Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-23
SCHOOL DEDICATED.
Exercises at the Coke Memorial Schoo
on Saturday Afternoon.


The Coke Memorial School was dedi-
Gated on Saturday afternoon. The
exercises consisted of parade which
was led by the Sandy Run band follow
ed by Maj. c. B. Coke Post, No. l47, c.
A. r., the members of the school board
burgess and town council in carriages
Jr. O. L. A. NJ drum corps, Drifton
drum corps, and the children of the
different schools Of the borough. After
marching over the principal streets, the
parade finished at the new school build
ing. The children sang America" %"
after which President ID. j. McCarth,
introduced Hon. Charles f. Rice, presi-
dent judge of the superior court OF
Pennsylvania, who spoke for over on
hour.
He reviewed the history of the school
system in this state from its early stages.
also the duties of the citizens of the
state to pay their proportionate share OF
taxes towards the support of the com
mon schools, whether that citizen be tn,
owner of real estate or not, or whether
he have children attending school or
not. 1t is his plain duty under the law
to pay these taxes, not for the good the
education of children will do him, but
for the good it will do to the whole com
munity. He also gave statistics cover
ing the amount of money paid in the
state by individuals, and by the state
for school purposes. He paid "A glowing
tribute to the late Hon. Ecklcy B. Coke
and hoped that the school about to be
dedicated would be productive of good
results.
County Superintendent Harrison was
next introduced and spoke upon the
subject of education. He dwelt chiefly
upon the duty of parents to their child
rcn, and said no matter how good the
schools or the teachers, or the interest
taken in them by the directors, the par
cnts should exercise Il care over the
children and stimulate them to study.
He spoke of the broadening effect of
learning upon the minds of the people.
and Illustrated how the influence of cdu-
cation dispels the narrow scope in which
man is liable to confne himself.
Going back to the days of the Pilgrim
Fathers and the coloniSts. the supcrin-
tendent calmly reviewed the intolerant
spirit which the various factions of
early settlers exhibited toward one an
other, solely because of their narrow
views upon matters in general, and how
this feeling was increasing until the
Catholic founder of Maryland Lord
Baltimore, shamcd religious prosecutors
of all classes into silence by having the
liberation act passed in that state, Civ
ing every person in that colony the lib
erty to worship God as they pleased.
This was the beginning of genuine lib
crty in America, and the magnanimous
spirit of Lord Baltimore is abroad in
the land today and will last while the
republic lives, despite the occasional at
tempts that are made to prescribe GER
tain people in land where all are
equal.
He expressed IL wish that in his visits
to Freeland during the ensuing term
that he may be able to note good results
in our schools. He extended an invita-
tion to parents to visit the school rooms
as often as convenient and see how the
little ones are cared for.
Eckley i. Coke, Jr., of Drifton, was
introduced and unveiled the memorial
slab, which bears the inscription: Eek
ley b. Coke Memorial Public School,
1880"
Edmund Coke was next introduced
and said that some time ago the late
lamented Daniel Coke told him that he
would present flag to this school and
requested him to do the unfurling
of the same, so today, in response to
that request, he would now unfur the
flag, which act completed the exercises.