Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-03
TRIBUTE PAID
TO WINNIE
DAVIS
CORNERSTONE or THE MEMO
RIAL HALL LAID At ATHENS
WITH BRILLIANT CEREM6
MES.

memorial halI az the State Normal school.
the characteristic note Of the exercises
was one OF hope. not sadness. OF the Tor
ward. not the backward look, OF conn-
dence in the new day rather than OF re-
rret FOR the vanished past
That this vas true was owing 10 the
wisdom OF the Georgia division OF the
Daurhters OF the Confederacy. who. when
they would build a memorial 10 that nrst
and hest loved daughter of the confed-
eracv. Winnie Davis. deGided- .that--1t-
should not be a dead ming. mere SOUP
tured marble or sounding brass, but that
the memorial should have a vital force
within ITSELF that through it Winnie Da-
vis migHti Join the choir.
..of those immortal dead who have again
IN minds made better BY their presence
Be the sweet presence OF good diliuseu
And in diffusion even more intense
thus II was decided to erect at the
Georgia State Normal school dormitory
i 10 accommodate 60 students. the Daugh-
tiers OF Confederate soldiers who would
live here while they received their train
ing that was TO NJ them for their HE
work Surely. a wise and beautiful de-
cfsIou. for the past is best hOnored when
thus we build the statlier mansions OF
the future
And II any there were present who had
entertained lingering doubts as TO the
wisdom Of the Daughters in making this
decision. such doubts must have been
quickly dispeIled when they looked into
the earnest. eager. steadfast faces OF the
Young women who were students at the
Normal and bethought them Of the 800
other young women. sucha these, who
were shut out this fall from the privilege
OF school because there was no room for
them. and IL was for this reason that the
Winnie Davis memorial hail would open
70 % more young women the door Of OPP
portunity into the fuller. the richer. the
more efficient life that the Daughters
have builded even better than they knew
for the worth OF their memorial viii in
crease as the Normal holds out ever
widening opportunities for a fuller train
ing
And q brave scene the hill top present
ed, where in these late years has grown
up around old Rock college the several
buildings OF the State Normal school.
There were Georgia legislators. Daugh-
tiers Of the confederacy. the chancellor OF
the university the president OF the Nor
NAL students and a large body OF dis
tinguished visitors. To all. as the exer-
cises OF the laying OF the corner stone pro-
ceeded. there seemed 10 come a conscious
ness OF the deep significance OF the oc-
casiou. that here was the good moment
when the sacred past and the noble fu-
ture met in the living present
The ptpgram Tor the exercises was as
3.Q d m.-Iaying OF the corner stone
Winnie Davis Memorial hall.
Chancellor hin presided over the exer-
Uses, 80 49,
Prayer was offered by Bishop Nelson.
address OF welcome BY President E c.
Branson. OF the state Normal school
Address hy. DR.. Wallace Buttrfcx. sec
Rotary general educational board
Masonic exercises.
Masonic address BY Mr. T W Reed.
Benediction BY Bishop Nelson
Music furnished BY Wurn's orchestra
An interesting feature was the reading
OF a letter from Mrs Jefferson Davis.
Mrs. Davis letter. read by Chancellor
Hin at the ceremony was as follows
My Dear Friends
4 shall be with you in the spirit when
you meet TO honor my darIing's memory.
and perhaps she and her father may be
there. viewIess. but in deep sympathy
AID gratitude 10 you.
Il am too feeble now 10 travel so far.
Nothing Keeps Arne away but the cOnvic-
ton that / slfould certainly arrive ex-
hausted and too ill TO go TO the ceremony.
with loving thanks for what you have
done and prayers that each one Of you
may be amply rewarded for your unselfish
Iabors. affectionately yours.
YAKIMA JET j. EtkcON DAVIS.
oct q 1902"
chahceIIor Walter B. Hns speech. in
part. follows:
In words that have often been repeat
ed. and which viii never grow OutwOrn,
this true word has been spoken: When
death strikes down the innocent and
young for every tear that sorrOwing NOR
tails shed Ger such green graves, some
good is born. some gentler nature comes.
In the destroyer's steps there spring up
bright creations which defy his power.
and his dark path becomes the shining
way 70 heaven
Behold how are these words this day
fulfilled in our earsi The Daughter Of the
Confederacy Is dead. but this very scene
IS a bright creation that sets at naught
the power OF death
Unless the Daughter OF the Confedera-
cy BY a beautiful and radiant spirit life
had enthroned herself as an uncrowned
princess in the hearts OF all southern wo-
men and southern men. this poem in
stone would never have risen. stanza by
stanza. to the fair proportions OF its des-
tined future. To say that the world knows
her life as IL does that Of those who have
achieved distinction and have lived in the
worlds great eye would not cOmport with
the truth. She was as modest as Words
worth's violet by the messy stone;' but
this much we do know. that she fulfilled
the high ideal which southern woman
hood had framed for one who held her
unique position as the Daughter OF the
Confederacy. She was born amid the
troublOus times OF war. and adversely
was the side Of life OF which she saw most
in her shortened span OF days: but had
she been impatient or petulant or embit-
tered. she would never have inspired in
the hearts OF Georgia women this noble
memorial But she has inspired IL, and so
II shall ever be true:
- The idea OF her life shall sweetly creep
Into cur study OF IMAGINATION:
And every lovely organ OF her life
Shall come spparelled in more precious
habit.
More movfng-delicate and fun of life
Into the eye and prospect Of the soul
Than when she lived indeed
How hitting that this memorial should
be attached TO the noble school for the
training OF teachers who will imprint
the impressions OF her life on the hearts
Of the youth Of the land!'
Dr. Wallace Buttrick, secretary OF the
General Education Fund. northern man
by birth and extraction. won much credit
BY his broad minded statement In regard
10 southern affairs. His speech was as
follows:
six months ago. at this school. / said
that the Daughters Of the Confederacy
had entered into one Of the noblest in
herftaucer IN history What did I mean