The independent-reporter., 1910-03-10
AN APPEAL FOR SAMER
CELEBRATION
Casualties OF July 4th, More Than
Those of Revolution Itself.

5. w. Philbr1ck. IL has message for
the thoughtful, patriotic citizens of
Skowhegan.
We boast of our Country,-its float
ing palaces, Its rapid transit, of our
American achievements.-the wireless
telegraph and telephone. smokeless
powder, noiseless guns and marvellous
airships.
| But We keep right on with the max
ing of our annual Pagan holiday the
Fourth of July. One way by which
we Americans show appreciation of
our government by the people and for
the people," is in manning and killing
hilJreu. An"t. r way Is in dstIes
sing with din the s!ck and aged, still
another way is in destroying valuable
property. The roll of the dead and
injured as a result each year of our
methods of celebrating the Fourth of
July Is never called, it is, however, a
long one mounting into the thousands.
1t is estimated that the casualties
from our celebration have surpassed
those of the War of the Revolution We
have killed and wounded as many peo-
pie to celebrate independence as to
gain it. Is this worthy of civilized
people? Mere criticism, however,
does not have much weight. Children
will continue to shoot off giant fire
crackers and toy pistols, and endang
er property and life until the commun
ity gives them something better to do.
Now can the Clubs of our town be
instrumental in devising a plan for
more patriotic yet less hazardous OBJ
servance of our National Fourth OF
July?' That is the question we should
ask ourselves as members of these
large organizations, with power to ac-
complish such big things.
Some six years ago a New England
city awoke to the fact that this great
national holiday had become menace
to life and property. The citizens of
this town, Springfield, Massachusetts.
began to devise ways and means OF
planning a day of popular recreation,
doing away with noise and danger. At
ter being asked to give some plan for
our own community's observance of a
saner Fourth, l wrote to the Mayor of
Springfield asking for information
about this successful celebration
which the magazines have SO exploit
ed. | received an official program
which Is most interesting and from
what | know of Springheld's truly pa
triotic Fourth, will give as much as i
think could be applied in our own
town.
There, representative committee
was selected with ideals for true civ
ic festival. We have no lack of spien-
did committees here in Skowhegan's S
Clubs and additional Committees could
be found in the Daughters of the
American Revolution" the Board of
Trade, the Ailburn Club and from the
Sons of the American Revolution
In Springfield at nine o'clock in the
Inc rning the two principal streets were
lined with spectators of the parade; a
truly festival spirit pefvaded the town.
Business blocks and private houses
were gay with flags and bunting. Three
divisions of the parade were especial
ly note worthy; first. a battalion of
nearly one thousand boys from ten to
fourteen, arrayed In Khaki uniforms
of red, white and blue. and armed with
wooden guns. What JOY 1t would be
to Skowhegan's boys who have their
little neighborhood squads in all parts
OF our town If they could march in
such really true parade.
In another section were floats made
up of the Grammar School children
illustrative of local and national his
tory.
Such scenes as an Indian village, a
group of Puritan maidens. the signing
and Washington crossing the Della
ware, were presented In way that
made real the stirring events of revO-
lutionary times.
Anyone who has visited the schools
of our town knows we'll how remark
ably the children in the intermediate
grades give Colonial afternoons with
Winslow, Carver, Massasoit, the Puri-
tans and Indians all in realistic cos
tunes the acting as real When, as
during this last Thanksgiving time
the children are so enthusiastic over a
mound of sand. cleverly shaped to re-
present Plymouth harbor, with its ia
nous rock in proper position, and
Mayfower, manufactured by the child
rem, approaching. with real wigwams
back in the forests of fir twigs with
Indians, canoes and the~b bow with ar
rows near them; when grown-ups can
look with enthusiasm at the work of
teacher and young pupils,-think what
a lesson a series of historical tableaux
would be.
In Springfield the most impressive
part of the parade was contributed by
the representatives of different nation
altipa Mary Onaap Of Scots with