The record-union., 1892-05-28
COLUMBUS DAY, OCTOBER Z
A Message to the Public Schools
of America.
Local Observances Suggested-The Day
Should Be Signalized In Every Town
and Village in the Republic by
Local Celebration of Which the
Public School is the Center.

To the scholars of the public schools of
the United States the Executive Commit
tee of the Columbian public school cele-
bration sends the following message:
The 18th of October, 1892, the 400th an
niversary Of the discovery of America,
ought to be observed everywhere IN
America.
The day will be marked in Chicago by
the dedication of the Columbian Exposi-
ton grounds. The day also may be sig
nalized in every town and village in 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. 4 national public
school observance simultaneous with the
Chicago exercises will awaken popular
Interest in the coming exposition. 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 in
stltution which links all the neighbOr-
hoods together, and can thus furnish a
common bond for a national celebration.
The public school is the ripe fruit of the
four centuries Of American civilization.
The public school of to-day sWays the
hundred years to come.
HOW 1T CAME 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, 1851, 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 Pepublic to observe the day in their
own localities, and suggesting that the
public schools be everywhere the centers
OF the celebration.
The superintendents of education were
the next to recognize the fitness of Civ
ing to the public schools the first place in
this Columbian anniversary At their
national convention in Brooklyn, in Feb
ruary, 1892, they took charge of the move
ment, and appointed the undersigned an
Executive Committee to lead the schools
III their cOmmemoration.
APPEAL TO THE SCHOLARS.
This Executive Committee now appeals
to the scholars themselves to be the first
10 move. 1t is for you, scholars Of the
American public schools, to arouse sem
timent in your schools and in your neigh
borhoods for this grand way of celebrat-
ing the finding of America. Educators
and teachers viii meet you from their
side. But it is for you to begin.
There are 100000 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
10 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 Committee and the
Superintendent-their consent 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
viii be the appointment of a strong COM
mittee made up jointly from citizens,
scholars and teachers to take charge
The committee should insall cases consist
of those most in earnest, so that the
work may not be checked by any possi-
ole change OF teachers during the sum-
mer.
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 elaborate ex-
ercises may be added wherever desired.
The aim Of this official programme will
be that certain leading exercises may be
the same in every school in the Republic,
and that at least in one feature the Chi
cago programme and the school pro-
gramme may be identical
In due time this Executive Committee
will make further suggestions.
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
be worthy of the day. The local press
will be the most valuable of all supports.
On October 18th the stars and stripes
should be floating from every school
house in the Republic.
1t is the hope of the friends of common
school education that not one public
school in the United States Will allow it.
self 10 be LETT out in this most memorable
celebration.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Francis Bellamy, Chairman, represent
ing l0uttS Companion, Boston.
John w. Dickinson, Secretary of Mas
sachusetts Board OF Education.
Thomas b. Stockwell, Commissioner of
Public Schools of Rhode Island.
w. X. Garrett, Superintendent of Pub-
lie instruction of Tennessee.
w. 9. Hewitt, Superintendent of Michi-
gan educational exhibit at Worlds Fair.