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Show President Lee to Note 74th Birthday 71 Continued from page To walk 3 lifes difficult path of right And honor the name Bingham Lee Accept my praise." Q When tongues of slander would blight my life And would discourage and dishearten me, You stood faithfully day and night My loyal friend. ci ,f ' 21 111 President and greet crowd. Mrs. Lee My lovely Joan was Whose selfless devotion and humility Inspire me to live from dawn of Joan joins Fern That three might be, more fitted for eternity. 0 Heavenly Father, my thanks to thee." So day to dark of night, A better man. I worship at your shrine. President Lees life has been dedi-- . cated to his family and to those he served in education, government and in the church. At 18 years of age he was principal of the school at Oxford, Idaho. He became president of Pioneer Stake at age 31, appointed to Salt Lake City Commission at age 34, managing director of the church welfare program at age 38 and ordained an apostle at age 42. He now leads the church at a period of international growth and as he notes his birthday, he looks forward to the area general conference in Munich, Germany. 'For bearing me two lovely girls Who think their dad can do no wrong, bear the impress of your hand, Words can't express. Who I have se on you, Dad Stand through heat of day , Our Provider Protector Head without complaint. burdens Bearing to you. My gratitude And so on this, my natal day, I am not what I seem to be; For Fern, first great love of my life As life moved on with rapid pace sent to me ; Life, strength, and immortality I have today Because of these, my lived ones. Famed Mansion Is Sold A private Salt Lake group has purchased the famed McCune mansion, near Temple Square, for an undisclosed sum from the church. Contract terms will preserve the mansion, one of the most lavish ever built in Salt Lake City, for at least another 25 years. Elder John H. Vandenberg, Assistant to the Twelve and managihg director of physical facilities for the church, announced the sale, with the approval of the First Presidency. Present occupants, the Brigham Young University department of continuing education, are moving into the former veterans Hospital building at 12th Avenue and E Street. building at Purchasing the 200 N. Main St., is a group of private citizens involved with architecture and the. arts. The group plans to use the building as a cultural center for music and Utah art Fate of the beautiful McCune Mansion has been of deep concern to art lovers and history circles since the BYU move was first announced. The mansion has had a significant relationship to development of culture especially relating to music, art and education for over half a century. Alfred W. McCune, a prominent Utah financier and industrialist, built the mansion in 1900 at a cost variously estimated between $350,000 and $500,000. It was modeled after a structure in New York City that had attracted the interest of musiAmong some of the cians of the past who maintained studios in the building and who were on the faculty were: John J. McClellan, Willard Weighe, Viola Taylor, Emma Lucy Gates, Edward P. Kimball, Anthony C. Lund, Mr. Cannon, Lida Edmonds and Margaret Summerhays. Others who have served on the faculty are Alexander Schreiner, Tabernacle organist, Frank W. Asper, Tabernacle organist emeritus, and Florence Jepperson Madsen. The McCune School of Music and Art was phased out in 1957, and it was reopened the next year as the BYU Center for Adult Education. It was explained at that time by Dr. Ernest L. Wilkinson, BYU president, that the mansions use for education carried on the tradition the McCune family had when the home was given to the church and used as a cultural center. well-know- n . Preservation of the McCune Mansion has won the commendation of interested people of the community, who were represented by Robert C. Mitchell, president cf the Utah Heritage Foundation. The. impending fate of the Alfred McCune Mansion has been of major concern to the foundation and other organizations and individuals for some time. Now, it is a relief to know that the historically important home is in no danger of removal. Special precautions taken at a significant financial sacri-ificI am told have been included in the terms of sale, insuring that the originality of the interior and exterior is not threatened. Recently, the Utah Heritage Foundation honored the LDS Church with an award for far sightedness in preserving and developing historical properties under its jurisdiction. Although the property has been sold,-thchurch is to be further commended for recognizing the value of this important landmark to Utahs heritage and. guaranteeing its preservation. Elder Vandenberg explained that the new owners will occupy the property as soon as its present occupants can be moved to their new quarters. e, Gothic arches made interior beautiful. Mrs. McCune. After their children had been reared and Mr. McCunes work took him to New York and Scuth America, he and his wife, Elizabeth, gave the home to the church in 1920, to be used by President Heber J. Grant as a private residence. President Grant declined the home as an official residence, and decided that the building with its elaborate interior, art and sculpture should be used by the church as a cultural center. Out of this decision came the McCune School of Music and Art, with B. Cecil Gates, prominent church musician, as its first director. During the next 37 years, the McCune school had two other directors, Tracy Y. Cannon, who had been a Tabernacle organist, and N. Lorenzo Mitchell. It was under Mr. Cannon, from 1925 to 1950, that the school made its greatest growdh. WEEK ENDING MARCH I CHURCH 24, 1973 5 i . WEEK ENDING MARCH 24, 1973 G CHURCH 13 t U i ' |