Norwich bulletin., 1917-10-13


 ITIoN WORTH WHILE For that reason, and after free and 1 prolonged discussion, it was voted to change the celebration dates frdun the
 original Sept. and to July and 6. l ThIs action of the eoTnnfittss was
 acquiesced in even by those who feared
 thet the celebration might develop into
 United States rather than an historic
 commemoration, and that the time for preparation. thus reduced to sixty l oays, would be insufficient.
 l But, as in the days of Nehemiah,
 the son of Hachaliah, MT. Gilman, | writes. when the walls of Jerusalem
 we're to be rebuilt all 'the people had a mind to work" so the people of | Norwich, as they have never failed to l do in an emergency, rose to the occa- I sion with one heart and voice. and thus | a successful celebration was assured in advance. .\
 In 1859, continues Mir. Gilman,
 yo ung girl wao was present at the bi-
 centennial celebration, prided herself upon the fact that sine was entitled to
 
 Of Norwich and one as the descendant l of a native, whereas her mother. all i though she was the wife of a native l and the mother of a native, was per
 mitted to wear only the less distig- uished decoration of a guest.
 Ia 1909, fifty ysars later, all that was changed. Such fine distinctions were native born or descendant of found CT. or an adopted fellow citizen of foreign ancestry. was extended the right hand of fellowship. provided that he knew the shibbo1eth well enough to make his Norwich rhyme with por- ridge!
 A general program was adopted, five thousand invitations were issued, con- tracts were made for badges, flags electrical displays, fireworks, bands of music, for paradee and concerts, Aor reviewing stands. for a military parade and for feeding the soldiers, for an ex- hibition of historical tableaux, for the erection of an imposing plaster statue called The Founders. for hotel ac- commodations for distinguished guests, for reduced railway fares. for a loan exhibition by the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well. as for the unveilin gof the meromial foun- tain under their auspices, for the ex- hibition of the airship California Ar row for athletic sports and harbor 1 parade and for a grand military and ] civic procession, etc.
 A committee of public health and l safety. of which the late Dr. P. H. | ed. and proclamations were issued by | the mayor of the city and the first se- lectman of the town restraining the use ! of firecrackers and other explosives.
 The historical committee, of which | m rt,lI to place suitable markers on one hun dred and fifty interesting historic | spots in the town and issued a large edition of an explanatory handbook Places in the Ancient Town of Nor wich,'' (which as reprinted in MT. Gil- i mans bookD Finally, a special com mittee. consisting of Dr. Frederick P. r jam c. Gilman and Frederick T. Sayles was appointed to take charge of ser vices to be held on Sunday at the up- town burial ground.
 As the day approached, MT. Gilman writes, intense interest was felt as to the arrival of President Taft; would it ! be prevented by the failure of Con- gress to act on the pending tariff bill; would he come from Washington or Beverly-via New London or Willi- mantle: at what hour would he ar- rive: could his private car run wsh SAIcLy on the vermont central tracks! All these debatable questions were happily settled. When the time came every man was at his post. He was expected to do his duty, and, whit were in such perfect adjust ment that no rehearsal. no tuning up. no trial trip was needed. The moment the signal was given the wheels began to move like clockwork. without a jolt or jar, and so continued without any miS1ap or accident.
 For the first of the public ser vices to celebrate the 250 anniversary of the town, there was a service on II Sunday afternoon July 4th. which com the thirty five Founders This was held at four o'clock in the old Norwich Town burial ground, where more than five hundred persons stones that marked the last resting place of many of the forefathers.
 The spot ehosen for the services was where a weeping willow overlooking the assemblage bore upon it's trunk the names of four of the Founders buried in this plot-Thomas> Adgafe. simon Huntington, John Post and , Thomas Waterman, as we'll as that of ] Huntington, Jr., the first ( of the males born in the settlement. Is
 Tho ushers who arranged the audi ence in front of the gentle slope where ' he speakers stood were George F. Hyde. John E. Luther. Jeremiah Mur- ohy. Thomas Casey. William Wells l Iymar and R. Huntington Gulliver. S
 Or. F. p. GuIliver was in cF1arue of ! he service. which opened with a hymn ! lirected by Frederick W. Lester. The welcome in the name of the Founders :, vas given by Dr. Gulliver. The invo- .ation was by the successor of Rev. :, James Fitch as pastor of the First i ! church Rev. George H. Ewing. As many of the ancestors ! anne from Saybrook. the late Rev. Dr. 1ewel1yn Pratt, pastor Of Broadway .hurch, spoke on The Outgoing from saybrook" ie
 The advance guard of the settlers [