New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-05
AS TO NAMES.

There could he few things more banal than to
ask "What's in a name?-that quoted query so
often on the babblng lips OF fippancy. used
more often and with less understanding or its
true purport than almost any other Shake
spearan phrase; for were not Joy and woe un-
speaknble. and life and death, all in n name.
and In the tragic answer to the lovesck plant!
Banal. indeed; but even greatest truths are
commonplace. And what is man that he should
scorn banalities. especially when he himself has
made them banal? Perhaps II we omit the in
terrogatiOn mark and. instead Of asking con-
slider what is in a name. the worse than banal-
ity of some Of our dealings with names will be-
come more apparent
Here. for example is Cathedral Heights" in
staring letters on trim painted siSnboard and
in big type in an advertisement name? No,
rather pseudonyme, or antinyme, il one may
coin such word without committing the offence
complained of. For that slightly place Is not
Cathedral Heights" nor ought TO be. AS we'll
Hospital Heights" or Teachers College
Heights" since both those institutions preceded
the cathedral; or Asylum Heights" in memory
Of the past; or, since there are already else.
where columbia Heights" and university
Heights" make this columbia University
y.
Indifferent But the true course Is to reprove,
resent and utterly repudiate all this name-twist-
ing marplotry and maintain the euphonous. mp
propagate and only legitimate name authorita-
lively bestowed before the planting there OF ca
thedral or college or hospital was even so much
as dreamed Of "Morningside Heights 1t was
and is and shall be-
Here too are our friends the bursts" OF
which we may take the "LOneSOmchurst Of the
funny man as a generic type. Why hurst
denr town-promoter? There isn't coppice nor
a thicet nor n grove in sight All is open lawn
and unshaded road and brand-new colonial
villas" AS we'll call some inland field a beach
or level plain mountain or the driest spot in
mid Sahara spring. Hurst" may sound well
to the unthinking mind. but to the judicIous II
seems monstrous heterophemy.
Other examples Of the misuse of names Of
different kind arc FURNISHED by our city streets.
Why should the namo of Laurens, which shines
so brightly In the annals Of American state
craft and herolsm. have been banished to make
place for that most snobbish Of all snobberes
and most banal of all banalites. South Fifth
ave.? Why should the name of Chatham. one
Of the dearest to Americans. have been super
seeded by the falsely significant Park Row?
Why should men strive TO efface the memory Of
an important historical occurrence and TO ban
ish the name Of the second greatest captain Of
the Revolution by turning true and honest Fort
Greene into spurious washington PARK? Why
Is the name Of Harlem incorrectly spread over
half Of Manhattan Island. to the obiteration Of
Yorkvllle and Bloonlngdae and Manhattanville
and Carmansville and others of irrefutabe title
and informing significance?
Truly, OF asking questions there is no end;
especially II human fOllies and frailtes be the
theme. And we must not forget that the great
classic QuestlOn-asker was deemed q bore and
made to drink the hemlock. But in this matter
OF names, their use and abuse and misuse and
Grassy stupid perversion, there Is little else left
to exasperated sense and taste, unless 1t be to
add to the Laureate's demand his epithet and
mordant prophecy,
Why change the titles OF your streets?
You fools. you'll want them all again.
Truly. we want the good old honest and appro-
pirate names again But shall we ever get
them?