Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-24

General and President came to the
decision that ST. Johns College,
Annapolis, was the place for his
| wards, much influence was brought
| to bear on him to change his opinion,
but he held fast to it.
Among the distinguished men whose
names added luster to the alumni of
st. Johns from 1911 to 1880 were
Thomas Stockett Alexander. lawyer,
Representative and diplomat; John
johnson, Chancellor of the State;
John Henry Alexander, brother of
T. s., who became Justice of the Su-
preme Court of the State of Mary
land; Rt. Rev. William Pinkney,
Episcopal Bishop of Maryland, and
Judge William II. Tuck of the Mary
land Court of Appeals.
* * =
TT was in 1924 that the students OF
old st. Johns received a holiday
to help entertain one Of the most
| notable guests in it's history-Gen
Lafayette. The distinguished French
| man had been stationed with his
troops in Annapolis at one period
during the Revolution, and having
caught something of the atmosphere
of the old town, he made a visit
| there. Another reason for his COM
ing was to lay wreaths on the graves
of his countrymen who had died in
the service of the United States, many
of the soldiers who composed Ro-
chambeau's division being buried in
land now part of the college campus.
The visit of Lafayette brought
about a great occasion for st. Johns
in 1910 when the first monument to
an unknown hero was erected on the
campus by the American people in
honor of their French defenders The
French Ambassador. Jules Jusserand
presided over the presentation of the
monument, among the other notables
being William Howard Taft, Presi-
dent of the United States, and many
members of the diplomatic corps, as
well as members of the Congress Of
the United States. Capt. de Cham
brun. greatgrandson of Lafayette,
and Miss de Grasse Fowler, a descen-
dant of Admiral de Grasse, unveiled
the monument.
After the World War. when the
countries that were engaged in it
erected monuments to unknown
| heroes, the question as to the first
Nanument of the kind was raised
\ y claims have been made, but
tAS9assador Jusserand wrote DR.
| Enoch B. Carey, president Of St.
Johns, as recently as May 8. 1924
MY dear Mr. President: 1t is a
fact that I have had more than one
occasion to recall that, while there
| has been much discussion as to which
nation first honored an unknown SOL
| der, that nation is undoubtedly the
| United States.
! Long before the recent events in
Europe, it occurred to some of your
compatriots that. while the military
and naval leaders of the War of In
| dependence had, most of them, a
statue or some monument, none had
been erected for those plain men who
having nothing else to offer but their
lives, offered and lost them. For, as
is well known, the members OF
Rochambeau's army came with such
alacrity and desire not to be left be-
hind, that Particularly strict in
struction had to be sent to the doc
tors at BreSt in order to make sure
that none of the soldiers might con-
ceal any illness or infirmity.
! THE outcome of this generous SEN
tfment on the part of your compa-
triots was the erection on the cam
pus of st. Johns College of that ad-
mirable monument showing on the
background a French army of long
ago passing as in a dream, and on
the foreground an image of Memory
laying wreaths of laurel on two
nameless graves, inscribed with the
words in French:
Here lies a soldier, Of France
Here lies a sailor of France
This was the first monument his
tory records as being erected to an
unknown soldier"
+-* + "-.-
Until 1886, old st. Johns College
~ carried on under a number of
presidents and with varying fortunes,
never forgetting the high ideals of
the founders, and always keeping
close to the Oxford traditions. Dur
ing the Civil War the college was
closed, it's buildings being used as a
military hospital. An old engraving
made at that time shows the campus
covered with tents, with sentries pa
trolling the entrances. It was in
1886 that DR.. Thomas Fell, a noted
Oxford product. became president of
the college, retiring as president
emeritus in 1928, after 81 years of
generous service. Under his influence
the college grew in attendance ard in
prestige.
For the 23o years Of the existence
Of the college and the King William
School a great poplar tree has stood
sentinel over the campus, and has
been revered by thousands of alumni
long gone on the great adventure. 1t
is estimated that the tree is about
500 years old. and in order to preserve
it from accident workmen are equip
ping it this summer with lightning
rods. Tree surgeons are giving 1t
their attention also and are devoting
additional time and care to the other
large and handsome naples, lindens
and poplars on the campus. The his
toric old poplar Is known as the
Liberty Tree" and is the special
charge of the Peggy Stewart Tea
Party, Daughters of the American
Revolution of Annapolis.
In the World War, st. Johns went
in 100 per cent, it being at that time
one of the most prominent military
schools in the country, ranking only
second to West Point. Visitors to
the college find the monument to the
hero dead at the entrance Of the
campus. fanked by-a machine gun