Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1911 — WINS HONOR MEDAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WINS HONOR MEDAL

Harvard Professor Gets First George Robert White Award.

Given by Massachusetts Historical Society to Prof. Charles 8. Sargent, Director of Arnold Arboretum for Eminent Service. Boston. —An important event in the horticultural world is the establishment of the George Robert White medal of honor for the maintenance of which a suitable fund has been given to the Massachusetts Horticultural society, and the medal is to be awarded by the execytlvo management of that organization. Mr. George Robert White of Boston In bis deed of trust accompanying the fund states that he has long thought that there was an opportunity for broadening the field of influence of the Massachusetts Horticultural society and of extending the interest in its work if some suitable recognition were made of those persons who have accomplished Important results In horticulture; the award to be made independently of, or in addition to, any prizes or certificates of merit that may be bestowed by the society in the course of its regular schedule of premiums. He has therefore founded the George Robert White medal of honor fund, the income of which is to be devoted annually for the specific purpose of providing a substantial gold medal to be awarded to the man or-woman, commercial firm or institution, that has done the most during the year or in recent years to advance the interest in horticulture in its broadest sense. The first award of the medal has been made to Prof. Charles S. Sar-

gent, director of the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, whose service in horticulture is generally recognized both In this country and abroad. His great work has been the Introduction into this country of many desirable ornar mental trees and shrubs and the testing of their hardiness in this latitude. The 'George Robert White medal of honor will take rank with the Victoria medal of honor of England and the medal of the Legion of Honor of France, and will have a strong influence In promoting; tjie horticultural activities of the country. The medal itself was struck at the United States mint in Philadelphia, from 24-karat gold; is 2% inches In diameter, flve-thirty-seconds of an Inch thick, and weighs between seven and eight ounces . On the face the figure symbolizes, not the ordinary horticulturist as much as the scientific intellect, whose aim is to improve nature, even to create, if that is possible. The trees In the background represent the allied branch of arboriculture. On the reverse, In the Inscription, the name la so designed that It can be replaced by another name each time the medal is awarded. « The George Robert White medal was executed by Mr. John Flanagan, a native of Newark. N. J.. and a student. first of Augustus St Gaudens, later in Paris, at the Academy Jullen, under Cbapu, and the Atelier Falguiere, at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. During the course Of these years of study Mr. Flanagan was awrfkded many coveted prizes, and acted as an asaistant to MacMonnles on his fountain for the Chicago World’s fair of 1893. Since then he has received commissions for many medals', 'portrait busts and other works, among the best known being the Brlnton medal, the Langley memorial and the Hudson-FuL-ton and Pennsylvania society medals. .Several or Mr. Flanagan's medals have been acquired by tbe Mu see de Luxembourg. the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and recently by the Muse am of Fine Arts at Ghent.

White Medal of Honor.