cessful student, graduating at the head of his class. One of his classmates was Father Tom Sherman, son of General William T. Sherman, between whom and Mr. Dennis there always existed the warmest friendship. While at college Mr. Dennis founded and edited The Georgetown College Journal. After his graduation from the Law School, he entered the office of the Register of Wills and was Deputy Register from 1876 to 1886. He was the author of "The Probate Law of the District of Columbia" published in 1883. He was for a time private secretary of Justice Blatchford of the Supreme Court of the United States. His thorough classical education and his command of English made him a forceful and effective editorial writer. He traveled extensively in this country and abroad, and was particularly interested in the history and mythology of Egypt and Palestine. He took an active interest in many organizations. He was a director of Carroll Institute; President of the Washington Council, Catholic Benevolent Legion; President of the Lawyers' Club; Manager of the Columbia Historical Society; Chairman of the Bar Examining Committee; member of the Bar Association; American Society of International Law; Humane Society; Oldest Inhabitants Association; and of the University and Century Clubs. He was married June 20, 1901, to Lula L. Hughlett, who survives him. At the bar he was regarded as one of its most substantial members. He possessed the confidence and respect of the court and of his brother attorneys. He gave to his cases the most exhaustive study, and represented his clients' interests with the utmost fidelity. He never descended to sharp practice, but was an upright and honorable opponent, as fair and just in his professional relation as he was as a man and citizen. Hope of gain never caused him to swerve one iota from his duty to himself. His conscience was to him something sacred, and was never for sale. Character and integrity were his watchwords. His appreciation of these attributes was shown particularly in his work as Chairman of the Bar Examining Committee. His aim was to admit to the bar only those men who possessed the highest moral character. To be mentally qualified was not enough. He felt it to be his duty to the court, to the bar, and to the community to see in so far as he could, that the moral qualifications of candidates were of the highest order; that those admitted to practice the profession of the law should be men of unsullied reputation who would zealously uphold the highest professional standards, always bearing in mind that the lawyer is an officer of a court of justice, and never sacrificing duty upon the altar of expediency. In this respect he rendered a service of the greatest value to his profession, and to this city and District. The influence of such a life is never lost. Sustained by a supreme faith, he has passed to the beyond. Well may he have said with the poet: "Life! you and I have been long together, Through pleasant and through cloudy weather 'Tis sad to part when friends are dear, May cause perhaps a sigh, a tear Then steal from sight, take thine own time, Give little warning, Say not "Good Night,'' but in some better clime, Bid me "Good Morning."' RESOLUTION BY SOCIETY. At a meeting of the Board of Managers of the Columbia Historical Society, held in the Executive Board Room of The Washington Loan and Trust Company, on April 17, 1919, the following resolution prepared by Allen C. Clark, President, was unanimously adopted: "On the morning of the twenty-third day of March in the current year, nineteen hundred and nineteen, William Henry Dennis was called to the next life. "With the Columbia Historical Society nearly all of its life he was intimately identified. He was a member for eighteen years. He was of the Board of Managers for twelve years, and the Treasurer for nine years. As a Manager he gave practical suggestion; as the Treasurer he made sacrifice of time. "Mr. Dennis was a chief factor in the Society's mission. He contributed valuable historical papers; and to the papers of others, in discussion, he gave the same character of supplement. "In the profession of the law, Mr. Dennis had distinctive parts. He had to do particularly with the administration of estates as a public officer and as a legal adviser. He had to do with the qualifications of those who sought to make the law their profession. 66 The disposition of Mr. Dennis was the same one day as another day. Always calm, always cheerful, always greeting; always ready with an incident or a reminiscence and generally in a gentle, humorous vein. He was always welcome, for it is the qualities like these that crown a welcome. "He lived not to himself. For the bereaved he had sympathy by deeds. He loved the young, and entered into the enthusiasm of youth. For the dumb creation he had fondness, evidenced by kindness. "All who had acquaintanceship with Mr. Dennis respected and esteemed him; and the closer the relationship, the deeper the respect and esteem. "Resolved, That the management and the membership of this Society, in the passing of William Henry Dennis, feel personal loss, and know it has lost a great assistant in its work. "The Columbia Historical Society extends to the family its sympathy, and directs that this expression be transmitted to it." 283.28 January 1, 1918, with American Security & Trust Co. $288.57 Trust Co. Respectfully submitted, $ 5.29 CUNO H. RUDOLPH, Treasurer. TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY. Mr. President and Members of the Society: While history has been in the making on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean during the year 1918, the efforts of the Columbia Historical Society to collect and preserve the past history of the capital of the greatest nation on this side of the ocean, have met with difficulties. One result was a slightly decreased attendance at its meetings, due more to the many important meetings held nightly in the capital city in connection with war service than to a loss of interest in the Society. Six regular meetings were held during the year, all in the Gold Room of the Shoreham Hotel, with an average attendance of about 75 members and guests; and the same number of meetings were held by the Board of Managers, at which the business affairs of the Society were conducted, among other things being the investment of the Life Membership Fund in Liberty Loan Bonds. The December meetings were dispensed with. The increased cost of the annual publication of the Society (Volume 21, issued late in the summer of 1918), due to the high cost of paper and production, as well as to the fact that it was the largest volume yet issued by the Society, was another serious result of the war conditions. Vol. 21 contains over 400 pages and 19 illustration, and ten or eleven papers read during the previous year, in addition to other reading matter. Only six papers were read before the Society during the year 1918, which will, however, add another interesting chapter to the early history of this District, of great value to the future historian. There have been six new members admitted, offset by six deaths and four resignations, a net loss of only four members during these unusual times. On January 1, 1919, our membership was 206. |