The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-29
COLUMBUS DAY PROGRAMME
A Preliminary Outline Of 1t by
Francis BeIlamy.

A uniform programme for every local
i;y in America, to be used on Columbus
Day, simultaneously with the dedica-
tory exercises Of the Worlds exposition
grounds, will give a significant unity to
Americas celebration of its 400th ami
yersary. Accordingly the superintend-
ents of education, when they adopted
the plan Of national public school cele-
bration of Columbus Day, instructed the
executive committee to prepare an Off
ciai programme, identical for every city
and village in the country.
The executive committee is now en-
deavoring to secure contributions from
the ablest American writer's. The names
of the authors cannot be announced yet,
but the general plan for the exercises OF
the day is as follows:
The official programme provides for
A Morning Celebration.
The pupils of our public schools are
to gather on Oct. 81, at the usual hour,
in their school houses. But instead OF
the regular recitations the morning is to
be devoted to exercises BETTING the an
niversary. These exercises may be sim
pie or elaborate, according to the re-
sources of the school. Many schools
will doubtless do little more than use
the official programme, adding to it the
old, 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 local variety to be
given to the official programme.
The Ofacial Programme
will consist of the following features:
/. RAISING AND SALUTING THE FLAG
(uuder the direction. wherever possible,
of detail of the veterans of the war;.
2. THE SoNG OF COLUMBUS DAY
Ito we'll known tune).
8. THE ADDRESS
Ito be acclaimed by the best speaker among
the boys).
ito be read or recited by young LADY,.
g. america"
(which will in all cases 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 writers.
By the 1st of September this official
programme, in q complete form, aciU be
published throughout the country, and
avaU dlso be sent to oil applicants acho ad-
dress the chairman of the erecutive COM
nsittee.
] Even if nothing be added to this pro-
gramme, except perhaps a few. speeches
and some familiar national songs, the
ceremonies will be impressive and
worthy Of the occasion.
But for schools which desire to ar
range more enriched programme a
number of other appropriate features
may be at the same time suggested by
the executive committee
! The Public School Houses,
it is to be remembered, are to 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 in 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 well be relinquished,
and the families of the district might
come together at the school house with
their picnic lunches prepared to make
a day of memorable festivity. The COM
7memoration exercises of the morning
being over, the afternoon might be de-
voted to games and to social reunions of
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 will wish formal
demonstration on Columbus Day which
may be in their own hands. Wherever
the citizens are to conduct a celebration
two matters should be especially ar
ranged:
/, First-That the civic celebration oc-
cur in the afternoon, 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-
lbration 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 institu-
ton the place Of honor.
This leading position for the schools
in the afternoon celebration can be cas-
lily arranged:
First, most fitting feature will be
! public School Review"
| If there is a general procession this
public school review may be part of
it, and the most honored part. If there
is no procession by any other. organi-
cations the school may have their re-