Evening star., 1926-10-10
WASHINGTON STATE
SOCIETY SKETCHED
Organization Formed in 1915
Makes Special Festival An
nually on February %.
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

When the Washington State Society
organized in 1915, three of the present
members OF its congressional deleGa-
ton were among Its sponsors-Sena-
tor Wesley Livsey Jones and Senator
Clarence c. Dill. the former then in
the House representing the fifth dis
trict. and Representative Albert john
son of Hoquiam, who was well known
In local newspaper circles. Senator
Miles Poindexter. now Ambassador to
Peru, and Mrs. Poindexter were
among the organizers, and some 25
others from the Evergreen State. in
Guiding Merle Thorpe. editor of the
Nations Business, District of Co
lumbia publication. and former Rep
resentative and Mrs. William r..
Humphreys and former Representa-
five and Mrs. William j. La Toilette.
The first meetings were held in the
committee rooms of various Senator'S
and members of the House, and the
social functions were merged with
those Of the already established and
f1ourishing alumni of Washington's
State University at Seattle. From the
beginning the society has made a. spe-
cial festival on February % to honor
the birthday of the great patriot, as
we'll as to commemorate the entrance
of his name state into the Union
1899. The alumni celebrates with
equal ferver the anniversary of the
establishment of the university in
1926.
Merger Seemed Advisable.
Washington State has never sent
many of it's citizens to Washington.
D. c., so that from the beginning the
society felt the necessity OF merging
with the local alumni rather than
working in opposition to it. The Uni
Versity of Washington, which is one
OF the most numerously attended and
influential on the Pacific Coast, dates
back to territorial days. It's organiza-
ton dates from 1854. when the beauti-
full city Of Seattle was a humble col
lection of huts which the sturdy
pioneers had built among the indian
tribes under the provisions of the act
Of Congress, passed in 1850, known as
the donation act"
The nucleus of the State university
began with the city's charter in 1898
and few seats of learning have made
such giant strides in the intervening
wears. From the time the State wa
admitted and it's public men began
coming to the National Capital to full
flll their legislative obligations, there
has been a close relation between the
university at Seattle and the various
colleges of the District. In particular
has there been brisk interchange or
amenities between the old Columbian
University, now the George Washing
ton, and the Pacific Coas: seat of
learning. Senators and members OF
Congress have brought with them
in the secretarial capacity bright
Young men who have at once attended
the local evening classes and on 90
tanning their degree have returned 10
the coast and are among the most
successful and respected of its profes
sional class.
Gather i'm Compact Social Body.
From the beginning of their resi-
dence here, the citizens of washington
had gathered in a compact social body
and though their State organization
dates only II years back. they had Il
reality an active relation. When
the University of Washington alumni
organized in the national sense in
1911, a strong wing that came re-
ported from Washington and these
once formed their own chapter ana
have ever since held together affiliat-
ing freely with the George Washing
ton and, since 1915, taking in all those
who are eligible to join the State So
ciety.
In 1924, the State reorganized COM
pletely as a branch Of the alumni, but
retained its own officers and conducted
the annual celebration of State day
and such other celebrations as could
be arranged without conflicting with
the older society's schedule. Russell
Conklin was elected president. James
Gilluly vice president. and Floyd
Toomey secretary and treasurer. ant
an advisory board consisting of the
congressional delegation was appoint
ed. One outstanding feature of the
society's activity is the entertainment
Of the crew of the university, which
makes frequent visits to the Capital
Having such a broad eXpanse of wa
ter nearby aquatic games form the
major part of the scholastic athletics
and the university has participated,
and nearly always successfully, il
some Of the most exciting races il
the country.
Challenges the Older Crews.
For IS years, the crew has come
East to challenge the crews of the
older universities and the Seattle oars.