Evening star., 1932-11-24
NATION ENDS BICENTENNIAL
TRIBUTE TO WASHINGTON
Placing of Floral Wreath at Monument
Final Ceremony in Program Which
Began 9 Months Ago.

tutlOnS, Leading cltlZenS-thrOugh all OF
whom, the commission claims, it has
been able to indirectly sponsor upward
ofa million different Bicentennial pro-
groms during the nine-month period.
Accomplishments Listed.
Here are some of the accomplish
ments of the Bicentennial celebration
as reported by the national COM
mission:
There have gone out from the COM
missions headquarters here more than
Il, 2,000, 900 pieces of literature, including
plays, pageants, music, educational
pamphlets, etc.
Nation wide educational contests
have been held in the elementary
schools, high schools and institutions
Of higher learning under auspices of
the commission, with more than 2,000.-
600 American boys and girls partici-
pating.
The commission has distributed to
the schools of the country over 1,000,-
900 large-Size autographed copies of
the Gilbert Stuart Atheneum portrait
of George Washington-one for every
class room. .ls
To every library in the country went
copy of the commissions special flag
chart, showing all the flags used in the
Revolution. Every post office received
a large poster of the restored Wake
field. Washington's birthplace.
Special Song Distributed.
George M. Cohan, famous for his
patriotic airs, wrote Bicentennial
song, Father of the Land We Love, -
were distributed.
A special Bicentennial quarter dollar
was minted and placed in circulation.
Gold, silver and bronze medals also
! were cast and awarded for meritorious
service in connection with the celebra-
ton. In addition, the Government is
sued a special series of IL postage
stamps bearing different Hkenesses of
Gsorge Washington.
Said to be the most comprehensive
undertaking Of its kind relative to
George Washington Is the task of COM
piling and publishing the 'Definitive
Writings of the First President" Sew
eral of the Is volumes expected to be
been finished.
So.000.000 Memorial Trees.
A tribute to the founders love for
| trees and gardening lies in the
fact that 10000, 900 George Washington
Memorial trees have been planted since
February %, and the commission has
assisted thousands OF people in planting
! Colonial gardens.
| For the first time in history the
commission assembled under one roof
in the Corcoran Gallery Of Art-nearly
all of the famous original portraits OF
George Washington and their rephcas.
Exhibiting valuable works OF art, the
-
artists Of the Revolutionary period, this
display opened in March and has con-
| tinued since. Heavily insured, the
paintings win be started on their way
| back to their lenders Immediately.
Besides the completion and dedication
Of the Mount Vernon Boulevard at a
cost of $4,500, 900 and the restoration
| Of Wakefield, other permanent memo
rials established in the name OF Wash.
ington during the Bicentennial period
include the restored Day House, in
| Paterson, N. j., where Washington
once stopped; erection Of a bridge al
| Vincennes, Ind; designation OF George
Washington memorial parks in Wyom-.
| ing; reproduction Of Mount Vernon at
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N. Y, and ol
Federal Hall at Bryant Park, New
York, and completion OF the George
WASHINGTON Memorial Bridge across
the Hudson River, New York. The Ma
sonic fraternity also completed anc
dedicated the George washington Ma
sonic Memorial in Alexandria.
Foreign Countries Celebrate.
Acting spontaneously, 78 foreign coun-
tries took part in the Bicentennial cele-
bration without official invitation from
our Government. With the exception
of Russia, every large country OF the
world Is represented in this group.
In 26 foreign cities streets, parks and
squares have been named for George
Washington. After erecting beautitul
monument to his honor, Florence, Italy
named the approach to 1t the George
| WASHINGTON avenue. In Germany -four
cities named public thoroughfares fof
J him, as did two cities in Albania, three
| in Poland and three in Italy.
II he lived today, the first President
| might read book In the George WASH
ington Library in Stuttgart, Germany:
he might lodge at the George WASH
| ington Hof in Vienna, or see a statue
| of himself in Saigon, French 1ndo-
China. His likeness appears on the
postage stamps of Poland, and his
name has been embodied in essays Ia
boriously executed by the school chill
| QTeu Oh NcW ZtdldI1ub SAA1Id oAAN
Japan. And he may have heard the
crown prince Of Sweden eulogize him.
Activities to Be Compiled.
Now that the celebration Is over, the
national commission hopes to record for
posterty these and other activities OF
| the year In q series OF memorial vol
umes. In connection with this plan the
commission Is sending out requests now
| for complete reports from commissions
and committees, everywhere concerning
events sponsored In various parts OF
the country and abroad.
| The District OF Columbia George
Washington Bicentennial Commission,
first headed by former District Com
missioner Cuno n. Rudolph and later
by DR.. Cloyd Heck Marvin. president of
| George Washington University, was
charged with the National Capitals
contribution to the world-iwe obser-
! vance.
Outstanding among the events spon-
sored by the local commission, besides
| the Capitol Plaza exercises February
a IA Widieh ff .od-Opef1ted with the