Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-26
ATHENEUM REEVES
ICAP|TAL ACTIVITIES
Alfonso Only Monarch on
Rolls of Spanish-American
Il. Organization.
ny MARGARET B. DOWNING.


ary president of the Spanish Ameri-
can Atheneum and he enjoys the dis
tinction of being the only sovereign
who figures on the rolls of a Wash
ington organization. A learned So
ciety, founded to provide a common
meeting ground for North and South
American scholarship and to promote
the study of the Spanish language
and literature of the mother country
and of Latin America, 1t came into
being under brilliant auspices in the
National Museum on December 4, 1912.
The late assistant director of the
Pan-American Union. DR.. Francisco
Javier Zanes, had called the meeting
of some well known Spanish scholars
and this preliminary gathering was
attended by Senior Juan Riano, then
minister and later ambassador from
Spain; the Mexican ambassador Senior
Manuel Calero; the minister from
Cuba, Senior Antonio Martin Rivera;
Sonora Blanche Y de Baralt, a noted
Cuban lecturer and author, then in
Washington; Ri. Rev. Charles War
rem Currier, Bishop of Matanzas, and
DIR. Henry van Dyke. who came from
New York especially to attend.
Senior Riano made a stirring adj
dress tracing the Spanish influence
and culture from California and
Texas to the utmost confines of
Patagonia. The other diplomats pres
ent addressed the assemblage and
pledged their support to the proposed
association.
Constitution Adopted.
On January 4, 1913, the first an
nual meeting was held in the MUS
cum, officers were elected and the
constitution adopted. The president
was the founder of the Atheneum,
DR.. Zanes, and with him were named
two honorary vice presidents. the
Spanish ambassador, then Senior RI
ano, and the director of the Pan
American Union, John Barrett. This
honor was intended for the holder of
these offices and not in the personal
sense and by this provision, Senior
Padflla now succeeds to first honor
airy vice presidency and DR.. Leo r.
Rowe is his associate. The second
honorary vice presidents were Bishop
Currier, Luis Munoz Ribera. delegate
from Porto Rico, and Mrs. Charles F.
Humphrey.
The late Hannis Taylor, one time
minister TO Spain, was chosen chair
man of the executive committee and
his aides were Gen. James A. Drain,
Charles Burdett Hart, Charles NJ.
Pepper, Capt. c. c. Marsh, U. S. NJ;
Walter Scott Penfield, James H.
Blount and fCharles Lyon Chandler.
Julian Moreno Lacalle of Mr. Bar
rett's staff in the Pan-American
Union was named general secretary,
and his assistant was Antonio NJ.
Opisso. j. Selwin TAFT was treasurer
and Ira B. DalrympIe was assistant
treasurer.
The Antheneum began with most
annhifia1Q nfni0ofS I,at
of publishing magazine which would
be the official organ and have CORE
Spondents in all important centres of
Spanish culture. Princess Therese of
Bavaria, a member OF the royal house
of Spain, had consented to act, as had
others well known among the
students of Spanish, Sir Clement r.
Markham of Oxford. Rafael Allamira
OF Spain. Jose T. Medina of Chile,
Jose Lafour Quevedo .,of Argentina
and DIR. Rafael Villavicencio, of
Venezuela. h
But the members found many of the
articles of the constitution onerous
and the burden assumed too heavy.
On February 8, 1914 there was a re-
vising and general Topping off of
some of the projects, which required
more funds than the society DOS
sessed. In the amended constitution
King Alfonso was offered and had &C.
copied the honorary presidency. r
Activities Diminished.
Though the Spanish.American
Antheneum has considerably dimin-
tshed activities. it continues it's work
IN an abridged way and it's amended
constitution holds. Mr.. Zanes con-
tinued in the presidential Office. and
the executive chairman was James
BroWn Scott, also acting vice presj-
dent. Mr.. Ribera, delegate from
Porto Rico. was second vice president
and Mrs. Charles Humphrey third.
All the ambassadors from. Latin
american countries became active
members and the late Romulo Naon.
the scholarly envoy from Brazil. was
particularly interested and diligent
though his country used the Portu
guese and not the Spanish language.
All the ministers from Pan-America
ana many of the minor DIPLOMATS
Joined and the Atheneum was getting
nne start when the World War
plunged everything of a cultural
nature into financial straits.
II was impossible to count on con.
tr1putions to- the magazine from
IoIelsn source and the leaders of the
movement in Washington soon founJ
their time engrossed by pressing
patriotic duties. Mr.. Zanes and his
aloes Kept up the organization as we'll
as tney could and after the signing Of
!na armisuce and the return of CON.
tions 10 normal, endeavored fo re
ouiid Its forces along the old lines.
., Inc work has been slow. In 1922
Ine jealous and well liked assistant
mrector or the Pan-American Union
ano TINS was a severe blow to
Inc SpaniSn'Amertcan Atheneum.
Dr. Guillermo Antonio Sherwell n
distinguished scholar OF Spanish Ia -.
Euage and literature. was president
eLIer the death of Mr.. Zanes. and an.
%tner excellent and learned president
was DR.. Henry Grattan, DOYLE. nrofes-
sor OF romance languages in George
washington University.
His Writings Extensive.
DIR. Doyle has written extensively
on the influence of Spain in the chi.
tnral sense on this country, as we'll a.
IN It's former dominions. and he nuh.
Hsned one article on the extent TO
which Spanish is studied at the pres.
ent time.
This monograph in an abridged
form was published by the Pan-Ameri.
can Bulletin few months ago. and
mas subsequently, been copied or
quoteo IN part by. many British and
other continental journals. DIR. DOYLE
showed the appeal which SPANISH
LANGUAGE history and literature have
made to some of the greatest OF Amer.
lean men of letters, Washington
irwin, Prescott, Lowell, Longfellow
Ttchnor. Howells and John Hay. and
ne showed conclusively that though
modern languages have been neglected
in modern American colleges ana
higher seats of learning, Spanish holds
its popularity
Another president of the society.