Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-18
MEMORIAL LEADER
FITTED FOR DUTY
Woman From Texas Works
on National Project After
Wide Experience.

The only woman member of the
Rushmore national memorial committee
and the only woman in the United
States who has served for two years as
President Of the chamber of commerce
of a seaport city of 10000 inhabitants,
Mrs. LOrine Jones Spoonts Of Corpus
Christi, Tex, now staying at the May
flower Hotel while on a short visit to
Washington, claims that the beautifica-
ton of ones city is as much the duty
of the women of the Nation as is the
Identification of the American home.
The establishment Of city parks, the
laying of spacious palm lined bouleVards
and the encouragement of the cultiVa-
ton of private gardens among the resi-
dents of her city was but part OF the
program carried out in Corpus Christi
while Mrs. Spoonls was president of the
chamber of commerce. Mrs Spoonts,
who greatly aGmireS Washlngton's
trees. believes that all cities and towns
should cultivate those plants TO be
-.crnd at hand. rather than importing
trees, shrubs, plants or flowers from
other places.
Uses Native shrub.
PractIcing what she breaches, Mrs.
Spoonts has used extensively IN the
Identification of Corpus Christi ma
tive shrub the agarita. little known in
places farther North. The agarita,
which is an evergreen and looks some-
what like holly, has been used by Mrs.
Spoonts for hedges in the public gar
denS and on the waterfront, considered
one of the most beautiful on the Texas
coast.
Contrary to widespread opinion that
Nalm trees are difficult to grow from
seeds, Mrs. Spoonts states that in her
private garden are over 100 fine trees,
planted from seeds, but a few years
ago, by her.
Having visited practically every port
in the world, Mrs. SpOontS returned to
her home in Corpus Christi, and there
applied the knowledge of civic beauti-
fication which she had acquired in her
travels abroad. Instead of racing
around the world for the bluebird, one
can find it perched on ones own front
porch, remarked Mrs. Spoonts.
Serves on National Project.
Due to the constructive work done by
Mrs. Spoonts in her own State and city,
she was selected as a commissioner from
Texas to serve on the committee COM
posed of - members, appointed by the
President. in charge of the construction
of the RuShmore National Memorial, in
the Black Hills of South Dakota. This
memorial, which is being carved on a
side of Mount Rushmore, the Hottest
elevation of solid granite between the
Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic sea-
board, is TO commemorate the founding,
expansion, preservation and the unifica-
ton of the United States. Figures of
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and
Roosevelt memorabilia this Union. The
design is executed by the well known
sculptor. Gutzon Borglum. The group,
of which each figure scales to the pro-
portion of men 465 feet high, fades into
the ledge at the waist line. These fig
ureS will be carved on scale several
times greater than the Great Sphinx of
Egypt, together with a vast entablature
80 feet wide and 100 feet high, bearing
incised in the stone the story of the
United States, written by Calvin Cool
idge.
Mrs. Spoonts considers this great me-
mortal a matter of national interest
and has been instrumental in the con-
tribution of funds for its erection from
her own State, Texas.
Mrs. Spoonts expects to visit the site
of the memorial on July IT, when the
members of the commission will go in
a body as the guests of the president
of the Chicago & Northwestern Rail-
road.