, 1920-11-18

SCI f01 anu SDlhChs 40 NOAItn Always Slullt MIGn
a dinner is a success. The few children of the
colony chung to the women's skirts and looked in
awe at the Indians, who had come in full regalia
-plumed heads, painted faces and with bows and
quivers at their sides.
Dinner finished, tables were cleared and the
men rested their backs against stumps to let
digestion have Its way. But the Indians, who
hadn't Inherited digestions, decided 1t was time
to dance. So they yelped and jumped and danced
around to the delight of the settlers and to the
fright of the children.
Capt. Miles S~tandish, the same who lost a
bride by proxy, led out his company of twenty
soldiers and drilled them before the Indians.
Inc little band went through its maneuvers and
as a climax fired a couple of salvos from their
matchbox muskets. The Indians cheered Justify,
and crowded around the captain while he at
tempted to explain to them the mechanism of his
blunderbus.
Then, as now. sports were a part of the OBJ
servance of the day. In a clear space, leaping,
running and other athletic games were staged.
The Indians laid aside their fur cloaks and the
colonists peeled off their jackets and contested
for the honors. Evidently no records were low
cred, for the official score books have nothing In
them concerning this meet.
In the course of three hundred years the cele-
bration of Thanksgiving has become a national
custom. Its observance grew gradually and not
until the Civil war were our national Thanks
giving proclamations issued with annual recur-
renee. The presidents general Thanksgiving
proclamation is now supplemented by that Of the
governors OF the states.
In 1871 the Thanksgiving recommendation took,
for the first time. the form and nam of a procla-
nation. On September ID Roger Sherman. sec
onded by John Witherspoon, moved that Thursday,
December 10, be selected as a day of thanksgiving,
This Roger Sherman is unique in our history in
asmuch as he is the only man who signed all four
of the Great Documents: Articles of Associa-
ton, 1774; Articles of Confederation, 1775; Dec
laration of Independence, 1870, and Constitution,
1887.
The official growth of the Thanksgiving Day
observance was quite gradual. The Massachu-
sets Bay Colony officially designated such a cele-
bration In 1880, Connecticut followed example in
1889, and the Dutch of the New Netherlands I'm
February, 1914.
The day OF observance varied. some of the
colonies holding their Thanksgiving as early ma
July and others as late as February; but, by
degrees, II came to the great harvest celebration
thus preserving the true Significance of the first
Thanksgiving Day.
The first officially appointed Thanksgiving
Day observed by the whole nation was the twenty
sixth of November, 1883, which George Washing
ton proclaimed as a day for rendering the thanks
of the people to Heaven for the good fortune that
was theirs at that time. Washington had been In
office just six months as the first President of the
United States.
This document is couched In an exalted strain
that should bear its message anew to every Ameri-
can today. After a brief preamble, the proclama-
ton says:
"Now, therefore, / do ecommend and assign.
Thursday, the twenty-sixth Of November next. to
be devoted by the people OF these states 10 the
service of that great and glorious Being who is the
benefcient author OF all the good that WINS, that is.
or that VIII be. That we may then unite I'm ron.
dering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks
for His kind care and protection of the people OF
this country previous to their becoming a nation.
for the signal and manifold mercies and fayornbIe
interpretations of His providence In the course ana
conclusion OF the late war; for the great degree
Of tranquility. union and plenty which we have
since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational
manner In which we have been enabled TO establish
constitutions of government for our safety ana
happiness. and particularly the national one now
lately Instituted for the clvfl and religious liberty
with which we are blessed and the mems we
have of acquiring and dlffuslng knowledge. and.
In general, for all the great favors which He hath
been pleased to confer upon us.
"And also that we may then unite I'm most
humbly Offering our prayers and applications TO
the great Lord and Ruler Of nations, and beseecb
Him TO pardon our national and other transgres-
stons; 10 enable us all, whether In public or
private stations, to perform our several duties
properly and punctually; to render our national