Evening star., 1925-10-02
Greater Institution Urged.
Permanent Display of Great
Treasures as Exposition Favored.

Treasures as Exposition Favored.
To the Editor of Tho Star:
VIII r. Kennedy, in his article,
September 25. advocating a perma-
nent exposition at our National
Capital and celebration of the
bicentennial birthday of George Wash
ington. failed to go back far enough
In his history of the permanent 'ex-
position project. 1t would be interest
Ing to know who did originate the idea
Of a permanent exposition at Wash.
1ngton. d. c.. and who first advocated
that the States participate in a de-
Velopment of tho kind. Be that as It
may, beginning in the year 1884 Alex
ander d. Anderson, Of Washington, d.
e., spent q considerable portion of his
private means and several years of his
life working out in detail plans for
the Columbian Exposition. as a per-
manent institution. to be located at our
National Capital, where, as was then
supposed, the exposition would be held.
But the Columbian Exposition. by act
OF Congress, went to Chicago as a
temporary development Following
his Columbian Permanent Exposition
eHort Mr.. Anderson advocated and
published plans for large terra firma
map OF the United States, to be locat.
ed at Washington. d. c., each State
section OF the map to have its State
buildings, etc.
The Columbian Exposition cost in
round figures $4,000 900, was kept
open six months. torn down and scat.
tered to the four winds of the earth
But the Worlds Fair Of 1893 was the
impetus. largely. which brought about
the development of the New National
Museum. just as the Old National
Museum was made necessary in order
to house the exhibits turned over to
the United States from the Centen-
NAL Exposition at Philadelphia in
$50. These museums. part of the
smithsonian Institution, were the real
beginnings. as 1 see it, of a perma-
nent exposition at our National Cap
ital. and as Philadelphia is to have a
Sesqu1centennial Exposition, 1925
celebrating the 150th anniversary OF
American Independence, why not fol.
low this with a celebration OF the
Tooth anniversary of Smithson's will,
october %. 1926. at Washington, D. c.,
ana In every primary public school
ana community center in the United
States and possessions, and let this be
| the beginning of "a Greater Smith.
| sonian institution" embracing a per.
manent exposition and public school
foundation. the permanent exposition
| interstate. national and international
| OF an Industrial. commercial, educa.
tional and social character, to be a
| great storehouse Of practical, useful
knowledge, university extension and
cooperative service center, where nat.
ural objects and specimens Of natural
| substances, manufactured and com
mercial products, machinery and ap-
pllances, implements and relics of
war, and the usual things of inter.
est. can be assembled. classified, ex.
hibited and demonstrated, not only
for the edif1cation and qualification OF
those who live in Washington, or visit
Washington. but knowledge and i'm.
preston Of the things exhibited to be
carried to all the people in their pri
mary public schools and community
centers by means Of motion picture
hlms. lantern slides. illustrations, de
scriptive matter, phonogra phic records
radio service, specimens, models
globes, charts, maps, especially relief
maps. and other approved educational
helps?
We have the Smithsonian Institu
ton. universal in its operations, under
United States control. but 1t is a
mere nucleus in the field of oppor
tunity and We need "A Greater
Smithsonian Institution" co-ordinated
with the educational features of the
United States Government depart
| ments and embracing the libraries
museums. George Washington Me
mortal, the Zoo. Botanic Garden, ct
| cetera, and permanent exposition
located in that somewhat abandoned
part OF the city south of the National
Capitol, which would wipe out an eve
sore" and be accessible by both raj
q y,6 Vyo nv M 80
ington, from the standpoint OF the
public, and easily reached by stree,
| cars. automobiles. flying machines
afoot and what not. We have oul
| public school system, the cradle OF
democracy, of which we are justly
proud, but our primary public schools
| and community centers are lacking ir
| modern, up-to-date educational and
| welfare equipment and facilities, and
"A Greater Smithsonian Institution,
to be used. under the direction and
| supervision OF a United States depart
| ment Of education and welfare, in co
| operation with the States. in making
and preparing educational motion pic
ture films, lantern slides, illustrations
descriptive matter, photographic
! records. radiograms and other educa
ttonal helps which can be made and
prepared better. more economically
and to better advantage under some
| such cooperative arrangement thar
can be done in any other way, ant
| deliver these educational helps
! through the service of the United
| States postal system. radio phones anc
other available means to the schools
and community centers that bear theil
proportional part OF the flnancia
burden, some such cooperative serv
ice could be made helpful indeed We
have an abundance Of genuine patri
otic sentiment, in evidence on every
hand. in favor Of a development such
as / have suggested and have beer
advocating for more than nine years
| but we have no plan for crystallizine
| this sentiment into working for
mula-What is needed to carry on is
organization, legislation, cooperation
and concentration.
If the United States would provide
a way for the States to cooperate
In developing a permanent exposition
| and public school foundation, and each
individual Of school age and over
year thereafter, that would give US, ir
round figures. 500. 900 900 to start
| with. enough to develop a permanen,
exposition, and SIS 900 900 annually
| which should go q long way toward
providing approved educational helps
true to fact, accurately and correctly
made and prepared by men and women
Of intelligence and good moral charac
ter, educated and trained for the work
the educational helps to be delivered
! to the schools and community centers
that bear their proportional part OF
| the financial burden, for the use of our
| noble teachers and social workers in
discharging the arduous and RESPONSE
BILE duties that devolve upon them
thus making it possible for each pr1
mary public school district to have q
little university of its own where all
in the district from childhood tn old