Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
HIS MEMORY IGNORED
Tribute Paid the Late Ma
thaniel P. Gage.
LARGE AssEMBLAGE
ADDRESSES BY HIS FORMER AS
SOCRATES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Announcement Made of the Naming of
N. P. Gage School Building
Elaborate Decorations.


| thaniel Parker Gage, who died in August
last while at his summer home in New
Hampshire, after thirty-three years of
service as teacher and supervisor in the
District public schools. The men and wo-
men and children in the large assemblage
represented the pupils and associate teach
ers Of the decease and his fellow workers.
in higher fields of educational work. but it
represented more fully the spirit of Wash
irgtonians gathered to pay tribute to one
whose life work for Washington solely had
built up for him a reputation that long
years will not efface from the records. AS
one of the speakers intimated during the
course of the meeting, there could be no
better epitaph on the tombstone at Mr..
Cages last resting place than would be
a craven picture of the audience which as
Sembled last night.
The idea of holding a meeting me-
mortal to Mr.. Gage originated with few
OF his old pupils, of which Major Charles
H. Ourand was the guiding spirit. Ar
IangementG were made for the meeting by
a committee under the direction of Major
OGrand and program was arranged. The
church was decorated with hundreds of tall
palms and pure white santhemums
Fastened on the organ above the pulpit was.
a huge wreath of laurel, while at either
end of the pulpit tall pyramids of palms
lowered above the rail of the choir loft
one OF the DfeltleSI features OF the UecO-
ration was not observed by most of the
audience because of it's location in a far
corner of the church. This was a simple
bunch of palm branches and chrysanthe
NUNS. tied with royal purple ribbon which
laid across the pew occupied by Mr..
Gage for many years while attending di-
vine service al this church.
Program of Music.
The musical program arranged for the
occa sion was of more than usual merit.
Two of the principal numbers were fur
nlshed by pupils of the high schools, form
ed into a chorus under the direction of .he
eacher in music of the Central School.
The young women in this chorus were all
dressed in white, with black ribbons. Thare
were about seventy young people i'll the
chorus and they had been well trained for
the occasion. The other musical numbers
on the program We're furnished by Dr. BIS
choff, Mrs. Nellie Wilson Shr-Cliff. Miss
Virginia Powell Goodwin. Miss Edna Scott
Smith Mr.. Douglass Miller. Mr.. j. Walter
Humphrey Mr.. William d. Mcfarland, Mr..
Frank P. Reside and Mr.. Perry B. Turpin.
Prof. Bischoff opened the meeting with an
organ voluntary, Gottschalks Religious
Memories which ended with The Last
Hope" The High School chorus then sang
Aliens Memorial Hymn and Rev. W. w.
Van Arsdale, DID, pronounced the invo-
cation
Mr. Macfarland's Address.
Commissioner Macfarland presided, and
at the conclusion of DR. Van Arsdales
prayer made a short address, during the
course of which he said:
I'VE are here to honor the memory of
good man. who was also good teacher
and good citizen. He took knightly VOWS
of pure living. sef-sacrifice and pubic
service. Therefore are not here to ceiS-
brate the success of a money-maker or i
seeker after power fame. He was not
rich he was not famous, he was not pow
eiful in any material sense. But he was
rich and famous and powerful in a spiritual
sense. 1t is more important for us then
for his memory that we should show our
appreciation and gratitude for such life
lived in the midst of the growing material
ism and fierce struggles for selfish ends OF
our day. 1t encourages others to hive the
simple life of those who minister rather
than those who are ministered unto, While
it reminds us that there are many who are
living in just that way, and in themselves
and in their example and teaching keeping
alive the true American spirit and adVanc-
ing the best interests of their country.
After a quartet had sung Crossing the
Bar" Mr.. Macfarland announced that Rev
S. NJ. Newman, pastor of the First Congre-
gational Church, had been expected to adj
dress the audience "Nathanel Parker
Gage, the Man" but Dr. Newman had been
unavoidably detained at Petersboro', n Fl.
Letter From Dr. Newman.
He had written letter to the chairman
ever, which Mr.. mcfarland read as fol-
lows:
I hoped to be able to get back to Wash
ington tomorrow friday afternoon, and
be present at the Gage memorial service in
the evening. But alters which are i'm
perative prevent It, and 1 write at the first
moment possible line to you to say how
much l regret not having share in the
service | am sure it will be deeply sig
nificant of the great esteem in which Mr..
Gage was held and that | could add moth
ing essential to the service, but l would
j very much, all the same, to have some
ght part in the exercises. Mr.. Gage was
of the men whom the world needs most
He was so even, so gentlemanly, so high
minded, so true and genuine, without arti-
flee or sham, that his influence helped to
counterfeit the hurry and fretfulness SO
common everywhere. l was the better for
having known him. and l am sure that
large numbers could say the same thing
After all, what better thing could be said
of any one than that?"
In place of Dr. Newman Rev. ]. J. Muir, |
pastor of the Temple Baptist Church, was
asked to speak. Mr.. Muir spoke at length |
of the life and merit of the dead supervisor, |
most of his remarks being confined to a |
statement of the lessons such life teaches |
He said he had not known Mr. Gage as in :
umately or as long as had many others |
among the audience. and he did not feel |
that he was qualified to speak of what he |
was or what he had done
He wished. however, to point to a few |
OF the lessons that ~sieh1a life teaches |
and to the great good that is uncon- |
sciously done by such a man.
MI. Stanley Browns Tribute.
DR. Bischoff played 1.-The Lost Chord"
as an organ solo at the conclusion of Mr.. |
Muirs address and then Mr.. Joseph STAN |
ley-Brown of New York was introduced. |
Mr. Stanley-Brown isha native of Wash |
ington and was a pupil in the first school |
Mr.. Gage ever taught in the District He |
said that before he attempted to speak |
of Mr.. Gage as a teacher he wanted to |
direct the attention of his hearers to the |
condition OF the school system of the |
District just prior to Mr.-Gage's arrival. |
He spoke of the tumble down buildings |
that were used school buildings and |
of the condition of the city. The school |
which the speaker attended at that time !
Situated q he, 1.orpar Of 1lth and |