This Date in History

June 30, 1918: Churches of the Capital honored their soldier members at home and abroad. Several raised service flags, dedicated to their sons. Throughout the city pastors chose patriotic themes. Uniformed men filled many pews. At noon many pastors halted their sermons for two minutes and prayed silently with their congregations for victory and peace. In the afternoon hundreds of soldiers, sailors and marines enjoyed the social hour at many churches.

This Date in History

June 29, 1926: The Citizens Savings Bank building, 1336 New York avenue northwest, which came into possession of the Merchants Bank & Trust Co., through a merger with that institution, was sold to Percy H. Pickford and Andrew D. Porter, according to an announcement by Peter A. Drury, president of the Merchants Bank & Tust Co.

This Date in History

June 26, 1912: An announcement by Superintendent of Schools W.M. Davidson, of an economy program by which nearly $5,000 would be saved immediately and much more in the future, was made at a meeting of the board of education held at the Franklin School. The announcement was greeted with applause by the members of the board.

This Date in History

June 25, 1937: Testimony at the hearing on request of Capital Transit Co. for an increase in District token fares dealt more with what numerous individuals and organizations think about the bus and street car service they get than about what they are willing to pay for it.

This Date in History

June 24, 1953: The Board of Education was asked to transfer Raymond grade school and Macfarland junior high to teach African American children beginning in September.

This Date in History

June 23, 1954: The Soldiers’ Home governor, Gen. Wade Haislip, and seven church and community organizations testified in opposition to sale of liquor within half a mile of the Soldiers’ Home.

This Date in History

June 22, 1964: Ground was broken for construction of 527 living units in the District’s Southwest Urban Renewal Area. Three nine-story apartment buildings and 14 town house complexes on an eleven-acre site bounded by M Street, 4th Street, Delaware Avenue, and N Street.

The target date for complete was set for October, 1965. The development brought the total living units under construction in the Southwest Urban Renewal Area to 2,000. Another 2,000 in the area south of Independence Avenue, SW, had already been completed and occupied.

This Date in History

June 21, 1922: It was reported that Marvin Harding, age 9, of 610 Quincy street northwest, and John Scott, 6 years old, pupils at the Park View school, might suffer the loss of their sight as a result of an explosion of a one-pound artillery shell. The explosion was caused by the boys hitting the shell with a horseshoe. The injured boys were taken to the Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.

This Date in History

June 20, 1874: The territorial government of the District of Columbia, including the non-voting delegate to Congress, is abolished. Three temporary commissioners and a subordinate military engineer are appointed by the president. 

This Date in History

(Photograph: second from left is Miss Margaret Wilson, center is J.G. McGrath. It is presumed the other three individuals are Mrs. E.J. Ward, B.S. Elliott, and C.H. Hanson)

June 19, 1917: On Tuesday evening of this date in 1917, it was the first time since the District had been stripped of voting rights in 1874 that citizens of the District of  Columbia had been given the opportunity to vote for a government official. The official was known as a community secretary, and was paid a salary by the District of Columbia and administrated all community affairs under the Park View Citizens’ Association.

The Secretary was accountable to the board of education for the enforcement of its regulations when community meetings were held in the Park View School.

The election took place at 8 o’clock in the evening in the Park View School at Newton and Warder streets. Adults of both sexes who lived in the following section of the city were eligible to vote:

The area bordered by the south side of Gresham street to north side of Rock Creek Church road, on the east side of the Soldiers’ Home grounds, both sides of Georgia avenue from Gresham street to Park road, then north on the west side of New Hampshire avenue to Rock Creek Church road.

(Miss Margaret Wilson in front of the Park View School, preparing to get into the Presidential Limousine, 1917)

All citizens that lived outside this territory, but having children attending the Park View School, were also allowed to vote. Miss Margaret Wilson (President Wilson’s daughter), who was an honorary member of the Park View Citizens’ Association was a guest of honor.

In the election, J. G. McGrath won becoming the community secretary of Park View. Out of 231 votes cast, Mr. McGrath received 192. The other three candidates running received the following votes: Mrs. E. J. Ward 21, B. S. Elliott 13, and C. H. Hanson 5.

As part of the celebrations surrounding this historic vote, Representative M. Clyde Kelly, author of the bill to mobilize the nation through community center use of public schools, delivered the principal address.

Charles S. Shreve, president of the Federation of Citizens’ Associations, spoke in behalf of the firemen of the District, stating that he hoped before the next fall that they would not have to work 24 hours a day. Shreve stated that he thought free text books should be provided for pupils of the public schools  and that the person chosen to fill the position of District commissioner should be a member of one of the citizens’ associations.