"Fifty Years To-day" Poem, 4 pages
Close
Request permissions
Download image
Print
Usage Conditions Apply
The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. For commercial uses, please contact photos@si.edu.Narrow Your Results
Refine Your Results
Filter Your Results
Smithsonian Museum & Research Centers Information
Close Browse records and papers documenting the history and research of major Smithsonian divisions. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by museum or research center.- United States National Museum (6658)
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (5557)
- All (5175)
- National Museum of Natural History (4190)
- National Zoological Park (4139)
- National Museum of American History (3296)
- National Air and Space Museum (2230)
- Smithsonian Institution Building (1645)
- Smithsonian American Art Museum (1159)
- Freer Gallery of Art (914)
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (692)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (569)
- National Portrait Gallery (564)
- National Museum of the American Indian (361)
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (308)
- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (258)
- National Museum of African Art (253)
- National Postal Museum (93)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture (69)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Smithsonian Records Information
Close Browse official records created at the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, research centers, libraries, and archives, now in the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ collections. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.- All (5175)
- Museum Studies (3896)
- Art (1028)
- History (506)
- Natural History (388)
- Zoology (284)
- Astronomy (261)
- Exhibitions (245)
- Science (168)
- Traveling Exhibitions (152)
- Paleontology (68)
- Conservation (66)
- Entomology (58)
- Ecology (57)
- Biology (45)
- Mammalogy (37)
- Vertebrate Zoology (36)
- Botany (34)
- World War I and II (33)
- Mineralogy (33)
- Women (31)
- Geology (29)
- Anthropology (28)
- Meteorlogy (23)
- Invertebrate Zoology (20)
- Military History (19)
- International Education (19)
- Ichthyology (14)
- Herpetology (8)
- Telecommunications (6)
- Tropical Biology (2)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Smithsonian Secretaries Information
Close Browse records and papers of the Smithsonian Secretaries, from 1846 until today. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by individuals who have held that office.- All (2790)
- Joseph Henry (974)
- Alexander Wetmore (463)
- Spencer Fullerton Baird (388)
- Sidney Dillon Ripley (368)
- Charles D Walcott (254)
- Leonard Carmichael (213)
- S. P Langley (210)
- C. G Abbot (196)
- Ira Michael Heyman (92)
- Robert McCormick Adams (56)
- Lawrence M Small (53)
- G. Wayne Clough (36)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Expeditions Information
Close Browse records and papers documenting scientific and collecting expeditions either affiliated with the Smithsonian, or with which Smithsonian researchers participated. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by geographic regions predominantly represented in expedition records.Personal Papers Information
Close Browse papers and special collections created by institutions and persons who have contributed to and collaborated with the Smithsonian. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.- All (1829)
- Aeronautics (251)
- Botany (218)
- Entomology (164)
- Mammalogy (159)
- Paleontology (126)
- Museum Studies (106)
- Geology (98)
- Zoology (96)
- History (74)
- Natural History (60)
- Astronomy (40)
- Science (37)
- Invertebrate Zoology (37)
- Ichthyology (33)
- Biology (32)
- Art (30)
- Meteoralogy (26)
- Herpetology (25)
- Mineralalogy (16)
- Anthropology (16)
- Ecology (12)
- Women's Studies (10)
- Vertebrate Zoology (9)
- World War I and II (6)
- Conservation (6)
- Tropical Biology (5)
- Exhibitions (5)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Professional Societies Information
Close Browse records of professional societies closely associated with the Smithsonian, that focus on areas of scientific research and museum studies. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.- All (465)
- History (50)
- Science (39)
- Biology (38)
- Museum Studies (35)
- Natural History (34)
- Zoology (27)
- Herpetology (24)
- Vertebrate Zoology (23)
- International Education (23)
- Preservation of Materials (17)
- Mammalogy (17)
- Ichthyology (15)
- Paleontology (11)
- Entomology (10)
- Marine Biology (9)
- Conservation (8)
- Ecology (5)
- Botany (5)
- Geology (3)
- Ornithology (1)
- Mineralalogy (1)
- Meteorlogy (1)
- Invertebrate Zoology (1)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Oral Histories Information
Close Browse oral and video history collections containing interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff, and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.- All (132)
- History (57)
- Museum Studies (48)
- Tropical Biology (19)
- Conservation (13)
- Astronomy (13)
- Zoology (11)
- Women's Studies (11)
- Entomology (11)
- Smithsonian Employees (10)
- World War I and II (9)
- Paleontology (9)
- Biology (9)
- Art (8)
- Military History (7)
- Geology (7)
- Anthropology (7)
- Aeronautics (7)
- Mammalogy (6)
- Ecology (6)
- Molecular Biology (5)
- Invertebrate Zoology (5)
- Ichthyology (4)
- Exhibitions (4)
- Natural History (3)
- Meteorology (2)
- Marine Bilology (2)
- Herpetology (2)
- Science (1)
- Mineralogy (1)
- Botanny (1)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
^[[42]]
[[stamped]] F B JUN22 1903[[/stamped]]
1852 1903
CONGRATULATIONS TO SOLOMON G. BROWN
A VERSE FIFTY YEARS TO-DAY
This verse written at request of several friends commemorative of
AN OFFICIAL VISIT
-MADE TO-
Solomon G. Brown
on the Morning of February 15th, 1902, by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, accompanied by
MR. F. W. HODGE, Assistant in charge of office,
MR. W. I. ADAMS, Chief Clerk of the Exchange,
MR. JAMES G. TRAYLOR,
MR. H. W. DORSEY, Special Assistant to the Secretary.
