The Washington weekly post., 1899-05-30
WOMAN WINS MEDAL
NOtre Dame Honors the Mar
quise de Merinyille.
FOUNDED CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Famous Laetare Medal for Emipsst Serv-
ices In the Cause of Religion, EducstioD,
and Morals Bestowed Upon the Marquisc
de Merinville. nee Cald dwell, Who Built
the First Catholic L University Hall-Third
Woman to Whom Medal Was Awarded.

Notre Dame, Ind, May 8.-One woman
OF all the women in America has been
selected by the faculty OF the University
OF Notre Dame to be the recipient Tor the
year Is99 OF the famous Laetare mecal,
which each yeas is presented 20 VINO
ever. in the estimation Of the faculty, has
most distinguished him or herself IL the
realm of religion, education. and NOR
ais. The woman who has been thus hon
ored is Mary Gwendolen Caldwell, the
chief founder of the Catholic University
Of America. This is only the third time
that the medal has been presented 70 q
woman.
The medal itself is simple and beau
tiful emblem. From a broad. golden bar,
which bears the words 'Iaetare Medal,
in purple enamel, depends massive disk
OF finest gold, with raised edges and
sunken center 1t is bit OF art work
which any goldsmith might be proud 10
claim as his creation. Though IN general
the design never changes. each medal Is
unique, because the artist each year
strives to epitomize the career Of the one
TO whom it is awarded. This years med
al bears on the diverse the usual legend
Magma Est Veritas ct Proevalebit in
purple enamel. while the central field is
taken up by a relief OF Caldwell Hall,
Washington, the building founded by
Nine. Caldwell. The reverse OF the disk
is much the same.
Sketch of the Winner.
The woman to whom the 1899 medal is
to be presented is now the Marquise de
Merinville. She is q daughter of William
Shakespeare Caldwell, who lived in Fred
ericksburg. Va. Her mother was sister
of Jonn c. Breckenridge. one time Vice
President of the United States Nine.
Caldwell and her sister inherited a large
fortune from her parents. who were con-
verts to the Catholic faith. When her
father was admitted into the church he
founded a hospital for the Sisters of
Charity. and home for the aged under
the charge of the Little Sisters of the
Poor.
Nine. Caldwell attained her majority in
1886, seven years after the death OF her
father. When she had assumed control of
her estate, she went TO Europe and be-
came interested in university work About
this time she heard of the proposed Cath
Olic University and she at once offered
the Council of Baltimore S3G0.Gl0 to begin
the undertaking. In 1888 the first corner
stone of the university building was laid
This building is called Caldwell Hall, in
honor of the benefactor.
At the laying of the cornerstone In
1888 Nine, Caldwell received a gold med
al from the Pope. This is a magnificent
example of metal work. The face of the
medal bears the profile of Leo XIII, and
on the reverse is represented the genius
Of history borne aloft by angels. The
medal symbolizes the advance of learning
and was deemed most appropriate for a
woman that had so signally aided educa-
tion in America. The medal was accom-
panied by a letter from the Pope in which
he said:
In order that TO the praise deserved
by her benefcence should be added some
pledge of our appreciation, we entrusted
to you a gold medal TO be conveyed in our
name TO this excellent lady; but now We
have thought it well to also write to you,
that by this our letter her munificence
may he made better known and our graf
itude more manifest"
Winners of the Medal.
Since its foundation in 1883 by the Uni
versity of NOtre Dame, the Laetare Med
al as mark of distinction and reward
for eminent merit has been conferred upon
some of the greatest men and women
of the land. DR.. John Culinary Shea, the
historian of the American church, the
scholar, photographer, and
student of Indian dialects, was fittingly
the first medalist. In 1884 Patrick KeeIey.
the Catholic architect, who devoted his
life 10 rearing magnificent temples of
worship that still hold his name, was the
second wearer of the medal. Eliza Allen
Starr, poet and artist, was the first wo-
dol ics bn
Gen. John Newton. who served with dis
tinction in the civil war, and whose fame
was enhanced by the gigantic work he
accomplished in blowing up He'll Gate in
New York harbor
On whom the medal was conferred in
1887 is nos a matter of public history The
medalist selected that year refused TO
accept any ecclesiastical dignity that
might be offered him. for the reason that
he felt himself UNIT for hOnOrs. His mod |
esty and humility were rigidly respected. |
T. V. Hickey is the sixth |
in the list of the distinguished men and |
The next selection was that of |
Mrs. Anna Hanson Dorsey, one of the |
foremost Catholic novelists OF the land. !
The Hon. William j. Onahan, of Chicago. !
was chosen by the trustees in 1890 The |
year the choice fell upon the |
late Daniel Dougherty. Tenth in order |
comes the name of Henry T. Brownson,
whose name is more than d reflection Of |
his fathers. The venerable journalist. !
Patrick Donahue, was the worthy medal |
Isl OF 1888. In 1884 the university conferred |
the honor on Mr. AugusJin DAILY the fore
most theatrical manager in America On |
the following year Mrs. Anna T. Sadlier |
received this mark Of distinction for her |
worthy literary labors. In 1896 the medal |
was presented to Gen. Rosecrans. In 1897 |
to Thomas Adds Emmet, a gTsndnephegg |
Of Robert Emmet, the Irish patriOt-mar- |
tyr. and in 1888 to Timothy E Howard, |
4 Judge OF the Supreme Court Of Indiana. |