New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-09

The conditions attached by G. " williamson
the Philadelphia philanthrOpist, TO his endowment
of the Mechanical School are sensible and practi-
CAL as well as generous. He directs that es-
pecial care be taken in the choice of location,
so as to secure good drainage, etc, the build
ings must be as nearly fire proof as possible, but
must be plain all palatial structures,
pensvc materials and elaborate ornamentation
or decorations being avoided in order that
scholars may not by reason of luxurious or ex-
pensve accommodations and surroundings acquire
tastes or habits which may. UNIT them for
their place in life. Boys may be admitted be-
tween twelve and eighteen, and must BE- in
dentured for three years. Board, lodging and
clothing are to be free as we'll as education.
No sectarian proselytizing is to be allowed but
the moral and religious training of the scholars
is to be carefully watched, especially with
view to impressing upon the boys the Importance
of truth. Mr. Williamsons first gift has already
been made of securities aggregating in market
value very nearly 100000
The present building Of the Board of Education
was erected in the year that General William
Henry Harrison was elected President. There is
peculiar fitness in starting the movement for put
ting up new building in the year that General
Benjamin Harrison was elected to the same Office.
Professor Holden, of the Lick Observatory, has
issued in pamphlet form suggestions to oh
servers of the solar eclipse which is to occur
next New-Years Day. map accompanies the
monograph, partially showing the limits within
which the observation will be total These in
clude but small part Of the United States
On American soil the phenomenon will be witnessed
to advantage only in California, Nevada and
some Of the Territories. The Lick Observatory
however, could not be more elgibly situated for
studying this celestial spectacle, which fact, to-
gethcr with the splendid upment of that in
stitution, will excite earnest hopes that General
Greedy will favor California with clear skies on
the opening day of January. In Acw-Yorll the
eclipse will begin at sunset, and will not attract
any attention.
The President out of temper, dsgruntled
and unhappy generally. OF course he was
not in a pleasant mood when he wrote his Mes
sage. and nobody expected him to b. either
jolly or philosophical But why should he have
afronted and insulted the American people?
The will of charitable woman of this city, the
widow of the late Gilbert E. Robertson is found
to contain provision for the establishment of Il
summer home for mothers and babies near New
York, or for the better endowment Of some one
of the homes already established. 1t is hoped
that the sum available will exceed 100000
This is most beautiful charity, and one in which
the results are prompt and bountful Isn't it a
fac by the way, that great many gifts to charity
and education coming to light just az this time
There are many epidemlcs of crime. il is pleasant
TO think that may be having an epidemic
Of eood deeds
IL must be apparent TO every one by this time
that this talk about the Presidents home life
ought never to have been allowed to get into
the newspapers The more it is agitated the more
unscemly the discussion becomes Every person
that has ever held high official station in Washing
ton, or in any other capital, has been the tar
get OF an incalculabe quantity Of gossip much
Of it malicious most Of it doubtless false and
absurd. Far greater men than Mr. Cleveland
have borne this quietly, and treated it one
of the penalties of prominence with dignifcd dis
dain. But Mr.. Clevelands egotism makes il i'm
possible for him regard anything connected with
himself AS having less than colossal Importance,
as witness his extraordinary outburst at the
Harvard dinner some years ago. IL is not at
all unlikely that the present outgiving may be
traccable to the same cause. IL has been init
mated that the first publication in The New
York Times inspired by persons very close
TO Mr.. Cleveland. 1t is well known that the
correspondent who made it has very close rea-
tions with the White House and it is hardly TO
be supposed that he would have written he
did without being assured that it would not be
dlsagreeable to the President The sooner the !
whole subject is dropped by those most concerned
the better