The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-05-08
STATE: 30 YEARS
| old |. } JUNE |! 2O,1sll3
JUNE 80 WILL NOT ONLY MARK
WEST vlRelNlA's FIFTIETH
BIRTHDAY BUT ALSO
STATEWIDE cELE.
l 1RATioN. - q
WEST VIRGINIA AROUSED

Official Celebration In Wheeling VIII
Be Supplemented BY Observance
Throughout the State Of Colder
Jubilee.
Scene: Any free school in West
Virginia.
Time: Present.
Characters: Teacher, pupils, par
eEts and other visitors including
school officials.
Teacher: Willie Tell, please arise
What date are all West virgInians go
ing to celebrate this year?
Willie: Friday. June 90.
Teacher: What anniversary falls on
that date?
Willie: The Semi.Centennial Of the
State.
Teacher: Give us in a few words
some facts about the birth OF West
Virginia.
Willie: The first steps that led up
to the formation of West Virginia as
an independent state were taken In
1861. On January 7, OF that year. the
Virginia General Assembly met In ex'
traordinary session, and week later
ordered an election held February 4
for delegates to a state convention at
the Capitol February 10, This con
vention passed an Ordinance of Sc
cession April II. The vote which was
taken in secret was IS in favor; Sc
opposed. Meetings of protest fol
lowed. but on the 18th of June the
Virginia Declaration OF Independence
was adopted in convention. Ordinance
reorganizing and restoring the Wiz
GINA state government passed June
10. with Francis H. Pierpont as gov
ernor.
Teacher: Very good, Willie. Now
shall ask Ina Speaker to take TIP the
story from this point. Ina, what
happened next? ... m...
Ina Speaker: At a meeting Of the
convention August 90 an ordinance
was passed ordering an election with,
in the boundaries of the new state.
Teacher: Wha' was the date Of this
meeting? ..
Ina Speaker: October "a, 1851. II
was at this meeting that the ques.
tons OF division and OF delegates
came Up. The vote for n new state
was largely in It's favor. the vote be.
ing 1883 for and 4Sl against. A new
constitution was framed and ratified
by the people April 3, 1862, by a vote
OF 1882 to ga.
The loyal assembly OF restored gov.
ernment OF Virginia met in Wheeling,
May 18th, and gave consent of Vir.
GINA to formation of West Virginia.
May 23th certified copy OF the Con.
stitution was presented by Senator
Wiley in the U. s. Senate. .
Bill for the admission of West Vir.
ginia passed Senate July 14th. In the
House OF Representatives, the bill was
made the order Of the day for Decem.
Der 9th. Passed the House, Decem.
Der 10th. and was approved. as a New
Years gift. by President Lincoln, the
night of December 81, 1862.
The Convention which had framed
the Constitution, without emancipa.
ton, was recalled and reassembled
February IL, 1868. The emancipation
patch was put on, and the amended
instrument ratified March 26. 1863.
April 28th President Lincoln, fav.
ing received the certificate of ratif.
cation, issued proclamation declar.
ing West Virginia a State in the Union
sixty days from that date.
June 20. 1868, West Virginia was in.
augurated and first administrative of.
ficers assumed their duties. at the
temporary capitol, the Linsly Instl
tute, in the city OF Wheeling.
School Official: wish to compli.
ment the teacher who has so success,
fully impressed upon the memories oil
these pupils this particular bit of his,
tory that we all, young and old, should
be familiar with. also wish to ex.
press to these two pupils my pleasure
at the intelligent manner in which
they have related the incidents lead.
ing up to the birth of West Virginia as
state.
You all know that there is to be a
great celebration In West Virginia In
honor of the states fiftieth anniver.
sary. The official place where these
exercises are to be held is the city
of Wheeling. An elaborate program
lis being prepared. In addition. how.
ever, to this official recognition of the
Golden Jubilee. there will be celebra.
tons everywhere throughout the state.
| want the children Of our great free
school system to take lively interest
in this great event, and assist In ev.
cry way they can to make the day
one long to be remembered. The
Semi.Centennial Commission has been
very much interested In the schools
and school children of our state and
are going to present two flags to ey.
cry school-one U. s. flag and one
state fag-the latter made and de.
signed especially for the celebration