Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-15
FOUNDERS HONORED
AS GEORGIA MARKS
19OTH anniversary

On February II, 1888, a hardy lit
tie band of Englishmen, led by Cen
eral James Edward Oglethorpe, knelt
ON Yamacraw bluff, near Savannah,
ana gave thanks to God for the fair
and debt-free land to which they had
come, calling it Georgia in honor of
their king, George II, OF England.
And on Monday, February Il,
1923, one hundred and rinety years
to the day after that historic event,
Georgians everywhere are taking a
little time out from the busy whirl
of a work-a-day world to do them
honor.
From the head-waters Of the Alta
maha and the Savannah rivers to
the Atlantic seaboard, in county
seat and busy metropolis, on quiet
countryside and in the hurrying
marts of trade, they will stop for a
while to remember the heroism of
| that little band.
At noon Monday the student bod
les of two of Atlanta great educa-
tional institutions the Boys High
school and the Fulton High school,
met together at the city auditorium
for a special Georgia day" pro-
gram, arranged under the auspices
Of the Joseph Habersham chapter
of the D. A. r.
Eugene r. Black, president of the
Atlanta Trust company, was the
speaker of the day, calling to the
minds Of the hundreds of boys and
girls the heroism of those first Geor-
CLANS and pointing them to their
duties in keeping alive through the
years that are to- come the sacred
4 heritage and trust that has been
handed down to them by past gen
erations.
And when he had finished speak.
ing the boys and girls got on their
feet and sang patriotic songs in
honor of the day. THE Star Span.
gled Banner" America" and. last
but far from least, Georgia that
grand old song, almost a hymn,
that has been dedicated to their
own state.
w. f.. Dykes, principal of the Full.
ton High school, was master OF
ceremonies, and music was furnish
ed by City Organist Charles Shell
don and the orchestra of the Boys
/ I1lSn SCnOUl,
1 Similar programs, although, per.
haps not so elaborate, were given
in all of. Atlanta's schools and in
schools all over the state, all of
htem reminiscent of that first
Georgia day." when 100 persons,
men. women and children, on the
good ship, "Anne," dropped anchor
in the Savannah river and settled
the last of the thirteen original
states.
| They were debtors. most Of them.
Men and women, who had been
| thrown~in prison in the Old World
because Of their poverty, and they
were seeking freedom. They owed
their freedom to General Oglethorpe,
who secured the charter for Georgia
and personally paid the expenses of
the voyage.
| On Yamacraw bluff the adven-
turers found small tribe of In
dams, Yamacraws and Yemassees,
and the legend has it that they
were friendly. A treaty was signed
/ chichi, their venerable chief, and
the foundation of the great COM
monwealth of today was laid, on
I generosity and friendship.
Since that first Georgia Day.
the land has grown and flourished
under the beneficent will of a kind
ly Providence beyond the widest
| dreams of those first explorers.
Great cities have sprung from
virgin forests; where rivers once
deshed unfettered through noun
tain gorges, great dams now block
their progress and their power
turns the wheels of commerce.