Evening star., 1926-06-06
MARYLAND SOCIETY
PROMOTES HISTORY
Members Have Done Much to
Stimulate Interest in
Their State.
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

Maryland's State society in the Dis
trict of Columbia was organized main
lN through the efforts of William
Tyler Page, the clerk of the House
of Representatives, for the purpose of
studying Maryland history. Social in.
tercourSe naturally results from the
gathering of the members to hear the
papers or to take part in the discus
sion, but this feature is incidental and
not fundamental, as in the ma jority
OF similar organizations.
Mr.. Page made a personal canvass
of Marylanders in Washington. and
July i. 1919. called the first meeting
in the Thomson School. Mrs. L. w.
Streeter, one of the enthusiastic pro-
moterS of the idea. was elected tenn
porary chairman and W. NJ. Severe
was named acting secretary. Prelim-
lnaries having been arranged. the next
meeting. held in the same place on
August 6. resulted in William Tyler
Page being elected first president;
w. r. Severe, vice president; Mrs. u.
w. Streeter. corresponding secretary;
Miss NJ. Burllhart. recording secretary,
and X. I. Warfeld, treasurer.
Constitution Drawn Up.
The constitution of the new society
was drawn up and ratified at this
meeting, and under its provisions the
members began their earnest cam
pai3n in behalf of their State.
Among the objects enumerated as
the reason for the formation of the
society was to promote the study of
historical and political chapters of this
venerable commonwealth. to encour.
age the writing of articles about Mary
land and TO aid in the restoration OF
1,ta Il
State records.
Mr. Page. the esteemed author of
the american Creed" gave unremit-
ting attention to the society and en-.
couraged in every way the prepara-
ZION OF original papers. suggesting sub
1ectS and assisting with his own ripe
knowledge and judgment in formulat-
ing the annual program.
AS the entertainment of MARYLAND.
erS living in Washington was also one
oI the OBJECTS contemplated, It has
been the aim of the officers to vary
the Winter schedule and to have the
serious work interspersed with dances
musicals and illustrated lectures. This
routine proved very successful from
1919 until 1928, and the meetings. held
once month from November until
May, showed Increased attenda nee and
more sustained effort to bring some
thing of value to the recorded history
OF Maryland. The return of MANY
Marylanders to their own homes fol.
lowing the war activities. caused tho
society to lose many members. and il
was principally due to the efforts of
Miss Anne Ritchie, cousin of The
present governor. and of T. ID
Blackistone that new members were
interested and that the once.fiourish
tinction. Mr.. Blackstone was elected
president, and with Miss Ritchie made
such a vigorous campaign that a t the
present time the Marylanders have re-
gained all lost ground and are going
lorNafd at pace comparable to that
of any State club.
one OF the policies Of the cl,,h has
been to ask prominent citizens to ad
dress the members on some phase of
MARYLAND with which they are most
1amlllar, or TO give intimate details Of
tne section of the State from which
they come. Thus former Senator
france made n splendid address in
l"22, giving the succinct story of the
commercial and industrial progress Of
the state, from the day when the cur
rencN was reckOned in pounds of to-
Dacco up to the present, when the
port or Baltimore is counted as one of
the busiest and most important in the
Western world. Representative Hill
has. addressed the society several
times In his usual sprightly way and
on subjects like prohibition enforce.
ment, with which his name is nation.
ally known. Former Senator Blair
Lee has given much valuable infor-
nation on Montgomery County. which,
as the neighbor to Washington, NAV
be deemed valuable chapter Of local
history, and DR.. G. G. Keidell has read
papers of absorbing interest to the
student of Maryland history as we'll
as 10 the general student.
Mr.. Tydinss Elected i'm 1924.
Representative Tydings was elected
president in 1924 and served for two
years. Coming from the border land
between the boundaries of Lord Balti.
mores colony and that Of William
Penn. Mr.. Tydings naturally has
taken deep interest in the bitter con
troversies of historians over the con
tested ground and several of his ad-
dresses dWelt on these points. Repre-
sentative Zihlman. who, at the meet
ing held the end of March. was chosen
president to succeed Mr.. Tydngs,
comes from Frederick County, from
which Gen. Rraddock. accompanied
by the youthful George Washington Of
Virginia and Christopher Gist of