The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-01-18
SAVING "oLo SOUTH"
The Debt Which the raitea state,
owes 70 sfrs. Hemenwsy.

The Debt Which the United states
owes 70 sfrs. Heneawsy.
The ground on which the Old South
meeting house In Boston stands was
the dwelling place OF Governor Win.
throp. Renjamln Franklin was hap.
tised In this meeting house, The voices
OF Adams and Hancock and Warren
and Washington have been heard with
IN its walls, You win see back Of the
pulpit platform and below the quaint
old sounding board the very window
through which General Joseph Warren
came TO deliver his famous ofation on
the anniversary Of the Boston massa.
ere. because the crowd In and around
the church was so great be could mot
enter by the door.
In this church were held some OF the
great meetings leading up to the fa-
nous Boston tea party" Indeed. it
was from this sanctuary Of freedom" !"
as II has been called. that the band Of
men disguised as Indians started for
the wharf to board the shlps and throw
overheard the taxed tea
Did you ever hear the story Of how
the Old South was "savedy" Rever-
ence for historic landmarks did not run
20 high years ago as II does today, and
In our centennial year Of 1876 IL was
proposed to sell the Old South simply
for the value Of Its bricks and timbers
and tear Il down that modern busi-
ness block might be built on Its site.
Indeed. II was sold-"knocked down"
at auction to bidder for the meager
sum Of $l.3l5.
Suddenly a wave OF patriotic feeling
swept over the city Of Boston. The
papers and some OF the people began
to protest against the tearing down Of
the old sanctuary OF freedom" and
movement was set ON foot to raise
funds TO buy the church from Its pur.
chaser and TO buy also the ground on
which ii stood. This good plan might
never have succeeded had II not been
for one noble and loyal woman In Bos-
ton. Mrs. Mary Hemenway, OF hal
lowed memory. When the difficulty Of
securing funds for the purchase Of the
old meeting house became known to
her she came forward with gift OF
100000 and thus the old meeting |
house was saved TO stand as an object
lesson to the children of future gener-
atoms.
Having given such large sum TO |
help save the Old South meeting house, |
AIRS. Hemenway felt that II should be |
more than a mere silent |
She determined that II
should be q real. living force In our |
and particularly to the chill
dren Of Boston. She determined that |
Il should renew and increase Its fame
rs temple OF freedom and that its sa.
cred walls should again echo and re
echo to the sound Of patriotic utter
ances and that some OF these utter
ances should come from the lips Of the
boys and girls OF Boston, and thus the
Old South lecture course and the Old
South prizes were established. Each
rear prize OF $40 and another Of s25
ire given to the graduates Of the Bos-
on high schools who write the best es-
'ays ON historic or patriotic topics. The
committee having this work In charge
the subjects In June, just be
'ore the schools close. and the competi-
ors must submit their essays the fol-
owing January. Then on Washing.
on's birthday there is patriotic gath.
ring Of the school children OF Boston
n the old meeting house, and the
lames of the prize winners are an
lounced.-St. Nicholas.