The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-09-19
OBSERVE RILEY
DAY IS APPEAL
OF DR.. ELLIS
"Neighborly Appear to
Churches and Schools Is
sued by Superintendent.

Wayne county schools and churches
are asked to observe the birthday of
James Whitcomb Riley, Sunday, Oct
Z, in "neighborly appeal issued by
State superintendent Of Instruction
Ellis.
DR.. Ellis appeal follows:
Like the peal Of distant convent
bell; like the tender whisperings Of
the leaves or the solemn sough of the
forest; like the echo of flute note
across the lake at twilight, come. out
Of the recesses of the recent past, the
memories Of our poet-laureate, James
Whitcomb Riley. AS heavens last
best gift to Indiana, the neighborly
people Of this great commonwealth
adore the name of Riley and hail the
recurrence of his birth anniversary
with joy almost transcendent. Not
because he saw more clearly than
others the frailties of his neighbors-
and he mirthfully and mercilessly not.
ed these-not because he drew bril-
liantly wise conclusions from his ex-
periences with the ordinary folks OF
his day-though he constantly crystal
ICED pioneer experiences into epigrams
of abiding value
And it's the man that does his best
Who gets more kicks than all the
rest
but because of a boundless love for
all mankind, and an affection for
children unprecedented, a sympathy
for the distressed - whatever the
cause, this was the character trait our
Hoosier singer possessed in bountiful
measure. Like little grains Of gold on
the mountainside, Of themselves not
particularly valuable, indicate unerr-
ingly the nearby storehouse of min
eral riches, so do our poets frequent
lifts. or trills, or the more suspended
illusions of the soul inevitably sug-
gest the presence of a life full Of
grandeur and Of goodness. He became
a singer because omnipotence taught
him to revere eternal truths In living;
and his poetry, in turn. Is but the
simple announcements of those veri-
ties.
Acts for Governor
Sunday, Oct Z, is the anniversary
of our laureate's birth. If serious i'll
ness did not forbid, we may be sure
we should have from the one whom
we affectionately call Governor James
p. Goodrich, formal appeal to the In
diana people, through public procla-
nation, for their appropriate observ-
ance of this day But because of our
great misfortune in this regard, as
head of the public school system of
Indinan, a system made vastly richer
because of the life of James Whit
comb Riley, am setting apart Friday,
Oct 5, 1917, as Riley day for all our
Indiana schools. public, private. paro-
chial. l earnestly recommend that
programs shall be prepared and exc
cuted in all our schools, the intent |
of which programs shall be the cher
ishing of the memory of Riley the
emulation of his sincere and simple |
Interpretation of the virtues Of our
people, and the inspiring to future
good behavior the children of our
schools who are soon to become the
men and women of the commonwealth. |
81 beg also to ask cooperation OF all
of Indiana's churches in this celebra-
ton, since Riley day proper is Sun
day, Oct. 7, 1917. In making this APP |
peal to pastors and priests alike,
beg to ask that the thought Of the !
universal brotherhood we all so much |
desire may thus be magnified."