The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-02-13
SUGGESTIONS AS TO
The MEMORIAL
February 6. 1919.

February 6, 1919.
To the editor: Having noticed sew
eral articles of late in cur local papers
regarding a memorial to the soldiers of
cur county who lost their lives m the
war, | would much like to say through
your paper that | am not in the least
opposed to memorials and think they
are a very appropriate way to express
our feelings.
wish to say, however. a memorial
once executed and placed is with Us
fer all me, and therefore should be
given more than usual thought before
beirg fully decided upon. as TO what
form il should take and as to the place
on which il should be erected.
| notice in recent issue of the Gla-
cier that Mr. Noble suggests a stone
arch across the Highway at Ruthton
Hill. beg to differ with Mr.. Noble
and his suggestion. This idea Of an
arch was previously broashed by him
several years ago. when committee
was appointed by the Commercial club
to consider the form that a testimonial
/ to Mr.. Benson should take. At my
suggestion the appropriateness Of a
stone arch was submitted to the Port.
land Chapter of the National Institute
of Architects for their opinion. and
their reply was that ''stone arch
over the Highway would be most inap-
propriate "
There certainly is no higher authori-
ty in the state of Oregon to appeal 10
+ than the Portland Chapter of the Ma
tional Institute of Architects. as tO
whether the subject of an arch would
be in good taste, also as to the loca-
tion of same. Ii may not be generally
known, but | believe | Am correct in
saying that the National Institute OF
Architects has jurisdiction over the
Lincoln Highway from east to west,
and by the sanction Of the government
has the right to pass on all bridges,
electric lights. signs, gateWays, en-
trance posts to Towns. etc, before
they are erected on the Highway, the
object Of this being that any and al
decorations of what so ever natur,
should conform to good taste and b.
appropriate in their surroundings.
!, therefore, would suggest that be
fore any further thought is given tC
erecting any kind Of memorial on tn,
Columbia River Highway it first bt
referred to such an authority as
have mentioned above. | would like I,
call attention here to case that i:
somewhat parallel to our own. Aftel
the Civil war there was hardly towr
in New England that did not erect /
soldiers monument to those who haC
surrendered their lives for the freedom
of the States. Those monuments ex
pressed the best thoughts in art com
position and execution of their day
but art has SO far advanced in ou
country in the past SO years that tn
monuments then erected are now tn
laughing stock of those who know goo,
art. What is the result7 Just this
That many of the towns have take
down the original monuments an
erected in their places others of
higher and up to date standard.
simply mention this as we do not wan
to fall into the footsteps of our prede
cessors.
Our county has lost but few men.
therefore. do not believe we wish t
erect big memorial, as an arch woul
indicate, for in my opinion the 0ccasio
does not call for it. An excellent sug
gestion was made by Roy Kelly fe,
days ago when | was talking the mat
ter over with him. He said why no
take the vacant space on Cascade ave
nue. between the Hood River Garag
and the Gerdes Hotel, which is alway
an eyesore as to its appearance, fix