Evening star., 1945-11-25
Fifty Years Ago
The Star for November Is, 1895, de-
voted nearly four columns of space to a

Or. Whitmon ceremonies whereby
Inououroted the Rev. DR.. Beraiah
Longley Whitman be-
came president of Columbian University,
now George Washington Convention
Hall was the scene of the Inauguration,
and "the immense auditorium was liter
ally crowded to the DOORS" between 5000
and 5000 people attending. The Marine
Band played, the audience sang Amer
ica," while DR.. Whitman held in his
hands 4 transcript of the words of the
hymn autographed by its author; the
Rev. Dr.. Samuel H. Greene gave an
address Of welcome, the Rev. DR.. Angus
tus H. Strong of Rochester Theological
Seminary discussed the religious aspect
OF higher learning, the Rev. DR.. Francis
L. Patton Of Princeton paid tribute to
DR.. Whitman's predecessor, DR.. James
Clarke yelling, and DR.. Whitman then
delivered an grafton on The Mission
Of Culture" concluding: Whatever the
golden age may be, the golden oppor-
tunity Is in the present"
A strange sequel to the story OF the
new Columbian presidents inaugural fete
appeared in The
Sudden Death Of Star Of November Is,
Dr.. Smith 1895. The Rev. Dr..
Sal muel Francis
Smith, to whom DR.. Whitman had re-
ferred as the writer of America" did
not live to hear that he had been men
toned in Washington on the occasion
indicated. He suddenly dropped dead
In . railroad car In q station in Boston
the day following DR.. Whitman's induc-
ton. The Stars account Of his demise
set forth that he was 81 years Of age,
that he was graduated from Harvard in
1893 and from Andover Theological
Seminary in 1882, was ordained q min
lister OF the Baptist Church In 1884, held
pastorates and faculty positions at Colby
University, Waterville, Me-, and at New
ton Center, Mass: was editor Of the
Christian Review and secretary of the
American Baptist Missionary Union,
travelled abroad with his wife from 1878
to 1850 and became proficient in Is
languages from which he absorbed the
sentimental spirit Of the best poets"
DR.. Smith, 1t was added, wrote the
words for many hymns by the composer
Lowell Mason, in~ whose publication.
"The Choir" the original version Of
America" first appeared in the year
its author left Andover
X 4 4 II
WaShington's need for q modern
public library in the sense Of . public
library supported by
New Cempeian taxation" again was
For Libvary demonstrated in =
lengthy and carefully
documented report submitted to the
Board Of Trade by committee of citi-
zens and printed in The Star for No.
vember 10, 1895. The sponsors Of the
new effort to obtain library facilities for
the permanent resident community of
the Nations Capital included: Theodore
w. Noyes, chairman; James T. Du Bois,
A. T. Britton, Daniel Murray, Weston
Flint. Simon Wolf and r. B. Mcclure.
"Other intelligent and progressive muni-
cipAlities," 1t was argued, had free libra
ries equal to their needs. The commit.
tes declared that 1T d believed to be
vie for Congress to place :. CWashins.
toni ct least upon IN equal footing"
= 4 + 4
A performance Of Humperdincks
"Hansel and Gretel" at the Lafayette
Square Opera House
Fair Tale opera on the evening OF
Presented November 10, 1895,
gave evident salts.
faction to large and cultured audi
ence," according to The Star Of the fol-
lowing day. Marie Elba and Jessie Hud-
dleston sant the title roles, Jack Ears
was Peter the hroommaker and Mary
.Iinck sdid credit to herself" In the
difhcult character Of the wicked witch.
The orchsstra, + Wa specified, had been
stocusidaraAly increased Ia numbers"
T1iees fer soats ranesd fron = cents 10