The director of Pond Lyceum James B.Pond with his business technique was successful in creating eagerness to the American people about his lecture. He reached Seattle in the last night and attained the ship as soon as it reached the shore to welcome Rabindranath. Mentioning Rabindranath as the "Shakespeare of India", Los Angeles Times quoted his sayings on 19th Sept ;
" The lectures I am to give in the United States are for the purpose nearest to my heart -- to get funds to carry on my school for boys in India" and said to Pond with a child-like smile, "I want you to take complete charge of me. I am writing to deliver as lecture as you plan for me, but I have no wish to plan them myself. I must think other things. The more lectures, the more money I have for my school. The boys need education. I teach boys the trueand the fine and the beautiful, that is the way to make the whole world clean and right."
Many others came and addressed him in their own way. George Brate informed him in a letter dated 8th Sept. ;
" Their local agent P.N.Plamondon will meet with him in order to aid you in any way in his power at your landing and also in the details attending your journey to the East."
The president of the Foreign trade Dept. of Hindusthan association of America Mr. Deva Ram Sokul, Admiral Fullam and other very important persons of San Diego welcome Rabindranath in a Radio Telecast at the ship.Rabindanath also gave thanks in a return mail."
Rabinxranath took his seat at New Washington Hotel of Seattle. On that night he sent a telegram to Moody;
"Reached safely Affectionate greetings Letter follows Tagore ."
Rabindranath first attended a felicitation programme at Sunset Club of Seattle on 19th Sept. About forty Social and Litterateurs of Seattle was also invited in the dinner arranged by the Club. A table in the form of "T" was placed in the dinning room and the room was decorated with the Indian marigold, the auspicious flower of India arranged on blue flower-vase. On the two flower-vases there was a Vhinese-peacock , the logo of the club.
The chairperson of the club Mrs. Witnfield P. Smith conducted the meeting and inaugurated the meeting after introducing Dr. Herbert H. Gowen of Washington University, Dr. Oliver P. Richrdson, and Judge Fredrick V. Brown with the honourable guest. Rabindranath said in reply to the welcome address;
" Always thee is more preparations made for the feast than the occasion warrants.It is so with this welcome, you have given me. I can take to myself but a modest share of the good things you have said to me and through me to my country. In India the welcome to the guest is always by the women of the househo;d, so this welcome in this club of women is in accordance with our form of hospitality. I think it most auspicious that my first welcome on this shore should have been in this charming way. East and West are not so far apart and it ius such occasion as this that hurry forward the time we are all looking for the day when intellectual hospitality will be universal.
