Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23
Capital Sidelights
By WILL r. KENNEDY.

The dismissal of a senior from Har-
ward on the eve OF his graduation
because he had sullied the class hymn
which he had composed and which had
been sung at the baccalaureate exercises
harks back to an early precedent at
this oldest of American colleges. The
records show that in the years long
gone a Harvard student, accused of
using blasphemous language, was
whipped In public. The whipping was
preceded and followed with prayer.
Whipping was q punishment quite
frequently inflicted In the Colonial days
and there Is a tradition at Yale, heredi-
tary rival of Harvard, that back in 1647
two brothers were given severe
thrashing by their father because they
visited two girls on Saturday after sun
youths were 80 thoroughly ashamed of
themselves that they remained baci1e-
lors throughout their lives.
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The trouble In Congress over the
acquisition of site of 1000 acres for
an airport for the National Capital,
under resolution sponsored by Senator
Bingham OF Connecticut and Repre-
sentative Underhill of Massachusetts,
because it Is proposed to obligate the
District OF Columbia to pay subsequent
costs Of an airport on land to be bought
either in Maryland or in Virginia, is
q reminder that when Maryland and
Virginia were among the thirteen
original colonies and before they con-
tributed the land for sthe National
Capital the conveying Of land was q
much simpler ceremony.
Research In the very interesting
documents In the Library Of Congress
reveals that common practice for
quitclaiming properties was for set
tier to scoop up q handful of the soil
and break twig from tree on the
land he was surrendering and hand
them over to the new owner as q SYM
Dol Of possession.
y 4 +
Senator Gillett of Massachusetts,, who
Is now rounding out his first six years
in the Senate after having served 80
years consecutively in the House, clos
ing his career there as Speaker, re-
calls from more youthful days three
distinct thrills
First-When he was about Is years
old and captain and shortstop of the
Woronoco base ball club in Westfield
We were going to Springfield to play
an equally youthful nine there" he re-
calls. 81 was so excited I could hardly
sleep the night before, for had never
eventful as going out Of town to play
a game. The day Of the game we nine
boys crowded into one carryall, drawn
by one horse, and proceeded in majestic
style the 10 miles to Springfield. There
we defeated our rivals In very close
and exciting game, some Of the details
of which I still remember quite accu-
rately" But modesty, which Is one OF
the Senator's outstanding character
istics, forbade that he should boast OF
certain brilliant plays in that game
quorum pars magma full" as he might
quote. 1T was one of the red-lettel
days of my life," he admits.
Second-He recalls a vivid recollec-
ton Of q college incident when wa,
freshman In Amherst" This con.
temptation was Of the annual declama.
ton contest in which q prize was
awarded the freshman who wrote anc
delivered the best grafton. There were
six contestants and Gillett's subject
was 1.-THE Death of Gustavus Adolphus.
The house was crowded with student!
, and friendS-among them Senator Gil.
lett recalls the prettiest girl In town
who sent him q bouquet. He bash.
fully refused to 60 into further details
were both rewarded by the judges de.
Gliding that I was entitled to first prize.
Third tlrill-"On the occasion Of my
first argument as cub lawyer before
the Supreme Court Of Massachusetts,
experienced qualification that will
never outlive. had worked tremen.
dously on the case" he said, land under
the excitement Of the occasion found
my brain working with extraordinary
clearneSs and my vocabulary very fluent
really enjoyed making this argument
and was delighted when, shortly after
1t was over, the clerk Of the court told
me that Chief Justice Gray. Of whom
we all stood in great awe, had asked
him to tell me that he was writing 9
letter to his friend, my father, compile.
menting him on his sons first appear
ance and stating that the court hAf
very much enjoyed my argument ant
was glad to see that had inherited my
fathers talents"
Senator Gillett frankly admits that
faded as I am, still enjoy applause
when I think it Is spontaneous, anC
even Of late years, during campaign
speeches and on such occasions as thu
welcome of the Congress to Gen. Per-
shing, addressing that crowded and very
distinguished audience gathered from
all over the world, I still get q rea
thrill, and much Of the ardent pleasure
chat pulsed through my veins over
those earlier successes on the base bal
diamond, on the college platform and In
court"
y \ n 4
This little job Of copying done BY
DR.. Smith for Lowell Mason is an H.
lustration of how scarce books were in
this country In Colonial days, that II
became the custom to copy printed
books in longhand writing. Rev. Ed.
ward Taylor Of Westfield, Mass, the
boyhood home Of Senator Frederick H
Gillett, where one of the great normal
schools is located, thus copied more than
100 borrowed books.