The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-09-17
CORNERSTONE
CEREMONIES
Large Gathering at Public School
Building.
PaRigf. SPEECHES. EXERCISES, ETC


corner oi Lewis aud Main SIS. Rnd with
the play ground attached will occupy
more than hall % an entire block. lis
frontage Is 100 o. a.. depth ZIG.
height three - lries. and will cost when
completed and furnished S4O,t 90. Ii
will be up-to-date Ia every particular.
The plans were drawn by Mr. l. G..
HELM, who T. also contracto-. The
whole work was started by and il being
done under the direction OF a jOint com
mites OF the city council. comp -ed 81
the committees ON Schools and Public
Property, with Mr. Frank z. Stsarrs
Inspector. Ground was broken or the
building on June ;, 1905, and the con-
tract calls Tor its completion on Feb
18th. 1909.
The ceremonies attendant upon thelay-
Ing OF the cornerstone were simple but
Impressive. The procession was formed
at the courthouse square Tuesday at
3;4o p. m. and the march was down
Princess Anne 10 Hanover to Main aud
up Main 70 the building.
Lieut.. A. q. Billingsley. OF Co. l.. Bird
Va Regt was chiei marshal. with the
following aids. members OF the same
company. Sergeants Geo. r. Rowland
and Allen Berry; Corporal e. + Cox. c.
l.. Hart and J W. Humphreys
There was only one carriage in the
procession In this We're Mayor q. I,a,yis
Wallace. Judge J. + Goolrick. Of the
Corporation court. Rev DR.. II. ; Dun
away, and Supt. 81 schools X Z. Willis.
The City Council. IA, CIV school Board
and school officers were next ON foot.
With the City Council were Ex- President
r ID. Cole. TX Vie. President Henry
Dannehl and EX-Chairman W Somer-
vile, OF the Joint cpmmitte. which
started the movement Tor the building
Then came five huudrei and fifty school
children with their teachers This was
the prettiest siyhs Of all. These chi iren
were dressed IN white with garlnnds ~
howers on their heads, carrying United
States flags
The Junior Order Of American Mechan-
les. The Patriotic Sons OF Ame rica had
representatives who followed the school
children. Then came Lodge No (. A. +.
X A. NJ, with Past Grand Master 3 ]
Quinn and Morshipful Master Clearance
X. Howard, Senior Warden J p. Stiff
aud junior Warden + NJ. Young. Jr
On arrival the children formed around
the building The presiding officers and
officials took stand on the temporary
platforms erected. Mayor n. Lewis Wal
lace called thu essemhlage 70 order and
said:
Ladies and Geutl-m-n and Fellow Citi-
Ems 81 Freierick-hurg:
Having the Lonor and pleasure az
PRECEDING over this a~semblege reapect-
fully call " 70 order We assemble here
for the purpose 81 loyiug the Cornerstone
OF or new public school building. which
| hy invitation viii hc done by the
Masonic Lodge The order 81 the cere-
monial will ba In accordance with the
program published yesterday evening 10
our local newspapers
| This l. an occasion IN which we all
should take pride. for IL marks "A great
advancement ia the progress of our city.
showing that We are in line with the
general educational advancement ~ our
state and country. Thai all gOoi citizens
heartily approve the OF iect sought TO he
attained by the erection OF thu hand.
| some aud cOmmoiious school building
goes without saying
This building will be- a credit and az
ornament 70 our city IL supple, a great
public demau5 5; IL prevents the over.
crowding OF scholars heretofore unavoid
able because 90 our limi,ed schoaLhous,
accommodations; IL puts an cad 60 In,
unsatisfactory arrangement O renting
rooms he q and there 10 accOmmoi tn,
overflow pupils; Il obviat.s the necessity
OF turning away any child SEEKING the
advantages of a public school education
II VIII be "A monument 10 the wisdom
and foresight OF the joint com ri tee that
has the work in charge, and congratu
late the entire community on IN. success.
fol outcome % the Undertaking
The song. America. was sung by the
children. Rev. Dr. T. :. Duuaway. the
Oldest minister, not only In point OF serv-
Ice, but OF age and residence here, deliv.
cred short, impressive prayer.
Superintendent OF Schools b =. Willis
made an interesting address. He spoke
OF the difficulties under which tie school
board had labOred, Of the neeas OF the
new school building, the progress made
by Fredericksburg from IA financial, edu-
cational and moral standpoint. Refer
red To the new Postofiice building. Wal
lace Library building, Normal school.
College a. other Indications OF advance
ment He complimented the int COM
mittee and it's ex-Chairman s W. Som
erville on its work
Tie exercises were then turned over to
Lodge No. 4, who laid the cornerstone
with Masonic hOnors, Past Grand Mas
ter Quiun conducting the ceremonies
This was watched by hundreds Of peonle
from the windows of the present school
building and other points of vantage.
The closing was a song by the schools
and benediction by Rev DR.. 4. 5. Duna-
way.
CONTENTS OF CORNERSTONE
The contents OF the cornerstone were:
l. list OF the City and austiugs
court officials.
,. A copy of The Free Lance dated
Sept 10Th, 1908. with program
q A CODV of the Daily Sfar do tal = -.
18th, 1908. with program
1. Columbian half dollar bv Master
Arthur Jones.
3. List of officers and members ofFrtd
ericksburg Lodge No. 4. 4. F. 4. AN.
6. 4 Canadian % cent piece. toy James
T. Layton.
Z. Bible OF Miss ~ Emily Mander,
given as prize when young, Tor repeat
ing the shorter catechism, which she
used until her death.
8. list of teachers and pupils Of the
white public schools by grades
9. Copy OF Fredericksburg Daily
Journal, dated Sept. 14th, 19Js, with
program.
10. Photo OF Col T. ID. Cole. first presi-
dent of the City Council under tbs new
constitution.
IL. One cent copper coin, dat d 1929.
dug up IN foundation of this bn iding by
Mr.. Geo. Hicks.
II. Musket ball and buck shot, dug up
10 foundation OF this building by Mr..
Geo. Hicks.
13. VIM. ]. Bryan's address on In
perIalism by Mr.. Henry Dannehl.
IA. Two public school medals dated
1854 and 1856, by the pupils who won
them.