The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-21


/ am just in receipt of the en-
closed letter and article which
presents the ideas as outlined by
me at the city hall meeting so
much better than I could do my
self that / think it will not be
necessary for me to do anything
more than to send it on to you.
/ think you will find very large
number of people of the COM
munity in favor of building of
this sort as memorial.
/ shall be out of town tomor-
row evening. when as 7 under
stand IL the mayor has, called a
meeting 10 consider this matter
I am sorry cannot, be present.
Yours very truly, w. D. Willard.
New York, February 10, 1919.
Mr.. w. d. willard, Mankato,
MINI. Dear Sir: We are happy
to learn that a movement is on
foot looking toward the erection
of suitable war memorial in
your community.
The work of this committee is
being conducted in cooperation
with, and under endorsement of,
Secretary Franklin X. Lane, of
the u. S. Department of the In
terror, p. P. ClaXton, U. S.
Commissioner Of education, The
War Camp Community Service,
Municipal Arts society; National
Institute of Social Sciences. Art
Alliance of America, American
Institute of Architects, and kind
red organizations.
While local pride and patriotic
ferver cry for immediate express
sion in a fitting memorial. we
urge that so great subject re-
ceive the elaboration it merits.
The enclosed reprint of arti-
cles appearing in the December is
sue of the American City, and other
articles published in the January
issue of this magazine, may sug-
gest a happy solution to the prob
lem you are facing.
A very interesting pamphlet on
this subject, is now being pre-
pared by the War Camp Com
munity Service in collaboration
with other organizations. If you
are interested we shall be pleas
ed to see that copy is mailed
you.
Kindly keep us posted as to
the progress of war memorial
plans in your community. Very
truly yours, H. G.. Otis, Execu-
tive secretary of national COM
mittee- on memorial buildings.
Several Verbal Suggestions
Mr.. Palmer then asked if Their
yere any verbal suggestions to b.
made at the meeting. F. M. Currie
aid that party had suggested t
if.s- tirat<it would be fitting and ap
ropriate to erect a shaft on Sible.
found in honor of the men and tina
his shaft should be lighted at night
lie said it had been also suggeste'
hat monument of this nature b.
rected on the court house grounds
Professor G. J. Miller spoke of ;
historical museum as a memorial
lie referred to the fact that thi
had been made by tn
rational Safety League. Professo
filler said in such a museum al
ecords from the time the Indial
reaty was signed until the presen
7ar and all relics from the Civil wa
nd Spanish American war and tn,
resent great struggle could be pre-
erved. He stated that he was op
,osed to the community building
UGH as had been suggested.
Professor Miller stated that an ad
ition or a second story could YER
asily be built 10 the library 10 serv'
5 such a museum. He expressed
is opposition to any plan for com
memorial. Mr.. Mile
aid he liked the idea OF having bot
community building and a lax
ut he did not consider them prope
Dr. a memorial. He also stated tina
was up to the meeting to decid,
,hether the memorial was to be TO
ne city or the county. He called thu
ttention of the assembly to the bill
efore the legislature providing TO
county appropriation for such pur
oSeS.
Educational Memorial Suggested
c. E. Bredeson stated that Senator
iustaf Widell was to have beef
resent at the meeting but tina
usiness matters had made it i'm
ossible for him to leave st. Paul
Ir. Bredson read a very fine address
} the meeting on memorials tina
ave been erected heretofore and OF
ne spirit governing the erection o
lemorials in general. He urged tina
o hasty action be taken. Mr.. Brede
On called attention to the fact tina
he Washington, Lincoln and thu
rant memorials were not erected
/ a day. He stated that toda!
eople were bowling down in rever'
nee to new Washingtons.
Mr.. Bredeson suggested an educa
onal institution as a. memorial tt
le men. He said this plan had the
pproval of Governor Burnquist
upt. of Education J. M. Mcconnell
Ellsworth, Judge Lorir
ray and S. B. Wilson. The speaker
that the community take
yer Bethany college as a memoria
} the pioneers and warriors from
MS county and from southern Mimi
sofa. He said the school could BIZ