Evening star., 1925-03-15
NATION TO HONOR
JEFFERSON WEEK
Monticello Foundation Gets
Wide Response to Plan
for Anniversary.

Thomas Jefferson's 1S2d birthday
out the Nation during the week of
April Is, which has been designated
Jefferson week" by the Thomas Jeff
erson Memorial Foundation, with ma
tional headquarters in New York City.
Many of the nationally known
luncheon clubs are arranging Jeffer
son luncheons for the week OF April
49," said an announcement last night,
land the committees are cooperating
with the various patriotic and civic
organizations in arranging colonial
and historic costume balls, Jefferson
dinners and many other functions.
The school authorities in many States
and cities have already designated
one day during that week as Jeffer-
son day. Special exercises will be
arranged by the teachers and chill
dren in honor of Jefferson's birthday.
The movement is wholly nom
partisan" continued the announce
ment, being sponsored by such prom
inent Republicans as President Cool
idge, Solicitor General James NJ. Beck.
Charles D. Hilles, vice chairman of
the Republican national committee;
VIII H. Hays and Theodore Roosevelt,
who are members of the board of gov
ernors, which also includes John w.
Davis, William Jennings Bryan. Sen
ator Royal S. Copeland, William Gibbs
McAdoo, James w. Gerard. Patrick
Cardinal Hayes, Rev. DR.. Nathan Krass
and a number of other prominent
persons"
The Thomas jefferson Memorial
Foundation is dedicated to the preser-
IF
ing alive of those fundamental ideals
which all Americans inherit from
Thomas Jefferson.
Priceless Relics Preserved.
I'VE have taken title to Monticello"
declares Stuart G. Gibboney presi-
dent of the foundation, Including the
$50 acres situated on the mountain
top overlooking Charlottesville, Va,
and including Jefferson's law office,
superintendent's house, servants
qaurters, with the underground pas
sageway, the outbuildings and that
exquisite mansion, which Jefferson
planned and designed himself. The
purchase also included many valuable
furnishings and priceless relics, such
as the marble busts of George Wash
ington, Benjamin Franklin and Alex
ander Hamilton, which Jefferson
placed in Monticello; the eight-day
tower clock made by the Swiss clock
maker brought to America by JEFF
ferson, the folding ladder designed
by jefferson to enable one to climb
up to wind the clock, the Stats used
by Jefferson for his alcove bed, the
two wooden shelves which jefferson
used as the writing desks upon which
he first outlined his plans for the
Declara tion of Independence, the Vir-
ginia statute for religious freedom,
and almost all of those great docu-
ments of which he was the author,
the black walnut music stand de-
signed and made by jefferson
to hold the music from which he
played on the violin; the two large
pier mirrors which Jefferson brought
back with him from France; the model
made by Jefferson for the marble
pillars to be used in Washington,
bearing the design made by Jefferson
from the tobacco stalk and flower;
the gig, or one-horse chaise built at
Monticello for Jefferson and in which
he rode from Monticello to Philadel-
phia to draw the Declaration OF In
dependence; and many other remind
ers of the life and work of Thomas
jefferson.
Property Cost s5OO,0O0.
The purchase price was $50o,000
of which 100000 was paid when the
foundation took title and an addi-
tional $4,000 has been paid on the
purchase. upkeep and repair of the
property. The contract OF purchase
was made upon the unanimous ap-
proval of the board of governors of
the foundation. In our files are the
original ballots setting forth the full
terms and conditions of the purchase
bearing the signatures of approval of
each voting governor, including DR.
Edwin A. Alderman, president, Uni
versity of Virginia: S. G. MoLendon,
secretary of the State of Georgia; AL
ton B. Parker. former chief judge,
New York Court of Appeals; L. Lee
Trinkle, Governor of Virginia and
number of other outstanding citizens.