Evening star., 1932-05-14
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH G.. BOWERMAN.

RAe~NS uhlO44S Vic
and histories on any such table. 1t
would have to be big place, for this
document is a heavy book, handsomely
printed by the Government Printing
Office on fine, satiny paper, with many
illustrations, and bound in blue cloth.
It's subject is Washington: The Ma
tional Capital" and it was prepared by
H. P. Caemmerer, secretary of the Com
mission of Fine Arts. The edition is
limited to 1000 copies. Mr.. Caemmerer
says in his foreword: Several years ago
the writer was persuaded by the public
school authorities Of Washington to un-
dertake the writing of history of the
development Of the National Capital. 1t
was said that while civics was taught
in the class room, there was no text
book suitable for reference and that it
was necessary to make use of prints
and clippings. About the same time a
similar request from a Cornell Univer-
slty professor expressed the need of a
history Of the plan of the National Cap
ital for use in teaching a course in his
tory OF landscape architecture in the
college, OF Architecture at that univer-
slty,' The writing of the book was de-
layed until the public buildings program
Cl the Government had taken definite
form.
Part I Of Washington: the National
Capltal, tells Of the story of the move
mont, which established the seat of gov
eminent near the Potomac and of the
early settlements along the Potomac.
Part II discusses the DEVELOPMENT of
the capital and the plan of the CITY.
from the earliest preliminary studies.
under the direct and minute super
vision OF President Washington and
! secretary OF State Jefferson" The CITY
oi washington thus originated as no
chance utility settlement. The plans
1or 1t were prepared with the aid Of
great models from overseas. ROYAL
governors and wealthy planters were
interested in the art Of landscape ar
chltecture and had already introduced
II In Colonial estates. The maps and
reproductions of engrayings of early
washington used as illustrations are as
interesting as the text of the book. 4The
maps SHOW the L'Enfant plans and the
ELlcott plans, which carried farther
- IL A-AAAel4ts speculation DIE-
vailed then as now. THE building of
the city attracted many real-estate
spectators, who invested heavily. Rob-
ert Morris, James Greenleaf, Thomas
Law, John Nicholson and Samuel Blod-
getL were among those who lost there
py Real estate SpeCulations were not
IN terms OF palatial apartment hotels.
When Washington City became the
CITY OF Government in 1900 there were
l09 brick houses and 263 frame houses.
Snelterlng total population of about
The later parts of WASHINGTON: the
Natlonal Capital deal with the public
buildings program. the Lincoln Memo
RAJ and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
tle parks OF the District of Columbia.
pupIlc buildings and institutions. archi-
lecture OF early days, public buildings.
semi-public buildings, and institutjo1s
developments to the present, the NUM-
clpal center, government of the District
OF Columbia, Washington Board of
trade, Arlington National Cemetery.
statues and monuments. Part XI. en-
tltled miscellaneous" includes a list
OF presidents of the United States a
chart OF the Government of the United
states admirable for any one to copv in
larger type and keep for reference when
IN need OF information about the eyecu-
tive, legislative and judicial functions of
our GoVernment), a bibliographical list
Oh DOCKS on the National Capital. and
some quotations from great Americans
on the National Capital Even a long
SILne resident OF Washington may learn
ElGCL from TINS book and its delight
Iul Illustrations. Perhaps one may come
upon picture of some small b1f arts
tic memorial in a section of the citv
frequently passed, which has never been
HoClced: Facts once known but forgot
Ten and facts never known emerge from
tHe pages. Interesting bits of the past
history OF many statues and buildings
ennVen the story. Some of the statues
"HIch we smile at as relics or shudder
at as monstrosities may seem more or
less justified when we know their story
WaterleSs Mountain" the story of a
navajo Indian boy, by Laura Adams
ArHler, was recently awarded the New
oery medal for the most distinguished
conIF4Dutlon to children's literature
puOHShed IN 1881 by the section for
!orary work with children of the
american Library Association. The
award was presented to Mrs. Armer bv
tite Gse CHAIRMAN OF the section during the
HIly-!ourth annual conference of the
AlIeIlcan Library Association in New
OIIeahs. The story is that of Younger
oIolHer, a young Navajo boy of the
present time, who learns the ancient
secrets Of his tribe and the mysteries
OF the medicine men in the sun
parched desert places of Arizona. Mrs
Armer is recognized authority upon
navajo legends, symbolism and cere-
monlals, and an artist whose paintings
OF Navajo mythology have brought her
widespread recognition. Into the tale
OF Younger Brother she has woven
many Illuminating glmpses of the Co
meStlc and religious life of the Navajo
people. OF her choice of title. Mrs.
Armer says that her inspiration came
during trip to the Navajo's country
TO copy sand paintings for the new
Rockefeller Museum in San Jose. Her
travels took her to a remote section Of
the country, where there was noun
tain topped by large fiat mass upon
which there was not drop of water
This WaterlesS mountain is made a
symbolic theme throughout the book
Illustrations are by Mrs. Armer her
self and her husband, Sidney Armer,
San Francisco artist.
x &
The Newbery medal, which is award
GU dllLludlly dL JuG COLlGIGuCe VI l4le
American Library Association, was eS-
tablished in 1922 by Frederick G.
Melcher of New York in honor of John
Newbery, one of the first publishers to
appreciate the value of good books
for children. Other books which
have won the award are The Story of
Mankind" by Hendrix Van Loon, 1922;
Voyages of Dr. Doolittle," by Hugh
Lofting, 1928: The Dark Frigate," by
Charles Boardman Halves, 1924; Tales
From Silver Lands" by Charles Finger,
1925: "Shen of the Sea" by Arthur
Bowie Chrisman. 1926; Smoky, the
Cowhorse," by Will James, 1927; Gay
Neck" by Dhan Gopal Mukerji 1928;
"Irumpeter of Krakow" by Eric P.
Kelly, 1929; Kitty, Her First Hundred
Years" by Rachel Field, 1880, and The
Cat Who Went to Heaven" by Eliza
beth CoatsWprth, 1881.
j K X
Phil0SnOhv ran attach itself tO the