The Washington times., 1936-12-19
Outstanding
Historic
Event
By J. T. Williams, Jr.

15Oth anniversary Of the adoption
of the Constitution Of the United
States.
Last year the Congress, with one
accord, created Sesqui-Centen-
NAL Commission to provide an
appropriate observance Of this
epochal event. The President is
the chairman of the commission.
It's members include the President
of the Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, five
Senators appointed by Vice Presi-
dent Garner, five Representatives
appointed by Speaker Bankhead,
and five commissioners appointed
by the President, with Representa-.
tive Bloom of New York as the
director general.
It is the purpose of the commits
sion to make the Constitution
Sesqui-C Centennial a national cele-
bration that will engage the atten.
ton of all members of the great
American family and so inform
their intelligence regarding the
meaning to each and every one Of
them of the Constitution as to
quicken anew their sincere resolve
to maintain the liberties it was
established to protect.
AN ACTIVE PART
In pursuance Of this high pur.
pose the Commission has invited
the public schools of every State in
the Union as well as the private
schools and all institutions Of
higher learning to take an active
part in the celebration of the Con-
stitution's sesqui-centennial year.
The actual observance will begin
on September II, 1937-the day on
which the Constitution was signed
$50 years ago. It will terminate
on April 80, 1899, the 150th ami
versary of the inauguration Of
George Washington as the first
President of the United States.
The 10 months intervening be-
tween the opening and closing date
will correspond to the beginning
and the conclusion of the contests
arising from the ratification Of
the Constitution by the several
States then existing and the time
required to organize and establish
j the Government.
These 19 months will afford
ample opportunity, it is believed,
to enlist the household of the
nation in general and it's younger
members in particular in the car.
rying out of a program that will
give the whole country better
understanding of the rights the
people enjoy under the Constitu-
ton and also of the responsible
ties which it's support imposes
upon every citizen.
SIGNIFICANT DATES
During these 19 months which
this program will cover, four an.
niversary days will be set apart
for special observance North, East,
South and West. These are:
September II, 1937-the 15Oth
anniversary of the actual sign
ing Of the Constitution.
June FL, 1938-the 15Oth an.
niverSary of the establishment
of the COnStitution--that is, the
date on which the ninth State,
New Hampshire, ratified 1t and
insured its adoption.
April 80, 1939-the 15Oth an.
niverSary of WashingtOn's in
auguratiOn as the first Presi-
dent, and
Estate Day." the birthday Of
each State-that is to say the
date on which the State rati.
fled the Constitution, if it was
one of the ratifying States, or
the date on which the State was
admitted to the Union.
Every school in the country IS
expected to take part in the plant
ing of a Constitution Tree" on
September II, 1887. These 250,.
600 trees planted on the same day
by the schools of the United
States and its territories and in
sular possessions are intended to
be living witnesses to the life of
the Constitution in our own day
and generation.
OTHER FEATURES
AS an aid to the classroom study
of the Constitution by the school
children Of the Nation the. COM
mission will soon issue a specially
prepared book under the title
I'VE, the People," This will give
an account of the origin and for
nation of the Constitution to,
gether with texts of the ConStitu-
ton and its Amendments and also
of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence and the Farewell Address.
Other features of the SeSqui-Cen-
tennial program will include edu-
cational tests, the award of med
ais and the issuance of a series Of
Sesqui-C Centennial stamps.
= At truly national celebration Of
this memorable event, led by the
President and the Vice President
and the Speaker of the House Of
Representatives would seem to be
an appropriate Inauguration Of
AN era of good feeling"
The active participation by all
the people in this observance of
the Constitutions SeSqui-Centen,
: nial should go far "to moderate
the fury of party spirit, to warn
against the mischiefs of foreign
intrigue, to guard against the i'm
. poStures of pretended patriotism"
against which the Father of His
Country admonished his people in