Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-05
.L|BRARYDED|CATED
At GEORGETOWN;
WALSH SPEAKER
Readers Admitted Today
After Opening Rites At
tended by Many.
MODERN AGE is HIT
BY UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL
Economic Hysteria" Seen by DR.
Walsh as Result of Neglect
of Moral Factors.


Dedicated last night ito the preser-
walton of that high legacy, the inner
life of man." the Georgetown Branch
of the Public Library today was open
to readers.
The principal dedicatory address for
the three-story Georgian structure
was delivered by DR.. Edmund A.
Walsh, S. j.. vice president Of George
town University, who scored the
modern machine age" as material
istic and full Of economic hysteria. "
The building, located at Wisconsin
avenue and r street, formally was
turned over to the library trustees
when a huge key was given by Com
missioner Melvin c. Hazen to DR..
George c. Havenner.
DR.. George F. Bowerman, librarian
of the Public Library, spoke on
What the Branch Will Mean to
Georgetown
Open to Readers Today.
This morning the building opened
to readers at 8 o'clock, under super
vision of Branch Librarian Ralph L.
Thompson, but closed at / pm, reg
ular Saturday closing time. Begin
ming Monday, hours of o am. to 9
pm. will be observed. The building
will not be open tomorrow.
DR.. Walsh, in his address, charged
that civilization had been $50 over
developed on its physical side that
the spiritual and moral factors of
life remain dwarfed and stunted
through undernourishment."
Declaring that the body OF man
kind has benefited more from inven-
ton that his spirit" DR.. Walsh said,
1.-The industrial revolution ushered in
mastery Of production and ushered
out the production of masterpieces.
1T standardized and scattered
libraries, but diminished the intellect
ual value Of their contents" he said.
1T multiplied devices to save both
time and human exertion, then spent
the salvaged kilowatt hours rushing
Jazzily to nervous prostration. 1t out
lawed natures way of dealing with
the juice Of grapes, and in their place
sowed dragons teeth that spawned
a vicious underworld of lawlessness,
kidnapping, assassination and rack
eteers. 1t popularized education but
diminished the number of educated
by substituting factual information
for wisdom. 1t invented the time
clock for checking hours of labor and
stifled the spontaneity and pride of
craftsmanship that dotted Europe with
Gothic cathedrals. The age was
smothered under its own weight. and
well nigh destroyed by its own in
genuity."
Seen Welcome Interiude.
Describing these things as "only
the bare brick and mortar on which
nobler structure may repose," the
speaker said, "a library Of books is
indeed. a welcome interlude in our
economic hysteria."
1T is to the preservation of that
high legacy, the inner life of man,
that this collection Of books is partic.
ular dedicated tonight" said DR..
Walsh.
The program opened with an intro
ductory statement by the presiding
officer. Col. Edward Clifford, mem.
Der of the Georgetown Library Asso-
citation, who traced the development
Of libraries in Georgetown. He ex-
nrPSsed onnrariotior for M o,oara+;ox,
Of the District Commissioners, espe-
cially for the speed with which the
building was erected after funds were
available
"The inception of our librarines, VI
Commissioner Hazen said, is justly
due to Theodore w. Noyes of The
Washington Star, who is actually the
father Of our library movement as
we'll as an active leader in every cause
for expansion"
Commissioner Hazen said there
were $4,000 registered Public Library
borrowers. or more than "a per cent
Of the population as in the census OF
1880. An average of about $4,000 per-
sons, he said, use the Central Library
and branches each week.
Wants Library a Year.
In accepting the library from Com
missioner Hazen, DR.. Havenner de-
clared this brought one step closer the
possibility Of a branch library in his
home community of Anacostia. He
urged Washingtonians to support the
library plan Of asking for branch
library each year.
Col. Clifford read the following tele-
gram from Mr.. Moves:
MY warmest, heartiest congratula-
lions to publc-spirited men and
women in and out of library service
whose labors have won long, hard
fight to create Georgetown Branch
Library. regret sincerely that I can
not, as president of trustees, enjoy
honor Of officiating In tonight's exer-
cises and pleasure in participating in
enthusiastic celebration of this notable
community victory"
A telegram was read from Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss of George
town. now at Santa Barbara, Calf.
Dorsey w. Hyde, chairman, and ].
B. Wyckoff. vice chairman, Of the
Georgetown Public Library Association.
founded in 1880, were highly COM
mended by Col Clifford for their
leadership in the branch library move
ment. The associations committee
follows: Maj. Gen. w. M. Black, B. Agee
Bowles, T. Janney Brown, Ward
Brown, Col Edward Clifford, william
S. Conant, N. Worthington Dorsey.
Henry w. Draper, Maj. Erskine Cor
don, j. S. Gorrell, John H. Hanna,
Lieut. Col. H. B. Jordan, Rev. Irving
w. Ketchum, Frank p. Leetch, Mrs.
Medill Mccormick, Rev. w. Coleman
Nevis, DR.. Elmer S. Newton, Issac B.
Nordlinger, Walter g. Peter. Mrs.
Joseph Saunders, Mrs. Lloyd Shipper.
John H. Small, Mrs. J. D. Sullivan,
Rev. F. Bland Tucker, Mrs. r. F.
Francis A. Woodward and
Mrs. r. w. Woolley.
Mr.. Small, president of the George
town Citizens Association; Mrs. Mabel
Fry, president Of the Georgetown
Citizens Association. and