20
District LOCAL LIVING
DC
COMMUNITY NEWS
What’s in a school name? D.C. students will find out.
Booklet to explore
a $2,500 grant from the District’s public and charter schools in the all 131 public and 57 public char- view, they are saying a project
Humanities Council and Historic District and the schools’ ep- ter schools. The group is plan- like that helps people who live
history of monikers
Preservation Office to begin its onyms. ning to publish three booklets, and work in the neighborhood or
work. Shaw Junior High, 925 Rhode Patrick said: one each for public live and work in the school. By
“So many people have been ex- Island Ave. NW, is named for Col. schools, public charter schools knowing the history, they can
cited about it,” said Barbara Har- Robert Gould Shaw, commander and registered historic land- take on the task of becoming bet-
by Christy Goodman vey, a foundation member. “They of the all-black 54th Massachu- marks. ter stewards of that building and
were so excited because they setts Volunteer Infantry in the “People were suggesting we preserving it for future genera-
Ever wonder how Shaw Junior didn’t have any idea where the Civil War. Stevens Elementary, at [should make it readable for] el- tions.
High School got its name? Or Ste- names came from and who the 21st and L NW, was named after ementary students. Someone “For the Humanities Council, it
vens Elementary? people were. You know, all teach- Thaddeus Stevens, a 19th-centu- suggested it go online,” said Pat- is more personally transforma-
The Women of the Dove Foun- ers should know this, also. Chil- ry Pennsylvanian congressman rick, who said ideas include a col- tive,” Austin said. “We think if you
dation are determined to provide dren are asking, and go through and abolitionist who wanted to oring book and making the book- know the name of your school, it
the answers in a booklet, “What’s school, and graduate and never recolonize the Southern states. let available to tourists. gives you an idea of where you
in a Name: Profiles of the Trail- know.” Sylvia Patrick, director of the Joy Austin, executive director came from, a sense of who you
blazers.” The reference guide, which is a foundation’s project, said the of the Humanities Council of are and how you fit into the
The group, a nonprofit branch work in progress, will explain the group will apply for more grants Washington, D.C., said: “In the world.”
of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, received history and heritage of two dozen to help continue its research for historic preservation point of
goodmanc@washpost.com
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Recorder of Deeds moving but fate of historic murals unclear
murals from 19 image of the president on the the Recorder of Deeds will be executive director of the D.C. In 2001, the city entertained
dime. moved to the D.C. Archives. The Preservation League. The league an unsolicited proposal by
In his second-floor office, he “A lot of people don’t think office is in the process of making listed the office in a category of developers to sell the building to
sits at the desk once occupied by that’s appropriate, that the all its records digital. art deco municipal buildings expand the nearby office of the
William J. Thompkins, recorder recorder of deeds won’t be going There are no immediate plans considered to be the “most Securities and Exchange
of deeds from 1934 to 1944, who with the murals,” said Todd, who for the old building, Madigan endangered” in 2000. Miller said Commission.
is credited with securing the declined to comment about said. her organization would review Andrew T. Brophy, vice
funds for the building and whether he was happy with the “Our desire all along is to any proposals about the future president of District-based
requesting the murals. move. make sure that we keep the use of the space. Raymond C. Brophy Inc., said his
The seven murals in the “It’s like a gem,” said Shawn integrity of the building the best One historian is prepared to development company planned
building depict prominent Donald, the office’s team leader. that we can,” he said. fight the District if its plans don’t to restore the lobby and add
African Americans and their Donald, who has worked in the Officials are open to include preservation. stories. But Padro said those
historical contributions, such as building for about a decade, said suggestions about the building’s Alexander M. Padro, changes would have desecrated
Benjamin Banneker, the he will miss the murals, which future, Madigan said, but there co-chairman of the board of the historic site. The project was
pioneering black scientist and a have inspired him daily. will be some restrictions as to its trustees of the Historical Society ultimately dropped.
surveyor of the city, and In May, the office will move to use because of its age and layout. of Washington, D.C., said he Because of the historical
Douglass, who is painted in a the former Waterside Mall, from “It needs substantial work to would file a landmark significance of the site, Brophy
scene petitioning Lincoln to a 15,000-square-foot space to bring it up to a level that a application if the building isn’t said, the Recorder of Deeds
allow blacks to serve in the about 8,700 square feet, said city modern office user would want,” properly renovated. building would be a difficult
Union Army. spokesman Sean Madigan. The he said. “That will be pretty much a project for any developer.
The building also houses other Department of Consumer and The building is not a landmark deal-killer for any developer,” he “I wish that nine years ago
artifacts, such as the semi-nude Regulatory Affairs and the Office but is granted certain said. things had gone different,”
statue of a young Lincoln and a of the Chief Financial Officer will protections because it is within It would not be the first time Brophy said. “It could have been
bronze relief of Roosevelt that is also move to the office in a few the Pennsylvania Avenue historic Padro has helped shut a really interesting.”
10 rumored to have inspired the weeks, he said. All the books at district, said Rebecca Miller, developer out of the building.
norfleetn@washpost.com
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MARCH
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202-334-6200
Buy it. Sell it.
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