Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
Spirit Of Sacrifice
Behind Activities
of Many of Those
Who Have Devoted
Lives to Work
K repre- s e n t e d.
Philosophical So
ciety Which Once
Met in Ford The
alter Recalled by
Old Citizens.

came congested. Ultimately the club
outgrew it's accommodations and had
to seek larger quarters Then In
time, as 1t continued to grow, X
moved once again to its present site
| overlooking Lafayette Square and
only two blocks from the Whit
House.
I The Cosmos Club is different from,
! the rank and file of other American
/ clubs of this era, inasmuch as the
| membership is restricted wholly 10 .
| men who have done meritorious work
/ in science, literature or the fine arts.
! or those who, though not occupied IL
| science, literature or the fine arts, are
| well known TO be cultivated in q
special department thereof, or those
who are recognized as DISTINGUISHED
In a learned profession or in public
| service.
| In the general run Of clubs a man
Of ample finances and social incIina-
tons can readily secure recognition on
the club roster. Such is not the case
at the curious Cosmos Club. No maj
| ter If you are many times a million
aire. unless your record OF achieve
requirements, your name is black
ba led when presented as a candidate
! for membership.
On the other hand, even though
!, your bank account be at low ebb. II
! you are a man of mark in a scien-
tific way you will be as welcome as
! the flowers of spring at the luxurious
clubhouse of the Washington scten-
lists.
x x *
STRANGE to relate, but few even of
the most distinguished senators
ana representative gain membership
in the Cosmos Club. One of the
highest scientific honors which Wash
ington now has TO offer is member
ship In this most extraordinary or
gan1zatlon. At present some OF the
most prominent ambassadors and
diplomats arc on the Cosmos Club
roster. few Of Americas merchant
princes, captains of Industry. Judges
and lawyers of outstanding legal tall
ent, by remarkable accomplishments.
nave m" the steep grade which
makes. ~ eligible for election to
the club.
The present membership is quite
cosmopolitan when gagged by the
variety Of gainful occupations shown
| There are astronomers, editors, writ
ers Of prose and poetry, painters. en-
gravers. sculptors. doctors, lawyers.
surgeons, Army and Navy officers,
teachers, professors, college presi-
dents, bankers, explorers, financiers,
architects, statesmen, diplomats.
chemists, biologists. biologists, an
thropo!ogists. phytopathologists and
many other unusual vocations repre-
sented. Each of these men has done
something notable during his lifetime
to qualify him for membership.
In some aspects the notable Cosmos
Club resembles the famous Athe-
naeum Club of London. the Travellers
Club of England, the st. Botolph Club
of Boston and the Century Club of
New York city. The present member
ship of the Cosmos Club totals 1000
one-half of whom are residents of
Washington.
The comfortable and big-backed
leathered chairs which half circle the
CHEEKY fireplaces at the Cosmos Club,
where hearth logs are always burning
during chilly weather. have probably
been occupied by more famous men
than any other seats in Washington.
These ffresides have been the birth
places of scientific ideas and ideals
which, thereafter, perhaps, have rev.
| o!utioniZed certain fields Of scientific
attainment. Explorations of UNI
mapped and unknown sections all over
the world have been plotted in those
big leather chairs as the embers
glowed and the wood knots spit and
cracked.
The glamour of famous history will
always be vivid background OF the
Cosmos Club. for the present commo-
dious quarters consist Of the remodel
ed Dolly Madison and DON Cameron
mansions. During the Mckinley ad-
ministration Mark Hanna lived In the
Cameron house, which was as result,
dubbed the little White House." At
present practically every scientific
society in Washington uses the old
Hanna stable for meetings. The stable
has been remodeled as fixture of
the Cosmos Club into a comfortable
assembly hall. The Washington Acad-
envy of Science, during the Last few
years, has used this reformed stable
| exclusively for its meetings. The
Cosmos Club furnishes the use Of the
: hall free Of charge to all Of the SCI
: entific organizations Of the Capital
: city.
A fine library of more than 1000
volumes, devoted to scientific and
3 philosophical literature. is an import
3 ant factor in the Cosmos Club equip
ment. Many masterpieces Of art, the
3 gifts os vorld-renowned sculptors
and painters adorn the clubroom
3 walls.
5 It used to be that important art ex-
, hibitions were held at the Cosmos
Club to which the general public was
invited. Latterly, as the club has
= grown and expanded Its activities.
these public exhibitions, on account OF
! ack of space, have been discontinued.
2 Like many another metropolitan club,
: the Cosmos now has a ladies' branch
provided for the use and amusement
of the wives of the members. Spacious
parlors are provided in the Dolly
5 Madison house. with an attractive
3 garden for summer use and excellent
dining facilities for the women of the
scientific families.