The Irish standard., 1914-05-02
UNWILLING OF BUST OF CARDI-
NAL GIBBONS AT THE CATH
OLIC UNIVERSITY OF
AMERICA.

&AAS1ASAVA&AAs
At three o'clock Wednesday after
noon, April %, took place the I'M
yelling Of the bust of His Eminence,
James Cardinal Gibbons. Chancellor
of the Catholic University of Ameri-
ca. presented to the Cardinal Glib
bons Memorial Hall by Mr.. Michael
Jenkins, of Baltimore, treasurer of
the university. The presentation dis
course was made by the Very Rev.
P. G. Gavan, pastor of the Sacred
Heart Church, this city. for many
years the Chancellor of Cardinal Glib
bons. The bust was accepted in the
name of the University by the Most
Rev. John J. Glonnon, Archbishop of
st. Louis. Cardinal Gibbons was
present on the occasion and sur
rounded by the Board of Trustees Of
the Catholic University, by its profess
sors and students and the heads OF
eight religious houses in the vicinity.
The bronze bust of the Cardinal is
slightly over life size. The pedestal
is of rosate marble and upon it is
the coat of arms of the Cardinal,
likewise in bronze. The bust is the
work of J. Maxwell Miller. a distin-
guished sculptor Of Baltimore, also
native and prize student of that
city. Mr.. Miller likewise executed
the veryhandsome medallion which
was struck on the occasion of his
double jubilee, and thought by many
to be the most perfect bronze medal
lion ever executed in the United
States.
The bust stands in the center Of
the beautiful Reception Lobby of the
Cardinal Gibbons Memorial hall.
Around the hall are set in 16 large
open panels as many beautiful
bronze shields. upon which are in
scribed, in Gothic lettering Of red
and black, the names Of 113 princt-
pal benefactors of the hall, persons
who gave $500 or more towards its
erection. ..
The event was an unusually his
toric and animated one. and marks
the completion of the beautiful Me-
mortal hall, begun three years ago,
in honor of the double jubilee of
Cardinal Gibbons, and recently COM
pleted at total expense of $3.50, 900.
This large fund was entirely contrib
uted by personal friends and admir-
ers of the great patriotic churchman.
so that the noble edifice stands today
free of debt. 1t has rooms for 1870
studnts, besides several large apart
ments and a number of halls for So
cial and administrative purposes.
Speech of Acceptance of Father
Gavan.
1t is with feelings of keenest
pleasure and with a deep sense of
the honor conferred upon me that
make the formal presentation to you
of this bust of the most eminent
Chancellor of the Catholic University.
1t is hardly necessary for me to say
that l am presenting it in the name
of one whose unaffected simplicity
of character makes him shrink from
active participation in any kind of
public demonstration whatsoever in
which he himself is personally con-
cerned-I speak of Mr.. Michael Jen-
kins of Baltimore. And although
his active interest in the University
in general has never tagged from the
beginning, he has taken particular
interest in this magnificent Memorial
Hall on account of his profound es-
TEEN and affectionate reverence for
the distinguished prelate in whose
honor it has been erected.
In presenting this gift the donor
has been influenced by two predomi-
nant motives. The first was to
stamp the name of Cardinal Gibbons
on this Hall so clearly and uneQuivo-
cally that all who enter its portals
may know at once its meaning, and
desire to know its history; to give
the dead stones life by placing in the
very heart of the building the life
like and speaking portrait of aim
who in such large measure has been
the life and eloquent voice of the
University from its very birth; to
place, as it were, jewel of the plas-
tic art in the beautiful architectural
setting SO admirably prepared for it.
For this representation of the Cardi-
nal is indeed work of fine art, of
consumate skill and exquisite work
manship. 1t is proof, too, that d.
vinity which rules over the domain
of sculpture does not always limit
her favor to any one country or peri
cd of time, but condescends some
times. as in this case. to guide the
fingers and illumine the brain OF
earnest and aspiring American youth,
The second motive is much higher
and more far-reaching. 1t is to keep
ever before the eyes of the students
Of future generations, both ecclesias-
tical and lay. whose numbers we car
now safely predict will be legion
Il