Evening star., 1921-05-15
INT. VERNON SEEN
IN GOOD HANDS NOW
I.E. Jones Believes Best Wis
dom Would "Let We'll
Enough Alone
To tie Editor Of The star:

To tie Editor of The star:
The proposition lately advanced for
placing Mount Vernon under the rhte
of the United States government re-
wives an old question.
Several years ago | prepared and
published a small book that had ma
tional distribution. entitled. Mount
Vernon, the Home of Washington.
hen | engaged upon the WORK
shared the popular belief that 'hc
government should take over Mount
Vernon and abolish the fee system
fut an examination of the facts con
cerninE the early history ana the
subsequent record of the management
of Mount Vernon convinced me that
such a course would be unWiSe.
The old pictures of Mount Vernon.
taken in civil war times. show th"
place in state Of delapida'Ion ana
pitiful neglect. During those years
the federal government turned a deaf
ear toward the crying appeals that
were made to save the place. The
state of Virginia took tn" sam" attl-
tude and its legislature refused to
vote cent. 1t might be well. ais"
to mention the fact that despite the
circum stances that Gen. NaShlnC-
ton was one of the foremost Master
MaSons of his time. the Masonic order
took no steps toward preserving the
home and we who are members OF tn"
selves with the satisfaction of plaC-
ing pictures of the first President
wearing his Masters apron on our
lodge room walls.
Praises Women.
In my Investigations of the methods
of management Of Mount Vernon |
could not help but observe the strik-
ing contrast between the manner OF
its upk eep. in the hands of people
l. .,-l-L
compared to great many inStitu-
tons left to government emp ioyes-
bare old Arlington House. for in
stance.
Mount Vernon was saved by Miss
Ann Pamela Cunningham of South
Carolina, who part of her life was a
shut-in. Full credit is given to her
for having organized the work car
ried on by the Mount Vernon Ladies'
Association. She fairly hammered
Congress to act, and l believe was
about the first of aggressive woman
lobbyists. Edward Everett hna lIy
made a lecture tour of the country and
raised S6s.294.59. The sum was
brought up to 100000 by public sub
Scriptions. and the regents. composed
of women from the different states.
have carried on the work with results
found today at Mount Vernon.
Those people who think there is
25-cent admission fee involved in the
preservation and upkeep Of Mount
Vernon should stop to remember that
the American people who have given
thier quarters have not been held
up" as some people would have you
believe: but on the contrary they
have become co-partners in the great
work that has been achieved at Mount
Vernon. When the Mount Vernon
Ladies' Association took charge of the
cansion and estate the buildings We're
in a terrible conditions. The grounds
were a jungle of brush and weeds. The
mansion was entirely bare of the old
Washington furniture. since Martha
Washington. at her death. gave all Of
it away. and it was scattered to the
four winds"
Long Superintendent.
For over thirty-fve years Harrison
II. Dodge has been superintendent Of
Mount Vernon. He is a modest man
but his accomplishments should be
preserved in letters of gold. I believe
his is the master mind that has guild
Cd the work of restoring Mount Yer
non. Since he assumed his task there
has been perfected among the regents
and in the personnel # officials at
Mount Vernon never-ceas sing hunt
to locate the different pieces of fur
niture that originally belonged in the
mansion. one of the best portraits
of Gen. Washington. / happen to
know. was located and TepurchaSed
in England.
The Hou6on bust which visitors
find in glass case in the large din
ing room. has fascinating history
1t is the original life mask made by
Houdon. from clay secured on the
premises: and it is, therefore. the
only exact likeness of the first Presi
dent and the most valuable relic of
Washington in existence. Years ago
this bust began to crumble and fall
apart. and in the detail Of his work
Mr.. Dodge made a study Of methods
by which 1t might be permanently
preserved. He called experts to his
aid. and the tiny particles that had
fallen away were put back in the
exact spots where they belonged, be
cause every part Of that precious
work Of Houdon's had been charted,
quence. the priceless work is seen
daily by throngs OF visitors.
The old wallpaper in the mansion
has been matched and restored, and
the woodwork. as well as every other
detail, has been made to look as near
as possible as they did in the Wash
ington days. Owners Of the original
furniture have almost invariably
placed fictitious prices upon il be
cause of its rich sentimental value.
Imagine how Congress would protest
over attempts to hold up the govern
ment il they were the ones to buy
the old pieces back. Mr. Dodge and
the regents have had long years OF
negotiations over some Of these
pieces, but despite all obstacles these
precious relics have been coming
back. one by one. to their original
home.
The old stone walls about the
do h.G L..
az they existed; the contour Of the
grounds has been carefully studied.
and little hilltop or depression in
th. lawn that was changed after
Washington's death have been
brought back to their original state.
or course. everyone enthuses about
Martha Washingtons garden. but
how few know that Franklin A
Whelan. who took charge of it at
about the time Mr.. Dodge became
superintendent. has spent all these
years in caring for ii ns mother
cares for her child. There are Il num-
her OF others at Mount Vernon who
have rendered long years of similar
service--it has been loving service
in giving 10 the public the Mount
Vernon that is today our dearest
shrine.
These are a few of the things / dis
covered that convinced me that
Mount NcrnonS $ management should
remain as il is administered. and that
this is another instance where the
best wisdom dictates that We should
"let well enough alone" There are
always instances where the govern
ment, and individuals as we'll are
sure that they can do things better
than those who have started a great
work and successfully carried it on.
For my own part, l pay my quarter
for ADMISSION once or twice each
year and in doing SO I always feel
inn hnt