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a boy. Lodge's Washington in the American Statesmen Series is exceptionally helpful.
Washington and Jefferson College, at Washington, Penn., originated as Jefferson College (1802) and Washington College (1806), the two uniting in 1865 as Washington and Jefferson College. Thirty-one trustees control it, and are a self-perpetuating board. There are classical, engineering, French-scientific and Latin-scientific courses. The studies of the first two years of the classical, French and Latin courses differ, but in the last two years of each of these courses there are the same electives and the same required studies. The college possesses a preparatory department, and numbers 30 professors, 455 students and 20,000 volumes in its library. In 1907 its productive funds were $508,258 and its income $50,302.
Washington and Lee Univer′sity, located at Lexington, Va., was chartered in 1782 as Liberty Hall Academy. The first important gift of property to the school was made by George Washington in 1796. In recognition of this benefaction the name of the school was changed to Washington Academy, which later became Washington College. At the close of the Civil War Gen. Robert E. Lee was elected president of the college, and was installed on Oct. 2, 1865. This position he held until his death, Oct. 12, 1870. In 1871 the general assembly of Virginia changed the name of the institution to Washington and Lee University. It now has a faculty of 31, with 400 students in attendance.
Washington Elm. This is an ancient tree at the northwest of the Common, in Cambridge, Mass. Here Washington is reported to have stood when on July 3, 1775, he took the command of the American forces in the war of the Revolution.
Wasp (wŏsp), any one of a considerable group of insects, forming, with bees and ants, the highest order of insects (Hymenoptera). These well-known insects show some variation in form. Sometimes the thorax and abdomen are connected by a slender thread; but in other forms these parts of the body merge into one another. The social wasps, like the hornet or yellow jacket, are the best known. They build nests of paper attached to bushes, trees, roofs and eaves of buildings; or near the ground; or sometimes under stumps and stones. The paper is manufactured from wood-fiber obtained from posts and unpainted boards. This is chewed in the jaws and united into sheets, often of considerable extent. The nests are often top-shaped or balloon-shaped, with layers of cello inside resembling honeycomb, all inclosed in a spherical envelop of paper with a hole at the bottom for entrance and exit. The cells are hexagonal and in a single layer. In each cell one egg is placed; the larvae, on emerging, hang head downward. The nests in tropical countries sometimes are six feet long. The species of social wasps that make nests in the ground form a more fragile sort of paper from decayed wood. The colonies include three forms: males, females and workers. The males and workers die on the arrival of cold weather but the females live over the winter in sheltered places, and start a new colony in the spring. The workers only have stings. The solitary wasps include miners, mud-daubers and carpenters. The mason-wasps or mud-daubers are the most familiar, as their mud nests are commonly seen on beams and walls. The carpenters cut tubular nests in wood and divide them by mud partitions. The miners dig tunnels in the earth. Young wasps as a rule are fed largely on insects, though fruit and flower juices are included in their diet. Caterpillars, other larvae, grubs and spiders are stored away for future use. In all their work and habits wasps are of much interest. Consult Lubbock's Ants, Bees and Wasps and Howard's The Insect-Book. See Hornets.
Wat Ty′ler, the leader of a rebellion in England in the reign of Richard II. A poll-tax was levied on every one over 15 years of age, which was very odious to the people. When Walter the Tiler killed a taxgatherer who had insulted his daughter, the people were ready to rally around him. The insurgents numbered 100,000 by the time they had reached London, where they took possession of the Tower and put to death the Archbishop of Canterbury and others. The first demands of the rebels were granted, but Tyler grew insolent and was killed by the mayor of London (June 15, 1381). Richard II, in his 16th year, took command of the rebels, and succeeded in leading them back to their homes, but when they were once scattered the promises made to them were not kept, and many of them were severely punished.
Watch′making. With the invention of coiled springs as the source of power in time-pieces, it became possible to make them small enough to put in the pocket. Now that clocks also are made with springs, the difference between them and watches is simply a matter of size. The first watches were made, it is said, in Nuremberg about 1500, and on account of their shape and size were called Nuremberg eggs. The early watches were made in many curious shapes, and indeed, before the modern day of hurry and necessity for promptitude, they were of little use. To overcome the variations in power as the spring uncoiled, the fusee and chain were used, the fusee being the axle on which the chain was coiled. Watches were not exact, and had only an hour-hand till Hooke in 1658 invented the balance-wheel, including the hair-spring. It is used to
