The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-05-07
Nc.
TUESDAY, MAY 18th 1907.
JAMESTOWN DAY CELEBRATION.

jamestown LAY LOT Jue TuDllC
Schools of North Carolina" is the
title Of a very interesting programme
Of exercises to be observed in our pub
lie schools on the 18Th instant. 1t is
a handsomely printed brochure of
twenty pages and is the result of the
energy and patriotic spirit OF Mrs.
James Sprunt of this city, who has de-
voted much time and labor to it's pro-
ductiOn.
Although the title page declares hat
it is prepared by the North Carolina
Society of Colonial DANES, under the
direction Of the National Society OF
Colonial Danes of America and with
the approval of Robert 8. Glenn, gov
ernor of The state, and J. Y. Joyner,
superintendent of public instruction."
the public schools and the people Of
the state are indebted to Mrs. Sprunt
for the production. But for her un-
firing energy it could not have been
produced. She experienced much diff
ficulty in securing some of the con-
tents of the brochure, among others
the picture Of the old church of James
town as it has been restored.
The contents Of this interesting
booklet are: Two songs with the
music, one a Seventeenth century BAL
lard entitled Come, Lossies and Lad
dies the other Burns political bal
lard, THE American War;" "A Brief
Narrative of jamestown as it Appears
in History and in Literature" by Hen
ry e. Shepherd; pictures Of the tower
of the old jamestown church and Of
the church as recently restored; names
of the presidents and the colonial gov
errors of Virginia; Programme for
jamestown Day." prepared by DR..
Henry Alexander White, which in
cludes the lode to the Virginian Voy-
age" written for the occasion Of the
sailing of the seekers after homes in
the new world, by Michael DraytoH,
who was poet laureate Of England at
that time; an article Oil Captain John
Smith," by Professor John J. Blair,
and closing with THE Star-Spangled
Banner" as "prescribed by the Ma
tional Society of the Colonial Danes
of America" In the preface to the
brochure, signed by Mrs. Sprunt, she
makes graceful acknowledgment of
the generous cooperation" of Messrs.
Shepherd, White and Blair which
helped to make her undertaking a sue
cess.
We hope that many of the public
schools in the state will observe the
day by having these exercises per-
formed by the. scholars. The program
is interesting and if properly carried
will make a most Entertaining per-
fOrmance-nOt only entertaining but
instructive to both pupils and the pa
irons of the schools who attend. It
will impress this important epoch in
American history on the minds of
those who take part in and witness
it more deeply than would the study
of the history of that period.
Outside of celebrating the important
event in American history the brooch
ure is made intertaining by the allus-
ions of Messrs Shepherd and Blair to
other men and circumstances closely
connected with the jamestown set
Element, such, for instance, as the
formers reference to illusions by
Shakespeare in two of his plays to the
American colony.
We are glad to know that these ex-
ercises will be performed in
the public schools of our city on
jamestown day and We hope there
will be a large attendance of our cit
liens.
To Mrs. Sprunt, whose untiring zeal
and patriotism made possible the COM
p%ilation of the booklet, and to the men
VINO assisted her by contributions to
its contents. the people of this state
a vote of thanks, and The Mes
senger takes the liberty of extending
It on their behalf.