Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL ?. KENNEDY.


tives, author of The American
Creed" who is a living example to the
youth OF America Of how q boy can
succeed through perseverance, devotion
to duty and a zeal for Self-educatlon.
For more than half a century Mr.. Page,
who came to the Capitol as a page boy.
has been growing in the esteem OF
members Of Congress and leaders in all
walks OF life, having enjoyed the friend
ship and condolences of several Presi-
dents. and who is a guide. counselor
and friend to all new members OF Con-
gress, and whose particular pet hobby Is
to aid young men and women to ma
their place in life.,
AS executive secretary Of the wash
ington Bicentennial Commission, Mr..
Page has been contributing important
research regarding the boyhood OF
Washington and the lessons that his
life teaches to the youth Of today.
Historians agree" he said, that George
was tall and muscular, approaching the
stature Of more than feet, which he
afterward attained; that he was not yet
nlled out to manly proportions, but was
rather spare, after the fashion OF youth;
that he had well shaped, active figure.
symmetrical except for the unusual
length Of his arm, indicating uncom-
mon strength; that his light brown hair
was drawn back from O broad forehead
and grayish-blue eyes looked happily
and perhaps a trihe Soberly, on the
pleasant Virginia world about him;
that his face was open and manly, with
q square, massive jaw, and q general
expression Of calmness and strength.
Fair and dorid.' big and strong, he
was, to take him for all in all, as fine
specimen Of his race as could be
found in the English colonies.
The two young men, Lindbergh and
Walter johnson, fairly well answer this
description, or did when they were l6
I remember Lindbergh when he was q
little fellow and his father was Con-
gresham, and saw Walter Johnson
make his debut here some 20 years ago
Now both Iindbergh and johnson are
OF Scandinavian origin. If nothing
else would tell us this, their names
would. And 1t Is q strange coincidence
or circumstance that it Is not unlikely
that George Washington came from
the same race of people. We dc
know that George Washington himself
said that he always understood from
family tradition that his ancestors
came from the North Of England. An.
other coincidence is that George Wash
ington was interested in aviation and
encouraged the first balloon ascension
ever undertaken in the United States. ~
When Washington was in his teens
Mr.. Page said, he had little or no ad-
vantages to acquire an education. AT
the age OF 5 he went to live at Epse-
waSsen, later renamed Mount Vernon
which was owned by his half brother
Lawrence Washington. Then his father
bought an estate on the Rappahannock
River, not far from Fredericksburg
where young George developed into 8
strong and healthy boy. He spent q
lot OF time outdoors. He was fond OF
nature. He loved the trees and flowers
birds and animals. He learned to ride
the ponies and the horses, and became
daring horseman and hunter
He was only IL years old when his
father died, and 1t was rot until Their
that he began to get any schooling
such as 1t was. His mother sent him Il
what was called an "old field" school
taught by Hobby, the parish sexton. He
couldn't learn much there. But a little
later. when he went back to Wakefield
where he was born, he attended a pri-
Vate school taught by q Mr.. williams
There he was taught the three RS
readin'. ritin' and 'rithmetic.
He was fond of reading, and wher
given the opportunity read all of the
books in Lord Fairfax's library-many
of them were classics. His penmanshir
was, or became, excellent. His spelling
at first, was execrable. But it was ir
mathematics that he really excelled
because he was fond of 1t. And herein
probably lies the secret Of his great
success.
Being a lover Of outdoors, he learned
instinctiveiy land topography, and we
find his natural bent carrying him
along into the field Of land surveying
This was a genteel occupation. In II
he could give vent to his favorite
mathematics. His first practical effort
in this line was his survey, when he was
Is, Of turnip patch at Mount Vernon
The map he then drew of that turniI
patch is still extant, and is said to bt
based on correct principles. After q
little technical training at Williams
burg, In that line, and in navigation
he had confidence in his ability tt
make good.
Lord Thomas Fairfax gave him hi
first opportunity when he invited Georg,
to go along with the son Of Lord Fair,
fax, George william, few years oldel
than young Washington, to survey TIT
acres, stretching far to the west through
primeval fore0tS. This was a big job
full Of hazsfds and hardships, a.
Washington's diary plainly shows
Many dangers to life and limb awaited
him, dangers from the elements (they
started in March,, dangers from hostile
Indians and dangers from predatory
animals. But. nothing daunted, young
George and his beloved friend, young
Fairfax, started out on their perilouS
journey through the wilderness.
Vii f~AN s1ak v1,tk IA
most momentous consequences. 1t Is be-
lieved by some historians that this sur
veying trip was the genesis of the Con-
stitution Of the United States, through
the vision 1t afforded George Washing
ton of providing inland transportation
facilities for the Colonies, which vision
and its practical development led first
to the Annapolis Convention in 1886
and then to the Constitutional Con-
vention in 1889.
One Of the most dependable legisla-
tors in the interests of the National
Capital is q former small-town sheriff
who knows the viewpoint of the work.
ipgman from his own experiences at
We shoemaker'S bench-Representa
Morian Lampert of Oshkosh, Wis. Dur
ing his entire term of IL years in Con-
greSS Representative Lampert has been
one of the most consistent attendants
at all meetings of the House District
Committee and can always be relied
upon to vote for the interests of the
ordinary citizen as it may be arrayed
against the interests Of big business or
corporations.
During the session of Congress Just
closed Representative Lampert stood in
the breach for defense of the poor of
the District Of Columbia against an
attempt by the Russell Sage Foundation
and some paid lobbyist to foist upon
the National Capital a loan shark law
that would have legaliZed an interest
rate of 10 per cent on loans up to $500.
He fought at every stage of the game
for increasing the pay of police and