The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-28
UrCatest Events of the Year.

\ collection of opinions from eminent
specialists as to the greatest events
Of 1897 is published by the Chicago
Times-Herald and makes interesting
reading.
In the direction Of religious activity
Rishop Potter thinks that the confer
ercc Of bishops held in lambeth, Eng
land, last June. and attended by 200
Ot the representative eCClesiaStics OF
the English speaking world, was the
most significant event Of the year. Dr.
Lyman Abbott believes that the church
congress held in London last March,
at which were represented 1000, 600
church members. was a greater event
but both agree that the year has been
characterized Wy notable growth in
church unity al least rs to essentials.
Tho chief social eVeot of the year,
according to Mrs John Sherwood, was
the Bradley Martin costume bah,
That" she says, was certainly the
most discussed, the most written about,
the most praised and the most absurd
of any social affair Of the decade if not
of all time"
Superintendent Lane of the Chicago
public schools regards the proposition
to establish a national university al
Washington, under the control of the
government, and To open it on the an
niversarE Of the death of Washington
in December. 1899, as movement
which is commanding the attention Of
educators Of the whole country. and he
Says Of il: "A national university with
departments of special research would
take up many vital questions relating
to every department Of science, history,
art, literature and philosophy. The
special laboratory investigations which
have Leen carried on with regard to
the constituent elements Of food pro-
ducts are wonderfully beneficial to
mankind ana are bringing into use
many products thai have heretofore
been considered waste. The discover
les in electricity and the application of
it as a source Of light, heat and power
have already been q wonderful bless
ing to mankind. The special investi-
cation i'm child study, touching the
growth of body ana mind i'm normal
children, end the special inquiries in
sttutcd in institutions for the insane
ard other defective classes are leading
t. the consideration of some laws re-
lating to the physical being which ma
terially affect mental conditions. And
already the blind have been made tC
see, the deaf to near, the dumb to speak
and the insane restored t. a richt
mind. 1t is the mission of a govern.
ment of the people to provide an insti,
tuition of the highest grade in which
students can be thoroughly equipped
and prepared to pursue the special in,
vestigations which are to benefit the
whole people Let the opening Of the
twentieth century give us an estab
lshad national university for higher re-
search"
Thomas A. Edison does not recal
anything Of broad invention this year
but Editor BuT Of the Iron Age con
siders the Edison ore concentratins
Tlant as the greatest industTia
\ achievement Of the year, and Professo
Langey's work in DEVELOPMENT Of tn,
flyng machine as a matter of grea
popular ana scientific importance. II
art Cherries Henry Hart accords firs
place to the opening Of the architec
turally Incompatible library Of con
gress al Washington; in letters, Edi
tor S. :. Mcclure says the publication
Of Rudyard Kipling's jubilee poem, tn
'RccessioEal;" was the most notabl
event; Chauncey Depew considers tn
happening, Lyman B,~Glover uccOrd
to Gillette's play, Secret Service" tn
!aIm amCng the successful dramas o