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ST. NICHOLAS 198 SAINT PAUL 1881 to accommodate the larger vessels that were unable to get up the Loire to Nantes. Since these began to be used the shipping of the place has increased at a very rapid rate. The most important of the imports are wine, coal, tar, iron and lead, wheat and flour, timber, and manure; the exports embrace chiefly brandy, wine, coal, wheat and flour — these four in transit — eggs and poultry, sardines, butter, bonedust, vegetables, dyes, glass, and toys. The city was one of the most important naval depots of France during the World War. Pop. about 38,000. ST. NICHOLAS, an early bishop of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor. He is a popular saint in the Roman and the Greek Churches, being considered the patron of sailors, travelers, merchants, parish clerks, virgins and children. His feast day, falling on Dec. 6, was once elabo- rately celebrated in English public schools, the solemnities continuing to Dec. 29. These curious practices died out after the Protestant Reformation, vestiges of it lingering longest at Eton. The best- known legend connected with St. Nicho- las' name represents him as visiting, on three successive nights, the home of a poor nobleman distressed about the future of his three daughters, and throwing a purse of gold through the window each night. It has long been a custom in cer- tain European countries to keep St. Nich- olas' Eve by placing gifts in the shoes or stockings of children. This custom has been transferred to Christmas Eve and the transformed saint is known as Santa Claus (from the Dutch Sant Nicolaus). ST. NICOLAS, a town of Belgium, in East Flanders, 12 miles W. by S. of Ant- werp, in the district of Waes, a densely- peopled and productive agricultural re- gion. It has a large flax market, and manufactures cotton and woolen stuffs, lace, needles, bricks, and pottery. A flour- ishing trade is carried on in linens, flax, corn, etc. Pop. about 32,000. ST. OLAF COLLEGE, a coeducational institution in Northfield, Minn.; founded in 1874 under the auspices of the Lu- theran Church; reported at the close of 1920: Professors and instructors 48; students, 794; president, Julius Boraas, Ph.D. ST. OMER, a town of France, and second-class fortress, department of Pas- de-Calais, in a marshy site, on the Aa, ?6 miles S. E. of Calais. The chief objects of interest are the Gothic cathe- dral (13th-15th century), with remark- able sculptures, the ruined tower and arches of the Benedictine Abbey Church of St. Bertin, an arsenal, a museum, and a library. A college for the education of English and Irish Catholics was opened at St. Omer in 1592. It was closed, how- ever, during the Revolution, but still ex- ists as a seminary. Alban Butler was a president, and O'Connell a student. The people carry on active manufactures of tobacco-pipes, tulle, cambric, cloth, and muslin, and a brisk trade in provisions, sugar, and spirits. Pop. about 21,000. SAINTONGE, a former French mari- time province, now forming mainly the department of Charente-Inferieure. The capital was Saintes. ST. PATRICK. See PATRICK, St. SAINT PAUL, the capital of Minnesota. It is on the Mississippi river, and on the Great Northern, the Northern Pacific, the Chicago, St. Paul, the Minneapolis and Omaha, the Rock Island, Burlington, Great Western, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, the Minneapolis and St. Louis, and other railroads. The city is most attractively situated on the banks of the Mississippi. The business portion is built on a foundation of solid rock. Trolley lines radiate in all directions, lead- ing to the suburbs, and scores of lakes lie within a short drive from the heart of the city. The city is provided with good arterial highways running into the country, as well as paved streets within the city itself. There are nearly 100 miles of paved streets and over 45 miles of macadamized streets. Travel and trade from without the city are facilitated by 12 important national highways which pass through it. There are within the city limits 52 improved parkways with an area of over 1,600 acres, 21 unimproved parks, 12 boulevards, and 10 public playgrounds. The largest of the parks is Phalen Park; with an area of 487 acres, 247 of which are taken up by a lake which has a bath- ing beach. Como Park is 427 acres in extent. In it are located the botanical gardens of the city, as well as game pre- serves of elk, buffalo, and deer. The most notable public buildings of the city are the State Capitol, which is conceded to be one of the finest and most artistic administration buildings in the world, the city hall, Federal buildings, post office, public library, the James J. Hill Reference Library, and the Municipal Auditorium. The latter building was built by popular subscription of the citizens. In its upper floors is housed the St. Paul Institute, which maintains a free art gallery and a museum, and is the center of the edu- cational and intellectual activities of the city. The Minnesota State Art Society has its headquarters in the Old Capitol Building, and there it has an unusually