9781422287514

13 Where Dreams Begin

was already someone carving a mountain in Georgia in the image of General Robert E. Lee and other Confederate generals. That someone was sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Ideas and dreams are fleeting things which, when shared, can grow into something else, something bigger. When Doane Robinson shared his idea with other lead- ers, such as South Dakota Senator Peter Norbeck and state representative William Williamson, he found great support. They agreed it would be great for South Dakota to have such a monument, and they began to seek a sculptor who could make that dream into a reality. Their search ultimately led to Borglum who, in the midst of having trouble with the mountain carving committee in Georgia, enthusiastically responded to their request to come and see the Needles in South Dakota.

Text-Dependent Question What was the name of the man who conceived of the Mount Rushmore project? What was his original plan? Where did he originally want to build the monument? Research Project Sculpt a head using self-hardening clay or potters’ sculpting clay. Start by creating a wooden base—a flat piece of wood, perhaps 4” by 4”, with a dowel sticking up from the center. Take newspaper and ball it up to create a head shape on the dowel. Tape the newspaper into place, then start covering it with small bits of clay. Smooth them over the paper; moisten the clay slightly if it begins to dry out. Once the head shape is complete, begin adding features like a nose, eyes, etc. You can use bits of clay to make them, or “draw” them with a popsicle stick, toothpick, or a dull plastic knife. Once the clay head is complete, it will need to dry for about a week. Once dry, the clay can be painted or left natural. Either way, the final step should be to move to a well- ventilated area and apply several coats of varathane to strengthen the head.