The Portland daily press., 1889-12-31
BOSWORTH POST TO THE HIGH SCHOOL
An Interesting Occasion at City Hall
Last Evening.
Presentation of a BEAUTIFUL Flag to
the School.
An Admirable Grafton by Ex-
Governor Connor.

and enthusiastic audience who applanded
Justify at eight o'clock when the following
gentlemen came on the stage: Gen. Selden
Connor, Mayor Melcher, Chairman Hobbs.
President Crockett, Commander Berry,
Adjutant Milliken, Superintendent Lord,
Principal Chase. Committeeman MeGowan.
Files, Webb, G. Nj. Donham, Alderman
Rand, Councilmen Chapman. Kennard,
Gilliatt, Lewis. Murphy, Gallagher; Marshal
Green, Lyman W. Hanson, r.. l.. Hight,
Auditor Newell and Shaw's Quartette.
The Mayor called the audience to order
and called upon the class of 80 of the High
School who sang Columbia with much spirit.
Commander Berry of Bosworth Post then
stepped forward and in few well chosen
remarks delivered the flag to the Mayor.
Commander Berry spoke of the beautiful OBJ
ject lesson embodied in the flag and recalled
several incidents of its history. Americans" /"
said the speaker, shave loved that old flag
for a hundred years, and we now deliver
this one with our best wishes and heartfelt
prayers" Comrade Berry's remarks were
greeted with much applause.
In response His Honor the Mayor said:
MA1Oh MELCHEK RESPONSE.
Commander Berry:
As the representative Of the city of Port
land and also of the department Of schools,
1t gives me great pleasure to receive from
yOu-the Commander of Bosworth Post. No.
2, Department of Maine, G. A. r., this flag.
This emblem Of the dignity and honor of our
country's greatness is sufficient of itself to
be desirable present, but when given by
the organization from which this comes and
n M nd mo
more valuable and significant, and carries
with it lessons Of patriotism and devotion,
that could be gained in no other way than
that in which the donors themselves acquired
them. On many blood stained battlefield
they earned the right to bestow such gift.
When the thunder of the guns Of Sumter
reverberated through the land on that dark
day of 81 the solemn echoes stirred the
hearts of these veterans-then only boys-to
leave home and friends and all that was
dear and worth living for and go forth into
a strange land and to terrible exposure and
hardships, that the flag might be saved from
dishonor.. They followed it to the cannons'
mouth, they stood as firm as the granite
rocks Of their native hills, and defended it
where death, swift and terrible, passed by
and after four long years of war and blood,
this little remlant returned heInging the
dear old flag with them tattered and torn
yet loved as never before, because of the
deeper red of its stripes from the blood of
their comrades who had fallen in its defense,
and the greater brilliancy of its stars shining
out from the victories won on land and sea.
Yes, commander and comrades, fully ap-
preciating your gift. and the rich lessons
and noble memories 1t carries with Ii, ac-
cept 1t with thanks on behalf Of that which
l represent and will cause it to be used for
the purpose you have designated.
Shaw's Male Quartette then sang stirring
selection entitled sour National Flag" Mr.
Charles True playing the accompaniment.
The music was finely rendered and was fol-
lowed by much applause.
Mayor Melcher addressing Principal Chase
or the High School then said.
Mr. Chdse.-I hold in my hands a. Deautl
full flag presented to the City of Portland by
Bosworth Post for the High School, Of which
you are the principal, and intrust 1t to your
keeping and care.
The city has already erected staff at the
entrance of your school building, from which
1t shall float, and as the most honored OF
your boys shall daily hoist 1t to place, and
all the members of your school shall behold
its beauty as they pass in, | trust they
may fully learn the lesson which it is there
to teach, and remember what they who have
given 1t did to save the country which il
represents, in the hour of its peril.
God grant that none of those who come un-
der your instruction may ever be called to
defend the flag in war. as were its donors
but they will both in private and public
life, be required to maintain its honor and
the principles its represents, and you are to
teach them that those principles must be de-
Tended and maintained at whatever cost
This flag Is the emblem of the greatest, the
noblest and the best government on which
the sun ever sh0ne, and worthy of un-
swerying loyalty and the devotion of life
even If that be necessary to defend it.
To your hands we now commit 1t in trust
Mr.. Chase replied in most feeling and ap'
propriate manner. He alluded to the peculiar
fitness of the fact that the flag should be
presented to the school by men who had
fought to save it.
1t would be his privilege in his capacity
as Principal to see that the wishes of the don.
ors were carried out. "It is not enough" said
Mr.. Chase, "that scholars should be taught
to read, to write; they should be taught the
lessons of the flag, flag that has been bap-
tised in blood They should learn from II
patriotism and love of their country. They
should be filed with the spirit that lead the
poet to write,
Who never to himself has said
This is my own-my native land"
After Mr.. Chase's remarks, Shaw's Quar-
sang beautiful selection, "The Soldiers
Chorus" 1t was peculiarly appropriate tC
the occasion and called forth great applause
They were obliged to repeat the selection.
The Mayor then in graceful words intro
duced the speaker of the evening Genera
Selden Connor, Ex-Governor of Maine, as
man who had richly earned his right Il
speak for the old flag. Gen. Connor wher
the applause had Subsided, delivered one o.
the most eloquent and scholarly addresses
heard in Portland for long time, He said
EX-GOVERNOR CONNoR's GRAFTON.
You have asked me to say something tC
you pertinent to this occasion. l find it diff
cult to put in words anything that can ado
interest to this ceremony or heighten its im
port. 1t is most fitting that such an act a.
you here perform should be accompanied
with some forms and rites to mark youl
sense Of its nobls significance. The hal
should never be publicly displayed without
due homage. At every military post from
ocean to ocean it Is saluted as il is raised to
wave In beauty against the morning sky, and
again when it is lowed at evening The col
ors OF every regiment in service have con
slant ward and watch over them and with
their guard OF honor tremendously escorted
to their place in line at parade. This service
has no prescribed ceremonial. 1t Is the out
growth Of happy suggestion which, let u:
hope, Is destined to so recommend itself by
its propriety and high purpose that the flag
Will float over every school house in tn,
land and every young American be taught
as one of his foremost duties, to hold IL Ii
love, honor and veneration. There is pecul
lar impressiveness in this scene and cere
moDy. They are supremely eloquent il
| themselves.
Under tee sanction of the city, the Grant
Army of the Republic, men who have fol
lowed the flag to victory through the storm
of battles as fierce and bloody as any tha
were ever waged on the earth, bestow as
most precious gift the banner hallOwed anew
by their devotion and sacrifices and the lifI
blood Of their comrades, upon an institution
OF that system which is the pride of Oul
country and a chief factor of its strength
and hope-a school where are trained the
boys and girls soon to become citizens anC
TO be called upon TO bear the respOnsibiltie.
and discharge the duties uf that high func.
tlOn. 1t is the solemn Offering aud charge
OF the old guard to the new.
There Is scarcely a human institution ol
greater antiquity and universality than tn,
emblem of nationality, the mos time-hOnor
ed and widely accepted form OF which il the
flag. 1t is not a mere sentiment. Ii is a rea
flee and that Of the highest character. Il
is the visible sign and token of the power
and dignity of nation.
Under that sign it holds its possessions
asserts It's rights and claims respect. Hon
ors to the flag, manifest friendship aud cour
tesy to the people 1t represents. An insult
to It means contempt and challenge. "Ter.
rlhle as an army with banners" SAYS Holy
rft 10