Evening star., 1938-02-20

t"ntCtu Wv i uCSuuXs
mia and President David A. Robertson
of Goucher College.
This study included the considera.
ton of written reports from the in
stitutions which filled II feet of fling
cabinet space, the sending Of persona
visitors to the campuses to investigate
and report at first hand to the com.
mittee, the review of data from gradu.
ate schools on the work of alumni, th<
comparison of the standing of the in.
stitutions in certain standard tests
the findings of national and regional
accrediting agencies.
or THE IS institutions thus mi
nutely examined, the committee
last December recommended eight al
worthy OF Phi Beta Kappa chapters
Birmingham Southern College, the
University OF Buffalo, the University
OF Florida, Pennsylvania State College,
Reed College. the College Of st. Cath
crime. washington and jefferson Col
lege and the George Washington Uni
versity. And upon these eight the
governing body Of Phi Beta kappa
the Council of the United Chapters.
composed of delegates from all of the
chapters-in September placed the
nnal seal Of approval. As a result the
District Of Columbia Chapter is being
installed this week.
At the time Of the foundlng of Phi
Beta Kappa the American Colonies
had yet to win their independence
AS the seat Of Virginia's government
and the seat Of the College of. Will
liam and Mary, founded by royal
charter SO years earlier and the sec
ond institution Of higher learning es-
taoiished IN the Colonies, WILLIAMSBURG
was center OF religion, education.
society, commerce and fashion. with
Boston, New York. Philadelphia, An
napolls and Charleston, it ranked Al
one OF the six centers of British cul-
lure and although smaller in size
than the first three was in many
ways more potent even than those
great places.
1t was in this environment that
Phi Beta Kappa arose. And there is
a truly poetic fitness in the fact that
a century and a half later 1t was
Phi Beta Kappa that supplied the
Initial impulse to the movement which
resulted in the restoration of VIII
liamsburg to her former glories.
IN 1925 q dinner was given In New
YORK City by the united chapters of
PM Beta Kappa to stimulate interest
m the plan to erect on the campus
OF William and Mary College q me-
mortal hall to the so founders.
At THAT dinner Mr.. John D.
Rockefeller, a member and sena-
Tor OF Phi Beta Kappa, was present.
he heard an address on The COLLEGE
OF William and Mary and It's His.
torlcal Environment" and afterward
was given an invitation to visit Will
ilamsourg. He went the following year
ana returned to be present at the
dedication Of the Phi Beta Kappa
Memorial Hall In 1926.
From the interest thus aroused re-
suited the vast project, financed and
carried through by Mr. Rockefeller.
tnat has reclaimed and restored a
Colonial center rich In historic asso-
ciation and time-encrusted beauty. To
Williamsburg by the Thousands each
year go Americans from all over the
land. There, in the recreated atmos-
pnere OF An earlier day, before the
background OF restored architectura]
magnificence, they may experience the
amenities of life a. lived by their
ancestors and come away enriched bv
this glimpse into their cultural be-
ginnings.
In the 160 years that have elapsed
since the founding Of Phi Beta Kappa
the society and the Nation have crown
side by side.
The original chapter, known as AL
pha OF Virginia, endured only fou.
years. This brief period, during which
SO men became members, ended when
the coming Of the British Army forced
the College Of William and Mary to
close. On January 8, 1851, the meet
tnss Of the society were Suspended
The papers were sealed and placed n
the custody Of the college steward