Evening star., 1949-05-23
State Honored
AT Annapolis
Tercentenary
Week of Celebration
Officially Opened
By Gov. Lone
ky the Assc<ic,sc P,s.s

ANNAPOLIS, May 23.-With
clear weather forecast. Annapolis
got on with its week long ter
centenary celebration. with today
designated as Maryland State Day.
Gov. Lane set the keynote yes
terday at the official opening OF
the observance.
In the spring Of l649, Is years
after the first settlers came TO
Maryland. the General Assembly
of the Province Of Old st. Marys
wrote into law for the first time
in the history Of the world
the principle of freedom Of con-
science
Without the Act of Toleration.
Annapolis might not have been
founded and certainly not 800
years ago" he declared.
CThe Act Of liberation gave
the Colonists the right of free
dom Of worship, without fear
Of persecution
Rain Alters Plans.
Intermittent rain and water
soaked sod forced the planned
outdoor ceremonies into the Naval
Academy's Dahlgren Hall. The
$500 townspeople and visitors
also heard welcoming speeches
from Mayor William U. McCready
and Rear Admiral James L. Hollo-
way, Naval Academy superintend-
ent.
Archbishop Francis P. Keough
of the Catholic diocese OF Balti-
more delivered the invocation and
Rear Admiral William N. Thomas,
chief OF Navy chaplains, pro-
nounced the benediction.
A few spectators, including
about a dozen State legislators,
attended the official opening In
Puritan garb.
They joined the massed choirs
OF Anne Arundel County school
children in singing America" and
Maryland, My Maryland" to the
accompaniment of the Naval
Academy Band.
Stamp to Be Issued.
The high light of Maryland
State Day was to be issuing cere-
monies for the Annapolis tercen-
tenary Scent stamp at the Old
State House. This was to be pre-
ceded by an hours concert by the
Naval Academy Band.
Col. Earl w. Thompson, chair
man Of the Committee on Design
OF the stamp, was to preside.
William A. Strohm. Annapolis
postmaster, was to give the ad-
dress Of welcome.
Senator O'Conor and Repre-
sentative Sasscer, Democrats, of
Maryland. were to speak and then
Joseph J. Lawler, third assistant
postmaster general, was to present
the stamp. Gov. Lane was to
make the response to the presenta-
ton.
The stamp bears a copy Of a
seventeenth century map of the
of the Severn River
and Annapolis harbor, with a.
sailing ship Of that period and the
States coat-of-arms superim-
posed.
Tour Of Old Homes.
After q luncheon for distin-
guished guests the program was to
include the anniversary exhibition
Anne Arundel County, past and
present"-in the State Armory; a
tour Of Colonial homes, including
the Governors mansion. and
presentations.
Bunting and period flags draped
from windows and poles lend
holiday atmosphere to the winding
streets. The wearing Of Colonial
dress by the townspeople has been
curtailed somewhat by the rain.
but occasionally a full-skirted
figure was seen yesterday dodgins
the small pools in the worn brick
streets.
The celebrants OF this historic
town on the Severn River got their
first glimpse Of the birthday
festival Saturday night. when
premiere Of a two-hour pageant
was held.
The performance is to be held
each night through Wednesday.
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