Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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vox COLLEGII tives. He kindly invited me to call at his office, and secure cards of admis- sion to both Houses of Congress, which I took pleasure in doing. My . first Sunday in Washington was spent most- profitably. It is due to President Wilson and his cabinet to say that they are exerting a most wholesome influence upon the Sunday life of the city. President Wilson has given instruc- tions that not a single office of any of the Executive Departments is to be open on Sunday, and that no messages of any kind are to be sent to the White House on Sunday unless they are mes- sages of the first importance. He and his family go regularly to one of the Presbyterian churches, while Vice-Pre- sident Marshall and Secretary Bryan teach classes in the Sunday School. Of late years Washington Society has been drifting into bridge parties and dancing parties on the Sabbath, and the day was becoming generally dese- crated by this class of people, but through the influence of the President a marked improvement has taken place. The first church to attend in the morning as you might expect was the Methodist Church, and I was not disappointed. Unfortunately after the first hymn had been sung something went wrong with the motor power of the organ, and it remained silent for the rest of the service. The preacher said that the organ was something- like a spoiled child, it was sure to ' ' act up when there was any special company present. In the evening our party went to the Presbyterian church, and as special music was announced, we went early so as to secure seats. We were scarcely settled in the pew when an old College student, now Mrs. Sloan, stepped up to us and asked us to remain for a few minutes after the service, as she wished to introduce us to a friend of hers, a Mr. Young, who was a member of the House , of Repre sent a tives. We did so, and as a re- sult I was invited to take lunch with him next day in the private dining- room in the Capitol for the use ot members. After lunch he very kindly took me through the President ' s room and other private rooms not usually open to visitors. Leaving Mr. Young I took a car for the house of the Bri- tish Ambassador, Sir Cecil Spring Rice, and presented a note of intro- duction from Premier Borden. In a few days Lady Spring Rice invited Mrs. Hare and myself to have lunch with them. I shall not attempt to de- scribe the repast, nor the admirable way in which everything was served. The British Embassy has the reputa- tion of showing the most perfect eti- quette and style of any in the city. I had the privilege of attending ses- sions of both the House of Representa- tives and of the Senate. In the for- mer, Champ Clark, the speaker of the House, was in the chair. The subject discussed was the District Appropria- tion Bill. Though the citizens of Washington have no votes, and no con- trol over expenditure, an effort was being made to place upon them the whole burden of taxation for local improvements, education, etc., — in oth- er words, Uncle Sam was going to re pudiate the bargain he had entered in- to with the city ' s authorities to rnect half of the city ' s expenditures. When visiting the Senate Chamber the subject that I heard discussed was still more interesting, viz., the noted Currency Bill. Senator Bristow, from Kansas, was speaking when I entered. Instead of discussing the bill in a dig- nified and judicial manner, he violent- ly gesticulated, bent almost double over his desk and literally shouted at the top of his voice. This Currency Bill had been passed by the House of Representatives largely Democratic and sent to the Senate in which there was a small Democratic Majority. The Senate had made various amendments to the Bill, and sent it back to the House. The House would not accept these amendments, and appointed a Conference Committee, composed of six Democrats and three Republicans,

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vox COLLEGII 5 your widening- outlook. Definitely set aside some time every day for solid reading ; do not be content with only stories and novels, though the good among these serve a useful purpose, but read widely — history, travel, bio- graphy, and do not neglect ,vour news- paper. To a busy person, who has lit- tle time for reading, the daily paper is an absolute necessity. Know what Parliament is doing, what the world in general is thinking about, what are the great problems of the age?. Above all remember that happiness and pleasure are not the same thing ; that having a good time is not neces- sarily living well ; but that we are most perfectly happy when we are doing ,to the best of our power the work in the world which God has giv- en us to do. A Trip to NA ashington By DR, HARE There were many things that made my recent trip to Washington with Mrs. Hare exceedingly enjoyable. In the first place, the Board of Di- rectors, in the most cordial manner, gave me leave of absence for as many weeks as I desired to be away, and a special cheque for one hundred dollars to meet my