Evening star., 1940-03-08
Hoskin's Answers
To Readers Questions

ssOSNSu , 1uSWSIS
To Readers Questions
BY Frederic J. Hasktn.
A reader can get the ans,De, to any
question OF fact BY ,Drtttng The Evs.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric J. Hdskin. director. Washington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
@. Which Of Milton's works Is said to
have precipitated his blindness?-M. r.
A. Hallecks English Literature says:
zone Of the greatest Of European schol-
ars named Salmasius had written book
attacking the Commonwealth and up
holding the late king. The council re-
quested Milton to write fitting answer.
AS his eyes were already failing him, he
was warned to rest them; but he said
that he would willingly sacrifice his eye
sight on the altar Of liberty. He ac-
cordingly wrote in reply his Pro Populo
Anglicano Defensio,' Latin work which
was published in 1851. This effort cost
him his eyesight."
@. Please describe a chinchilla.-M.
A. o.
A. The chinchilla Is small ground
rodent somewhat resembling a common
squirrel and weighing about ~ pounds
at maturity. The female is slightly larger
than the male. Both sexes are delicate
French gray in color, darkly mottled on
the surface, with blush slate tint be-
meath. The fur is dense, soft, lustrcus
and silky, that on the back nearly l
inch long In the finer skins, that on the
sides somewhat longer and thinner The
several species vary in the shade of the
gray color and in the quality Of their fur.
@. What is the Ephebic Oath?-N.
D. r.
A. The Ephebic or Athenian Oath was
taken by the youth of Athens after COM
pleting their secondary education. It
Is as follows: I'VE will never bring dis
grace to our city by any act of dis
honesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our
suffering comrades in the ranks we will
hight for the ideals and sacred things of
the city, both alone and with many; we
will revere and obey the citys laws and
do our best to incite like respect and
reverence in those about us
We will strive increasingly to quicken
the public's sense of civic duty; and thus,
In all these ways, We will strive to trans
NIT this city not only not less but greater,
better and more beautiful than it was
transmitted to u.s."
@. When and where was the Presi-
dents mother born?-W. j. NJ
A. Mrs. James Roosevelt was born
September 81, 1854, at Algonac, New
burgh-on Hudson. N. Y.
Q. Has the theme song for the 1910
New York Worlds Fair been selected?-
H. T. G.
A. A theme song entitled For Peace
and Freedom" by Capt. Eugene La Barre
has been chosen.
@. Who said, "A sharp tongue is the
only edge tool that grows keener with
constant use"?-F. S. C.
A. This is from Washington Irvines
rip Van Wrinkle"
O. How long has the word post
impressionism" been in usage?-H. G. M.
A. The term was coined on the occa-
sion Of the first exhibition of the work
of Cezanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin in
London in 1911.
@. Please give the origin of the Boy
Scouts of America.-P. N.
A. The Boy Scout movement was be-
gun in England In 1908 by Gen. Sir
Robert S. S. Baden-Powell In the
United States there were at this time
two organizations founded for the gen.
eral purpose of upbuilding the character
| of boys. One of these was founded by
Ernest Thompson Seton and was called
Woodcraft Indians, and the other,
founded by Dan C. Beard, was called the
Sons Of Daniel Boone. In 1910 these
organizations were combined under the
general title Boy Scouts of America and
chartered under the laws of the District
of Columbia, February 8, 1910.
~. "do LuSs OGoiic IlcOI-o. n.
A. In 1855 she married DR.. Henry B.
Blackwell, prominent abolitionist and
advocate of woman's rights, who agreed
that she should keep her maiden name
@. Where was the first Greek letter
sorority established?-L. NJ
A. The first Greek letter sorority,
Kappa Alpha Theta, was founded at
Indiana Asbury University (now De
Pauw University, Greencastle, Ind, on
January 27, 1870
@. Who was Bet-a-Million Gates?-
w. M. S.
A. John Warne Gates Q855-191D was
capitalist, promoter and speculator He
began the manufacture of wire fencing
in st. Louis and by 1893 had achieved Q
company with $90,0O0,O00 capitalization.
He then entered the Stock and Grain
Exchange on a large scale. He was q
colorful figure and the subject Of many
stories.
@. When did baseball clubs adopt
short pants?-M M. T.
A. The first club to wear the uniform
with short pants was the Cincinnati
Reds in 1868.
Q. Please give the meaning Of the