Smyrna times., 1957-07-25
DEDICATION OF
COMMERCE ST.
Celebration Held Wednesday
Night with Crowd of
5000 People Here
PARADE OF PROGRESS"


sored by the Smyrna-Clayton
Junior Chamber of Commerce last
Wednesday night and the streets
were filled with an estimated
5000 people who had come to see
the dedication of Commerce
Street. The floats cleverly depict
ed progress and the exhibits of
cars, covering models from 1928
to 1857, which were shown by
the various car dealers in Smyr-
ma, pointed up the theme. Miss
Delaware of 1857, Kathy d'Attilio,
rode on a magnificent Blue Hen"
float of the Jaycees, a fitting
theme for a float for a Delaware
queen, which had been designed
by Thomas Mulligan, art instruc-
tor at the high school. Governor
J. Caleb Boggs paid tribute to
the people for the inspirational
ceremony, and noted that the
100000 project was a joint eff
fort of the federal and state gov
ernments, with the cooperation of
the Town of Smyrna. He called it
IAN expression of old-fashioned
American appreciation" and a
challenge to us to preserve a
great heritage and ito build bet
ter for tomorrow" Richard A.
Haber, chief engineer of the State
Highway Department, expressed
his gratitude saying that "it was
the first time a town had shown
appreciation Of project" Mayor
George M. Blendt thanked the
Highway Department and paid
tribute to the Jaycees who had
planned and staged the celebra-
tion. 1t. Gov. David P. Buckson
referred to what the people had
endured during the rebuilding of
the street which was necessary for
progress. About thirty units, in
cluding marching groups and
floats, passed the reviewing stand
at Market Street Plaza after the
tape was cut by Governor Boggs,
and the parade continued on Com
merce Street to Main, to South,
thence to Market Street Plaza
Among the local units were the
prize-winning band of the Citiz-
ems Hose Company, with Char
lotte Walker as majorette, and
the Atlas Post, American Legion
band lending zest to the march
ers. Led by the 10th Rifle Color
Guard of the Marine Corps Re-
serve, the state and civic leaders
followed in convertibles, followed
by the marching units, represents
atives and equipment of the fire
companies of surrounding towns
Little League baseball teams, and
Delaware National Guard units
the Julia E. Gibbs marching unit
and the American Legion Auxili-
ary of Wyoming, Del. A colorful
note was added by little Patti
Heinold, who rode in back of the
Miss Delaware float, typifying a
future Miss Delaware" The en-
tire membership of the Citizens
Hose Company made a splendid
showing in their blue uniforms
and sparked by their own band
In addition to the Governor, 1t
Governor, and the Mayor, the
special guests on the reviewing
stand included State Rep. Char
les King, Hugh r. Sharp, Jr.
state highway commissioner; Les
ter Novinger, construction engin-
eer; Wallace McFaul, Kent Coun-
ty division engineer; Mayor Char.
les Machamer of Clayton; also
Town Manager Rex D. Gilmore
and the following councilmen;
John E. Wilson III, William E
Jones, William Schoolfield, Cliff
ton Jones, Kenneth D. Smith and
Alfred Mack. In spite of the
large number of people in town
there was no confusion or traffic
jams as the move was made from
the site of the dedication to Lake
Como, where an exhibition by
champions of swimming and div.
ing was staged by the Whining
ton Swim Club. The Smyrna
police mad the assistance of Il
members of the Kent County
Auxiliary Police in uniform
George E. Bryson was master Of
ceremonies at the dedicatory pro.
gram. Rodney Schuman, president
of the Jaycees, was chairman fol
the affair and had the assistance
of all of the Jaycees, who are tc
be congratulated for the success
full effort to express appreciation
for the new street. The evidence
all pointed to superior planning
and execution of one of the most
inspiring events ever held here.