expenses. The afternoon that Mrs. Hare and I left the College there were very few students in the building, but these, with Miss Taylor, planned a surprise for us. John was let into the secret, and was instructed to drive us to the side door. Getting there sooner than was expected, we passed on down the road, and were near the railway track when we heard someone shouting be- hind us, and looking round we saw one running. Soon the full force arrived with waving handkerchiefs to wish us a pleasant trip and a merry Xmas. Looking toward the building we saw Miss Taylor waving her goodbye and her best wishes. We had no time to make any formal reply to this hearty g-reeting, but our hearts were touched and we started on our journey feeling that the lines had fallen to us in plea- sant places when it was our good for- tune in early life to find our way to the O.L.C. When we reached Toronto another party of friends met us at the Union Station to add their words of good cheer to what had been already re- ceived. On the way to Buffalo we had the company of one of our students, and when we reached that city and bade her good bye, as she was going by another line of railway, we remark- ed that we had at last reached a place where we were not known, and were quietly chatting together in the sta- tion when, looking up, there stood be- for,e us one of our old teachers. Miss Moore, now Mrs. Elbert Hubbard, of East Aurora, of Roycroft fame. She brought her husband over and intro- duced him to us, and we had a delight- ful conversation together. Mr. Hub- bard is a man of a very striking ap- pearance, magnificent large head, fine- ly chiselled features and sparkling black eyes. He claims to be a grad- uate of the University of Hard Knocks. He began life as a cowboy, then a soap pedlar, then the manager of a soap factory, then went to Europe and on his return bought out a small printing establishment and began operations in an old barn. I don t need to tell you that he now does the most artistic work in book printing and binding in America, and is at the same time one of our most racy and original writers. On the way to Washington I had the good fortune of meeting a New York member of the House of Representa-

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VuX OOLLEiill 7 to consider these amendments and see what changes could be made that would meet the wishes of both parties. The Democratic members of this con- ference, being in the majority, decided to exclude the Republican members till they had time to agree amongst them- selves as to what were the essential features of the bill that they would not give up. When they had come to an agreement respecting the amended bill, they sent for the Republican con- ferees and asked them to make sugges- tions. The latter refused to do or say anything. I chanced to enter the Sen- ate chamber when the Republican mem- bers were denouncing in the most bit- ter language the insult that had been given to them and to the whole Re- publican party by the action of the Democrats. The feeling was quite tense on both sides, when a Democrat- ic senator arpse and told a story of an old colored woman who was nearly run over by an automobile, Seizing a brick, she determined to throw it at the next automobile that she met. Soon one came along slowly. The driver graciously stopped the car and took her in. As she began to feel the exhilaration of the moving car some colored people were noticed on the road in front of the car, when she call- ed out, ' ' No use in trying to stop this car. Those colored people have no right to be on the road anyway. ' ' The Democrats cheered, and the hum- orous senator went on to discuss the bill in a good-natured spirit. Another very enjoyable experience was the privilege of seeing the Com- munity Christmas Tree, a large Nor- way spruce, on the plaza oi the Capi- tol, illuminated with red, white and blue electric bulbs, and which was wit- nessed by over twenty thousand peo- ple. Near the dome of the building blazed forth from a brilliantly lighted placard, ' ' Peace on Earth ' On the steps in front of the building were massed one thousand of Washington ' s best singers, whilst beside them stood the noted Marine Band to play the ac- companiments. The first song was Beethoven ' s beautiful Creation Hymn, sung at first softly and then gradually swelling until it reached tremendous power and effect. Then came the first tableau of Joseph and Mary on the way to Bethlehem ; then the manger, and as it became a blaze of light, a bright star appeared over the Christ- mas tree. Then between the columns of the Capitol appeared five angels with trumpets, and the great choir be- gan to sing, Hark ! the herald an- gels sing. The scene and the music were so inspiring that many uncover- ed their heads and some actually knelt in prayer. Then followed the tableaux of the visits of the shepherds and the wise men. Then all lights were turned down, the angels onhr being visible, though the manger still continued to be illuminated, and the choir sang softly, ' ' Holy Night, Silent Night. The closing number was ' ' The Star Spangled Banner.