Evening star., 1936-07-12
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.
TT HAS been more than century


and a half since the old town OF
Williamsburg, Va, and old Bru-
L ton Parish Church had such a
thrill as last Sunday, when the
President of the United States,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, with Mrs.
Roosevelt and his entourage of State
police, secret service men and auto
mobiles, filled with friends and Off
cials, came roaring down the James
town road, swung into Duke OF
Gloucester street and stopped at
Bruton Church on the Palace Green,
to be met at the door by the parish
rector. Rev. w. A. r. Goodwin.
1t was the first time in about 80
years that a President of the Epis-
copal communion had worshiped in
that historic edif1ce which is hallowed
by the memories of former worship
pers-Washington, Jefferson, Patrick
Henry. John Marshall and other pa
triots whose names are corner stones
in the foundation of American liberty.
The President motored down to Will
liamsburg last year when he received
a degree from William and Mary Col
lege, but he did not attend services
at Bruton.
A Somber Procession Compared
To 18th Century Cavalcade.
Mr.. Roosevelt and his friends were
a somber procession, however, when,
compared with that brilliant cavalcade
of coaches with outriders and servants
in brilliant livery. ladies in stiff bro
cadeS and bouffant skirts, whose
escorts on horseback in colorful riding
suits and cooked hats gallantly GAL
loped beside their carriages in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
In contrast, last Sunday the First
Gentleman - officially of America,
was attired in a simple Summer suit,
carrying his favorite Panama hat
the weather caused him to forsake
his beloved old gray felt which has
become so familiar to thousands of
people-was escorted up the aisle
bordered by the high-back inclosed
box pews with paneled doors to the
canopied chair of state at the left
of the altar. In Colonial days the
royal British Governor was won't to
sit in a similar chair when attending
services. The pews still bear plates
with the names of the original own
ers the RandolphS, Beverleys,
Wythes. Taliaferros and other quality
folk.
The parish house of Bruton Church
Is also on the beautiful palace green.
It is the historic Wythe House, the
former home of George Wythe, signer
of the Declaration of independence.
ana the first professor of law in this
country. Among his pupils were JET
ferson. Marshall and Monroe. The
house was built in ITS by Richard
Taliaferro. bis father-in-law and in
the living room Gen. Washington. La
Fayette and Rochambeau planned the
battle of Yorktown.
Mr.. Rockefeller Is Williamsburg's
Lady Bountiful."
On his visit last year President
Roosevelt was much interested in the
handsome Phi Beta Kappa Hall-he
Is a member of the society-which was
the gift of Mr.. John D. Rockefeller, jr.
This hall, or rather the society, was
really the primary means Of restor-
ing Williamsburg to it's Colonial
beauty. DR.. Goowwin, rector of the
parish, went up to New York to lee
ture before the Phi Beta Kappa there
and met Mr.. Rockefeller a member.
The latter became so interested in Dr.
GoodWins description of the restora-
ton OF Bruton Church and the George
Wythe House that he accepted the
doctors invitation to visit the early
Colonial capital and was enthusiastic
about its charm. Later the doctor
presented to Mr.. Rockefeller the out
line OF plan for restoring the town
to its Colonial appearance. Two years
later Mr.. Rockefeller commissioned
him to buy the necessary properties.
and practically the entire area which
had comprised the Colonial city was
acquired
Quite Like Old
Colonial Days.
The triumphal journey of Mr..
Roosevelt down through the Old Do
minion was like page from. the times
OF the early Presidents: The visit to
Monticello, the University of Virginia,
Richmond, and then sailing gaily away
down the James River in the So
called presidential yacht, Potomac.
salVaged from the Coast Guard cut
ter service. When the Potomac nosed
up to the wharf at jamestown. near
the spot where three ships, the Sarah
Constant, the Goodspeed and the Dis
covery, with over 100 colonists OF,
board, anchored on May 10, 1907
there was none of the late Will Rogers
flrst families of America-his Indian
ancestors, to welcome the President.
ii Duce Gets the Diplomat
Par Excellence.
That Mr.. William Phillips. Under
secretary of State and Ambassador
designate to Italy, puts service to
country before rank or other protocol
ish career precedence was evidenced
in 1927 by the fact that while he had
been Ambassador to Belgium-a post
he filled with great success-when
for certain reasons of state and as a
compliment to Canada he was con-
sidered the most eligible diplomat to
send there as minister. he cheerfully
consented and not only set precedent
IN the diplomatic corps by accepting
o lower rank in the service, but did