The San Francisco call., 1897-05-29
EXERCISES IN ALL THE
SCHOOLS.
Grand Demonstration in the
Evening at the Girls
High School.
MONUMENT LEAGUES PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE.
Established as National
Holiday.

Lincoln day was celebrated in most
appropriate manner yesterday in this City.
During the afternoon exercises were held
at all the schools, pupils of the primary,
grammar and high schools all participate
ing. Many unique and interesting fea-
lures were introduced into the pro-
grammes of the various schools, and the
day was equally enjoyable to the pupils
who participated and to the veterans and
visitors who listened.
And the veterans--bow they enjoyed
the day why, they sent US to the schools
TO tell them about Lincoln" said one OLD
soldier enthusiastically, "but we learned
more about the great martyr from those
children than we ever knew before"
Clad in their uniforms OF blue and wear.
ing their badges and medals upon their
breasts their countenances fairly beamed
as they repeated the stirring "reminiscences
of the war or listened TO the childish
voices singing the songs that they had
sung many years before around their
amptires in the South.
The exercises at the Girls High School
auditorium in the evening attracted a
large and enthusiastic audience, which
frequently interrupted the speakers with
vigorous applause. Upon the platform
were seated: General Barnes, Hon. H. c.
DibbIe. Judge Cooney, Professor Elisha
Brooks, School Directors Head, Armor
and BanteI. W. d. Howe, f. J. Peck, W.
R. Handley, A. ]. Vining. Charles Welch,
Charles Edeiman. Professor knowIton,
Sol Cohen, R. D. Faulkner, w. w. Stone,
Joseph Steele, Harry Mortimer, Colonel
c. Mason Kline, A. E. Cohen ]. Murray
Bailey. John A. Whiteside, ]. J. Lyon,
Peter H. Mass, and others.
The large platform was tastefully dec
Grated with flags and arms. A tent
pitched at one corner of the stage and
scattered stacks OF muskets, upon which
were hung belts and sabers, gave the plat
form the appearance of real army camp.
Flag -draped busts of Washington and
Lincoln occupied the. central portion of
the stage, and just behind the speakers
stand was placed large portrait of the
great martyr.
The main body Of the hall and the front
of the gallery were also becomingly dec
grated with American flags and small
multi-colored standards.
Long before the meeting was called to
order the hall was filled. Ladies consti-
tuted large portion of the audience, and
many childish faces were to be seen in the
throng. Evidently the ladies and the
children are taking Leading part in the
movement to honor the memory of the
great emancipator. Veterans from the
various posts of the G. A. R. were out in
great numbers with their blue uniforms
and white gloves, and their badges pinned
upon their breasts.
Prolonged applause greeted the speak
ers and veterans as they marched onto the
stage Principal Elisha Brooks OF the
Girls High School then introd uced as
chairman of the evening Hon. James u.
Phelan, Mayor of San Francisco The
Mayor spoke as follows:
i have been selected as presiding officer this
evening and as l understand 1t, am to intro
duce the speakers and not to speak. 1 come.
therefore, not to speak, but to listen. But it
is one OF the duties OF a chairman to state the
purposes of the meeting.
We come here tonight to do honor 10 one
whose services merit the greatest love ana
gratefulness of the people of the country.
And no character is eminently fitted to be
held up before the youth of this City as an OBJ
ject lesson.
beIOTe ADrdndI Lincoln we HI DeCOElo
hero-worshipers, and when we worship at
his shrine we worship more than the man, we
worship at the very shrine of liberty.
Before the speakers were introduced
"The Star-spangled Banner" was sung by
quartet from the Loring Club. The next
mum ber on the programme was selection
by the Mills Quartet whose artistic rem
dering called forth prolonged applause.
In the absence of President Darlington
of the Board of Education Chairman
Phelan called upon School Director Head,
who spoke as follows:
On behalf OF the Board of Education thank
you for your attendance here this evening.
From the showing made to-day in the public
schools, / know that the veterans who
kindly visited the schools saw and ap-
preeiated the work that the teachers have
been doing for months past in impressing
upon the children the nobility of the char
acter and life OF Abraham Lincoln, and want
to exteEd tonight to the Grand Army vet
erans. those noble heroes, the thanks of the
school Department for making success of
to-day's celebration.
After the rendition of a selection by the
Loring Club quartet General w. H. L.
Barnes was introduced as the most elo-
ouent speaker in San Francisco.
In the course of his address General
Barnes said:
1 never remember experiencing so much
emotion as experienced this afternoon at the
Clement Grammar School. l understood that
we veterans were TO tell the children about
Abraham Lincoln; but / found that even the
smallest of them knew almost more than we