Evening star., 1932-12-11

Hon. William Castor, first enrolled stu
dent of Georgetown College.
BY JOHN CLACETT PROCTOR.
-HE laying and blessing of the corner
stone of the White-Gravenor Build
ing of Georgetown University, last
Thursday afternoon, by His Excel
lency the Most Reverend Archbishop
of Baltimore, Michael ]. Curley DID,,
marked another major stage in the compile
tion of the Andrew White Quadrangle, of
which Copley Hall, to the west, is the first
unit to be completed, and in the near future
it is hoped to complete the quadrangle by
erecting at the east side the Poulton Building,
in memory of Father Thomas Poulton, one of
the early Maryland Jesuit educators.
Father Andrew White, for whom the quad
rangle Is named, accompanied Lord Baltimore
to this country in 1884 and the thought of
establishing school of higher education in
this part of the United States is said to have
originated with him, though it remained for
Bishop Carroll to put the idea into effect a
century and half later.
The church historians give Father White
mstinted praise for his pioneer work. which
was not without its difficulties and danger but
which has grown until today "Old George
town" is known the world over as being equal
to the best, and there are many who would
even 20 IdltIlcT anu say I1ldL IL Is the pcSI
The historian, j. Fairfax Mclaughlin, in his
college Days at Georgetown" pays deserved
tribute to Father White, and besides calling
him the Apostle Of Maryland, says:
"a statue of Andrew White the pioneer,
whose catechism, dictionary and grammar fur
nished the primal weapons of church and
school in English America, should rise at
Georgetown College He was the first founder.
The title-deeds of the university begin with
ErOYf he hotr 0f TIE fha
was always under Jesuit auspices. 1t started
at st. Mary's in 1884; passed to Calverton
Manor under Father Thomas Copley, alias
Plslip Fisher, and Mr.. Ralph Crouch in 1910;
to Newton Manor under Father Michael Fors-
ter and Brother Thomas Hothersall, alias
Slater. an approved scholastic, about 1877: to
Bohemia Manor, probably under Father
Thomas Poulton, about 1745; to Georgetown
Heights under the auspices Of Father John
Carroll In 1889. The hope of erecting the
school into a college was entertained even from
the beginning, when Fathers White and Poul-
ton ascended the Potomac to Piscataway and
went from Kittamaquindi to the wigwams Of
the Anacostans, few miles farther up the
river. The Anacostan tribe inhabited the
region now known to the whole world as the
District of Columbia"
TO the people of Washington, Copley Hall
the stone used in the backing of the walls of
this magnificent building was formerly a part
Of the old M street bridge, removed a few
years ago. However, the abutment stones may
also have served to support the bridge erected
at this point by the people Of Georgetown
about $780, the same year that the first univer-
sity building was erected, and which was torn
down in 1904 to- make room for the Ida NJ
Ryan Hail. Sentiment was strongly in favor
Of preserving the time-honored structure" we
are told, "but sentiment often yields to utility.
Which, unfortunately is only too true. But
1t is safe to predict that the time will come
when an even greater sacrifice would gladly be
made to restore, If possible, the old building,
and place it on its original site.
OF course, the original building is gone for
ever, and even a restoration would never carry
with it that historic touch of sentiment at
tached to the old building and that noted
divine, John Carroll, who did more to make the
university possible than any one else. Indeed,
1t is said: Convinced of the necessity for
establishing a school for higher studies, he
wrote in 1785 to his friend, Father Charles
Plowden, in England:
1.-The object nearest my heart, and the only
one that can give consistency to our religious
views in this country is the establishment of
a school and afterwards of seminary for
young clergymen."
His plan for academy was laid before
meeting of the clergy held at White Marsh,
Prince Georges County, in 1786, when he
recommended the site which had so favorabIy
impressed him. He was familiar with this
neighkorhood, which at that time was a part
Of Maryland and is said to have considered,
at time, placing the college ON top of