POE CENTENARY EXERCISES. I 3 



early attention to the connection of Edgar Allan Poe with this 

 part of New York City as a householder for several years 

 prepared our society to take prompt steps on the approach of 

 this centennial day for its appropriate celebration. The fruits 

 of the thoroughly intelligent and wise efforts of the committee 

 under Mr. Arthur A. Stoughton, its chairman, are manifest 

 in today's program. A portion of this program has already 

 been fulfilled by the dedication an hour ago of a monument 

 to the poet in the park which hears his name, directly opposite 

 to his former home, near a mile to the northeast of this uni- 

 versity campus. The more extended and important part of 

 the program, which includes the names of men distinguished 

 in literature, in poetry and in dramatic art. is now to engage 

 our attention f< >r an Ik mr. 



Before introducing the Chairman of the day. I beg permis- 

 sion to read the following telegram from the University of 

 Virginia : 



"University of Virginia, January 20, 190c;. 

 Chancellor Henry Mitchell MacCracken. University Heights, 



New York City. 



The University of Virginia greets New York University 

 with the hope that the Hall of Fame may some day be as 

 hospitable to genius as is your University to-day. 



I Signed ) Charles W. Kent, 

 Head of the Department of English Literature." 



To which the following reply has been sent: 



" Professor Charles W. Kent. Head of the Department of 



English Literature, University of Virginia. 



Xew York University reciprocates the greeting of the Uni- 

 versity of Virginia and will gladly fellowship with her in com- 

 municating to the One Hundred Electors of the Hall of Fame. 

 representing" all the forty-five states of our union, important 

 facts and enduring sentiments respecting famous Americans. 

 ( Signed) Henry M. MacCracken." 



