Evening star., 1901-04-15
Alumni Association Discusses Wash
ington as Educational Center.
COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY AUSPICES
Addresses byLeading Educatorsan ant
Expression Of Good Fellowship.
GUESTS AT ANNUAL BANQUET

The annual banquet of the Columbian
University Alumni Association. held at the
Raleigh Saturday evening, was more than
an occasion for the exchange of good fell
lowship on the part of the sons of the
Institution that has so long been a center
of learning at the nations capital It
was in facts gathering of distinguished
educators who, side by side. are striving to
make the District of Columbia a Mecca of
learning. All creeds We're represented
Protestant, Catholic and non-sect rian
schools had their leaders about the ban
quet board, and they all Joined in telling
why the city founded by Washington is
proving to be such a fruitful field for edu-
cation and in noting the marked progress
that is being made year by year. The
meeting itself proved that education makes
broad and wholesome citizenship, and that
the field of learning is common ground for
all men.
The hundred guests who took part in
the notable gathering first assembled in the
parlors of the Raleigh, where they We're
received by Mr.. VIM. Bruce King, presi-
dent, and other officers of the Alumni AS
ISOLATION. They then repaired to the large,
domed banquet han at the top of the hand
some building. Mr.. VIM. Bruce King es-
corted Rev. Samuel II. Greene, acting
president of Columbian University; Rev
j. E. Rankin president of Howard Univer-
sity, was escorted by DR.. W. w. Johnston;
Mr.. Alexander L. Stuart, superintendent of
public schools was accompanied by ]. Or
mond Wilson, one of his predecessors, as
head of the school system of the city
Among those following We're Right Rev
Henry Y. Satterlee. president of the board
of trustees of the Cathedral School, and
Mr.. Theodore W. Noyes: Mr.. A. B. Browne
of the board of trustees of the American
University, and Prof. ]. NJ. Sterrett; Very
Rev P. J: Garrigan, vice rector of the
Catholic University, and Mr.. A R. Spof-
ford; Prof. e. NJ. Gallaudet, president of
Gallaudet College for the Deaf and Dumb,
and DR., Joseph Tabor johnson, rep
resenting Georgetown University in the
absence of President Whitney.
The beautiful banquet hall was taste
fully decorated with tropical plants, great
lunches of roses and lilies ornamenting the
tables. The invocation was pronounced
by Rev. J. E. Rankin, after which an in
teresting menu occupied the attention of
the association and it's guests for an hour
WHEN Mr.. King, who presided, spoke briefly
before introducing the speakers of the
evening. He referred to the fact that
there were present representatives of 800
students of universities In the District of
Columbia. giving Washington rank among
the large university cities of America
Indeed, Mr. King declared, there Is but one
city with a larger university population
than the capital.
"a breadth of view is taken here on all
subjects" said Mr.. King, president Of the
alumni association, speaking of Washing
ton as an educational CENTER" which was
the general theme of the addresses of the
evening. 'Is there any other city where
brains count for so much as distinguished
from money? Is there any other city
where the question is, How much does a
Doa
thought carry? as in Washington? Per
haps in Philadelphia 1t is his family and
New York society is known for it's money,
but in Washington the poor man is as
ge a person in the social scale as is
the rich man provided he has ability
He spoke of the large body of men fol-
lowing scientific pursuits in the various
departments of the government. The gem
eral breadth of view of people who live
at the capital Is such that they never fan
to see the country as nation and the
slight differences between north and south,
east and west are nothing to them.
lone of friends is from Massa chu-
sets, one from Illinois, one from Alabama
and one from California" he continued.
Tonight we have gathered here men
from almost every state of the Union.
Considered an educational center the
effect of that feeling on young men brought
up here is important. In other cities the
question is, What is my allegiance to my
city. to my state and to my country Here
our allegiance Is national We are clIl-
zens of the United States and of the United
States alone. We loye Washington, not
alcne because she is ours, but because she
is the nations. We look to our national
development, and when we speak of the
nation our eyes have a wider scope than be-
fore and we take in the whole world
Superintendent's Stuart's Address.
Mr.. King then introduced Mr. Alexander
7. Stuart, superintendent of public schools
Of the District, and Mr.. Stuart spoke for
the schools under his charge as one of
the educational forces of the District. He
reviewed the development Of the public
school system here.
"It had it's origin" he said sin an act
of the city council of December 8, 1904, en-
titled AN act to establish and endow a
permanent institution for the education of
youth in the city Of Washington which
placed the control of the schools then pro-
jected in the hands of thirteen trustees,
seven to be chosen by the joint ballots Of
the council and six to be named by the in
dividuals contributing to the support OF
the schools. Thomas Jefferson, then Prest-
dent of the United States. having contrib
uted $500 to the endowment of the schools,
was named as one of the trustees, and on
August IA. 1905. accepted, in cordial let
ter. his election to the presidency Of the
board. We hope, therefore, to appropriate
ly celebrate in 1904 centennial anniver-
sary second in Importance only to that
which recently recalled in so dignffied a
manner the founding of this capital city.
1.-The plans of this pioneer school board
were extraordinary In their scope, and In
dicate not only the most liberal concep-
tions as to what popular education should
be, but also profound faith in the national
capital Let me quote some of their words.
They announce their purpose to establish
AN institution in which every species of
knowledge essential to liberal education
Of youth may eventually be acquired
Such an institution, they say, embraces