Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-20
NATIONAL HALL OF FAME
AN ARTIST THINKS ONE SHOULD RE
CREATED IN WASHINGTON.
A Noble Building Ought to he Erected
at the National
Capital.
From the Boston Herald.

From the Boston Herald.
We are permitted to quote from a private
letter of an artist who has lately visited
for the first time the Hall Of Fame" So
called. that has been erected as an orr =
ment to the University of the City of w
York, and given national Importance by the
labors Of the Jury OF distinguished scholars
and statesmen who selected a number of
historic Americans for such honor as a
tablet there may confer or assure:
II visited the Hall of Fame day or
two since. and confess to great disappoint-
ment in 1t as a structure 1t Is a colonnade
circling around the back Of the library
building of the university, not Of proper
lions to be impressive. 1 call it colon
made. but the columns are square and not
OF the proportions Of graceful columns, be-
ing shorter. The whole work Is severely
plain, which is not Objectionable If asso-
ciated with noble proportions. so as to give
an idea OF greatness. 1t seems to me to
lack this adaptation for such a work with
such a title. Then. the tablets are within
foot of the pavement. and one has to
stoOp to read them easily. Worst of all.
one looks down upon them. which is con-
trary to our mental attitude toward the
great men whose immortal names and SEN
timents we have learned to revere and look
up to.
Should BE National.
"It seems to me this Hall Of Fame Is
not enough OF structure to command the
respect which should be due to the purpose
for which it Is designed. A hall Of fame.
instead Of being accessory to a university,
should be national affair. as it Is to per-
petuate the names. memories and senu-
ments of national men. There Is no ob1ec-
ton to having a hall Of fame in every town.
upon which the names of our great men
shall be inscribed for the youth Of the coun-
l~Iy Co. hn&
is to stand as a national memorial should
have the stamp of national authority. L
do not feel that this one will command the
unqualified respect Of the nation.
MY idea for hall of fame would be to
found 1t on some such national basis as
the Vallialla or the French Academy and
the Legion of Honor. Such an institution
should be at the national capital. The hall
Of statues in the Capitol suggests q scheme
for a hall Of fame. The same hall Of stat
ues could be converted into a memorial of
broader scope for our greatest men in
every department Of thought and action.
In this sort of national recognition full hon
or could be done to the subjects selected for
the place 1t would eXalt national pride in
their achievements. Washington would
mean more to us then. Let us have a ma
tional hall of fame worthy Of the great re-
public"
Warrington the Place.
This is all highly suggestive. Whether
or not his ideal of national hall of fame,
a pantheon Of heroes and benefactors. will
ever be realized Is doubtful. The old hall
of representatives in the Capitol, now
known as the hall of statues. is unlikely
to be changed from its present purpose. If
it should be considerable part of its con-
tents would be out of place. The difficulty
in respect Of national hall of fame would
come. as it has In the New York institu-
ton, in the selection of the famous ones
worthy of such distinction. The number
should be limited. But there would always
be a fear that Congress would increase the
number in order to take in the waiting list.
We question whether there is any better
way Of selection than the one which was
adopted. Almost any jury similarly consti-
tuted would select substantially the same
list, so far as selections have been made
The real question raised Is whether the
list should be repeated substantially in a
more noble hall erected In the city of
Washington.