Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-14
Old Home W eek.

Maryland old home week is open. the
festive season having begun at midnight
Saturday Baltimore is a joy-city and has
slain herds Of fntted calves in honor of
hsr prodigal sons and home coming
daughters old home services were
held In nearly all the churches yesterday.
and a varied. Jolly and ambitious program
OF entertainment will be carried out this
week
The idea Of An old home week is as old
as the old home. but the expansion of the
idea from hesrth-side reunion to a
statewide celebration is recent few
years ago the plan was tried in New
England II was New Hampshire that
took the lead The celebration proved
TO be great sentimental success. 1t
made strong appeal to popular fancy
and the old home week" thought was in
fictitious. 1t made converts by the legion
and has now been carried out by hun
dreds of towns and cities, and in many
of them has become fixed as an annual
function
Maryland is mother state that has
helped populate all the other states. and
more especially the newer states of the
west. The patriotic part which Maryland
public in the matter OF opening UP the
western lands need not be reviewed
here. 1t is written In the school books
In way. Maryland was the mother of
Ohio. Indiana. Illinois Michigan. Wis
consin and Minnesota
During the early decades of the nine
teenth century a tide of emigration pour
ed out of Maryland toward the fresh. rich
ClpaD Of ha
sipp valleys. In the upbuilding of Ken
lucky and Missouri the old line state
played a notable part Throushout the
years. young Marylanders. sons and
daughters. have been going toward the
west to seek their fortunes. MANY have
round their fortunes. and it is hoped that
all the others will
Washington is a Maryla nd-sprung city
Long. long ago the land tn. people of
washington live on was part of ST.
Mary county. On the erection OF Charles
county. what is now the District of CO.
fumbia was included and on the creation
IN 1886 of Prince George county (then
called Prince Georges county after
Prince George of Denmark. spouse of
Queen AIMEE this district became a mart
OF that county. This is brought to mind
yesterday. under the caption Fifty Years
Ago In The Star" The Star OF Octob.r
o. 1897. printed a surveyors certificate re-
iating to the present site of Washington
showing that the land on which this city
stands was In 1865 PARCEL of land in
Charles county called Rome and Scot
land Yard and that the tracts were In
that year laid out for Francis Pope. gen
ueman of the province of Maryland. and
for Capt. Robert Troop.
When will Washington have an old
hotHs week? Perhaps Their. is no, a ei,v
family without an absentee-some mem
BOT who has strayed or drifted 10 another
paN or the country. II would be a good
thing to call them back once in q vbile
rhe nome folk would like TO see them.
ana II would do them good to get hack
10 the place they used to call. and which
tnousands OF them still call. home
why not an old home week for Wash
ington next year? This is lao mean civ.
On the contrary, it is one of the best. and
rapidly becoming the most beautiful of
all The Washingtonians who have rp-
mained at home are proud OF the conn
munity and know how to entertain
Ihey heip TO inaugurate a President in
fine style. Those who have made bones
ior themselves elsewhere retain a fond
ness Tor the city of their birth and re-
Joice IN IT'S growth ana fame Their Wis
us are o"casions of happiness for them
ana Tor others. Why not arrange 10 call
Them al! back together and make merry
Gor whole week? 1t would be an inspir-
ing picture. these pilgrims 10 the old
shrine 'rooping through The doors OF the
new union station and taking possession
or the old well-beloved stamping ground.
They would profit in hundred WAYS. and
the home folks in quite as many. lang
tue banner on the outer wall. and let us
al get another look at old familiar faces
some of them not seen for years.