Each in turn (after the Secretary) offered their congratulations to Solomon G. Brown upon his reaching fifty years continual service in the Institution.
Solomon G. Brown, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1902.
Published by contributions of his friends at the Smithsonian Institution June, 1903.
FIFTY YEARS TODAY.
'Mid all the changes I have seen
Since fifty years have rolled between,
My eyes can rest on only few -
Whose faces once could daily view,
And kindly greet on passing.
My mind goes back to hallowed spots
Fraught by memories by some forgot;
Which bring up friends most dear to me
Who've long since gone beyond the sea.-
It seems I'll not forget them.
Many I've known are dead and gone
Many are here who've since been born;
Some's resigned and changed their home
Others through foreign countries roam,
And these are-
-Sending gems to you and me
They've gathered from the land and sea
These, too, were young, now growing old;
But many facts are yet untold,
To be revealed by others.
Every year since here I'd stay,
Some much loved friend's been called away;
Younger men in every case-
Have come right up an filled their place.
And suggesting some improvements.
We'll now call up our first main chief
Whose history may be told in brief;
A pleasant man so meek and mild
Was great, yet gentle as a child,
A man whom all regarded
A man of pious, Godly fear
Affording all his friendly care;
'T was he who first appointed me
Since then he's gone beyond the sea-
We never can forget him.
Since then new generations born,
Take his research and move them on;
Are treasured by great men of thought,
Receive the credit such research ought,
Thus adding much to knowledge.
By Henry the electric plans were laid,
His mind this grand conception made;
By him was launched out on the sea-
Which now brings news to you and me,
In the shortest space of time.
I've been impressed o'er fifty years
By Henry's brain and patient cares;
The honors given F. B. Morse
Were wholly done at Henry's cause
Which all his friends regretted.
By Henry, I always will believe
The telegraph was first conceived.
The part he played upon the staff-
Made complete the telegraph,
Which is our greatest blessing.
Our second chief who filled his placed
Was one of justice, truth and grace;
A scientist of great renown
No greater naturalist could be found,
In this, or other countries.
My highest tribute to these names
My comrades here will do the same;
To Henry, Baird and G. Brown Goode-
Each in his place wherein they stood-
Long may their fame be honored.
Wisdom from these minds would flow
Increasing knowledge more and more;
Now younger men can easily learn
Just how these great men were concerned
In diffusing usefull knowledge.
From precious seeds these men have sown;
Gigantic plants and trees have grown;
The Weather Bureau was planted here
From observations made each year,
And studied out by Henry-
The nation's museum had its growth;
The Fish Commission was brought forth;
The exchange of books began to breathe-
By Baird and Henry these were conceived
And carried into practice.
I've lived to hail the third learned chief.
Whose election brought us much relief;
While we greatly missed the two then gone
Yet every branch moves smoothly on,
With many great improvements.
With our present chief the Zoo did start
And other additions for his part;
He also gained that splendid park
A place once dangerous, wet and dark,
Is now a splendid country.
Improvements seen on every hand
The costly, desirable, stretch of land;
See how grand since he begun
The work our honored chief has done-
To beautify this city.
Since eighteen hundred and fifty-two,
This may seem far back to you;
But much has passed I have not told-
Then I was young but now I'm old,
But still I am observing.