Milford chronicle., 1892-09-02

c1an. s 5SfTiBUS DAY. OCT.I2.
Message to the Public School,
OF America.
AOCAL OBsERYANCEs SUGGESTED.

To tlc scholars Of the public school
Of The UmJed States. the executive com
inittee OF the Columbian public schoo
celebration sends the following mes
age:
The 18th of October. 1892, the 4OOtl
anniversary of the discovery Of Amer
ica, ought to be observed everywher,
n America.
The day will be marked in Chicago
Dy the dedication of the Columbian ex
position grounds The day also ma,
be signalized in every town and villag,
IN the repubi, ly local celebration oil
which the public school is the center.
The public schools Of the republic vii
form the most fitting centers for all
these local celebrations A national
public school observance simultaneous
with the Chicago exercises eill awaken
a popular interest in the coming exposi.
ton. Far more important is the fact thai
the public school has the right 10 occupy
the most prominent place in the eelehra-
ton. The public school Is the one charac-
teristic institution which links all the
neighborhoods together and can thus
| furnish a common bond for national
celebration. The public school is the
ripe fruit of the four centuries Of Ameri-
can civilization. The public school Of
today sways the hundred years to come
How 1t Came About.
The first approval of this suggestion
came from the public school scholars
themselves. When the plan was first
proposed by The Youths Companion,
January. 1891, thousands of letters were
received, testifying to the enthusiasm
with which the scholars responded.
The worlds congress auxiliary Of the
Columbian exposition then took up the
proposal, calling upon all the people of
the republic TO observe the day in their
own localities. and suggesting that the
public schools be everywhere the cen
ters of the celebration.
The superintendent of education
were the next to recognize the fitness of
giving to the public schools the first
place in this Columbian anniversary
At their national convention in Brook
lyn in February, 1892, they took charge
Of the movement, and appointed the
undersigned an executive committee to
lead the schools in their commelnora-
ton.
Appeal to the Scholars.
This executive committee now appeals
to the scholars themselves to be the first
to move. II is for you, scholars of the
American public schools, to arouse
sentiment in your schools and in your
neighborhoods for this grand way of
celebrating the finding Of America. Ed
ucatOrs and teachers will meet you from
their side. But it is for you to begin.
There are l3,00O,O0O now in the public
schools. You have the chance to con
duct a patriotic movement which vii
have place in history, and will strength
en- the republic through the coming cen
fury
What to DO.
The first thing to do is to determine.
when you read this message, that you
will do all you can to induce your school
to enter the celebration Then show
this message to your teachers; every pa- |
triotic teacher will be glad to help yon
if you show yourselves in earnest. Take
the message to the school committee and
the uperinten1ent-their consent ana |
aid are Indispensable.
After you secure the support of all /
these, then let the school vote that it |
will enter the celebration
The next thing after this public vote |
will be the appointment of strong com
mittee made up jointly from citizens
scholars and teachers to take charge |
The committee should in all cases con
sist of those most in earnest, so that the /
work may not be checked by any posi-
bic change of teachers during the sum
mer.
The Programme.
A programme of exercises win be
furnished by the executive committee
It will be simple and adapted to any
school, yet so arranged that more elabo-
rate exercises may be added wherever |
desired The aim of this official pro
yramme will be that certain leading ex-
,rcises may be the same in every school
II the republic, and that ut least in one
eature the Chicago programme and the
chool programme may be identical
In due time this executive committee
will make further suggestions.
Tho Local Committee.
The duty of your committee viii first
70 to interest the citizens and to prepare
he school. Professions may be arranged. !
he veterans, both north and south, will |
lady be escorts for the schools. The
Their military, civic and religious or
anizations Of each town will lend their
id if they see that the schools are de-
ermined that the celebration shall be /.
,orthy of the day. The local press will
e the most valuable Of all supports.
On Oct. 10 the stars and stripes should
e floating from every school house in
he republic f.
1t is the hope Of the friends of common Il
,hool education that not one public 8,
,hool in the United States viii allow h
self to be left out III this most memora- :;
lie celebration. h
Executive Committee.
Francis Bellamy, chairman, represent u
lg Youths Companion, Boston W
John W. Dickinson. secretary of Mas 81
lchusetts board Of education. t'
Thomas B. Stockwell, commissioner of
lblic schools Of Rhode Island. b
w. r. Garrett, superintendent of pub I
c instruction Of Tennessee. SC
W. 9. Hewitt, superintendent of Mich la
an educational exhibit at World stair. fix
THE SHIPS OF COLUMBUS. in
-- 10
Description of the Great DiseOverer's OF
Little Squadron. iii
The approach Of the 4OOth anniversary
the discovery of America cannot fail tn
awaken "A reverence for Il sl'Saoese in
lriner whose intrepid darN Gen pc
usiasm changed the destff z -, of
nd. =. ST,
columbus was by profession q Sor 10,
q his great maritime lvr,o,..Ie,l.,e ,,.o,, al