Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-21
VIRGINIA SOCIETY
IN CAPITAL STRONG
Organization Distinctly So
CiaI, Is One of Most Flour
ing in City.
BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.

The Old Dominion, which, in the
impressive words of Senior Beltran
Matthew, recently retired Ambassa.
dor from Chile. in his stirring address
at jamestown, furnished both the
sword and the per which won Amer
lean independence" has not Jagged
behind her sister States in the gath.
ering of her citizens in the National
Capital. The late DR.. James Dudley
Morgan, for many years president of
the Columbia Historical Society.
writing on Washington develop
ment, notes that as early as 1897
Nirginians crossed the Potomac and
settled in the city with an eye on
Vat problem which has occupied so
much attention ever since, that of
securing a job under the Federal
Government. But as early as 1920
there are annals of Virginians form
Ing an association, which grew in
numbers and influence through the
years, gathering momentum as the
States native sons became chief mag
istrates or occupied other exalted
lat the Society of Virginia, char
tered under this title and located in
the District of Columbia, which has
grown so popular a social and patri-
otto organization. dates only from
Lake. with II adherents, met in the
Gridiron room of the New Willard
and initiated and perfected the So
ciety, and the articles of the consti
tuition were finally drawn up and
adopted on October "a. 1924.
Now Has $50 Members
The. Society of Virginia. though
among the Youngest of these State
affiliations, has been from the be-
ginning one of the best supported by
Its members, and now can claim $50
paid-up adherents and Il waiting list
OF formidable proportions. For this
state society is conducted exactly as
an exclusive social club should be.
and those DESTROYS of joining must
be recommended by three we'll eStab-
Eshed members, and must fill many
requirements, the paramount being
at least one side of Nirginian par
entage.
Having the accumulated wisdom
Of other state societies to draw upon,
the Virginia is unique in having, be
sides the usual officers, 10 very pretty
and attractive maids. who are spon-
sors for each congressional district.
This order was established in the
very beginning of the society, and
with an exceedingly interesting re-
suit Gen. Oden Lake was elected
president Of the society, and he was
Il gallant presumably impervious to
the shafts of Cupid but he promptly
fell in love with one of the fairest of
the sponsors and married her soon
after the society started on its way.
She was Miss Alice Gregg Rogers,
and she resigned her post of sponsor,
which must always be held by un-
married women. Another sponsor.
Miss Virginia Douglas Byars, mar
ried another officer of the associa-
ton. Lieut. Kenneth L. Coontz, L.
S. n. and this list might be pro-
tonged on the same pleasant lines.
But the Society of Virginia has dis
covered that to interest the younger
element is to have loyal, enthusiastic
support, and it means to gather in
also the nliddle-aged and the aged, be-
cause of their affection for the rising
bellies and beauX.
Objects Are Social.
Being purely social and with Il de-
sire to emphasize the birthdays and
other anniversaries of the mighty men
and women Of the State, from the be
ginning of its activities, the Virginia
Society has planned picturesque balls,
the first being the congressional ball
given in the Raleigh Hotel on January
"a, 1924 Eirginia'S delegation to Con-
gresS and many former Senators and
members We're at this function, and 1t
is estimated that more than 1900
members and guests We're entertained.
1t had been planned to give colonial
ball later In the season, but this idea
was abandoned because of the death