The Opelousas courier., 1892-06-18
COLUMBUS DAY, OCT.I2.
A Message to the Public Schools
6 of America.
LOCAL OBSERVANCES SUGGESTED

To the scholars of the public schools
of the United States the executive com
mittee of the Columbian public school
celebration sends the following mes.
sage:
The 18th of October, 1899, the 400th
anniversary of the di-covery of Amer
lea, ought to be obsS we'd everywhere
in America.
The day will be marked in Chicago
by the dedication of the Columbian tx
position grounds. The day also may
be signalized in every town and village
in the republic by a 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. A national
public school observance simultaneous
with the Chicago exercises will awaken
a popular interest in the coming exposi
ton. Far more important is the fact thai
the public school has the right to occupy
the most prominent place in the celebra
ton. The public school is the one charac
teristic institution which links all the
neighborhoods together, and can thus
furnish a common bond for a national
celebration. The public school is the
ripe fruit of the four centuries of Ameri
can civilization. The public school OF
today 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, 199W. thousands of letters were
received, tedafying to the enthusiasm
with which ode scholars responded.
The WorlG Il congress auxiliary of the
Columbian Lposition then took up the
proposal, ca ing upon all the people OF
the republic to observe the day in thei1
W localities, and suggesting that the
public schools be everywhere the cen,
tiers of the celebration.
The superintendent of education
were the next to recognize the fitness OF
giving to the public schools the first
place in this Columbian anniversary,
At their national convention in Brook
Ign in February, 1892, they took charge
of the movement, and appointed the
undersigned an executive committee tx
lead the schools in their commemora
ton.
Appeal to the Scholars.
This executive committee now appeals
to the scholars themselves to be the first
to move. 1t is for you, scholars of the
American public schools, to arouse {
sentiment in your schools and in YOU
neighborhoods for this grand way o.
celebrating the finding of America. Ed
ucators and teachers will meet you from
their side. But it is for you to begin,
There are Is, 000, 900 now in the publ
schools. You have the chance to an
duct a patriotic movement which vii
have aplace in history, and will strength
en- the republic through the comingscen
fury.
What to Do.
The first thing to do is to detel mine
when you read this message, that yo'
will do all you can to induce your sschoc
to enter the celebration. Then sho1
this message to your teachers; every pa
triotic teacher will be glad to help 20
if you show yourselves in earnest. Tax
the message to the school committee an
the superintendent-their consep an
aid are indispensable.
After you secure the support of a
these, then let the school vote that
will enter the celebration.
The next thing after this public vot
will be the appointment of sTU 1g con
mittee made up jointly from Fcitizen'
scholars and teachers to take charge
The committee should in all ca ses cor
sist of those most in earnest soslhat th
work may not be checked by any poss
BILE change of teachers during3tb 9 sun
mer.
The Programme.
A programme of exercises will /
furnished by the executive com mittet
It will be simple and adapted to an
school, yet so arranged that more elabt
rate exercises may be added 'Whereve
desired. The aim of this off Efal PR
gramme will be that certain LEI tding e.
ercises may be the same in every schot
in the republic, and that at les st in on
feature the Chicago programme andith
school programme may be Identical.
In due time this executive eoanmItte
will make further suggestions
The Local Committee
The duty of your committee willLfrS
be to interest the citizens and to prepsr
the school. Professions maybe arranged
The veterans, both north and south, wi
gladly be escorts for the schools. Th
other military, civic and religious o.
CARNATIONS of each town will lend the:
aid if they see that the schools are d.
termined that the celebration 81 lall
worthy of the day. The local pr ess wi
be the most valuable of all supp orts.
On Oct. 10 the stars and strip es shoul
be floating from every school house i
the republic.
It is the hope ofsthe friends of commo
school education that not one publ
school in the UNITED Statsj will allo
itself to be left out in this ne ost memor;
BILE celebration.
Executive Co'p,mr tee.
Francis Bellamy, chairman, represen
ing Youths Companion, Boston.
John w. Dickinson, SECRETARY of Ma
sachusetts board of education.
Thomas B. Stock well, commissioner
public schools of Rhode Island.
W. r. Garrett, superintendent of pu'
lie instruction ofgTennessee.
w. c. Hewitt superintendent of Micl
igan education al exhibit at Worlds fai
-
The American Federation of Labt