became the owner of two lots in the southwest corner of the square. the east quarter of the square for a nominal consideration, and it was stipulated that a church and college should be erected and cov- given by Mr. Lynch to the trustees of St. Joseph’s Orphan Asylum of the quarter west, minus 20 feet for an tween it and the college fourth. The building ¥