The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-12-14
Single Copy 7e
CEREMONIES WILL
MARK ANNIVERSARY
OF WRIGHT FLIGHT
Plans Announced for 53rd Ami
versary Program at Kill Devil
Hills Next Monday
By AYCoCK BROWN

Unuer the leadership OF miles IL.
Clark, president of Kill Devil Hills
Memorial Society, the 53rd ami
versary celebration of Wilbur and
Orville Wright's famous first
flights of December II, 1908, will
be observed at Kill Devil Hills
next Monday morning beginning
at 1915 o'clock, with ceremonies
at the monument atop the hill, fol-
lowed by the anniversary luncheon
at The Carolinian.
Vice-Admiral A. C. Richmond,
commandant of the United States
Coast Guard, will fly to Dare
County Monday morning to take
part in the program at the n1onu-
ment and later to have the princi-
pal speaking role at the luncheon.
Wade Mari, distinguished Eliza
beth City lecturer, will be master
of ceremonies for the occasion, and
the famous Elizabeth City High
School Band, in colorful full-dress
uniform under the direction of
Scott C. Galloway, will provide
music for the occasion.
Most thrilling event of the day
will come at II o'clock, when
squadron of Air Force F-1OO Jets
will Zoom over the monument at
speeds in excess Of the speed of
sound. Arrangements for the thrill
ling flyover which will climax the
ceremonies at the monument were
made by the Air Force Association
with headquarters in Washington.
The Air Force Association for
the past several years has been
one of the sponsors of the annual
celebration concentrating the
birth of powered flight here on
the Dare Coast So years ago. Also
co-sponsoring the annual event
will be the National Park Service,
which is expected to be represent
ed at the ceremonies and luncheon
not only by Horace Dough, super
intendent of the National Monu-
ment reservation, but also by Off
Gals of Cape Hatteras National
SeaShore and officials from the
Richmond and Washington offices
of the National Park Service.
The ceremonies at the monument
will follow the same pattern as in
former years. An impressive part
of this program is the placing of
wreathes at the base of the monu-
ment in memory of the Wrights,
who had started their experiments
with gliders at Kitty Hawk in 1900
and successfully made four take
offs in a powered craft at Kill
Devil Hills three years later.
This year there will be no wit
ness of the first flight present at
the ceremonies, but several persons
who were closely related to those
who knew or helped the Wrights
when they were here first a half
century ago will be present. This
special guest list includes widows
of first flight witnesses, Mrs. Addi-
son Swindell and Mrs. John Moore.
(Mrs. John 7. Daniels, due to ill
ness, will be unable to attend.)
Also expected for the celebration
will be Mrs. Sybil Dough Ether
idge, whose father was one of the
first flight witnesses; she barely
missed seeing the epochal event
herself. Mrs. Etheridge states that
she did see the attempted takeoff
from the slopes of Kill Devil Hill
on December IA, or three days be-
fore successful flights from level
ground at the base of the hill. Also
expected for the ceremonies is
Elijah Baum of Kitty Hawk who
met the boat that brought Wilbur
| to Kitty Hawk in September 1900.
Alpheus w. Drinkwater, who lays
claim to helping relay the first
message of the first flight from
the brothers to their sister in Day
ton, Ohio, will also be present.
Wreathes from Dare County viii
be placed by grapddaughters of
first flight witnesses.
Herb Kalish, Air Force Associa-
ton iaison for the event, in Wash
ington stated today that several
news reporters, photographers, tel
evision and radio representatives
would be flying down for the
event. At least one North Caro-
lima television station, WNCT,
Greenville, will be here, and dis
tinguished guests will include the
Andy Griffiths, who are visiting
here before going to Hollywood
soon where he makes new movie.