Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-20

oak leaves ana One-ll8lf or laurel the branches
crossed at the bottom and tied. The oak is
emblematic of strength ard civic virtue, the
laurel of fame and the binding together svm-
versely. and filling the center space. is the
following legend ''SOdales Alumni Alma
MATHIS STcnlaria Tcsta primum dedicant
MDCCCVIII"
The selection and arrangement of the in
scriptions required the greatest care and dis
erection. so that they should be in thorough
Keeping with the commemorative object for
which the medal was designed. and the legend
Is mainly due to one of the Italian fathers al
the college, whose reputation rs a classIcist is
worldwide. The design. it will be observed. is
severely classical. and III accord with Roman
numismatics of the Augustan era. 1t is of
course. CIRCULAR III form, an lnch and five
cighths i'll diameter, and has been struck in
bronze Il is 70 be worn bv the alumni during
the centennial exercises. and will be suspended
from ribbon of blue and gray-the college
colors. The respective schools of the univer-
sity-arts and sciences, law. medicine, &c
will be designated i'll gilt letters. worked di-
agOnally across the ribbon. The design is the
work of Vim. +. Quiclsall an alumnus now re-
siding i'll Washington, and the drawings were
sent TO Philadelphia, where the medal was
struck. The ribbon adopted for the purpose
OF badge is about an inch in width, of gros
grain silk, into which are woven the hues
adopted by the college as its colors being in
steel gray.
This combination of the blue and gray was
adopted for the reason that the old institution
stands upon the bank of the Potomac. dividing.
as it were, the north from the south, students
entering for its benefits. from its very founda-
ton, from the one section as well as from the
other, and it is intended that this commingling
of cOlors shall indicate that the pupils from
one quarter are as dear to alma mater as those
from the other quarter-that the mantle of her
n
alloy.
The Society of Alumni.
In May, 1880, the present Society Of Alumni
was organized. the first meeting having been
held at the residence in this city of Hon.
Francis Herman, who was, at that time United
States Senator from New York.
The object of the society. as set out in the
preamble to the constitution ia as follows:
Whereas it Is meet that students should cher
ish toward the college in which they have been
educated sentiments of sincere gratitude and
an affectionate interest in its welfare and
progress; and
Whereas the best expression of these senti-
ments is the desire and effort on our part to
obtain for our alma mater greater educational
facilities and larger concourse of Students;
and
Whereas emulation is so laudable a cause
while furthering the end proposed. will draw
ResOlred, That we, the alumni of Georgetown
college. do organize ourselves into a society
for the purposes before recited.
THE FIRST OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY,"
The officers for the first two years were: W
W. Corcoran, d. c., president; Hon. Francis
Herman. n. Y. LIST yice-president; Hon. Richard
T. Merrick. ID. c., I'd vice-president; John +.
Hanna, ID. C., secretary; Rev. 7. +. Healy s. j.
treasurer. BY the provisions Of the constitu-
ton first adopted the membership was not con-
fined to persons holding degrees from the uni
versity. but all undergraduates were eligible
Prior to 1889 an alumni association member
ship i'll which was restricted to graduates had
been formed, and continued its organization
until 1888, when a union of the two organiza-
tons was effected through the influence of
Rev. James A. Doonan, s. j.. then president of
the university. The constitution of the society
was then revised, and membership thereafter
restricted to persons holding degrees, profess
sors, and undergraduates on the university
rolls prior to 1888. The total number upon
the society rolls in 1888 was only about $50.
In 1885, in view of the near approach of the
centenary of their alma mater, a systematic
effort was set on foot to increase the member
ship. As result 800 names were found upon
its rolls i'll 1886.