The record-union., 1892-06-25

Francis Bellamy of this city, recently
appointed Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the National Columb ian
Public School Celebration for October
18th. was seen at his Office in the Youths
Companion building yesterday afternoon
by Herald representative. In response
to the inquiry, Where did the idea of a
national celebration for the day origin
ate?" Mr.. Bellamy replied:
1.-The first approval of this suggestion
came from the scholars themselves.
When the plan was proposed by the
YOUTHS Companion, over year ago,
thousands of letters were received testi-
flying to the enthusiasm of the scholars.
1.-THE Worlds Congress Auxiliary of
the Columbian Exposition then took up
the proposal, calling upon the people of
all localities to observe the day in their
own places, and suggesting that the pub
lie schools be everywhere the centers of
the local celebrations. President Bon
ney of the congress also made a special
request that the Companion push forward
the movement
What further steps have been taken,
Mr.. Bellamy?''
We'll, the Superintendent of Educa-
ton were the first to recognize the fitness
OF giving the first place in this Columbian
anniversary to the public schools. At
their National Convention recently held
in Brooklyn, DIR. w. L. Harris United
States Commissioner of Education, who
Is in heartlest sympathy with this thing,
presented series of resolutions, and the
convention unanimously adopted them
These resolutions fully Endorsed the idea
and called on teachers and friends of ed
ncation everywhere to support the move
ment. The convention also appointed an
Executive Committee 10 take charge of
the work Of making the celebration ma
tlonal in the widest sense, and to prepare
uniform programme for use in every
locality. In recognition Of the initial
step taken by the President of the
Worlds Congress, representative of
The Companion, who happened to be my
self, was named Chairman. The other
four members were State Superintend-
ents of Education ). ". Dickinson Of
massachusetts, I. B. Stockwell of Rhode
Island, V. X. Garrett of Tennessee and
w. G. Hewitt of Michigan"
w hat is your committee doing?"
The first endeavOr of the committee
Is to enlist the cooperation of the press
OF the country in this enterprise. That
Is the direction in which our efforts are
being largely put forth at present The
press must be the real leader to secure
Tor this movement its widest currency.
The newspaper alone can awake for it q
thorough national enthusiasm. The next
thing IS to awaken the interest of the
scholars themselves. The committee is
attempting nothing short of addressing
directly the entire 100000 OF public
school scholars in the United States. We
have already issued special message to
these scholars, which is being published
this week. knowing the medium in
which it is published it is not too much
of -
will have been read by not less than
2O00,OOU scholars, scattered through every
section OF the country. This, you see, is
a pretty large beginning"
DO you think these scholars can really
bring the thing to pass?"
They can make it succeed if thew
unite The interest OF the public will be
awakened ii the scholars join in earnestly
asking that their schools be allowed to
join in the observanceS of the day. They
viii show our messages to their teachers
and to their school committees. These
will take up their cause if the scholars
show themselves in earnest. Then we
viii tell them TO let their school vote that
they will enter the celebration, and ap-
point local committee, composed Joint
~ Of citizens, teachers and scholars This
committee will have charge of the local
arrangements, but the Executive Com
mittee will furnish the official pro-
gramme."
''Does all this work devolve entirely
on your Executive Committee, Mr..
Bellamy"
''By no means. All the State Superin-
tendents of Education constitute a gem
eral committee. Each State Superintend-
ent has the responsibility of pushing the
movement IN his own State and carving
out the suggestions of the Executive
Committee. These State Superintendent
VIII issue their own messages to their
superintendent and teachers. Judge
Draper, State Superintendent of Educa-
ton in New York, one of the most in
1iuential and progressive of them all, has
already issued strong circular to the
$4,000 teachers in his State urging them
TO see that their schools are leaders in the
local celebrations throughout the State"
"4 on spoke of an official programme.
can you give me any points about it?"
1T IS too early yet to 60 into details
The committee intends to make pro-
gramme which is adapted to every public
school in the Nation. OF course the exer-
cises in the different schools will neces-
sarily be of great variety. Among other
things, the programme will embrace an
ode, a popular carol and brief Grafton.
These are all to be original for the occa-
sion. The committee is prepared not to
spare money to secure the best which can
be produced. There will also be certain
religious recognition in the programme
was religious one, and the religious
spirit has been too much the KEYNOTE of
American life to be omitted here An
other interesting thing about the pro-
gramme is that, in at least one feature.
the exercises IN every school on October
18th will be identical with the National
dedicatory exercises which are stimuli
taneously going on in Chicago
"What led to the choice of the public
school as the center of the local celebra-
tionS?'
The public school is the one character
istic institution which links all nelghbor-
hoods together, and can thus furnish a
common bond for a National celebration.
n GU must remember, also, that this
movement was not started simply for the
sake of having a celebration, but rather
10 give the American public school a
fitting prominence as the fruit of four
centuries of American life"
will any action be taken to make
October 18th holiday?' '
THE Executive Committee will peti-
ton the Governors of all the States to
proclaim it holiday. The ACCESSIBILITY
OF declaring it National holiday will be
early brought to the attention of Presi-
dent Harrison
do you believe this school celebration
will be as general as the demonstration
on other National holidays?'
1t IS always impossible to foretell how
general such movement will be. Yet
the cordial and even eager responses that
have already come in from educators
without exception, and from very MANY
eminent men in the nation. seem like
sure indications of what popular senti-
ment will be. Then, when the millions
of the scholars catch the spirit. / think
the movement viii go of its own force.
These masses of pupils are not likely to
be slow in grasping the national size of
IL hoe