The Portland daily press., 1897-02-15
CHILDREN CELEBRATE
The Birthday of the Immortal
Lincoln.

1900 Children Present-Fine Address
by Rev. DIR. Blanchard.
The children had their innings at q
Lincoln Day celebration Saturday after
noon at City hall and it is doubtful if the
big place ever held a larger number OF
bright rosy checked youngsters than
wero gathered under it's big roof Satur-
day. There were perhaps 1900 of them all
told. Eyery seat on floor and gallery
was filed.
The way the kids whooped things up
was caution. They sung, they yelled,
they clapped, they stamped, they
wh1stied, they cat called and when the
chorus started in a march tempo one
would have thought the entire army OF
the Potomac was marching in review be-
fore the saintel Lincoln. A least 1000
feet beat oas the measures of the quick
stepi
| The presiding officer told the child rem
they owned the meetin and they must
run it. Run it they did. In good old
fashioned young America style too.
When the whole volley Of youthful exu-
berance wasslet loose at once the rafters
of the building fairly ruDg with the
echoes of the vocal fusilade.
To the credit of the children be it said,
however, that these discharges all were
fired at the beginning and close of the
various numbers on the programme and
the speakers were given degree of at
tsntion that would have done credit to
an audience of much older persons.
The meeting was ARA nged by the Wo-
mans Council and Mrs. Marcia Brad
bury Jordan presided most gracefully.
| On the stage with her were DR.. Blanch-
ard, the speaker of the occasion, the
young people who Iecited and several
hundred grammar school children who
sang finely under the direction of their
instructor, Mrs. Anne K. Merrill. On
the wall back of the stage was an I'm
mense portrait of the Martyr President
Mrs. Jordan in opening the exercise
made brief and pertinent address ex-
planning the reasons for the meeting and
touching upon some of the characteristics
Of the great President and some Of the
lessons to he deduced therefrom. She
gracefully introduced the various en-
tertainers, all of whom rendered their
parts finely and were tremendously ap-
plauded.
The programme was as follows:
Introductory Remarks,
President of the Day
Characterization,
An Admiration, Wilbur L. Kicker
Chorus-Battle Hymn of the Republic.
How the Private Won His Shoes,
Margaret Burrowes
Chorus-Long Live, Long, Live America,
Lin coins Address at Gettysburg
Gilbert Fl. Luce
The Challenge, Bertha NJ. Welch
Chorus-March of the Men of Columbia
Address, Kew. DR.. Blanchard
America.
Dr. Blanchard began his address by
drawing two word pictures of President
Lincoln, accompanied by Gen. Grant and
Gen. nj esde, walking through the deserted
streets of Petersburg, and of the Presi-
DENTS entrance into abandoned and
burning Richmond. Fully to understand
the greatness of the service which Abra-
ham Lincoln rendered his country and
mankind would require continuous stu y
on the part of the youth of America. He
asked for this study. 1t would give great
joy. 1t would inspire to noble living.
Dr. Blanchard, therefore, asked his
hearers to resolve to study very thorough
ly this noble life. Teachers in all our
schools should themselves know thor
oughly the life this glorifed leader of
men. They should profoundly revere
his character. Ihe lives of Lincoln writ
ten by Herndon, his law partner, and
Nicolay and Hay would enable teachers
to help their scholars. Elbridge s.
Brooks 1.-The True story of Abraham
Lincoln, written for young peopls, would
serve as introduction to these larger
books. James Russell Lowell's eulogy
on Lincoln in his magnificent Common
Grafton Ode'' should be committed to
memory by the young.
DR.. Blanchard saw Linculn only once.
The President elect in February, 1861. was
passing through New York on his way
to Washington. From the sidewalk on
which he stood, he saw Abraham Lin
coin sitting in the carriage bowling kind
ly to the great throngs who cheeled him
on his way.
The years of war revealed the greatness
of the new leader. Much study of that
life during the intervening years deep
enad, and ever more deepened, the pro-
found reverence which he felt for this
TRANSPORTED President. He believed
4 braham Lincoln was a providential
man.
In great crises great men are needed.
Goo sends such to lead in times of need.
As much as Moses was sent of God SO was
Lincoln the leader God prepared. And
this conviction only grows desper as re-
rewed study is given to the times and
their needs aud their leader.
In those critical hours of 1861 one was
needed who should have love Of men, the
confidence of men, courage without bus
ter. flrmness that could not be turned,
persistency that would not falter, belief
| in man and faith in sn Overruling Prov
I