White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-05-05
(Contributed)

celebraClOn ana Tree planning Will ne
remembered by old and young for
many years. After week or more of
wind and showers perfect day dawn
ed. Friday, April &c.. was an epoch
making day in the history of this COM
munity.
Including students of both the high
school and grade school there was a
crowd of nearly four hundred to help
participate in the days activities.
Promptly at two o'clock, Supt. G.. M.
Nelson opened the celebration in the
high school auditorium with talk
describing the purpose behind the ma
tion-Wide programs being given from
February % until Thanksgiving Day.
He explained that besides being an
effort to bring the life and memories
of George Washington more closely to
the thought of every citizen of the
United States, the programs also were
to serve the purpose of giving every
individual the opportunity to recon-
secrate his patriotic ideals with the
inspiration found in the standards Of
Americanism set by Washington.
He stated that Congress began pre-
parations in 1926 by appointing COM
mission to make plans for national
undertakings and programs in honor
of the 200th birthday of Washington,
and that they also provided funds for
the same.
Of most interest were the various
memorials and projects Mr.. Nelson de-
scribed as having been perpetuated in
honor of this occasion. Our federal
government has issued IL new postage
stamps bearing different likenesses Of
Washington, and also has authorized
new twenty-five cent piece which
will be stamped with his image. An
attempt has been made to collect every
possible portrait and painting of Wash
ington which has ever been produced,
and there are now about 5000 such
pictures in the Cqsrgyessionals Art Cal
lery in Washington, d. @. All private
and business papers have been collect
ed also into work numbering Is VOL
unes, the greatest work ever pro-
duced concerning George Washington.
A $4,000 restoration project has been
undertaken at Wakefield, Virginia,
the birthplace of Washington, while
the most stupendous undertaking Is
the monstrous carving of Washing
tons face that is being hewn in gram
tie cliff on mountain top in the
Black Hills, South Dakota.
Mr.. Nelson closed with brief sum-
mary of the great amount of material
that has been available for pageants
and programs in honor of this fine
statesman and explained how fitting
a tree dedication ceremony was as a
means of celebrating the Washington
Bcentennial.
At the close of this talk the old
song, Garry Me Back to Old Virginny
was given by members of the Junior
Woman's Club in the costumes of the
darkies of long ago. 1t was difficult to
recognize some of the singers but the
number was very we'll rendered, the
humming being most effective.
In her usual efficient way, Mrs. Earl
Soden recited "Washington's Birth
day."
The Colonial playlet, "a Stitch in
Time, presented by the girls of the
7th and 9Th grades sewing class, while
not depicting an episode from the life
of our great leader, did furnish an
insight into the life of women folk in
that time. Jean McFee took the part
of the mother, Nina Jean Grifiths and
Thelma Foster the parts of the daugh-
tiers, the latter playing Lucy, the one
who takes the important stitch in
time" Mary Walker was the American
soldier and Irene Larsen and Elaine
Coleman took the parts of the Rec
Coats. The play was we'll acted.
AS a special tribute to Washington
and his patriotic ideals a unit of the
program was given over to a demon
stration and instruction concerning the
history and correct observances of the
United States flag.
Elroy Wiehl read paper on "The
History of the Flag" which was fol-
lowed by fine rendering of the "Stal
Spangled Banner" by a double duet
composed of Aletha Hemker, Louise
Shinn, Gertrude Upton and Evelyn
Richmond. The boys of the 7th and
9Th grades then gave pointers from
the national flag code as to methods Of
displaying the flag and it's proper care
AS a conclusion to this unit Josephine
Westling, Lauretta Griffiths and Laura
Nelson demonstrated the school flag
salute; a very effective number, the
girls looking ideal in their middies
and ties.
An appealing feature OF the program
was the singing OF Yankee Doodle
by the small children of the first ano
second grades. All wore caps of red
white and blue. The song was led BY