The Washington times., 1927-03-24
Washington Making Contributions
TO Contemporary College Verse
Georgetown University to.
Publish Volume of
Poems by Students and
Alumni
BY JEAN ELIOT

~ Ia 1870 A4AA &AAteSA4 Ass ACLAt Va
n ten OF late about Washington 8
fiction writer's, little enough seems
to be known Of group Of men and
women who are making important
contributions to contemporary verse.
And 1t was news, indeed, to me that
there is now in course Of prepare.
ton volume, The Georgetown Uni
versity Anthology of Verse, which
Is to be brought out shortly by
Dorrallce & Co.. OF Philadelphia, pub
fishers of Contemporary Poets.
This new collection of poems can
not be dubbed contemporary" with
strict accuracy, since it comprises
verses written by students and
alumni Of Georgetown University
since its foundation nearly century
and a half ago. But the volume will
have wide interest, since many
widely read and beloved poets are to
be represented in its pages and since
several poems which have attained
worldwide fame viii be included.
First Student Represented
Georgetown's first student, Will
liam CASTOR. Is to be represented by
his The Old North State Forever
State song of North Carolina
other well-known verses. He was
once the leading orator in Congress,
and, it is said. that. like Al Smith,
he might have been nominated for
President had it not been for his
religion.
Another Georgetown poet Of the
early days of the Republic was Con-
stantin G. Pise, who was graduated
from the college in 1916, became a
Catholic priest and was once, / be-
Meve. chaplain OF one Of the Houses
of Congress. During the "Know-
nothing agitation which hinged on
religious intolerance he wrote that
stirring protestation of, loyalty to
God and to country which begins
''They say that 1 do not love thee,
Flag Of my native land.
James Ryder Randall, author of
Maryland, My Maryland" Is. per.
haps the foremost of many writer's
of patriotic verse who claimed
Georgetown as their alma mater.
Shortly after the Civil War,
Stephen Mallory was one Of the
students of The old college on
jackson Heights" who were In
clined to belles-lettres. He after
ward served as Senator from
Florida.
College Journal StOrehouse
In 1872 the Georgetown College
Journal" was founded to serve as
a medium of literary expression for
the students. On its first govern
ang board were Thomas Washing
ton. grand nephew Of George Wash
ington; Thomas Edwin Sherman.
son OF General Sherman, and George
Ernest Hamilton, well-known Wash.
ington lawyer and business man.
The first verses to appear in the
journal were written by James r..
Tracy, once Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of New York.
To more recent history belong
Maurice Francis Egan and Charles
Wells Russell, both poet.dipIomats
and both Georgetown University
students in their youth, It was while
he was in college that the late DIR.
Egan wrote some of his most charm
ing pieces. DR.. Egan was once Min
ister to Denmark, but Theodore
Roosevelt, his friend and admirer,
preferred to think of him rather as
literary man than as a diplomat.
Mr.. Russell, who was for some time
American Minister to Persia, will
be represented in the anthology by
Verses-sonnetS most OF them-on
life in that country.
Washington Lads Editors
Both the editors of the anthology
are Washingtonians-J me- S.
Ruby. jr., who is 55th editor OF the
Journal" and who has many orig
anal and charming verses to his
credit, and A. Philip Kane, better
known perhaps for his dramatic
activities. He has appeared with
the st. Patrick Players and has
directed plays and pageants for
many Washington organizations.
Both young men are graduates of
Gonzaga College High School. Mr..
Ruby Is now senior in the College
OF Arts and Sciences. Georgetown.
Poetry Like Chamber Music
Lest the ladies feel sighted
want to call attention to a slender
volume of verse, Gray Songs" by
Mercy Baldwin, which is just from
the press of Harold Vinal, New
York. This is described as an
austerely beautiful book and rec.
commended to those who feel that
good poetry need not be unrelated
to good taste" Rather like cham
Der music. it is said. is the delicate
tonal tracery Of Mercy Baldwin's
art.
What gives special interest to the
publication of this volume among
Washingtonians is the fact that in
private life Mercy Baldwin is Mrs.
Howard, wife of Col. Deane Howard.
y. s. A., who has been stationed
here upon occasion.
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DINNER TONIGHT