The Somerset reporter., 1892-07-28
rCLl NBUS DAl PROGRAMME.
A PRELIMINARY OUT
LINE OF 1T.
By FRANCIS BELLAMY,
Chairman Of The ErtcHtire C0IlHtffto, q
the NdttoHdi PNbiie School Ccfo
brdttoh Of Columbus DaB

tory exercises of the Worlds exposition
grounds, will give significant unity to
Americas celebration Of its 40oth ami
versary Accordingly the superntend-
ents of education when they adopted
the plan of n national public school ecle=
bration of Columbus Day, instructed the
executive committee 10 prepare an Off
clal programme identical for every city
and village in the country.
The executive committee i NOW en-
deayoring to secure contributions from
the ablest American writers. The names
Of the authors cannot he announced yet.
but the general plan for the exercises Of
the day is as follows:
The official prog provides fer
A Morning Celebration.
The pupils of or public schools are
to gather on oct. 2l at the usual hour,
i'll their school hol,es But instead of
the regular reeitations the morning l. Ia
be devoted To exercises befiiting the an
niversary. These rNrrcis,.s may be sim
Pile or elaborate. according to the re
sources of the school. Many schools
will doubtless do little more than use
the official programme. adding to il the
Did familiar national songs and few
speeches by leading citizens. Other
schools with larger resources are likely
to extend the programme with addi-
tional features. such as special music by
chorus or orchestra, historical exercises,
pageants, etc. The largest liberty for
individual ingenuity and taste is left to
all schools, and the executive committee
would encourage Il local variety 10 he
given to the official programme
The omcial Programme
will consist of the following features:
/. RAISING AND SALuTING the FLAG
under the direction. Wherever possible,
OF II detail af the veterans of The war.
>. InE SONG or COR MINIS DAY
uoa well known Tune.
). TnE ADDRESS
uobedeclaimed by the best speaker among
the boys.
4. TIM ODE
ITO he read Or reeii'd b, young lady.
). ~ MERIcA"
(Which will in all ca-es be the closing
SONG.
The song, the address and the ode
will all be original, prepared especially
for the celebration by some of the best
of American writer's
By the LIST Of September has o0iciol
programme, il, a complete form, wW be
puGliShod throughout tie coHntry, and
~iH also be ScIf 10 y dpplieantS Tho ad
dress the citdHmute ~ htc e,recatjre com
mittce.
Even if nothing he added 10 this pro
gramme, except perhaps few speeches
and some familiar national songs the
ceremonies will be impressive and
worthy of tn, OCCASION
But for schools which desire to ar
range more enriched programme a
number of other appropriate features
may be al the saline time suggested 10y
the executive committees
The Public school Houses
it is TO be remembered, are 10 be the
scenes of this morning celebration, As
far as possible in each school house all
the rooms under the same principal
should unite in having the same exer-
cises. The parents and friends of the
pupils should be brought together
Family interests on Columbus Day
should be made to center i'll the partic-
ular school house the children attend.
In the country the day ought To be
made real holiday. Farm and house
hold work might we'll be reliuquished,
and the families of the district might
come together at the school house with
day of memorable festiyity, The com
memoration exercises of the morning
being over, the afternoon might be de
voted to games and to social reunions of
neighbors, which would make the day
joyous one to millions of our hard work
ing population,
The Afternoon Celebration.
In nearly all cities and large villages,
however, the citizens viii wish formal
demonstration on Columbus Day which
may be III their own hands. Wherever
the citizens are 10 conduct celebration
two matters should he especially ar
ranged:
first-That the civic celebration oc-
cur in the AFTERNOONS so that it will not
conflict with the morning celebrations
which are going on IN all the school
houses
Second-That IN the afternoon cele-
bration by the people ample recognition
should be given To the public school
idea, which is to be the characteristic of
the day throughout the nation.
This afternoon celebration will vary
with each locality, but the citizens will
gladly accord to the free school institn-