Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04

Ball must have experienced in the con-
tinuous devotion of her distinguished
son! History gives no instance show
ing that he failed to give her loving,
patient and punctiliously polite atten-
ton in all Of his care of her and her
affairs from the time of his fathers
death until her own.
George Washington was called the
greatest man Of his own and any age
by biographers and historians, and the
women OF this age will not fail to rem
der their quota of homage to his name.
How will this be done? Through their
organizations. Women's organizations
have the machinery to put over to their
communities any ideas that they gather
at their meetings. For instance, each
clubwoman Is an individual publicity
emissary for the project, or plan, that
has been brought to her attention. With
through which she Is more or less an
active participant in world affairs, she
returns to her family and her home
informed and eager to relate her story
Of the days events.
Home Life Appealing.
'Nothing pertaining to the life Of
George Washington and his exploits
and achievements appeals more strong
ly to all women, and especially to those
who are home-nakers. than the story
Of Wakefield, that simple, unpreten-
tious, perfect colonial home on the Po-
tomac, where the child was born, who
became the founder of the Nation, and
where his life was nodded and directed
in its earliest years by his lovely and
high-minded mother-Mary Ball WASH
ington. She typifies to all women the
highest example of American mother
hood and is most illustrious prototype
of colonial home maker. Like Martha
of old, she attended well to the ways of
her household and the upbringing of
her children.
II wish the standards of George
Washington might be tnstilled in the
heart and mind of every child in Amer
lea, and that this glorious heritage
might be passed on from generation to
generation.
1T must be remembered that being
q home-maker on colonial plantation
was much more Of task than the
management of de luxe apartment
today. Mary Washington's task on q
huge farm that had to support herself
and her children, of which there were
four, was dawn-to-dark routine, alb
sorbed, timefilling, made of many de-
tails large and small-a diversified job,
requiring training and personal knowl-
edge and skill In many industries.
Despite the constant demands upon
her time and attention, her religious
devotion was her paramount interest,
and her piety was her outstanding char
acteristic. Her hour of silent medita-
ton and prayer, the family worshin
that she conducted after her husbands
death, was never omitted from her daily
observance. It was in this atmosphere
that George Washington grew into
manhood.
Illustration Of Character.
"A striking illustration of the fine
character Of this mother of Washing
ton lies in her ability to accept facts
and adjust herself to them. When Capt.
Augustine Washington brought her, q
bride, to his home of Wakefield, she
found among the books of the house
volume of Sir Matthew Hale's 'Contem-
plations, Moral and Divine Upon its
fly leaf she read Jane Washington.
This little reminder of her husbands
first wife she accepted most philosophi-
cally, and calmly beneath penned and
Mary Washington
From this treasured book and her
Bible she continued the religious teach
ings of her stepsons, which their own
mother had begun, and as her own
children gathered about her they, too,
were rooted and grounded in the teach
ings which her piety prompted her to
carry on through life.
1T is significant that woman, Mrs.
Harry Lee Rust, was inspired to under
take the restoration of the birthplace
of George Washington at Wakefield.
It is also due to the vision of a woman
fragile Pamela Cunningham-that
Mount Vernon Is national shrine to-
day.
ITO the tireless devotion Of women
belongs the credit for the preservation
| of Mary Washington's little home In
Fredericksburg, Va.-that her grave Is
marked by handsome monument; and
also that stately Kenmore, home OF
Betty Washington Lewis, her daughter
and George Washington's only sister
also is saved to honor and for pos
terity."
Mrs. Sherman says that the more
she contemplates the life Of Washing
ton and of his niother-his home life
particularly-the more she believes
that the women of today should insis,
upon taking leading part In the ceie-
bration of the 200th anniversary oil
| George Washington's birth.
Can the women Of today" she
asks, do less than follow the example
Of these women who have held alof'
the torch Of veneration? My own faith
prompts me 10 pledge for them thai
thew will do all and more than Their