Evening star., 1932-04-10

rial at Alexandria, Va, May II,
will be one of the outstanding
events of the year-long George Wash
ington Bicentennial celebration. PreSi-
dent Hoover and many other high Fed
eral and State officials will be present
Several large structures have been dedi-
Gated to the memory of Washington this
year. None of these, however, has the
national scope, the deep significance or
the close historic connection with the
life of Washington as does the Alexan-
dria memorial, which was built by the
MaSonS of America in commemoration
of Washington, the Mason. The temple
will be national headquarters for the
fraternity, with a memorial room, in
which will be placed the priceless Wash
ington relics owned by the lodge at Alex
andria.
This magnificent temple of granite,
which cost more than $4,000,00O, and
which it has taken 10 years to build, is
said to be one of the most beautiful
towers in America, comparable to the
Washington Monument and the Box
Singing Tower, in Florida. There is only
one other large building in the world the
exterior of which is made entirely of
granite-the State, War and Navy Build
ing, in Washington
The exterior Of the memorial is en-
tirely completed. The chimes and air
plane beacon are installed. The amphi-
theater and the observation platform
are ready for use, but there are still other
interesting features not yet in place, such
as the statue of Washington, the pipe
organ, memorial windows, muralS and
the ornamental bronze doors. In a sig
nificant spot, not yet designated, will be
placed 212ton block of white Persian
marble from the quarry from which the
stone was taken to build Solomon'S
Temple
CEVERAL years ago the Alexandria
Washington Lodge of Masons became
imbued with the idea that the Washing
ton relics, which are crowded in its dark
old lodge room, should be housed in a
hreproof building, where they could be ex-
hibited to better advantage Many plans
were discussed and abandoned until
Charles H. Callahan suggested that a
memorial to Washington be erected by
SAAO AsAooOA1o VI 11ilCIlCd. Ills lu6d leo 10
the organization of the George Wash
tngton Masonic National Memorial Asso-
citation, which held it's first meeting on
February %, 1902 years ago.
Shooters Hill in Alexandria, the 36-acre
site selected for the memorial, is the
highest point in the original District of
Columbia This historic old hill once
owned by Gen. Washington, was the
Identical spot chosen by Jefferson and
Madison and favored by John Adams for
the location of the National Capitol.
But, for personal reasons, WASHINGTON
opposed the choice of his friends
The architect, Harvey Wiley Corbett,
modelled the tower of the memorial after
the ancient ziggurat lighthouses which
were built at the entrance of harbors
along the Mediterranean Sea- This type
of tower, which is built in steps, or off
sets, lends itself admirably to the archi-
lecture of the building, which is classic
Greek and Roman
Even the landscaping of the hill has
been made to conform to the setback de-
sign OF the tower. The temple is ap-
preached from the east by seven broad
terraces, each with a spacious concourse
of ascending steps, all of which seem to
be continuation Of the structure itself.