The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-03-02

Ohio Canal, to Congress in trust, for
the purpose of erecting a national
University here in Washington, and
he left also the ground upon which to
build this university. The stocks
proved worthless at his death, but
upon the ground left by him the
Government erected the National
Observatory, where it remained until
new one was built few years ago,
on higher grounds.
Many efforts were made by indi-
viduals to influence congress to
appropriate money for National
University according to Washington
wishes, but in vain. A few patriotic
women started a movement towards
influencing Congress and interesting
individuals in this project and this
was known as the George Washington
Association. 1t met yearly in
Washington on the 18th of December,
the anniversary of his death, and
through this association and its
meetings has resulted the change of
name, and somewhat change of
purpose of the Columbian university,
to that of George Washington, and it
only remains now for Congress at
some future time to make of this a
National University according to his
wishes as expressed in his will.
The George Washington University
has bought ground near the site left
by Washington, and will soon have
thereon a group of magnificent build
ings, one of which will be erected by
the women Of the George Washington
Memorial Association and it will be
for women.
Last Friday, in the Capitol, there
was unveiled in Statuary Hall, a
statue of Frances E. Willard, the first
statue of woman to be placed in this
Hall of Fame. This room was
formerly the Hall of Representatives
and was the forum of the debates by
Webster and Clay, Adams, Calhoun.
and others whose names are forever
associated with the history oil
Congress. In 1864, at the suggestion
of Senator Morrill, of Vermont, this
room was set apart as Natural
Statuary Hall, to which each state
might send "the effigies of two OF
her chosen sons in marble or bronze,
to be permanently placed there"
Statuary Hall is very interesting
place to visit. 1t has some extraordi-
nary acoustic properties, by which
whispers become shouts, and persons
may converse with one another while
their faces are buried in opposite
corners; or standing on certain stones
in the floor, one can hear an echo of
their own whispers come back to them
while those standing q few feet from
them, cannot hear what they have
whispered. Also by standing in
certain spots a few feet apart, whispered
words can alone be heard by those
thus placed, those not on these stones
trying in vain to hear, do not believe
this possible until they themselves try
it.
1t is said that this room was copied
exactly from that of an old Greek
Temple, to which supplicants came to
consult or to pay tribute to their Gods,
and who went away delighted, or
otherwise, from the spoken answers OF
their dieties to their muttered prayers.
Those who have listened to these
echoes in this famous Hall, can we'll
understand how the credulous must
have been impressed by these answers
to their prayers.
The columns surrounding this
room are of variegated marble, and
are very interesting to study, as on
their motled sides those with vivid
imagination can depict portraits OF
prominent men and animals.
There are now thirty-three statues in
this Hall, and it was proud day fol-
women when that of Frances A.
Willard was unveiled therein, for il
ever a woman deserved the tribute to
her memory that was paid by Congress
of the United States, it was Frances
E. Willard.
With a genius for organization
seldom equaled either among men OF
women, she assembled the forces OF
the women of America in the fight
against the liquor evil. For nearly a
quarter of century she was in the
front ranks of the temperance workers,
and when she died seven years ago,
her name was a household word
throughout the United States, and
Familiarity known in Europe. She
was with all lovable woman and her
devoted admirers and friends are
legion.
1t was an honor to know her, a
privilege to hear her speak.
The placing of her statue in the
Hall of Fame; the eulogies in the
House of Representatives and in the