Milford chronicle., 1961-03-17
Centennial Commission
To Meet On April HIP
In Charleston, S. c.

South Carolina charleston. tHe
city that echoed in 1861 with the
first hostile firing OF the Civil War
will present an authentic back
ground both i'm scenery and cos
tunes when the fourth national
assemble of the Centennial Com
mission is held there April ll-l2.
The atmosphere of the Civil War
era will be noticeable on all Sides
and all of il will be by way of
welcome. Many male residents will
wear boards. the hirsute adOrn-
ments so reminiscent of the per-
iod. HoSteSses will be gowned in
the flowing dresses of the Sixties
Citadel cadets. manning the bat
teries that sounded notes OF de-
fense there 100 years ago. will be
dressed in authentic Confederate
uniforms. And as a final fillip,
the Outhurst of cannon fire that
Beauregard's troops poured on
Fort Sumter will he reenacted
with pyrOtechnics and not the fire
works of warfare.
Karl S. Belts. executive director
of the National Commission. pre-
diets the meeting will be the most
important pertaining TO the Civil
War held in the last Century.
Here for the first time" he said
I'VE will have an opportunity to
assess ourselves on a basis or
performance. BY that time several
OF our more important opening
ceremonies will have taken place,
and our speakers will be expected
to point out to us what lies ahead
and how to improve our programs.
AS a special highlight of the pro-
gram. Postmaster General j. Ed
ward Day and some OF his depu-
ties will be on hand to present
to the American public for the
first time the Fort Sumter COM
memOrative stamp to be issued
in memory of the occasion. This
stamp will go on sale on April
12 at the main post office in Char
lesion.
The Centennial observance be-
gan officially on January with
companion ceremonies at tn e
tombs of General u. s. Grant in
New York and of General Robert
F. Lee at Lexington. Va. Since
then programs have called atten-
tiOn to the Peach Convention at
Washington. ID. c.. the inaugura-
tiOn OF President jefferson Davis
at Montgomery. Ala, and other
events. all on anniversary dates.
More than 500 delegates from
every state in the Union are eX-
pected to attend the national as
sembly. II will open with a lunch
con meeting on April IL and close
after a morning session the fol-
lowing day. in time for those in
attendance to take part in cere-
monies marking the anniversary
of the firing on Fort Sumter.
Principal speaker at the assembly
will be Ashley Halsey. Jr., Civil
War editor OF The Saturday Even
ing Post and commander of the
Hampton Legion Of the North
South Skirmish Association. II
talk will be given at banquet on
the evening of the opening day.
looked upon as perhaps the out
standing event on the entire pro-
gram.
All sessions will be held at the
Francis Marion Hotel. with Major
General U. s. Grant, 3rd chairman
of the National Commission, pre-
siding. Also on hand will be Rob-
ert f. Lee. 4th. national advertis-
ing manager of The San Francisco
Chronicle, the first time that these
two descendants of the senior
commanders to emerge from the
war will have apparel together
at a Centennial ceremony.
Delegates will be welcomed by
Governor Ernest F. Hollings of
South Carolina and Mayor Palmer
Gaillard, Jr.. of Charleston.
A part OF the program will per-
tain to the restoration of Fort
Sumter. This has been carried out
as a part of the Mission Sc pro-
gram of the National Park Service.
and representatives of that agency
will be present TO discuss prob
lens encountered in connection
with the project and to describe
work accomplished.
Special displays of their Sunday
supplements in which were repor-
ted events of 100 years ago will
be arranged at the assembly at
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
The Washington Evening Star. and
The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
In addition to Mr.. Halsey, other
speakers for the two-day assembly
will include Carl ZenOr, represen-
ting the Indiana Civil War Cen
tenniai Commission: Mrs Gladys
Slayden of Mississippi. who will
discuss the Confederate Centenn-
ial Conference, and Paul Sedgwick
chairman of the District of Col
umbia Centennial Commission.
Committee reports will feature
the program of the second dav
These will come from Kermit v.
Sloan of The Curtis Publishing
Company. chairman of the newly
formed Centennial Advertising.
Committee. and from a represen-
tative of a special television COM
mittee set up in Hollywood
For the benefit OF delegates, the
Charleston Centennial Committee,
under the direction of Julian Metz
of the local Chamber of Commerce
and John A. May. State Centennial
Commission chairman. has arrang-
ed tours TO historic points of in
terest in Charleston and an excur-
oiou fo E'hrf CuTnfpr A cnecfaI