The San Francisco call., 1910-07-05
EXERCISES ARE HELD AT
SOUTH SIDE PLAYGROUND

Patriotic exercises. commemorating
the one hundred and thirty-fourth an
niVersary of the declaration of inde-
pendence. were held yesterday after
noon at the Southside playground, Sew
enth and Harrison streets. The pro-
gram Of orations and music was closed
with beautiful tableau entitled
spirit of 70"
The exercises were held in the center
Of the plaza upon a broad platform
which was decorated with large Amer
lean flags. The front of the stage was
open and was reserved for the speak
ers, while the rear half was partitioned
off by large red curtain, behind which
so children of the Franklin grammar
school were arranged in colonial cos
tune in the tableau.
In the center of the tableau stood
three children, representing the grand
father father and. son in the mem
orable picture of the Spirit OF 20. On
the right stood three soldiers of the
British army, while on the left stood
three continental soldiers. In the cen
ter and clustered around the goddess
of liberty were 25 little girls dressed
IN the colonial style.
The program opened with the assem-
blage singing the Star Spangled Ban
ner," after which William Hutton, as
chairman of the day. made short ad-
u
prompted the citizens to observe this
day. He then introduced Supervisor
John A. Kelly. who delivered the ad-
dress of the day. In part Kelly spoke
as follows:
l would not call the annual OBJ
servance of independence day eX
actly a celebration. ] would say
that il is more in the nature of a
nationwide anniversary that en-
braces not alone eXuberance for the
patriotic youth, but solemn thought
and reflection for the generations
that are passing and likewise bud
ding among US. Not alone should
there be a mighty expression of
national joy at the thought of our
country's freedom. but there should
al the same time be due appre-
citation felt among all elements of
the people, young and old, for the
actual meaning of our liberty, the
price at which il was obtained anj
the lessons it left for us to profit
by.
That glorious document of his
tory, the declaration of inde
pendence, was not the mere product
Of a normal evolution. Rather was
il the grim and logical climax OF a
period of oppression and personal
unhappiness, the tortures and pri-
vations of which we shall never be
able properly to gauge IN our own
minds. While our cannon boom,
our bright flag streams in the
breeze, our fresh and uniformed
tial music, and our gay streamerS
and banners proclaim the JOY AMI
merriment of a loyal people, let us
pause long enough TO ask the chill
dren of today to consider the price
at which the nations liberty was
obtained and the sacrifices made
upon the altar of patriotism that
this American flag might noat
above us today, unchallenged and
unstained. The greatest nation OF
the earth clad in all its boundless
wealth, beauty, strength and gran
deur, should stand forth on each
occasion such as this and do hom-
age to those sterling pathfinders
and builders who by their unparal-
leled acts of valor and patriotism
made possible the existence of this
republic.
The declaration of independence was
read by Joseph Courageous of the Co
lumbia Park boys club.
southern dance by Evelyn and Ma
bel Valance, fancy dancing by Abby
Tnsley and gymnastics by the boys and
girls of the Eintracht turn verein were
features of the exercises.
In the evening there was display OF
fancy fireworks. Among the figures
represented in the display were those
of George Washington and Theodore
Roosevelt.