The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-05
SQO|R||ns
At PRONUNCIATION
WRITES LETTER TO YOUNG LADY
ON @JERusALEM.. WHICH
BRINGS TEARS.
FRIENDS CRY ALSO
THEN THEY TALK TT OVER AND
DECIDE HE Is .RUDE,v BUT
REFRAIN FROM TELLING
HIM so.

HUNTINGTON. L. r., Feb. 4.--Be-
cause the manner in which the word
Jerusalem" was pronounced at an
entertainment given by the Hunting
ton Historical society, last Thursday
evening, was more than his clerical
nerves could bear, the Rev. Charles
E. Cragg,. the rector of st. Johns
Episcopal church has become the
storm center of wrathful criticism
in which he is styled rude and "un-
gentlemanly."
1t became known today that the
minister had followed up a verbal
criticism about the pronunciation of
the word on Thursday night with a
letter on Friday that brought tears to
the eyes of it's recipient, Miss Gladys
Dean. He said this afternoon that his
letter had been sent .in all kindH-
ness" but the feminine members OF
the Historical society assert that the
Rev. Cragg's letter was entirely I'M
called for
Cries Like q Baby.
Miss Dean, who spoke the word that
has caused all the trouble. has made
no statement, but it liz known that she
%otiAl0En w tAlf oI HeE 1FIEnUS IIial
she had gone home and cried like q
baby after she received Mr.. Cragg' 8
letter"
According to Mr.. Cragg. Miss Dean
committed the osfense of pronouncfng
the word Jerusalem as though It
were spelled "Je-ru-zee- ium." The
minister lis asserted to have squirmed
in his seat when Miss Dean spoke
this word In a recitation from. the
vxy4s artrf ysex
formance. and to have made ''sarcas-
tic remarks that were heard all over
the house.
Friends Also Cry.
This conduct on the part of the
minister evoked much indignation
from those who heard 1t, according
to the Historical society members, but
1t was not given any special attention
until the letter from the minister
which followed the next morning. The
letter was sent by the Rev. Mr.. CragG
to Miss Dean in ignorance that she
had been the offender against the
cleryman's aesthetic sense.
Although the Rev. Mr.. Cragg said
this afternoon that the letter had been
sent only because he wished to be
helpful, 1t failed to be received in this
spirit. After Miss Dean had read It
and cried over 1t, she showed the let
ter to one or two Of her friends, and
they also cried over It. Then the SUBJ
tect of the letter was repeated to one
or two. and by today the contents oil
the letter are known to nearly every
one in Huntington. Condemnation FOL
the minister Is pretty general.
Think Action Rude.
'It was not only rude. but absolute.
ly uncalled for, that he should havs
written her. and acted az he did dur.
ing the rendition OF the number. SAID
one OF the women who discussed ths
ministers conduct. He squirmed ii
his seat and made sarcastic remarks
that were heard all over the hall.
The women of the Historical so.
ciety are highly incensed over Mr.
Cragg's action. and only his cIerica
position saves US from taking him to
task"
Another of the criticisms directed
to the clergyman asserts that even Il
Miss Deans pronunciation of the word
annoyed him he could have let 1t &c
tnnoticed during the performance Of
the tableau. and not interrupted