Rosenwald

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) JULIUS, an American merchant and philanthropist. He was born at Springfield, Ill., in 1862, and in 1879 became connected with Hammerslough Brothers, wholesale clothiers, New York. In 1885 he became president of Rosenwald & Weil, Chicago, and later became vice-president and then president of Sears, Roebuck & Co., mail order business, Chicago. In 1916 he was appointed member of the Advisory Commission of the Council of National Defense and chairman of the commission on supplies. He has contributed time and money to civic, philanthropic, and educational enterprises and on his fiftieth birthday gave about $700,000 to the University of Chicago, Social Workers Country Club and other institutions. He gave handsomely to Y. M. C. A. buildings for colored men and to colored people in the South. ROSE OF JERICHO (Anastatica hierochuntica), a plant of the natural order Cruciferæ, which grows in the sandy deserts of Arabia, and on rubbish, the roofs of houses, and other situations in Syria and other parts of the East. It is a small, bushy, herbaceous plant, seldom more than six inches high, with small white flowers; and after it has flowered the leaves fall off, and the branches become incurved toward the center, so that the plant assumes an almost globular form, and in this state it is often blown about by the wind in the desert. When it happens to be blown into water the branches expand again, and the pods open and let out the seeds. Numerous superstitions are connected with this plant, which is called Rosa Mariæ or Rose of the Virgin. If taken up before it is quite withered the plant retains for years its hygrometric property of contracting in drought and expanding in moisture.