The Washington times., 1916-02-08
Terms of His Will Being
Carried Out by Group o.
Women Headed by Mrs.
Henry F. Dimock.
Already $265,OOO Has Been
Raised Of the Million
Needed to Begin Work
Designed as Temple of
Peace.

IT HE terms OF will made 1O7
years ago are In a fair way
i to be executed after more
than a century OF delay The
will was George WashinRton's. Tho
terms were that $4,000 in bonds
from his estate were to be devoted
to the founding OF university that
should be as he urged in his fare
well message-'an institution for
the diffusion OF knowledge"
Long ago the bonds were found to
be practically worthless but the
spirit that prompted the bcquest Is
Finding expression in building that
embodies the ideals Of the testato tor
the George Washington Memorial.
Though the association working to-
ward this end has been incorporated
since 1898, II Is only during the past
two years that the plans have as
sumed the proportions OF reality un-
der the leadership Of group OF welt
known women.
The presidency is held at present
by Mrs, Henry F. Dlmock, OF 1901
Sixteenth street The vice presi-
N'hNS hIt hTH. lHHlel MAUulnR, MTS.
Joseph Foraker. Mrs. Henry NAL
lory, Miss Bessie Kibbey. Mrs.
Charles j. Bell, and Mrs. Frederick
Thompson Mrs. Charles Richardson
and Mrs. Ten Eyck Wendell are
trustees; Mrs. Nelson Herrick Hen
ry' recording secretary: Mrs. Frank
Northrop. treasurer, and Charles J.
Bell, trustee of permanent fund.
knowledge and Happiness.
Mrs. Dimock has been largely re-
sponsible for the present plans. and
her chief regret Is that so few
Washington people seem to know
about them. Who. for instance,
knows that the site OF the build
ing is that plot of ground where the
Pennsylvania station once stood?
George Washington" says Mrs.
Dimook. always wanted the United
States to be as prominent education
ally as II was democratically. Nearly
everyone knows, or at least has heard,
the first Presidents declaration that
knowledge is in every country the
surest basis OF public happiness.
lie emphasized this idea over and
over, and made II a feature Of his
messages to Congress.
AT that time, his idea was, I be-
lieve, the founding of a university
His will left $1,000 in bonds for that
purpose. The original bequest has
since proved "alueless-it would be
almost enough to erect a building
with today if these bonds had re-
tanned their value. Just at present
it has been felt that a building in
memory of Washington will have
the same effect of diffusing knowl-
edge that hc wished.
why Because" and she smiled
triumphantly, this building Of ours
will be the natural place TO hold the
big conventions that come to the
city, and what are conventions but
the very best means of diffuslng
knowledge"
Plans For Building.
When a convention Is held here.
the various speeches are reported
in the papers and accounts OF the
meetings are usually published in
document form. Besides this, the
delegates return to their homes or
colleges and tell OF what has hap
pened in meetings Of the convention.
Could there be any more ideal way
to spread knowledge?
The building itself is beautiful
] think it is really the most beaut,-
ful building | ever saw. or course.
] don't mean that | really have seen
1t, but the plans and pictures, you
know. 1t is 800 feet wide and H6