Evening star., 1925-05-01
JAMES D. WILSON
BUST IS UNVEILED
Memory of "Patron Saint OF
District Schools" Is Sig-
naIIy Honored.

A memorial bust of James Ormont
Wilson, patron saint of the District
public school system, was unveiled
with fitting ceremonies this afternoon
at. the normal school which bears his
name at Eleventh and Harvard
streets. A bronze profile bas-reief
the memorial is the gift of, Mr.. Will
sons daughters, Miss Cora Wilson
and Miss Annie Wilson. 1t is the
work of Herbert Adams, famous
American n sculptor.
scenda nts of Mr.. Wilson attended the
impressive ceremouies. and Joined in
the tribute paid to the man under
whom the public school system of the
District took. definite form. Among
them were DR.. r.. G.. kimball. super
Vising principal of the third division
whom Mr.. Wilson brought into the
schools as teacher; Stephen f.
Kramer. first assistant superintendent
of schools Theodore W. Moves and
Rev. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church, with which Mr. Wilson was
prominently identified. The students
of the normal school also were rep
resented in the exercises by Juliet
Frost
Unveiled by Granada u 2 hi er.
Presentation of the memorial was
made by William Lyme Wilson. grand
son of Mr.. Wilson. 1t was unveiled
by Elinor Orrnond Wilson, his 7.year
old granddaughter. NJ. Kramer &C
cepted the bust on behalf of the schoo
system. The normal students fur
nished the musical program.
Dr. kimbali, who made the princl
pal address. sketched the life Of Mr
Wilson, and described the progress OF
the District school system during his
administrat tion He said:
This man. whose benign features
in bronze. we look upon today. and
whose name this school bears, was OF
New England ancestry, birth. educa
tion and bent of mind. Born April 2
1925, in Royalton, Mass. in Worches
ter County the north-central part OF
the State, few miles from the New
Hampshire State line. he was the son
of James, Wilson and Chic Murdoch
and, through his mother, directly de
seended from Robert Murdock and
Robert Williams of Roxbury, Mass,
men who helped to establish the first
free schools in l645.
What were some OF the conditions
a nd some of the important happenings
in our country when this new life be
gan? Just one month before John
Quincy Adams, another son of Massa
Chusetts. had been inaugurated Presi-
dent OF the United States. The sister
hood OF States then numbered "a, with
the last TO be admitted. The
population of the country then mum
bered IL 900 .000. and ony 5l2 per cent
of the people lived in cities of 5000
OF more. Not a steam locomotive had
been built not a mile of railroad track
had been laid The Erie Canal. reach
ing 1863 miles from Buffalo TO Albany
was opened for business in the Autumn
of 1925.
Education Hardly Won.
MIR. wilson's education was oh
tanned in the schools of Reyalston. the
West Brattleboro Academy, Vermont
the New Salem Academy, Massachu
setts; the Williston Academy. Massa
a nd Dartmouth College. Writ
ing of his early education, he once
said: In my town in New England
the boys and girls had to pay for thelr
education as they got it. for the most
part II was pretty tough, but as j
look back now | am heartily glad thai
il was so ordered. The old
Academy of Royalston was a blessed
place. Admitted at 10 years OF
age, we remember the warning note al
home and at school, These opportuni
ties will never return" We studied
grammar, mathematics. Latin, rhet'
oric. Watts "On the Mind" and in
our reading rode with Lochinyar
sailed with Sir Patrick Spens the
"a ion in
that ghastly fray. and listened to the
eloouence of Patric Henry and Dan
iel Webster
Game Here i'm I848.
ION leaving Dartmouth College. a
Young man of % years. MIR. Wilson
came TO Washington in 1S4S. Here he
made his home for the remainder OF
his long life. Here ne found his life
work. Here he builded his own lasting
= Washington's public
school system, which he organized
and developed.
What were some of the big things
that were taking place about the time
this young man from Massachusetts
anne to the Capital City? Let me re
mind you of a few of the happenings
in the fields of invention, science ,edu
ca ton. discovery and international
history crowded into a period of -four
y ears. In 1914 Samuel +. b. Morse
had put an electric telegraph line into
successful operation between wash
ington and Baltimore. In 1S45 George
Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy mad
established the Naval Academy at An
In 1916 DIR. William I. G.
Morton had first used ether as an
a anesthetic in surgical operations. In
the same wear Elias Howe had Sc
cured patents OH the sewing machine.
1t is of interest to note that these
four men were all from Massachu
setts. Two events of great national
occurred in 1S4S, the year
Mr.. Wilson came to Washington
They were the signing of a treaty OF
peace between the United States and
Mexico and the discovery Of gold in
California. Fhe presidential occupant
of the White House at this time was
President James K. Polk. There were
giants in the Senate in those days
Daniel Webster, Henry Clay and John
{. Calhoun were there, all nearing
the end of notable careers. Other
great Sena tors of that time included
Thomas II. Benton, Jefferson Davis
Stephen A. Douglass, William Fl
Seward and Salmon p. Chase. Car
we doubt that MIR. Wilson, active
young man, right from the region ot
old-time town meeting politics. ant
new to Washington politics, was
drawn to the Senate gallery to heal
the stirring oratory of those exciting
times, especially during the great de
bates preceding the compromise o.
1850?
Won Webster's Aid.
For two years MIR. Wilson was as
sociated with a Mr.. Churchill in con
Quoting a private school. This wa:
known as the Mcleod Seminary, anc
was located on Ninth street between
G. and II streets. In 1850 he was ap
pointed to a position in the Treasur!
Department through the influence o
Daniel Webster. Senator from hi
state and great son of his alma mat er