The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-02-18
The LINCOLN MEMORIAL

An Excellent Program Rendered at
the City Hall in Memory Of One
Hundredth Anniversary.
A creditable distinction was paid to
the memory of Abraham Lincoln by
the G. A. r., the w. r. c. and the
Y. M. c. A. Friday evening in the
city hall when these combined to
celebrate the one h%undredth anniver-
sary of the birth of Americas fore
most citizen The hall was packed to
the limit and many stood throughout
the lengthy program, but which was
full OF interest. In the audience were
many of the delegates to the state
convention of the Y. NJ. G. A., which
began its work in the afternoon.
The interior of the hall was very
appropriately decorated with the ma
tional c%olors, two large flags adorned
the rear of the stage, and standing
at the front of the platform was a
bronze bust of the martyred presi-
dent.
o. w. Coursey acted as chairman
of the evening and introduced the
speakers and announced the other
features of the program.
In the absence of Rev. Oliver Will
liams, the invocation was given by
Rev. A. Craig Bowdish. A piano sell
ection was played by Mrs. Maud Sils-
by-Nichols that met with the sincere
approval of the audience.
Mayor Hitchcock delivered an adj
dress of welcome which was given for
the benefit of the Y. M. c. A. dele
gates. The mayor stated that while
a welcome of this character was a
perfunctory duty, get there ought to
be a reason for it, and in this case
he said that the association of this
city had been officially recognized by
the city council when it passed a re-
solution granting the free use of the
two rooms in the city hall building,
for which they had been paying rent.
The mayor dwelled with an interest
ing thought on the ambition of the
Y. M. G. A, what it meant to the
young men n that if it accomplish
ed the idea of right living, making
better characters and making pure
souls it will be a good thing for the
association to be here. He drew a
comparative illustration between the
life of Jesus in coming into the world
to unity mankind in the spirit of the
Father, and of the life work of Lin
coin to maintain the integrity of the
union. He said the G.. A. r. and the
w. r. G.. are here to unite with an
organization that has for it's ambition
the building up of His kingdom, and
in this he wished them great success.
A male quartet, consisting of
Messrs. Downey, Lindsey, Dunn and
Manthey, sang a patriotic quartet,
and responded to an encore that was
heartily demanded.
George A. Silsby, n of Mitchell's
best speakers and orators, delivered
the main address of the evening. and
it was an earnest and thoughtful pre-
sentation of the characteristics of the
nan who was thus being honored.
Mr.. Silsby's address will be found
elsewhere in The Republican today.
Mrs. Edna Mullen recited a num-
Der that was Interesting, which told
of the appeal made by a mother to
President Lincoln which illustrated
the tender heart and sympathy of
Lincoln to a woman in distress. She
presented it with good effect.
Prof. d. j. Quigley presented the
plan for erecting a memorial at the
birthplace of Lincoln in H~odgeville.
Ky. A national association has been
organized which has bought the prop
erty and a beautiful memorial will
be erected there within the course of
another year. The money is being
raised by popular subscription all
over the country, and only small
amounts are received. Prof. Quigley
said he considered it an honor to be
long to the association that was do
ing this work. He stated that he
woul directive subscriptions during
the next two weeks and would for
ward them to the headquarters, and
the donors would be provided with
certificates Of membership.
Prof. Clarion d. Hardy read the
memorial address that Abraham Lin
coin delivered at the battlefield of
Gettysburg-one that has become
popular throughout the country-and
Mr.. Hardy gave it a fine presentation.
Forty pupils of the sixth and sew
enth grades of the schools gave a
very inspiring number in the singing
of the STARS and Stripes" under the
direction of Misses Walrath, Link
later and Fey. 1t was we'll presented.
Mrs. G. e. Vermilyea gave a read
ing on the life of Benedict Arnold,
which was given a fine i~nterpretative
presentation in the relation of the
incidents of that momentous life.
ga Lincoln Memorial was given
by the eighth grade pupils, thirty in
number, that was one of the best
exercises of the evening and denoted
an immense amount of work in pre-
paration by Miss Pattison, who for
mulated 1t. The children were dress
ed In very pretty costumes of varied
colors and they presented an attract
i've scene on the platform. The
bronze bust of Lincoln was unveiled
appropriately and following this
each one of the pulls presented some
attribute Of the martyred president
as the basis for his greatness. The
scene closed with an intricate drill
by the pupils. 1t was arplauded very