WILSON MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1930, Page 7

WILSON MEMORIAL

HIS BOYHOOD HOME

PUBLIC PURCHASE

f The house in Columbia, South Carolina, where Woodrow Wilson as a boy lived four years has been purchased and restored to its original design and appearance by the State of South Carolina. It will serve as a museum for relics and documents relating to the life*3 and career of thb war President, as well as for other souvenirs of the World War, says the "New York Times."

Young Wilson lived in Columbia from his thirteenth to his seventeenth year, in the house designed by. his mother and .built in 1871 by his father, Dr., Joseph •' B. Wilson. It is a two-story structure, and contains about twelve rooms.

The lot on which the house stands was purchased by Dr. Wilson in 1870. Here the Wilson, family lived until 1876, when they moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, the elder Wilson having become pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of that city. ;

In Columbia, where Dr. Wilson was a professor iv Columbia Theological Seminary, ,the youthful Wilson absorbed the ideals and culture of the Old South, and acquired many of the traits of character which were to prove-so valuable to him in his later years. Here, too, he' studied, wrote, and developed his aptitude as an expert in political science. - In after years, when relaxing from his arduous and exacting duties, Woodrow Wilson often spoke affectionately of this home of his youth and of the associations formed while he lived in the South. He asserted that the impressions he received had affected his whole after life. Ho was a great.admirer of the South and lauded its devotion to its inherited ideals. In culture, in progressiveness, in loyalty, he believed it had no . ALMOST DESTROYED. It was the in en. who had followed Ms leadership in the dark days of, the World War who first protested at the razing of the President's boyhood home and the erection on its site of a municipal auditorium. Before actual operations on the destruction of the house began the local post of the American Legion and the public at large interceded; the former raised 1000 dollars, which the wrecker had paid for the house, and bought it back from him at the last minute. The State Legislature then became interested in the matter and came to the rescue by appropriating 17,500 dollars on the condition that a like amount be raised through public ■ subscription, making a total of 35,000 dollars. The act of the Legislature provided for the building of fireproof additions .and, the erection of memorial buildings on the grounds. '-•■. An, organisation was formed to raise the duplicate of the Bum appropriated by the Legislature." A woman's division was also created to assist in soliciting subscriptions. The'combined efforts of the committees resulted in the acquisition of 19,000 dollars through public subscriptions. BESTOBED. The property was bought immediately and the work of restoring and repairing the house begun under the direction of A. S. Salley, secretary of the Historical Commission. This work was practically completed by Ist December, 1929, and the task begun of collecting ttie heirlooms and mementos connected with the life and, career of Woodrow Wilson. So far these consist of a bed from the home of Dr. and Mrs. Wilson, a silk coverlet given_ to Mrs. Wilson by the women of the First Presbyterian Church of Augusta in 1856; Dr. Wilson's Bible and portraits of himself and Mrs. Wilson, Dr. Wilson's bedroom bureau, and some other intimate articles have _also been retrieved and placed in their former positions in the house. .

Many volumes of the Wilson library have been assembled for permanent preservation in the home. Dedicatory exercises ' will be held at Columbia shortly and the house thrown open to the public for inspection. In keeping with the custom followed at Mount Vernon, Monticello, and other historical American shrines, the Wilson property will be in charge of a caretaker and a small admission fee charged visitors to assist in'thc upkeep of the home. ••- ' .