West Tisbury School presented with portrait of George Washington

(from left to right) Scottish Society President Steve Ewing, William Sanders, founder of Portraits of Patriots, West Tisbury school principal Michael Halt, Martha's Vineyard Superintendent of Schools James Weiss. Photo by Mariel Reed

By Janet Hefler - October 6, 2005

The Scottish Society of Martha's Vineyard marked its 20-year anniversary by presenting a portrait of George Washington, the nation's first president, to the West Tisbury School Friday.

The portrait was presented by William Sanders, a New Jersey business executive and the founder and director of Portraits of Patriots, a program he began several years ago after learning that one in every four students could not recognize George Washington.

The portrait presented to the school is a reproduction of the 1862 William Edgar Marshall engraving from the original painting by Gilbert Stuart, matted on museum quality acid-free stock, framed in mahogany, with a brass plaque giving the names of donor and recipient.

Mr. Sanders will be recognized for his efforts to educate students by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution when he receives that organization's highest award in a ceremony on July 5, 2006 in Washington, D.C.