The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-31
THE FLAGS PRESENTED.
A Brilliant Scene at the
Tabernacle Last Night.
TIE SONGS AND THE SPEECHES.
Governor Abbett's Interesting His
tory Of the American Flag---
Mr.. Coles Address.

The Tabernacle was never in its history
the scene of more animated and beauti-
fully picturesque gathering than that
which gladdened 1000 pairs of eyes last
evening.
Van Houten Post No. 8, G. A. r., cov-
cred itself with glory. Patriotism was
aroused. For two hours or more 1900
hearts pulsated in unison with senti-
ment that perhaps in the busy rush of af-
fairs incident to a prolonged season Of
commercial prosperity and national tran-
guilty had been allowed to slumber.
The auditorium of the spacious struct-
ure was an animated sea of faces. The
aisles were packed The gallery was
thronged. An immense platform ranged
in tiers was crowded with two hundred
school children-youths and maidens--
delegations from the various public
schools of the city, to whom Van Houten
Post presented large American hags,
whose folds will hereafter float In the
breezes above the school buildings as an
the front edge of the platform sat distin-
guished veterans, whose locks and uni-
forms made picturesque front to the
array of bright facesand tinted garments
or the pupils on the tiers above.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
Governor Albeit, who made the pres
entation address. with Colonel Michael
Il. Barrett, of his staff, in full uniform,
occupied seats near the centre of the
platform. Other distinguished person
ages who were prominent upon the stage
were Department Commander Frank o.
Cole, who was master of ceremonies;
Post Commander Emanual Sands, Pres
ident Voorhees,, of the.Boardlof Education;
superintendent Addison B. Poland, of the
Public Schools; Principal A. ID. Joslin,
director of the musical portion of the
programme; Principals Joseph II. Evans
and Charles s: Haskell, of the Principals
Committee. Miss Emma McNamee and
Miss Carrie Ewald, clad in picturesque
costumes of national colors, sat near The
centre of the stage. Others in front were
Post Commanders Newton, Linskie,
George B. Fielder, and Comrades
McCutcheon, Haggerty. McKaig. p'Neill,
Walsh and Black, the latter the officer OF
the day.
The Van Houtan Fife and DrumA Corps
in full uniform, and uniformed meiRbGrs
Of the Post fianked the stage Many OF
the vets of Van H0uten and GeorgA lz.
Thomas Posts were lined along sbe ais Ass
and scattered throughout the audiences
A CURTAIN OF FLAGS ~
Before the exercises began the sta2.G
was curtained OF by the hags presented
When these were removed and the pic
turesque setting revealed, the audience
went Wild with enthusiasm, and yocifer-
ousiy apDlauded for several moments.
During the singing Of the patriotic airs
the two hundred pupils waved tri-cul0red
handkerchiefs, which added Immensely
to the effect of the general scene and
brought forth wild bursts of applause
and cheers from the audience.
THE PROGRAMME
organ brigham
Prayer. The Rev. j. T. Thompson
Address. ss...............-.. Post Commander Sands
Chorus. Columbia the Gem Of the ocean, -
Pupils
Recitation, Barbara Freitch,'
Solo and Chorus, ssviva L'America,s =
Master Haviland Tompkins
PRESENTATION OF FLAGs-0oYERNoR LEON ABBETT.
Selection.
Van Houten Post Drum and Flute Corps
RECEPTION OF FLAGs--J. j. VOORHEES,
President of the Board of Education.
Duet and Chorus, LET Us Loudly Sing" Pupils
Address. ...M Master Orrin Snodgrass
These pupils received the flags for their
respective schools, each of whom was gem
erously applauded:-
No. School, Miss Emma Taft; No. q,
Harry Diffel; No. g. William Richrich;
No. 9. Annex, G. Valentine; No. & Ed
ward Carter; No 5. Lille Meyers; No. 9,
No s, Sarah Nash; No. 9, Harold Living
ston; No. 10, Walter Hartman; No. II,
Oscar Gubelman; No. IL, Annex, w.
Shellworth; No. II, Wallace Pyle; No.
13, Percy Mason; No. Ia, Edith Meyer;
No. Is, Walter Simmons; No. l6, William
Ed. Kinsley; No. 19, Wilbur Baumanns
No. 20, Clarence Kindall; No. q, Maggie
Pendergast No, %, May Walsh.
Edith Meyer, of No. IA school, won adj
ditional applause She wore a Goddess
OF Liberty costume.
MIR. COLES BRILLIANT ADDRESS.
Department. Commander Frank o.
Coles address was a brilliant effort. He
alluded to the sentiment which prompted
the members of the Van Houten Grand
Army Post to present each of the public
schools of this city with an American
flag, and thanked the citizens VINO as
sisted in raising funds to carry out the
noble and patriotic purpose. He deplored
the lack of national spirit on the part of
the national government. and incidentally
criticised the meagreness of the American
army and navy.
be loved; a bad government is to be
feared. Love conquers all things. Those
who defended the c0untry's flag in the
late civil war were eternally right; those
who sought to trample upon 1T were eter-
nally wrong. Our children should ever
De JAuGHJ bueSe Two &T6ab UEutQS.
In reviewing the list of some of the
great men who have figured conspicuous
ly in American history Mr.. Cole mem
toned the names of Washington, Far-
ragut, Grant, Lincoln and Hancock. The
audience applauded the name of each,
and cheered the speaker at the conclusion
of his address.
When Governor Albeit arose to present
the flags the walls of the old Tabernacle
fairly shook with applause. Hundreds OF
tri-colored handkerchiefs futtered from
the hands of the pupils.
THE GOVERNORS SPEECH.
The Governor contrasted the donors
with the recipients. The veterans, he
said, were falling out one by one. The
flags he was about to present would float
above the heads of the future fathers and
mothers of this land.
.sIt is pleasant sight and the sight sug-
gests pleasant thoughts--these children
OF great and patriotic people gathered
here tonight to be presented with a star
ry flag that shall wave above every school
house in the city as an emblem OF liberty.
1t is the flag of a mighty people. These
veterans had offered their lives on The
field of battle, not for the emblem itself
1t was the undying love of the country
the stars and stripes represented.s
s'The presentation of these flags to-
night will bring to mind not only the his
tory of the immediate past, when the
armies of two great sections OF this c0un-
try faced each other on the tield OF battle,
but the days when the patriotism OF the
colonies arose against English oppression
This starry flag was not borne an the