The Washington herald., 1908-08-17

make those great things perfect. bless
this structure which We now dedicate TO
Thy honor under the name and title Of
the Immaculate Conception School for
Boys. I duly pronounce and declare this
foundation stone laid
With these words Right Rev. P. J.
Donahue. Bishop Of Wheeling. ". Va.
yesterday formally laid the corner stone
of the boys school being erected by the
parishioners Of the Church Of the I'm
maculate Conception in y street. near
Eighth street northwest
Fully $500 persons participated in the
exercises. which were performed with all
the rites and ceremonies of the Roman
Catholic Church Led by the bishop and
priests Of that and other parishes of
Washington. and other cities. the exer-
cises began at o'clock with a procession
from the Tectory to the gayly bedecked
stand erected on the site Of the new
building In the procession We're a ma
jority Of the men OF the parish. and the
delegates from the various Catholic So
cieties OF Washington.
Marine Band Played.
When the prelate came abreast Of the
stone. which hung ready 10 be dropped
into position. the little band Of clergymen
halted while a section Of the United
States Marine Band played sacred airs
As the chant OF the vested choristers
died away. Rev. Father Narr. pastor
Of the church, escorted the bishop 10 a
position directly opposite the stone.
where the customary prayers We're read
Bishop Donohue then sprinkled the block
OF granite with holy water and offered
incense.
With troweI he then spread the ce-
uent on the large granite slab upon
which the corner stone will repose, and.
when finished. gave the signal TO let the
block faU into place. The corner stone
laying being concluded. the procession
moved into the stand, the participants
occupying seats covering the entire plat
Iorm-
The ceremonies attending the laying Of
the stone were impressive TO a degree
Of soIeuuity- With the scent Of incense
filling the air. and with the strains Of
sacred music on the breeze. there was
not a sound to mar the sublimity Of the
i occasion.
In taking his seat the bishop removed
his miter and silken robes. and laid his
I CrOzier aside. When all had been seated.
his grace stepped to the rail facing the
Z thorguEhfare filed with people and be
gan his address. telling in eloquent terms
{ Of the progress made by the Catholic
Church in its spread OF Christian edu-
cation, and forcib,y bringing 10 the az
teutio1 Of his audience the import Of
the undertaking which had just been
formally started
The Bishops Address
After making a rapid survey OF the
/ efforts made in ali the centuries by the
I Catholic Church in the cause OF educa-
/ ton, the bishop said. in part
St MARI the Interpreter and spiritual son Of the
Prince uf tie An1--les. went % Alexandra 81 A d
and there formed the nucleus q tie first Chrisi-n
schools -Four centuries later the Eius--i11s -
Benedict. f-n the abbey 0f Monte Ca-i-o. sent his
r1uled disciples throughout Western Europe which
. they dotted with sauctuaries and schools The
closing years q the sixth century beheld - Angus
une. sent hy Pop Gresu-y. landing mon EuElard's
shores and there setting Up snctuaries and schools
. TIE Unive-S-ies Of oxford and Camb-idge centurez
later reared their noble piles the homes Cf religion
and learning enduring % this day.
s. IZl4tius Of Log1la n the sixteenth ce-tu-g
gathered about Ern band q brethren. who c1rse-
Grated their lives 20 religion and Christian e5ucz-
ton Coming down % later times and narEo7-i-s
the survey 70 this rart q The United States I ful
UutiruE zeal for and uurgmir-i1E devotion % The
sacred cause TIE founders and first n5ssian1-ies o.
with the little churches. often IN advance. The-g
were seventy such here during the colonial period.
/ C1uIuc stIl nearer IN time and place. tseC-ge
Z town College was founded in I-s3 The Visitation
Sisters opened TIE drst free public school June
= G8- six years In advance of the nrst Dis-ric,
Tubiic school Religious communities came hithe-
/ in increasing NUMBER There are nov twenty one
f Catholic uar1Chial schools here. not % mention
I academies and other institutions TIE opening oi
the Catholic University of America is fresh in the
memories Of all rs commanding influence Is al
ready felt Throughout the republic bv the Efforts
its faculty IN writing textbooks for the elementary
I schools TINS bringing them into harmonious and
! eoordinated whole
/ The bishop next sketched the history Of
J the former school Of the immaculate Con
J ception parish. saying
I The old school uas begun October 70. 1854 With
/ the WORK the Teaersted names Of Fathers Walter
I Mccarthy. and Boyle VIII be forever connected
/ The speaker accounted for the fact OF
/ the zeal for Christian education extending
] through all the centuries by the convic-
I tion Of the Catholic Church that intel
/ lectuai training does not suffice He con
/ tinued-
l. 8 E1od as far as Sc goes L does not Z, fai
I enough Tire heart of the child must De formed te
virtue- The VIII that awful power discirliued and
& streng7 hened- Ten Minutes Bible reading or hal
an hour sunday school VII not suffice Under sucs
+ regime the soul m1sst inevitably sJa-Fe. IN tins
conviction Catholics prepared 60 make znv sacrl
nee On this point they cannot yield They pa,
twice over for the Christian education = their chi
dr7u according 20 the dictates of their conscience
but The sense Of fair play inherent Ia -he American
mind and the gradual s1f.euinz of denominations
I asTrrties VII az some future DAY adjust these il
Z elysaliriss-
History of the school.
The Immaculate Conception Free
School for Boys TO he housed in the new
structure, is one Of the best known OF
the local Institutions Of learning sup
ported by the Catholic denomination
L was opened IN 1864 by Rev p. F. Nc.
Carthy. first pastor Of the Church OF
the Immaculate Conception. and at hi.
death was literally endowed that II
might further and more effectually min.
lister TO the needs Of those children OF
the congregation whose parents could
not afford TO pay for their education
The institution has since grown in in
fuence and prestige.
In assuming the pastorate at the deatl
Of Rev. :. F. Ryan, Rev. J. D. Mar
recognized that the old building was in
adequate and saw that new school wa.
one of the greatest needs Of the parish
B Stanley Simmons. a Washington arcbi
tect. was accordingly Instructed to draw
the plans for the school.
The architecture is 10 be Of the German
Gothic style. and the lines will be Il