Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-07
HARVARD HOUSE At
STRATFORO DEDICATED
Ambassador Reid Accepts GIT
From Edward Morris on Behalf
Of University.
MARE CoRtLlI PRESENTS KEY
Famous Novelist Makes Eloquent
Speech, Telling OF Spirit in Which
Historical Landmark Has Been
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Rendezvous For
All Visiting Americans.
(By Associated Press.1


STRATFORD- ON-AVON., Oct. G.
While guests on Sir Thomas Lipton's
yacht some months ago Marie Corelli,
the novelist, proposed to Edward Nor
ris. of Chicago, that the house built In
Stratford in the sixteenth century by
Alderman Thomas Rogers, the father
n-law of John Harvard, in which
Harvard lived and which was then for
sale and likely TO be demolished,
should be rescued and preserved as
shrine for American tourists.
Mr.. Morris offered to purchase the
place for Harvard University, which
he has since done. He named Miss
Corell and Sir Thomas Upton. with
others, as trustees. Miss Corelli sup
ervised the restoration of the house 10
its original state and organized the
dedication ceremonies which were
held today, about the time that Abbot
Lawrence Lowell was installed as
, president of the university.
Whitelaw Reid, the American am
bassadOr to Great Britain. accepted
the house on behalf of Harvard. in the
presence of representative assembly
of American and English.
| Later Miss Corelli entertained more
than a hundred guests at lunch In
the music hall of her handsome resi-
dence nearby.
Miss coreilis Speech.
Miss Coreln presented Ambassador
Reid with the key of the house IN
4 nlo N
speech, in which she said:
"Stratford on Avon has long been
the literary mecca of American people
but they have not been able TO call
any portion of it their very own UHtil
this moment For years they have
\ come in thousands to this little town
and have helped to spread the name
J and fame of it in all lands. but they
never have been given the smalles.
| foothclG in il upon which to stani
under the folds Of their own fag."
Relating to the failure of the town
to buy the Harvard place when t
was offered for sale, she said:
when the worthy Stratford folk
| bad their chance and missed IL /
thought it was time to step in ana
make the locally undervalued property
gil; to that wider world which has
the intelligence and feeling TO renem-
Der that from the lives of noble men in
the past-men like John Harvard
have sprung all the rich results or
the present. and nothing in anyway
connected with these great men
/ should be allowed to perish. In thiS
! spirit Harvard House has been
rescued for all time"
Ambassador Reid. in accepting the
gift said:
| "On the same day that Harvard
gains new president il gains not one.
but two new ties with England. One
is this fine old Elizabethan survival
with its interesting double historical
/ relations TO the beginning of liberal
education in America and to Shakes
peare's Stratford, the chief shrine o.
our common literature.
The second tie is also notable and
more recent. Harvard gains today a
president who has done some such
service TO England as your accom-
piishcd ambassador in Washington
has done for America.
The outcome Of his teaching must
be the realization that in a larger
sense our two countries cannot es-
cape their racial relations as one
/ family still. cannot escape the inspir-
/ ing fact that in their constant COM
mon devotion to the historic ideals
and aspirations Of their race Hes the
best hope for civilization and the
rcace Of mankind"
Rendezvous For Americans.
! In concluding the ambassador said:
Standing On the home Of Harvard $
mother. by the authority Of Harvard
| University 7 dcclarr this house hence
forth open a. a free resort Tor All
visiting sons Of Harvard End a general
rendezvous for all visiting Americans.
I Nav Il serve that double purpose a.
long as our race prizes letters and
honors Shakespeare"
Rudolph ITmann spoke cioquently
/ IN behalf Of Harvard and Sir Thomas
Upton for the trustees.
~ the luncheon the Star Spangied
Banner was sung.
Ambassador Reid proposed the
hcaIih of tho king. and Philip $. Fos-
tor. member % Parliament for STRAIT
ford. the health Of President Taft