Evening star., 1935-07-07

Library, edited and published for the
medical faculty of Howard University
a historical sketch Of that institution
Naturally. to no one could DR.. Lamb
look to for more complete and accu-
rate information than he could to
Gen. Howard. and one OF these letters
written by the general in 1899, in
response to inquiries, shows his men,
ory for facts and details was still per-
feet, although he was then SO years
of age. In this letter Gen. Howard
said:
II have not been able to study un
the records Of Howard University In
such way as to be accurate in al =
thing. It appears to me that I at
tended the first meeting Of the pro-
moters of the university enterprise,
held at Mr.. Brewster's house.
II remember distinctly several Of
the group. These are some of them:
Rev. Charles B. Boynton. D. D.: Sen
ator s. C. Pomeroy. Senator Henry
Wilson, Representative Burton C..
Cooke, member Of the House of Rep
resentatives; Messrs Brewster, Mich
OILS, Cushman. Barber (the doctor) :,
Morris, Balloch. LOOMS and several
others made Mr.. Brewster's parlor
quite full.
After hearing the statements made
by different gentlemen with regard
to an institution which should be
connected. more or less. with our new
congregational work in Washington,
I remarked something to this effect:
T have been thinking of some institu-
ton of q more general character and
one of a higher grade, or, perhaps I
had better say, Of q broader scope:
but I had not thought the time had
yet arrived for the children of the
freedmen when 1t would be wise to
start such an institution. However,
as see here so much interest and q
determination to make beginning,
I favor q college or university having
two or three departments. Perhaps,
too. I may be able to help you imam
cially, as I am helping societies, asso-
Citations and church organizations in
their school work
MY statements gave great satisfac-
ton and hope to the entire group.
Little by little our organization was
completed, first as q voluntary society,
then as q corporate body. You have
q history already of the steps that
were taken.
"A T FIRST, we hired building, or
rather I did 1t myself, as COM
missioner. This building was used for
the first school. 1t was an old cance
house, situated on the east side Of the
Seventh Street road, little beyond
the boundary. The building and lot
were afterward purchased, and, ]
think when its use was no longer de-
manded, sold. and the money used to
keep good the fund from which 1t
had been originally obtained. Soon
after this the original proprietor OF
this property, Mr.. John A. Smith, sold
us the land, on which the university
buildings now stand, $50 acres, for
$l47,500.
Gen. whittlesey and myself were
sent out by the Board of Trustees as
agents to find and secure, If possible,
a site for Howard University. q task
at that time not easy to be performed.
We went to several places where we
thought we might have q reasonable
success. At last, We came to Mr..
Smith. aforementioned, who received
us, his wife and some other members
OF the family being present in his
sitting room. We tried to get the
lower part Of his ground where the
first building, the dance house. stood
but hs shock, his. had and said q