Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-09-29

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- Hsg be so, for is it not
y l3 Columbus Day,
and will it not
commemorate the discovery of world
which in the comparatively short time
of four centuries has emerged from the
blackness of the forest and the ignor-
ance of the savage into the blazing sun
of prosperity and the noontide of intelli-
gence?
Now that the official programme for
the uniform popular celebration of Co
lumbus Day has been published, the
question of the participation by this
community in the national exercises be-
comes live issue.
1t goes without saying that the people
of this locality will not be backward in
evidencing their patriotism by an appro-
pirate celebration of the memorable
day, and few suggestions as to the
best method of executing this COM
mendable design may not be amiss at
this time.
In the first place, it should be borne in
mind that it is intended that the school
children should be the principal partici-
pants in the exercises. The pupils are
to be at their places in school at
o'clock as usual. 1t is desirable that
business be entirely suspended SO that
the relatives of the pupils may also
be present. Printed programmes should
be provided when possible, and the ex-
ercises will of course be subject to the
limitations of the scholars, but every
thing which may be done should tend
to the central ideas of Columbus
achievement and the remarkable prog
ress of the country under the impetus of
education. Appropriate patriotic deco
rations are necessary, and allegorical
tableaux will add greatly to the effect
iveness and enjoyment of the exercises.
Music is also desirable.
In the afternoon comes the citizens
celebration, but, as in the morning ex-
ercises, the school children should take
the most prominent part. OF course in
the country districts this viii not be the
case. and the afternoon should be de-
voted to games for the young people and
social gatherings for their elders, though
every house should be decorated with
the national colors. In the towns the
afternoon should be devoted to some sort
of formal celebration, in which all of
the civic and military organizations
should be invited to participate.
A review of school children after they
have reached, the reviewing stand and
saluted the flag will add much to the
''life and color" of the scene. A mass
meeting of the citizens should follow
during the day, when the best orators
of the locality. and the most elo-
quent of the declainers among the
children-say one from each school
might deliver addresses appropriate to
the occasion. The topics of these
speeches will readily suggest them
selves, but it must be borne in mind
that anything relating TO Columbus will
be more interesting than anything else
on such an occasion. The flag salute,
the ode and the patriotic songs should
be executed by the children without a
hitch, and for this reason a great deal
of preliminary work will have to be
done by them.
Upon the school teachers will devolve
the greatest portion of this labor. Each
teacher should at once, if it has not al
ready been done, present the matter of
the celebration Of Columbus Day to
his pupils, and it should be laid before
the young people in such a manner that
20,
much as possible TO the success of the
affair. Enthusiasm is what is wanted
and needed, for without it failure must
result. Let each teacher select commit
tees on reception, ON decorations, ON ex-
ercises, on printing, on newspapers, ON
and ON finance. The
principal must be actually if not NOM
inally the directing spirit of each COM
mittee.
At the morning exercises at the schools
the veterans should have charge of the
flag and should also act as guards of
honor to the schools on the march to the
reviewing stand. The peculiar appropri-
ateness of the veterans being the special
patrons of the school celebration is ap-
parent. Money and the active co-opera-
ton of the citizens at large are absolute
ly necessary to the success of the cele-
bration, and these should and probably
will be promptly forthcoming.
Only the general outlines Of exercises
suggested in the official programme are
here given. These may be enlarged or
to conform to the wishes and
possibilities of the celebrants.