Evening Star Newspaper, June 10, 1935, Page 39

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JUNE 10, 1935. Washington’s Two Noble Shrines ot Masonry The George Iashington Masonic National Memorial and the Scottish Rite Temple Stand Out as Im prc’\s:s‘i'z'c Monwuments to a Great American Fraternal Order. BY WILLIAMS. T ARV ER, WO majestic structures, the George Washigton Masonic National Me- morial on Shooter's Hill, overlooking historic Alexandria, Va, and the House of the Temple on broad Six- teenth street running north from the White House, stand out as Masonry's proud contribution to the National Capital's archi- tectural splendor. Both these great stone piles, one an aspiring tower and the other a massive pillared temple, are of classic design and built in Masonic tradi- tion. Ten years passed in the construction of the National Memorial and more than $4,000,000 was spent. Its exterior is entirely of granite and is completed, but certain details of the interior have yet to be finished. Accepted as one of the most beautiful towers in America, it is compared favorably with the Washington Monument and the Bok Singing Tower in Florida, Several years ago the Alexandria-Washington Lodge of Masons conceived the idea that the Washington relics, long crowded in its dark old lodge room, should have a better and more fitting resting place where they could be safe from mishap. Many plans were discussed, until Charles J. Callahan suggested that a memorial to the first President be erected by the Masons of America His idea led to the organization of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, which held its first meet- g February , 1910. The 36-acre tract on Shooter's Hill, the high= est point in the original District of Columbia, was selected for the site. This historic old eminence once was owned by Gen, Washing- ton and was favored by Jefferson, Madison and John Adams for the location of the Capitol. ARVEY WILEY CORBETT was chosen as the architect. His design of the tower fol- lowed the model of the ancient ziggurat Mghte houses, which were bulit at the entrance to harbors alcag the Mediterranean Sea. This type of tower, with its steps, or offsets, lends itself admirably to the architecture of the building, which is clissic Greek and Roman. Even the landscaping of the hill has been made to conform to the setback design of the tower. The memorial is approached from the east by seven broad terraces, each with a spacious concourse of ascending steps which seem to be a continuation of the structure tself. The ground for the memorial was brokea B June 5, 1922, at noon, by Col Louis A Wattes, president of the memorial association. The corner stone, upon which is chiseled a squave and compass, the emblem of Masonry, was laid November 1, 1923, by President Coolidge, and on December 13, 1930—seven years later-—the last block of stone was placed in the exterior of the building. To iasure permanency of the structure, ap- proximately 85,000 tons of earth, the estimated weight of the memorial, were removed from the site to avoid substrata disturbances. The imposing memorial, which covers 39,000 square feet, rests on a solid made of 9,000 cubic yards of concrete reinforced with 720 tons of steel bars. When the exterior of the building had been completed, it was found that 74,491 tons of materials had been used. HE public entrance, a Greek portico, is sup= ported by eight gigantic columns of polished green New Hampshire granite. The propor=- tions of these columms were inspired by the Parthenon of Athens, and their Doric style gives to the building a subtle grace and beauty combined with great solidity and enduring strength, The arch over the portico is the largest flat arch known. It is made in five sections, and the middle, or keystone rock, weighs 13 tcas. A profile of George Washington stands out from the center of the pediment surmounting the portico. It is a composite study of the Hou- don bust and the Williams portrait. From the great portico, one enters the George Washington Memorial Hall, of ornamental plas- ter ceiling and marble tile floor. It is 100 feet long. 66 feet wide and 41 feet high. On the north and south sides of the hall, sentinel- like, stand eight Corinthian columns of pol- ished green granite, each 40 feet tall and weigh- ing 65 tons. The capitals atop these columns are the largest capitals of polished rock in the world. This hall is the second floor of the building. Also on the second floor is the Replica Lodge, an exact reproduction of the old room in Alexan- dria where Washington's lodge met after his death. Next to it is a larger room for the use of symbolic or blue lodges. On the north side is an auditorium. An ornamental assembly room, flanked by eight Doric columns, lies in the center of the first floor, directly under the memorial hall. Two elevators in the front corridor of the first floor connect with all floors of the build- ing. Because of the setbacks of the tower, the elevators start 50 feet apart, in beveled shafts, and reach the summit side by side. Scottish Rite Temple, 1733 Sixteenth street. A large semi-circular amphitheater, two stories high, is behind the assembly hall. It seats 1,200 persons. Instead of balconies, the seats are arranged in tiers, so one can see and hear from any position in the room. The can- opied ceiling, of ornamental plaster, is designed like a great open lace fan, and a soft glow of hidden colored lights penetrates the openings in the design. Over the stage is a pipe organ chamber, with louvers to direct the music either into the amphitheater or the memorial hall, as desired. Surmounting the two main floors are the seven stories of the tower, three of which have very high ceilings, and tall memorial windows on all four sides, The library is on the sixth floor and was de- signed to be the center of Masonic information throughout the world. Among the valuable books already presented to it are 6,000 volumes pertaining to the lore and history of Free- masonry, collected by the late Rae J. Lemert of Montana. The last tall story in the tower is the museum. «Harris & Ewing Photo. The George W ashington Masonic Nutional Memorial at Alexandria, Va. Above the museum is an open observation plat- form, 257 feet above the ground. In the top of the tower are the 20-tone racks of electric chimes, which can be heard a mile away, and the airplane beacon, a permament memorial to the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Virginia. HE House of the Temple, home of the Su« preme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, stands on the southeast corner of Sixteenth and S streets. Externally, the temple is a development of the tomb of King Mausolus at Halicarnassus, erected by his Queen, Artimesia, which was a0« counted one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is entirely of stone, granite up to the level of the main floor and limestone above. 1ts impressiveness and beauty are attributed mainly to John Russell Pope, architect, of New York. Of it was said, “The monumental grandeur of old Egypt, the majestic beauty of Baalbek, Greece and Rome are embodied in this struce ture.” Born of the need for a new and larger tempie than the old structure at Third and E streets, the first spade of earth was turned May 31, 1911, the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Supreme Council at Charleston, 8. C. The corner stone was laid October 18 of the same year and exactly four years later the building was dedicated. Leading up to the great bronze entrance are steps in groups of three, five, seven and nine—e numbers of symbolic significance. Standing on the sidewalk, the first objects which strike the view are two huge sphinxes, each carved oub of single pieces of stone. The eyes of the one on the right are half closed and its face exe presses contemplation and repose as representae tive of Wisdom. The left sphinx, with wide open eyes and determined expression, syme bolizes Power. On the plinths of these figures are inscripe tions in Phoenician and Egyptian. The Phoee nician characters are the names of the columns in front of Solomon’s Temple. The Egyptian hieroglyphics signify Wisdom and Power, and “He hath establishied it in strength.” Surrounding the temple room is a greab peristyle of 33 monolithic columns, 33 feet high, On each side of the building are low wings containing the offices of the grand commander and the secretary general. Walls of the “atrium,” or main hall, are of limestone and the ceiling is finished with heavy beams of oak. The floor is of Tavernelle marble. The stairway, which is of black and goid, ascends from the atrium through a wide open< ing to a landing, thence up two curved flights to the temple room, which is entered through a great doorway trimmed with polished black marble touched with gold on the carved ornae ments. On the same floor with the “atrium” is the executive chamber and the library. A stairway with two entrances, one passing the executive chamber and the other the library, leads down to the banquet hall on the ground floor, which accommodates about 400 persons, To the north and south of the banquet hall are long rooms equipped with oak bookcases, harmonizing with the furniture and wall panels ing. Other rooms on the ground floor are for the various committees of the Supreme Council