The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-08-05
COLUMBUS DAY PROGRAMME.
A PRELIMINARY OUT
LINE OF 1T.
By FRANCIS BELLAMY,
Chairman Of the ETecuttUe Committee Of
the National Public School Cele-
bTdtton OF Columbus Day.

! A uniform programme for every local
| ity in America, to be used on Columbus
| Day. simultaneously with the dedica-
tory exercises of the Worlds exposition
grounds, will give significant unity to
| Americas celebration of its 400th ami
versary. 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
cial programme, identical for every city
and village in the country.
The executive committee is now en-
deavoring to secure contributions from
the ablest American writers. 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 beftting 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 a 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
wOuid encourage local variety to be
given to the official programme.
The Official Programme
will consist Of the following features:
/. RAISING AND SALUTING THE FLAG
under the direction, wherever possible,
OF a detail of the veterans of the war;.
2. THE Song OF COLUMBUS DAY
ito a well known tune).
3. The ADDRESS
ito be acclaimed by the best speaker among
the boys.
4. THE ODE
ito be read or recited by young LADY,
5. 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 a complete form, eciU be
published throughout the country, and
,oiH also be sent to all applicants aCho adj
dress the chairman Of the e5cecutiUe COM
mittee.
Even if nothing be added to this pro-
;sramme, except perhaps few speeches
md 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
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 a formal
demonstration on Columbus Day which
may be in their own hands. Wherever
he citizens are TO conduct a celebration