Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15
Washington a Cultural Center
Opportunity Is Outlined and Hope Expressed for a
"Temple of Music, Comparable to the Folger Gift,
in Connection With Cty's Artistic Development.

no limits to the vision Of o possible
Capital. We must hitch our wagon to
star. Let the thought 60 forth,
through your speech If you will, to make
for this eventuation.
What constitutes q cultural center2
First, men and women of vision broad
enough to see the worth of facilities
already at hand. Next, men and wom-
en- of active mentality. of high ideals,
of industry, Of accomplishment. Again,
men and women who retain that spark
Of civic consciousness that in the olden
times made partisanS Of peasants, and
champions Of their social betterS. 1t Is
often said, with somewhat of a sneer,
that 1t Is provincial to be loyal to
ones own home town. ''Parochial," the
word Is, occasionally. Well then, If it
be parochtal and provincial to be proud
or washington, to be imbued with the
belief that it is the chosen city of
American culture, let me now be set
down as most besotted with that spirit.
In the present greatness OF this city
and in its even greater stature in the
future. If that be provincialiSn, make
the most of it!
What have we here now to make for
this cultural development? We have
one of the worlds largest and richest
libraries, free to all. We have scientific
establishments that are showing the
way to marvels of mechanism and
wrestling the secrets from natures
bosom. We have rare collections of art.
We have an exceptionally intelligent
and highly educated public. We have
schools of higher learning that rank
with the best in the country for eff
cheney, even If they are not among the
first ten or 50 in foot ball. We have
verify innumerable groups of people,
coalescing and demonstrating in the
various arts.
A MeCcA%fOr Americans.
It is becoming an American fashion
to make Washington home" for the
social season. Hither come men and
women Of wealth from every. quarter,
some merely to baSk in the sunshine Of
omcialdom, some to contact with the
representatives of foreign lands, some
to enjoy the spiritual advantages of the
Capital. They may remain legally and
politically New Workers, ChicagoanS,
San Franciscans and AtlantanS. They
may spend part of their time abroad,
some Of it in Florida, some OF 1t in
Maine, some of it at home, where they
pay the greater part Of their taxes and
where they vote. But here is where
their hearts are, where their chiefest
interests center. For here they feel i'm
pulses other than those Of mere buSi-
ness or of mere pleasure. And as the
years lengthen, and they weary OF the
follieS of purely social life, here they
find their true souls desire, in the
Solace Of the cultural influences which
radiate throughout the community.
We are proud Of the demonstration
given a week ago that Washington
can organize and maintain symphony
orchestra. We are all confidently hope
full, am sure, that the initial success
of this splendid example of civic CO.
operation will continue until 1t becomes
nationally recognized NOes not this
betoken an advance toward that cul-
tural evolution for which we have been
waiting for many years? For even fifty
odd years to speak for myself, at least.
We have here a vitality active dra-
matte spirit. Numerous groups are at
work in various lines to keep the flame
of the theater burning while the screen
Of the stage. Steadily, year by year,
we see them growing In numbers, in
efficiency, in taste and in public pat
ronage. We may witness in conse-
quence the establishment here of
civic theater which will afford an op-
portuntty for the manifestation of the
thespian spirit Of the people of Wash
ington.
And now I have to mention as one
of the chief factors in our community
culture the musical organizations, such
as this. chorals, glee clubs. orcheStras
and even operate groups Some of
them have had hard time existing.
Some of them have been long endur-
ing in their activity. From these circles
and from the studios of the teachers
those heroic souls who work so faith
fully and for SO little reward-have
gone forth singers and inStrumentalistS
of note, whose achievements on the
concert and operate stages have brought
joy to the hearts of their fellow Wash
ingtonians, and especially to their in
structors.
1t was once said that a certain