Huntsville gazette., 1892-04-23
COLUM BUS DAY.

:
To tie Scholars Of the Pubic Schools Of tho
United States:
The executive committee of the CO.
lumbar public school celebration sends
the following message:
THE SCHOOLS MAY LEAD.
The 18th Of October, 1892, the 4O0th
anniversary of the discovery of Amer
lea, ought to be observed everywhere in
America.
The day will be marked in Chicago by
the dedication of the Columbian exposi-
tion grounds. The day also may be
the republic by local celebration of
which the public school is the center.
The public schools of the republic
will form the most fitting centers for
all these local celebrations. A national
public school observance simultaneous
with the Chicago exercises will awaken
a popular interest in the coming eXposi-
ton. Far more important is the fact
that the public school has the right to
occupy the most prominent place in the
celebration. The public school is the
one characteristic institution which
links all neighborhoods together, and
can thus furnish a common bond for
national celebration. The public
school is the ripe fruit of the four CEN
turies of American civilization. The
public school of to-day sways the hun
dred years to come.
HOW IT CANE 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 centers
of the celebra ton.
The superintendents 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 un-
dersigned an executive committee to
lead the schools in their conlmemora-
ton.
APPEAL TO THE SCHOLARS.
This executive committee now ap-
peals to the scholars themselves to be
the first to move. 1t is for You, schol-
ars of the American public schools and
in your neighborhoods for this grand
way Of celebrating the finding of
America. Educators and teachers will
meet you from their side. But it is for
you to begin.
You will make it succeed if you unite
to say that it ought to be done. The in
terest of the public will be awakened if
the scholars join in the earnest request
that the school be allowed to be the
center of the days observance.
There are thirteen millions now in the
public schools. You have the chance to
conduct a patriotic movement which
will have a place in history, and will
strengthen the republic through the
coming century.
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
patriotic teacher will be glad to help
you if you show yourselves in earnest.
Take the message to the school commit
tee and the superintendent; their con-
sent and 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
committee to take the charge. This
committee should be made up jointly
from scholars, teachers and friends, of
the school The committee should in
all cases be made up of those who are
most in earnest, so that the work may
not be checked by any possible change
of teachers during the summer.
THE PROGRAMME.
A programme of exercises will be fur
nished by the executive committee. 1t
will be simple and adapted to any
school, yet so arranged that more elab-
crate exercises may be added wherever
desired The aim of this official pro-
gramme will be that certain leading
exercises may be the same in every
school in the republic; and that at least
in one feature the Chicago programme
and the school programme may be
identical.
In due time this executive committee
will make more definite suggestions on
methods of celebration through the su
perintendents of education and through
the press.
THE LOCAL COMMITTEE.
The duty of your committee will first
be to interest the citizens and to prepare
the school. Professions may be ar
ranged. The veterans, both north and
south, will gladly be escorts for the
schools. The other military, civic and
religious organizations Of each town will
lend their aid if they see that the schools
are determined that the celebration shall
A