The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-10-27
Public School Children Unite In the
Celebration.
A Magnificent Monster Pageant of
Little Ones.
Indian Children Make the Affair +;
Historic One.
Exercises at the Court House Large.
ly Attended.

and inspiring; the gay colors of stars
and stripes of Old Glory, auttering in
stiff breeze; the variegated colored
banners of the many districts, glorious
offsprings of the Father Flag, dane
ing and capricing about in the hands
of-well, may be a future Senator, a
Representative, Governor or Pres
ident-was the advance spectacle.
Slowly it magnifed into stupendous
bands of children band headed
by teacher-each band consisting of
boys and girls, beautifully and fitting
ly badged, the girls clad in the bright
est and most gorgeous Sunday gowns,
adding beauty and splendor to the
pageant. But look, there are gray
heads following the martial band, the
latter lead by Supt. Race. They are
clad in blue. The rays of the warm
sun dances on the brass buttons, and
the heroes of our civil war are known.
AS brave in war as in peace they march
gallantly on-their soldiers patriot
ism never to die. Then comes the
Woman's Relief Corps-the brave
women that with uptiring hands and
hearts uplifted to God, won one-half
of that mighty struggle for freedom
the mightiest struggle of modern
times. Eyer loyal to their country,
they were loyal to the memory of the
discoverer. And now, headed by gay
colors, comes the little ones, all smi]-
ing, all patriotic, all loving the name
of Columbus. They were all out
several hundred strong-healthy
specimens of true American boyhood
and girlhood. First came our public
school students the first. second,
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and
eighth grades and the high school.
They tripped merrily along, each d.
vision headed by its instructor or in
structress, standard in the hands of
standard bearer. Then came dis
tricts 6, So, II, SO, 20, 8, 63 and 46,
typical and sturdy representations of
typical, sturdy and intellectual rural
life. They marched merrily along to
the tunes of the band, and walked
lightly as if every step was hallowed
ground
And then came the nationality that
was never before represented in an
American parade-a nationality that
has made the Columbian parade in
Redwood Falls historic, and as the
older people gazed down upon it, they
could not refrain from dropping tear
in sympathy for this fastly vanishing
race. There was something pathetic
in their marching in those ranks that
could not help bringing blush of
shame to an Americans cheek. 1t
was the contingent of Indian boys and
girls from the government school at
the Agency. They were about 30
strong, and they marched along as
patriotically as if they never knew
that Columbus was the author of the
deeds that plunged their once happy
land into bloody wars, and rapidly
seized their lands and reduced them
to serfdom, and only within the last
half century has this government
commenced it's amends. In the midst
of that day of rejoicing sigh intruded
for the fate of the tribes that have
been trodden down in the great pa
rade of humanity towards the west
a sigh for the past, prayer for the
future that these dusky people, recog-
nizing the government that has been
founded on their domains, might be
partially recompensed.
The parade marched down Fourth
to Washington, Washington to Sec
ond, then to Mill, Mill to Third and
then to the court house, and all along
the line there were enthusiastic cheers
for the Columbus memorialists. The
court house was packed to overaowing
and ONLY about one-half of the people
were able to get in. The pupils were
marched in order to their seats, and