Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-24

WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 23.-
Amcricansm. a movement which is
getting thorough workout all over
tho United States at the present time.
IS finding its most elaborate expression
In Indiana. This year marks the Tooth
anniversary OF the admission OF the
Hoos!er State into the Union and steel,
agriculture and school systems have
been temporarily lost sight or In the
Importance Of celebrating the event
Beginning with the first Of the year,
every county. public school and NO
mans club undertook TO search .imeri-
can history for Indiana episodes, on
which 10 build patriotic celebrations
that are following each other In rapid
succession. Indiana having 4 long list
10 choose from.
ON the last day OF The school year,
every public school throughou; the
state held a pioncer-day celebration
in which the school children. many or
whom were descendants OF famous
pioneers. enacted various incidents or
local history. Some even wore the
ancient hcirlooms OF their ancestors
hawks. carefully preserved through
several generations.
While Indiana has been tho scene OF
many interesting events in the 100
years Of its statehood, the pioneer pc
riod is most extensively featured be-
=.
Following close on the trail blazcd by
the Lewis and Clark expedition came
many cmi.rants from the scaboard and
the Carolinas. hcwins their log cabins
out Of forest wilderness and living
on the spells OF their rifles until they
could harvest their corn.
The mcu who played prominent
part in the States history are also
widely impcrsonated. II possible by
their direct descendants. William
Henry Harrison, no more famous az
President Of the United States than as
Governor Of Indiana; Abraham Lincoln,
who lived fourteen years in Indiana
where il is claimed he acquired his
lioosier story telling habit: Mad An
thony Wayne. the Stoncwall jackson
OF the Middle West: George Rogers
Clark and Tccumseh have all appear
cd several times this year In differ
cnt centennial celebrations. The Bat
tie Of Tippcccanoc and the taking OF
Fort Ninccnncs received no more pub
licity at the time OF their occurrence
thhh they have lately in Indiana
National Sentiment F0stcrcd.
But. although local history is Ger
ta!hly wcll represented. national sem
tlincnt is not neglected IL is not
overlooked that the real factor OF the
centennial is the admission Of In
diana into The Union One pageant
Nh'-H recently LOOK pace featured TINS
ldca III a unique and attractive man
ner The first scene showed the figure
or Columbia on horseback, attended
by her daughters, Liberty and Jus
tice. while leading the horses were
soldiers OF the American Revolution.
oh elther side were small companies OF
coStumed figures supposed TO represent
capital and labor. while after them
came soldiers wearing the uniforms
popular In 1SlG--the year Indiana en-
tered the Union. On the heels of these
came 300 children dressed in tho in
diNidual co!ors of the flag, who took
such positions that they formed liv-
ing banner. in which was placed the
additional star OF Indiana young
woman, clothed in blue mantle and
wearing crown containing huge
, star. After this, several dancers allie
Sorically supposed To represent In
diana's contributions to the Union in
the way of forests, fruits, harvest and
flowers. were presented formally to
Columbia. IT is saying much for the
unexpected modcsty OF the state that
literature was not represented
As a rule, Indiana initiates its chest
Mt the mere mention Of the word au-
thor. Forty years ago. such was the
stigma on the name of iooSier that
an Indianan travelling in other parts
OF the country always stated vaguely
that he lived in the Ohio Valley; now
nc dHSNtiS III lOuu voice lnaI he Is
from Indiana. and will even go so far
as to mention the town he is from
Because the State once had large
population OF illiterate rural Ameri-
cans, the rest Of the country was un-
der the misapprehension that all In
diana was Hoosier dialect. 1T remained
for James Whitcomb Riley to interpret
the Hoosier to the world. and for Ed
ward Eggleston to teach tho Indianans
themselves n lesson i'm local pride.
EggIeston Made LOcnl Pride.
Some years ago n prominent maya
zine expressed It's sympathy for Ed
ward Eggleston, a man of superior
intellect and culture, who was COM
PEELED to live in any place SO crude as
Indiana. Mr.. Eggleston Immediately
took 1t upon himself to answer this
statement. asserting that he was per-
fectly satisfied with Indiana. and con-
sidered that he would have lost rather
than gained had he been born in New
Bedford or Beacon Hin. After that,
Indianans began to hold up their heads
and take deliberate occa sion 10 tell
people they were Hoosicrs.
lIoosier is significant Of the dis
Effectiveness OF Indiana, just as Yankee
Is OF New England. In tho midst OF
the Middle Western States. Indiana has