Evening star., 1927-03-10
AMERICAN j. GETS
$861,ODO|N G|F is.
Will of Miss Mary Graydon
Bequeaths $545, ,000-Had
Given $4,000 During Life.

American University will receive
from the late Miss Mary Graydon OF
Ridgewood, ". j., a total of $861,O0O,
including bequests of $545,OOO, it was
announced last night by Chancellor
Lucius C. Clark at a banquet OF the
Women's Guild of the university, at
the Women's Residence Hall on the
campus.
Gifts from Miss Graydon, which had
been coming to the institution over
period of years, but were disclosed TO
the public for the first time last night,
have helped substantially in sending
the campaign for funds we'll over the
$1,000 900 mark toward the goal or
$4,000, 900, DIR. Clark said. Pledges OF
$3.50, 900 had been received during the
past year, he said, and yesterday there
arrived from campaign workers IN
Florida an additional group of pledges
totaling $4,000 more from one weeks
activity.
DIR. ShOwalter Speaks.
DIR. w. J. Showalter, assistant edi'
tor of the National Geographic Maya
zine, who spoke at the banquet on
Science and Religion" denounced
agnosticism as one of the greatest
dangers of the day. Declaring that
never was a greater mistake made
by the human mind than to claim
that science denies God DR.. Sho-
walter said: 1.-THE first thing every
educational institution ought to do is to
guide children that they will not be
agnostics. Children should have truth
and faith so tied together that the
one will be the bulwark to the other.
Reviewing the progress of science in
the history of man, as it met increas-
ing needs for the support and COM
fort of the race, DIR. Showalter de-
clared, "God has had an answer for
every need"
Science" he said, sis nothing more
or less than the agency through
which the Creator still sends mamma
to hungry race, still raises up SER
pents in the wilderness, that the peo-
pie might have health, still gives us
clouds by day and pillars of fire by
night to lead Israel into the promised
land of decent existence"
DR.. Clark, explaining the gifts from
the late Miss Graydon, said she be-
came by them the chief benefactor of
the institution. She had given prior
to her death, he said, several different
sums, including 100000 in cash and
80 900 annually for eight years. When
her will, made within the year prior
to her death at the age of SO. last July,
became known recently, DIR. Clark
said ii was disclosed she had created
a trust fund of $145. 900 for four per-
sons, at whose death the fund will
come to American University. and
had made the university resiiuary
legatee. Officials of the Fifth ave.
nue. Bank of New York City had as
sured him, DIR. Clark said, that when
the estate is settled which probably
will be next Fall, American University
will receive about $400, 900. probably
more. The estate now is principally
in stocks and bonds, it was explained.
Saw University Once.
Miss Graydon had seen American
University but once, DIR. Clark said
when she was in Washington about
80 years ago, long before the institu- !
tion had developed the array of build |
ings which now house the new college |
of liberal arts. During the past two
years, the chancellor told the women's |
guild, there had been expended in
buildings on the campus total OF
100000
Outlining the progress made in es-
tablishing the university since its be-
ginning more than 80 years ago, Dr.
Clark praised the heads of the three
schools: Dean Edward T. Devine of
the graduate school; DIR. Albert Put
ney, director of the School of Political
Sciences, and DIR. George B. Woods,
dean of the college of liberal arts.
The campaign for funds would be
pressed further, DIR. Clark said, as it
had been found. that people in all
parts of the country were giving to
the institution. Laying down policy
which he declared would surely carry
forward" American University, the
chancellor said the goal was to make
the institution the Outstanding
standardized institution of learning in
this part of the country"
Miss Mary Louise Brown, dean of
women at the college. was toast
mistress; Mrs. Harriet Harding
Guthrie entertained with vocal solos,
and Bishop John w. Hamilton pro-
nounced the invocation.