Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
ENTERTAINMENT
STAGED nv ENGINEERS


Through the agency of the Seventh
and Eighth Companies OF the Engineer
Officers Training School. the most at
tractive entertainment yet given in the
division was held tonight in Y. NJ.
g. y. building No. 81. Madame Malta
Wittkowski. one of tho most cello
hrated singers ever heard IN cpcra in
this country. rendered several sclcc-
lions. She was. for several seasons.
tho principal prima donna at Covent
Garden. London. Her American APP
pearances have been with the Chicago
Grand Opera Company and the Metro
rolitan Opera Company, of New York.
Madame Wi:tkowski'S huSba nd Cap
! Tain y. n. Mallory, is attending the
engineers school. Other vocal selrc-
lions were rendered by 4 negro quar-
tcttc
Lieutenant Colonel Dewitt c. Jones.
a West Point graduate. who was ap-
pointed 10 that school from Georgia,
made short talk on Robert L.. Lee
Colonel Jones is commandant of the
engineers school. which il the largest
ever conducted in the United States
The building was attractivciy deco
rated with colors of flags of the Con-
fedcracy. the United States and of our
allies. During the entire evening, a
picture of Lee on which a spotlight
played. gave evidence OF the tribute to
the great leader. The entertainment
was arranged by !. w. Benton. of the
Y. NJ. G. A organization.
Simple exercises preceded the pre-
scntation OF 4 picture Of Lee TO the
!. W. {. y. hostess house by the
Petersburg Daughters of the Confed-
cracy. +. w. Bcckwith made the
speech OF presentation, which was ac-
copied by Mrs. Eddy, hostess of tho
hostess house.
DR. BARRiNGER ESTABLISHES
ORIGIN OF "DIXIE-
Especial TO The Times Dispatch)
CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. January
ls.-At The Lee birthday celebration.
held here this afternoon. Or. Paul B.
BarrinSer, former president of the
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
the we'll known writcr--;,nd speaker on
things Southern, made.a most strik-
ing and original presentation Of the
origin OF the South's battle hymn and
almost national air. Dixie" The
I learned aud enthusiastic deliver IN
Southern lore presented facts that he
has discovered. which. he claims, gives
the true origin Of the word Dixie. as
applied 10 the South. and tho facts sur
rounding the adoption OF the name by
b tue o!d-time minstrel star. Dan En-
nett.
The term. Dixie. pr. Barrinscr said.
was applied TO the section covered by
tho Confederate States. hut it was
not always so used. II was first APP
Piled To the extreme Southwest
Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The
way in which this came about was
as follows: In the days of wildcat
currency. the Bank III louisiana -
about 1872, issued hilincual notes
that IS. IA English and French. The
tcn-doI1ar note was inscribed Ten
/ ia English and French. Dix being the
| French for ten. In the course of time
the section using these notes became
Known as the land OF the DiN's." and
IN turn. 'D'Nicland," and this was :,
warm, bright land % sunshine
!'r- Rarrinser then went on to cX-
plain now the song, as known TO the
n2b!I'. came t. 10" written by the late
Dan emmett. Emmett. nc said. was q
comedian and literary bufroon. who
wrote. among other pieces. the old
THckrr' iic visited New Orleans with
a m!nstre: troupe every winter and
there h'.trd. the old tunc--a tune as
ola as the hills. as he contends. II
have myself heard 1t In France" said
h.. and also IN Vienna and other parts
rs Emmc,, WAS passing u minstrel
friend one cold fall day the latter
/ .'IcG out To him. I wish was in
LiNi" 'sec Book Of KnowledEe"D
meaning that he wished he was in the
Wtrm balmN South, and the idea was
t1Hcu M ny Emmett. That night he
wrote 'rtNic,' and il came GU, IN New
York !'w days later IS5s).
i am told that during the war Re-
tween the states il was at first used
most by the Texas troops. and that /,
soon became the battle song of the Con-
ieneracH. since the war 1t has become
me most ponular song in the United
states. and our Northern friends have
begun 10 make more or less efforts 10
appropriate II as Il Northern production,
riain'y because Dan Emmett was the
author"