McKinley National Memorial Association

     Teachers, school children and students in all the educational institutions of the United States have shown a deep interest in the movement of the McKinley National Memorial Association to fittingly mark the last resting place of William McKinley with a memorial that shall be typical of those exalted qualities of character, simplicity, dignity, devotion to duty and high ideals that were so eminently exemplified in his life and purposes. This memorial is to rise above the grave at Canton, Ohio, where he will finally rest in accord with his own expressed wish.
     William McKinley’s life appeals to every American boy and girl. He was the average country youth, a wage earner and a private soldier, a worker and a student. A monument to William McKinley is a monument to American manhood and strong, self-reliant, industrious, persevering youth. No president of the last quarter of a century has been [290][291] more loved by the children of the Union than William McKinley. His life appealed to them; his kindly ways, his calm dignity, the very look from the eyes, told of the gentleness that made little children go to him and love him. Everywhere the offerings of the school children have been freely given for the building of this memorial. Could the dead lips speak, it is safe to say, it would be in gratification at the evidence of the love of the children.
     In public and parochial schools, attended alike by the children of the rich and poor, public offerings often cause suffering to sensitive pupils. A plan has been suggested that will do away with this; each pupil is supplied with an envelope on which he or she will place the name and home address. This envelope is sealed and handed to the teacher, who sends it to the designated treasurer for record, and in order that the souvenir certificate may later be sent. In this way, no one knows the amount of the contribution or whether one was given at all. This souvenir certificate is given in recognition of the offering and does not state the amount.
     Another admirable plan is for each class to contribute; special acknowledgement [sic] will be made to such classes by the trustees. These plans may be put in operation anywhere. The envelopes should be sent to the treasurer of the local auxiliary, _________  _________, or should be transmitted to Myron T. Herrick, Treasurer of the McKinley National Memorial Association, Cleveland, Ohio.