Madison High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Madison, ME)

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6 THE BOUNCER Arlington, Our National Cemetery, G. E. F. '10 The Capitol. UR National Capitol is situated on Capitol Hill ninety-seven feet above the level of the Potomac river, where it can be seen for many miles around. The most noticeable part of the build- ing is the dome, which supports a large light crowned by, the Statue of Freedom, towering three hundred and eighty seven and one half feet above the esplandel The building is constructed of Virgin- ian sandstone. It is seven hundred and fifty-one feet, four inches in length, three hundred and fifty feet in width and covers a space of three and one half acres. Thebuilding faces the east, but it is usually approached from the western entrance. The walk extends across the lawns to a flight of steps which ascend to the open extending along the west front and north and south ends. A second flight of stairs leads to the rotun- da. The three east entrances are -ap- proached by marble steps leading to porticoes with large columns. The center portico is the scene of inaugura- tions. The main entrance leads into the rotunda which is in the center of the building. The walls are adorned with magnificient historic paintings, sculp- tures and frescoes, such as, The De- claration of Independence, The Sur- render of Burgoyne, etc. Above these is the frieze three hundred feet in cir- cumference. The top of the dome is reached by a winding stairway. From this point the view is magnificient. As one passes from the rotunda he next enters Statuary Hall, semi-circular in shape and one of the most beautiful rooms in the Capitol. In this hall above the door leading from the rotunda is the famous Franzonis Clock. Ranged around the room are statues and portrait busts contributed by various states. This was once the old Hall of Representatives. The new Hall of Representatives, in the south wing, is a legislative chamber unsurpassed in the world. It is lighted by a ceiling of glass. The speakers desk occupies an elevated position in the cen- ter of the south sideg around it in semi- circles are desks for the members. Open- ing off the hall, back of the Speaker's desk, are the House lobby and the mem- bers retiring rooms. Around the room above are the galleries reached by mag- nificent stairways. The Supreme Court Room is another semi-circular room. Here may he seen the benches of the Supreme Courtg the chair of the Chief justice in the center and those of his eight associates on each side. . The Senate Chamber is also a semi- circular hall. It is immense in size and lighted by a glass ceiling. The senators seats are arranged in concentric rows. The President's desk is on the north side, on the right of his desk is that of the sergeant-at-arms, on the left, that of the assistant door keeperg and in front are the desks of the clerks and official

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THE BOUNCER 5 our car arrived. At the next station we took a wagon- ette and went through Fort Myer's gate into The Arlington National Cemetery. The lawns were green, some of the early flowers were in bloom, and the foliage of the trees and shrubs made the place very beautiful. The most impressive sight at Arling- ton is that of the field of the dead where the tombstones stretch away farther than eye can see. These are set in rows uniform in distance one from the other, arrayed in order,-a silent army of 1-6,000 strong. Under the hill 'by the Ord and Weitzel gate, is another field which contains 5,000 graves. At the south there is the Temple of Fame, an open, circular colonadeg the coriuce bears the names of Washington, Lincoln, Grant and Farragut, on the columns in large letters are those of Thomas, Meade, McPherson, Sedgewick, Reynolds, Humphreys, Garfield, and Manfield. At different places about the grounds are bronze tablets inscribed with stanzas from The Bivouac of the Dead. Near the Temple of Fame stands au- other memorial, the monument of the .Unknown Dead. ' Two thousand one hundred eleven nameless soldiers are here gathered in one common grave. Another section of the ground is re- served for officers. Here are memorials of those who fought in the civil war and earlier battles. In the center of the field is a sylvan temple, where the services of Decoration Day are held. It is an am- phitheater formed by an embankment of earth. After visiting many sections of Arling- ton we arrived at Arlington House, formerly Lee's Mansion, into which we went. In the room on the left was a register where we all wrote our names. On the walls are hung sketch plans of the cemetery, also different framed copies of addresses and orations, one being President Lincoln's 'iGettvsburg Ad- dress. We opened the gate at the foot of the stairway and were about halfway upstairs, when our attention was called to the fact that there was a sign on the gate saying that it was closed to vfsitorsg so we did not succeed in going upstairs. We then went outdoors where we saw a greenhouse, the entrance to which was closed. We walked out to the flagstaff and saw the Potomacg on the other side were Georgetown and Washington. The wagonette having returned we set out to go to the hotel. The party who had started ahead from the hotel, had not bought any round trip tickets so they decided to return another way. After reaching the small station, they waited but a few minutes for their car. We had to wait a little longerg during our stay we saw an airship, which they were trying to make ascend, we also talked with a soldier from Fort Myer who told us about the different buildings. Hearing the bugle call we were in hopes to see the fiag salute which was to come soon after, butjust then our car came in -sight and we started for the hotel having had a most delightful after- noon. Surely anyone who visits Wash- ington ought not to overlook a visit to

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THE BOUNCER 7 reporters. The hall is surrounded by large galleries. Connected with the chamber are: the President's room, Vice President's room, Senator's Reception room, Public Reception room and the room of the Committee on the Distridt of Columbia. The Presidents room is set apart for his use on visits to the Capitol. It is beautifully decorated with paintings of the presidents. The building is altogether beautiful and impressive in its design and cannot fail to arouse patriotic interest. AMOS STEELE When We Met the President at the White House. cc ELL US something about your trip to Washington. These were about the first words that greeted me, on my arrival home from that great and glorious city. What should I tell them about first? This question came to me many times. There was so much to tell and everything was so interesting I hardly knew where to begin, but finally after due meditation I decided on what seemed to me to be the grandest thing of all, When we meet the Presi- dent at the White House. Thursday, the last day of March, and also the last day of our stay in Washing- ton, was the one upon which we were to meet the President. The White House is open to visitors from 10 A. M. until 2 P. M. and, as we wished to be among the first to have the honor of meeting President Taft, our party started out shortly before nine. After a short walk we arrived at the stately mansion known as the White House. As not all of our party were with us we agreed to wait for them on the steps of the State War and Navy Building just east of the executive man- sion. From here we could see every- thing that was taking place in front of the White House. Crowds of people were already slowly gathering and after waiting about half an hour we decided that if we were going to meet the President we would have to be moving. As we passed through the crowd an otiicer informed us that if we wished to see the President we would have to line up in double file. This we crowd followed our line extended down did. Soon all the example, and the the street as far as the eye could see. After another half hour of tiresome waiting had passed, the doors of the White House opened, and it was an- nounced that the President was ready to meet the people, but he would first re- ceive those from the State of Maine. So those people who had crowded up front were made to step back while the Maine people came to the front. The line moved very slowly, but after a minute or two we entered the long hall of the W'hite House. Here we were obliged to go in single file. Guards were stationed at every turn, and as we came to the third bend of the hall we were told to announce our name as we passed by the President's Secretary. This we