The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-08
URGES MEMORIALS
Bishop James Wise Tells of
War Monuments.
We Must Preserve Permanent
Records, He Says.

Despite the unfavorable weather, a
fair sized crowd attended the meeting
at the high school auditorium Monday
night to hear Bishop James Wise talk
about civic memorials and to see the
fstereopticon slides shown in connec-
ton with the lecture
The meeting was held under the
auspices of the art department of the
Woman's club. the Topeka Art guild
and the art department of Washburn
college and the high school. Bishop
Wise pointed out as reasons for civic
memorials and monuments and civic
art in general, that surroundings de-
velop character; therefore to develop
character right in the rising genera
ton, we should endeavor to surround
it with beautiful and uplifting things.
Also that memorials in addition to
being beautiful works of art, are per-
petual reminders for our children of
great historic events and of the noble
deeds of their ancestors.
Must Build Permanent Memorials.
He expressed it as his opinion that
the time had come when the people
Kansas in particular, should begin to
build permanent records of the many
stirring and epochmaking events that
were incident to the settling of this
part of the country. He said that the
time had come when Kansas should
erect in it's capital city monument
fitting to the dignity of the state, in
memory of Kansas men who fell in the
great world war.
The bishop told of the memorials
which he saw during four months
stay in Europe last summer. He spoke
of the great churches that the peo-
pie of by gone days have erected as
a testimony to a deep religious faith,
and to inspire such faith in others.
and in this connection he mentioned
effort in the same direction, and hoped
that it might become a rallying CEN
ter of all uplifting and religious
thought and action for all creeds and
all workers for human uplift.
He also spoke of the statues, monu-
ments, and tablets in memory of men,
women, and events, that one encoun-
tiers at every turn in England and on
the continent of Europe; of the monu-
ments that impoverished France is
now building to the memory of not
only its own war dead but to those
of Great Britain and the United States
as we'll; of the thousands of persons
who stood in Westminster Square,
London, this summer, during a pour
ing rain to witness the unwilling OF
a statue to Abraham Lincoln; of the
Edith Cavell memorial: and of the fact
that England raised a fund of half
million dollars during the war for
the preservation of Westminster Alb
hey. He also stated that the French
government, just before the war, ap-
propriated s1S0,00O,000 for the beauti-
flying of Paris.
Views of Civic Memorials.
Bishop Wise's talk was followed by
a lantern slide exhibit of civic me-
MORALS. ancient and modern. in Eu-
rope and America.
Robert Pierce gave a short talk
about the Topeka City Planning board
and it's objects. He stated that 146
cities of the United States now have
these boards, and spoke of the big
work the civic planning board in Chi
cago, for the betterment and beautify-
ing of that city, especially of the wild
ening of Michigan avenue with the