Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-07-01
BLOOMSBURG ~
,TATE NORDlALsyCHOOL.

IsIN 0lNOOpAOOO1sQ
ATATE NORDGAL'sCHOOL.
Ldyimg ef tie Corner. SySN- Gov. Cea,s
Ward, Gov. Geary, .'iMgc El,reM
Importing Ceremoais.
The exercises inaususalihg tie laying Of
the Cornerstone Of tho Bloomsbury State
Normal School, opened by IN address by tie
Hon. @. L. Ward, Of Towanda, in the Hall
of the Institute, which was crowded in ev.
ery'part.
At'iy Close Rev. Mr. Waller moved o vote
bf thinks FOR the able and interesting ad.
dress, incorporating therein request that
it'bc furnished Tor publication, which was
ddHHlmously voted.
A'ptocession was then formed, headed by
the Beard Of Trustees, and followed by the
Faculty, Students and citizens, and closing
with tho official dignitaries and speakers
When the head Of tho procession reached
The corner, It opened to the right and left,
and the Governor and Prof. Wickersham,
Hon. G. L. Ward and the Examining Com.
mittse, passed through. There was an i'm.
mense concourse Of people assembled on
the ground to witness the ceremonies.
The exercises were opened by an invoca.
ton prayer Of an impressive character by
Rev. Nh. Wallero Of the Presbyterian Church,
followed BY the singing Of on Ode BY the
Glee Class.
Gov. Geary then said the custom was as
old as civilization itself to perform duties
similar, II not exactly like those they were
to perform, to wit: laying of corner stones.
He would, therefore, read the titles Of the
articles to bc deposited in the cornerstone.
They were as follows:
A copy Of the Bible; Certified copy Of
the Charter; names of the Board Of Trus.
tees, Leonard B. Rupert, President; John
G. Freeze, Secretary; Elias Mendenhall,
Treasurer; Robert +. Clark, Conrad Bit
tenbender. John Wolf, Joseph p. Conner,
William Elwell, William Neal. Catalogue
Of Faculty and Students; State School
Board; Maj. Gen. John W. Gearv, Gov
ernor Of the Commonwealth, jas. 2. Wick
ersham, Supt Common Schools, Charles r.
Coburn, Deputy Supt. Common Schools.
Last Message Of Governor Geary Copy Of
Schoo! Laws; History Of the Institute and
School Buildings; one copy each Of the
Columbian, the Republican,, the Democrat !;
Proprietor Of the Grounds and first Treas.
urer, William Snydcr, deceased. J Building
Committee, Leonard b. Rupert, William
Elwell, William Neal Architect and Build.
er-Hcnry Carver; Advisory Architect
Saml. Sloan; One specimen each Of the
following currency: three cent postal cur
rency, five cent postal currency, | ten cent
postal currency, three cent silver piece,
late issue, five cent silver piece old issue !;
Programme Of Anniversary Exercises.
The box was then deposited in tho stone,
and the stone set in its place with due cere.
mony
Gov. Geary proclaimed as follows:
Fellow citizens, the corner stone of this in.
stitution has been laid. In the name and
by the authority Of the Commonwealth Of
Pennsylvania, l proclaim the fact to this au.
dience.
GOVERNORS ADDRESS.
The custom Of laying corner stones is an
ancient one, and although the present one
did not occupy as much time, and was laid
with less ceremony than some Others, still it
was sufficient for all useful purposes. He
appeared before them, having been select
ed by their Professor and others, with no
studied oratory, but as fellow citizen and
togive them sentiments warm from his heart.
He bad arrived among them, had seen their
Academic shades, and had seen how fast
their town was developing He had seen
their fair daughters and promising sons
come up and exhibit themselves in man
ner highly creditable to themselves, to the
faculty, and to their people. He feltinbebt-
ed to his friends for the invitation. He felt
it good to be with them, and he felt his
heart warm toward them. Until few days
since he had never been among them. He
could not help noting the advancement Of
everything. He saw town which surpris.
I'd him by its growth since he first saw it
ten year. since. Their public edi6ces, their
manufacturing enterprises, the smoke Of
their furnaces, all Of which showed the in.
du,try Of their people, surprised him.
Their fertile crops gave promise that their
barns would soon DO stored with an abun-
dant harvest. They ought to be thankful,
and raise their hearts to the Giver Of all
good. While such blessings rested on them,
they should not neglect the cultivation of
their minds. When they look around on
the 800, 1000 children thrown on the guild
ance of the Commonwealth, and the 10000
schools, they could we'll feel that the labor
ers we're few, in proportion to the labor to
be performed. Education was necessary to
freedom. Nations sunk in ignorance never
retain their freedom long. Neither can an
intelligent people long remain enslaved.
We have our liberties from our forefath.
ers; a glorious inheritance. II we would
preserve those liberties, We must educate
the children. There were many who did
not believe in education, but he would tell
them that no man who loves his country,
can scoff at that great palladium Of our liber-
ties, or at those who would forward the cause
Of education. They came there not as Re-
publicans, or Democrats as Presbyterians
or Baptists or Methodists, but they stood on
the broad platform Of American citizenship,
to show to the world that they join their
hearts, hands, and purses for the education
Of the people He called on them not to
hold their purse strings with to tight grasp;
not to hesitate. In little less than two
years they had seen one edi6ce arise for the
education Of children, and now they saw
onothcr commenced in which m oducofe