Evening star., 1924-06-22
EXT0LS EDUCATIONAL
SHRINES OF VIRGINIA
Article for Distribution at N. E. A
Convention Here Rich in
Historic Data.
HOME OF FAMOUS LEADERS
Washington, Lee, Jefferson, Wilson
Among Names Discussed.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
| RICHMOND. Va, June 21-An in
teresting story on Virginias educa-
tional shrines, connected with the
history of the country. has been writ
ten by William J. Showalter, assist
ant editor of The National Geographic
Magazine, for a special edition of The
Virginia Journal of Education for
distribution at the National Educa-
| tional Association. in Washington,
June 29-July 4.
Referring to the University of Vir-
sinia. at Charlottesville. Mr.. Showal-
ter calls attention to the fact that
some of its alumni have reached the
presidency, while others have been in
the cabinet, Supreme Court. major
diplomatic posts and in the halls of
Congress.
"A few years ago the late DR..
Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of
the telephone; DR.. Edwin A. Gros-
venor of Roberts College and Am
herst. and DR.. Gilbert Grosvenor,
Society. made a motor trip up
through the Shenandoah Valley and
across the Blue Ridge to the univer-
sity and Though co Piedmont hs virginia
r
when they got back, their unani-
nous verdict Was that they had seen
the worlds most charmingly- located
and most excellent university.
ShrineS of the Nation.
Hard by the university stands that
magnificent hill Surmounted by the
fine estate Of Monticello. the home of
mediations which grew into the voice
of liberty that the years have broad
cast to all the people of the earth,
which developed into the canon of
freedom in religious thought and
act, which evolved into the emancipa-
ton of the masses from the slavery
of ignorance.
Aye. the university and Month
all America owes homage to them.
Nor yet only America. for wherever
the voice of civil liberty is heard,
wherever the doctrine of religious
freedom is maintained. wherever
mass education has succeeded class
instruction-be it in the old world or
the new, in the orient or the occi-
dent, in the northern nations or the
antipodes-there the influence of
Jefferson has gone and the seeds he
SoWed come to the harvest.
Close by are the birthplaces of
Meriwether Lewis. of the famous
Lewis and Clark expedition. and
George Rogers Clark, the Hannibal
TO bring into the United States the
great Pacific northwest; Oak Hill,
the home of James Monroe; Mont
pelier, the home of James Madison;
the church of William Writ, the blind
preacher, made famous in The Brit
Many Historic Scenes.
Leaving Washington, one can go
on a good road-all macadam but a
few miles-through Fairfax Court
House, where WaShington'S will is
recorded and where the first soldier
fell in the civil war; thence past
Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville,
clubs, fine horses and beautiful
women. Between Upperville and
Millwood one crosses the Blue Ridge
Mountains into the famous Shenan-
doah Valley and soon reaches Win
chester.
Thence down the Valley pile, the
race course of armies and the scene
of Sheridans ride. past Cedar Creek
embattled boys of the Virginia Mill
tary Institute and the aged Home
Guards gave rise to the saying of
Gen. Grant that the south was rob-
hing the cradle and the grave to
support her armies.
"At Staunton one may visit the
birthplace of Woodrow Wilson and a
few miles further on see the little old
black smith shop where Mccormick
developed the reaper and released the
world from a specter of hunger. 4
little further on and the pilgrim will
come to Lexington, the home of two
of Virginia's educational shrineS-
the Virginia Military Institute. the
West Point of the south. and Wash
ington and Lee University.
Greatness of Gen. Lee.
THE latter institution was founded
through the aid of Gen. Washington.
and it was here that Gen. Robert +.
Lee showed the world how TO be
greater in defeat than in victory.
and his good right arm, Stonewan
Jackson, the twain of Americas finest
examples of Christian manhood, and
accepted by the world as among the
greatest generals of the ages
Natural slf Brdge beyond Fenlns,9P Furnins back *
to Staunton, one crosses the Blue
Ridge again at Rockfish Gap on a
fine, hard highway to Charlottesville.
comfortably motor back to wash
nigton by way of Orange and Fred
ericksburg. On the way to the lat
ter one may visit the Wilderness.
Court House battleields, where some
of the most sanguinary battles of the
Civil War were fought. At Fred
erickSburs one may visit the homes
of Mary Washington. John Paul Jones
and Matthew Fontaine Maury and
the law office of James Monroe. A
side trip from Fredericksburg will
bring one to Wakefield. the birth
place of George Washington. and the
estate on which James Madison was
born"
The writer continues to describe
the various points of interest, in
Guiding Williamsburg, the site of
William and Mary College, Rich
mond. with it's many historical places,
including the church where Patrick
Henry made his famous speech:
Petersburg. birthplace of John Tyler,
William Henry Harrison and Gen.
Winfield Scott; jamestown, Newport
News, Hampton Roads, Yorktown,
Norfolk and others.