Evening star., 1938-02-20
By the Associated Press.


AT home all day alone"
Thus on the night of February %,
1773, George Washington, a gentle
man farmer of Virginia, traced in
his diary the dull passing of another
day.
Not until the last years of his life
did he mention the celebration Of his
birthday in his scrupulous record of
the days events. Then it was great
public feasting that prompted q mod
est mention Of elegant entertain
ment" .
Year after year In the capital city
of Philadelphia bells rang and can
non doomed on February 22 to honor
the first President. But later, In q
quieter year, George Washington rode
from his plantation down to Alex
andria for gala February II ball.
Birthdays were confusing for men
of that age, because every man had
two. Washington himself recorded
that ne was born on February II,
1892, but when he was 10 the calendar
changed
DIltUNs SAIppcu lS Gays.
The calendar used nowadays was
adopted by the Catholic Church In
1882, but the anti-Catholic Britons re-
fused to accept it until a century and
a half later. To catch up with the
rest of the world. they called one
day Wednesday, September 2, 1852,
and they called the next day Thurs
day, September IA, 1852.
Some men counted of the missing
days and changed their birth dates
to conform. Others held to the date
they first had known.
The Washington's Birthday celebra-
tions across the Continent this week
will be mild compared to the festivi-
ties in Philadelphia and Alexandria
after Washington had become the hero
of the Thirteen States.
When New York was the Nations
Capital. in 1850, the notes in WASH
ington's diary show no sign of q
celebration on either of his two birth
dates
Exercised on horseback in The
forenoon" he wrote on February II,
and "the following gentlemen dined
here" listing 10 members of the
House of Representatives.
Few Visitors on Moving Day.
On February % he "set seriously
about removing my furniture to my
new house" Next day he added that
there were 'few or no visitors at the
levee (where the President met visit
ing citizens), from the idea Of my be-
ing on the move"
In Philadelphia the following year
Washington's 59th birthday was cele-
brated with every demonstration Of
public JOY" according to newspaper
accounts.
Year after year the citizens of Phil
adelphia paraded, shouted. rang bells,
fired salutes and danced in honor Of
Washington on the 22nd of February.
The newspapers reported that
'both houses of Congress walked in
procession to wait on the President.
-" All the shipping in the harbour
had their colours hoisted out, and
the bells of Christ Church rang peals
sSNCAy AldA AAOuA uuA AAlS UAlC uuy.
The artillery and light infantry corps
oof the city were paraded and at u
O'Clock Federal salute was fired"
Iis The smart dancing society Of Phil
.Adelphia, the City Assembly, gave a
big ball, at which "the applause with
which they washington and his
i'Wife) were greeted was indescribable.
=, President Offers Toast.
r And at one ball the President Of
s,fered toast:
'The dancing assembly of Philadel-
phia-may the members thereof and
the fair (ones) who honour it with
their presence, long continue in the
enjoyment of an amusement so inno-
cent and agreeable"
There Is no diary for most of these
busy years, but In the last year Of his
presidency Washington made this sim.
pie entry in his day book on Febru-
~ ary %:
Rain in the night, cloudy, fore.
noon with the wind at east, after.
wards at S.W.. clear and very fine
went in the evening to an elegan,
entermt. Given on my birth night.
The following year Washington wa,
J..