Evening star., 1923-05-18
Urges Need of Housing
Curios and Antiques
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The enthusiastic reception with
which the idea Of a museum for the
assembling of curios and antiques in
the possession of the Association Of
Oldest Inhabitants has met with
prompts me to detail the origin and
objects of the movement.
in Washington-the Oldest Inhabi-
tants. the Columbia Historical Society
and the Society OF Natives-neither
has a permanent home, but all are
vigorous and prosperous, having an
average membership of 500 each. In
the last-named Organization aros, the
question of common home for all.
as they are formed for similar OBJ
jects. but the work Of each is dis
tinct.
in the Society of Natives and a COM
mittee Of five was appointed by the
president to urge the Historical So
ciety and the Association of Oldest
Inhabitants to appoint similar COM
mittees, which has been done.
1t IS singular that Washington, hav-
ing so unique a beginning and such
an eventful existence. should have
been all these years without means
for collecting or a repository Tor the
vast amount of historical records ana
curos that have necessarily resulted
tional government.
All of the large cities of the coun-
try have societies and buildings Tor
the accumulation and display of data
and antiques connected with the re-
spective cities, many of the buildings
having been erected when they were
much smaller communities than
Washington now Is. Boston had a
historical society and meeting place
before 1890. Albany's society was or
~. IN,
City Historical Society was formed
in 1904 and has 80 far had three
homes, and the last is a very costly
one. Philadelphia and Baltimore
have had interesting exhibits for
It lis proposed that the committee
of fifteen as above provided for Will
meet in the near future and formu.
late plans for the benefit OF each ana
all the organizations. They will de-
raise funds for the leasing and re-
construction of a building with a
meeting hall to accommodate 500 per-
sons and have business once 1or
each organization, sufficient room for
| a library and record hall for the dis
play of relics and curios relating to
the District Of Columbia.
AS The Star says, the Oldest In
habitants have a mine of interesting
relics and documents, and the HIS
tOrlCal Society mas also Al dCCuti no
ton of books. documents and pic,
lures, while the Society of Natives
contemplates the photoEraphinE OF
the remaining historic buildings ana
the collecting of pictures of build
ings that have been destroyed. A
stumbling block in the. way OF this
latter schsme, however. has been that
the Natives have no place to store
the pictures when they are secured,
and this delays the execution of the
project.
am assured from several sources
that valuable material, such as parts
of celebrated buildings that have
been saved by interested parties. Will
be donated for exhibition in a perma-
nent building for that purpose or to
be incorporated as a part thereof.
After an absence Of some twenty
years from Washington, on my re-
turn find a curious condition of af-
fairs resulting from the recent rapid
growth OF, the city. and that is the
clannish disposition OF the citizens
and old residents and. above all. the
disposition to form and populari1e
associations for Washingtontans only.
,, 1t would geem, therefore. that whilo
we have these sev.ral vigorous or
EanizAtions to boost the plan for
such q hall and museum the time is
ripe to push II to completion. There
are many smaller local associations
engaged in collecting useful data re-
latine to the District and its people
that may. also be invited TO- CO.
'pe'. J, JAMES +. prHA,xrt4