Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-19
GTRARD'S BOYS"
MARK BIRTHDAY
167th Anniversary of Found
er's Natal Day Celebrated
at College
DRILLS AND SPEECHES

S,udents. city officials and alumni from
~ over the United States began this
s,orning the celebration Of the 167th ami.
,srsary Of Stephen Girard's birthday in
t'ounder's Day exercises at Girard Col
ioge Girard and Corinthan avenues The
n.iebration this year will be among the
most enthusiastic In the history Of the
"oIlepe with the visit of General Jorfrr.
pene Viviani and the other French envovs
rho stopped at the institution out Of re-
,ard for the French origin of Stephen Ci.
psrd still fresh i'm the minds OF the stu
dents and faculty.
Girard's birthday anniversary is Mpy
On hut because the day falls on Sunday this
Gar President Cheesman A. Herrick and
;be board Of directors of city trusts, under
which the college operates, set the celebra.
zion for today.
exercises began al O'Clock i'm the cbancr
~ the college. The 1850 students the Older
boys in the gray college uniform, filled the
coats and after brief address bv presi
dent Herrick. James E, Lennon, president
of Select Council, and a graduate Of Gi.
ard College with the class of 1877 told tho
students of his memories of life there
Mr. Lennon is now an ex-ofiicio member
nv reason of being president OF Select Conn
eli. OF the Board of City Trusts which SUI
nervises the college in which he was
COLLEGE HAS GROWN
college when / was here" Mr.. Lennon said,
"and only three buildings. Now there are
twelve buildings and more than 1850 stu
dents. The precepts I learned here ! have
carried with me through life. Many Of
these came from Dr. William II. Allen who
was president at that time. Among the
pleasantest memories I have are Of those
sundays when I was a student and promi-
nent laymen from Philadelphia and other
cities came to talk to us
"Girard had no rosy path in life, as the
study of his life shows. Despite the handl-
caps which beset his early years he rose to
mower and a place in the memory OF Pha.
delphia such as is occupied by no other
man There are more opportunities today
for graduates of this institution and the
youth Of the country than there were in
his day
After the chapeI exercises the students
moved over the campus to the gates near
Cornthian avenue to welcome the 5000
alumni, who began to arrive at o'clock.
They came in steadily increasing numbers
for an hour gathering in front of .he main
building behind the gate.
At IL o'clock the alumni formed in line
and with national fcgs and the college
eolors marched about the campus to the
various buildings, visiting last the new
high school building completed since the
last Founders Day.
During this time tho principal exercises
will be started by a selection by the college
band followed by an invocation by Doctor
Herrick. The college chorus will sing
"Sanches," from Gounod. This will be fol-
lowed by cornet solo by Louis II. Helm, of
the college band.
The two principal addresses will then he
heard. Ex-Governor Edwin s. Stuart will
he the first speaker. wi lam Potter. chair
man of the committee on arrangements. will
then introduce William o. Atwood, of Bal.
timore Md. a member of the class of 1879
The spectacular event of the day will
be the review of the college battalion by
Brgadcr General Lttleton w. G. Waller
of the United States Marine Corps. The
college battalion will be commanded by
Major Robert NJ Brookfield, Under Major
Brookfeld the battalion will go through
a drill on the campus.
Tonight the alumni will have banquet
at the Hotel Adelpha. Ex-Governor Stuart
will be the principal speaker at the ban
quet
The college was founded under the terms
Of the famous Girard will after his deatl
In 1881. 1t is for 'he education Of orphans
with those living in the city proper having
first claim for admission, those i'm the STATE
S. second, and those in New York city anC
New Orleans third and fourth.
New York and New Orleans were speci
fed because Stephen Girard first landed
In this country in the port of New York
after sailing for several years followinl
his early boyhood i'm Bordeaux. France
where he was born He traded with New
Orleans for some years after landing il
New York, and later came to Philadelphia
during the British occupation of the cit!
In 1777. At the time of his death GirarC
was the richest man in America.
PLAN NAVIGATION COURSE
President Herrick and members Of tn
Board of city Trusts are now planning e
include a course in navigation at Girart
College. including the use Of school shil
for students.
The Girard will provided for training II
navigation, and until six years ago ther
was a nautical course at the college, from
which many ships officers now in the com
mercial service were graduated.
The course was allowed to lapse, however
Agitation for renewing it has gained fresl
Impetus and strong backing lately in view
Of the extreme shortage of ships officers TO
American ships