The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-01
A NATIONAL FLOWER.
An Association Formed TO Push the Inter-
ests Of the Columbine.


Tho columbins Association. whose object is
to bring about the official adoption of the
columbine a. the national flower OF tho United
States, has been started in Boston. It's or
gsnization has just been perfected after
obtaining an endorsement of the movement
from many representative Americans. ia.
cluding artists, writers, horticulturists and
botanists In various parts OF the country. In
order to accomplish its purpose the associa-
tion proposes to circulate as widely as pos
sible information regarding the unique quail.
hcations CT the columbine for Columbia's y
flower emblem. and In other ways to arouse
the interest Of Americans in this direction.
As soon as tho membership will have become
large enough to warrant such step Congress
will be memoralized and petition will be
presented which shall urge the formal recog-
milton of the columbine as an emblem of the
nation.
The officers of the Coumbine Association
are: President. Frederick Leroy Sargent,
formerly teacher In the summer course In
botany, Harvard University, and instructor
In botany In the University OF Wisconsin, .
vice president, helen l.. Webster, Ph. d.,
professor Of comparative philolGgy, Wellesley
College, and secretary, James sturgis Pray.
Boston.
The members OF the council, whose duty
shall be TO consider with the officers all
matters of moment to the association. are :
II. p. Harrimsn. Judge Of probate: William
j. Rolfe, Lift. D., Cambridge, Mass. ! Bradford
Torrey, Wellesley Hills. Mass: Mrs. p. ID.
Richards, borticulturist; Q. II. Blackall,
NJ. A., ex-presdent, Boston Architectural
Club: Miss Edith Davenport Fuller. librarian.
Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge,
Mass, and instructor New York State Lib
rary School: Henry L. Clapp, principal
George Putnam School, Boston. and chairman
OF committee on school gardens and chill
dren's berbariums, Massachusetts, Horticul-
tural Society; Miss Helen NJ. G. Child, Cam
bridge, Mass. c. Howard Walker, lecturer on
architecture. Boston Museum of Fine Arts,
and on the history Of ornament, Massachu-
setis Institute of Technology: Miss Eli "a Otis
Brown, Boston: Rev. DIR. Philip s. Moxom.
Spring field, Mass. Walter B. Adams. Boston:
Alexander II. Van Leer. artist, New York,
lecturer on art for the board OF education of
New York; DIR. Charles W. swan, correspond-
ing secretary Massachusetts Medical Society:
Miss Olive May Lesley, kindergarten: John
E. Abbott. attorney and counselor-at-iaw; {;
Charles W. Jencks, Bedford, Mass. Miss Dora
Williams. teacher of natural history. Eoston
Normal School; Rev. Francis Tiffany, Cam
bridge, Mass. Rest i. Curtis associate priu-
cipal Chauncy Hall School, and j. William
Fosdick, member OF National Society of
Mural Painters and Architectural League Of
New York.
A friend Of the movement, said: "It is
urged I'm behalf of the columbine that few OF
the native plants so widely distributed
rs this flower is in its vsrious forms. With
the exception of comparatively small region
about the Lower Mississippi, eolumbines are
known to grow wild in every state of the
Union from tho Atlantic TO the Pacific, and
from Canada to the Gulf. Even the region
excepted need not be excluded from the en-
joyment Of the oolumbines, for, although
lover of the uplands and mountains, this
plant grows readily from seed IN any garden,
and is thus rendered as universally available
as any flower that might be chosen.
"The special associations which this plant
has with our country are os happy as they are
unique. Its very name suggests Columbia.
Nor is 1t any trivial play upon words, but
similarity OF the remarkable significance. As
is well known, the name Columbus in bis
native language means dove, a circumstances
of poeticsl suggostiveness on recalling how
he, like Noah's messenger Of old, brought
back tidipgs of a new-found world. Moreover,
70 is a familiar fact that the columbine re-
ceived its name on account OF the resemblance
which one form OF the flower bears to group
of doves This form grows wild in the region
where Columbus was born, and also in the
Rocky Mountain States. So IL is seen that
this attribute Of the flower which suggested
it's name may also suggest our country's dis-
coverer and our country's title among the
nations"