Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-11-08
West Side L. 4. G


The history committee presented q
very full. as well as interesting, pro-
gram on Greek history, beginning at the
period 1000 Il. c. and continuing down
TO 1000 B. c.. 1000 b. e. or nearly 1000
years ago. is such long time to 60 back
thst every thing seems dun and misty,
and We are forced to depend wholly up
on legends. The earliest inhabitants of
Greece were probably Palasgi. an Ar
yam nation vino came from tho high
tablclsnds OF Asia. They left traces of
this existence in the Greecian religion,
In the names of places and also IN the
walls. composed of huge stones found
III various places. The name Pelasgia
which was first given TO the country
was supplanted by that of Hellas and
the people were then called Hellenes.
The Hellenes were divided into Dorlans,
Acalians. Ionians and Achaeans; the
first two from Dorus and Aeolus, sons
Of HELEN and the latter two from lon
and Achaeus. sons Of Xuthus, third sun
of HELEN. The time from the appear.
ance of the Hsllenes in Greece t. the
siege of Troy, 1854 B. c., was known as
the heroicage.
The geography Of the country was
next given. Modern Greece is known
as peninsular and islandic. Ancient
Greece ~ northern and southern.
Ancient Greece had many colonies and
dependents on the coasts of Asia, Eu-
rope and Africa. Modern Greece has
none. Greece 10 exceedingly irregular
in form. and being almost surrounded
by water, innumcrabls bays and CULTS
| are thus formed which make most ex-
cellent harbors. The latitude Of the
| country ia nearly the same as that Of
Norfolk, Va, but the climate Is much
more salubrious. In area. Greece is
about equal TO the northern peninsula
| Of Michigan. The religion established
n the Orthodox Greek Church, TO
which nearly all the population be-
long. All religions, however, are tol-
Grated.
Popular education iswidely diffused.
The schools are free, even ~ the uni
versity.
The government 10 . kingdom. No
! female Is allowed to ascend the throne
if q male descendant remains In the
time. no matter how remote the rela-
tionship may be.
The mythology thsn followed, begin
| ming 1t chaos. From chaos Gae, the
earth and Uranus-hssvcn-came. and
| from them descended the Titans. One
of the Titans, Cronus, slew his father
and usurpcd his power. zens or Jupi-
ture, a son of Cronus, reyolted against
his father, and after terrific contest
confined him and the other Titans IN
| Tariaras and raised his throne In
| olympus. From Gae descended all
tho superior gods, viz: Jupiture, Juno,
Minerva, Neptune; Venus, Vulcan.
Mars, Mercury. Ceres, Bacchus, Vesta.
etc.
A sketch of the Founding of Arg.
the first city of ancient Greece, was
next given. Then followed descriptive
| sketches of Thebes, which was estab-
l.sped IN the fifteenth century, Il. c..
by Cadmus, a son of Agenor (Phenic-
,Anl and brother OF Europa, wnom he
was searching for. Consulting the
Delphic oracle he was told TO give w
| the search for his sister and found {
city which was 10 be called Thebes.
A pvem, Sparta" Was then read,
after which q description of the found
| ing of Athens-in b. c. 1550--was
| gwen.
A poem, Athens" from the pen OF
Lord Byron. concluded the exercises
OF the afternoon.
Next Saturday the committee or
American literature report.