USA > Connecticut > The tercentenary of Connecticut, 1635-1935 : the Connecticut ode, the tercentenary in review, Connecticut celebrates, Connecticut and her founders, the evolution of the government of Connecticut > Part 1
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M. D.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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E ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 4666
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The Tercentenary of
Connecticut
1635
1935
QUI
SUSTYNET
TRANSTULIT
The Connecticut Ode
The Tercentenary in Review
Connecticut Celebrates
Connecticut and Her Founders
The Evolution of the Government of Connecticut
THE TERCENTENARY COMMISSION of THE STATE of CONNECTICUT
1,71850
THE CONNECTICUT TERCENTENARY
1935
F 846 19625
Connecticut. Tercentenary commission.
The Tercentenary of Connecticut, 1635-1935. The Con- necticut ode. The Tercentenary in review. Connecticut cele- brates. Connecticut and her founders. The evolution of the government of Connecticut. New Haven?, The Tercentenary commission of the state of Connecticut (1936,
1 p. 1., (51-55 p. 23cm.
1. Connecticut-Centennial celebrations, etc. I. Title.
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36-27713
Library of Congress
F94.C8
¡ Gift '36
SHELF CARA!
074.0
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Connecticut Tercentenary Ode*
WILBERT SNOW
I.
W. HAT guerdon can we bring To the pioneers who made this valley ring With psalm and sword three centuries ago? The broad-axe in the river towns proclaimed Saint George adventuring forth once more to slay The dragons that were challenging his way To Liberty and Justice, setting free Man's urge in separate moulds to shape his plea That Heaven's will be tabernacled here. Connecticut was Jordan, and the clear Streams flowing to it marked the Promised Land. Here Hooker, Stone, and Ludlow took their stand And reared a Western tower that withstood The dragons of rebellion, fire, and flood.
II.
A heritage to honor ! As the oak That hid the Charter from an acorn grew, So from the Fundamental Orders broke
*"The Connecticut Tercentenary Ode" copyright, 1936, by Wilbert Snow.
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The twig our fathers planted to. renew The faith of men in nations. Yggdrasill Of Western soil, shed leaves of healing still !
III.
The hills conspired to drive the grimness out Of hearts too soon aware of savage death; Men roaming through the pastures, ringed about With blooms of laurel, breathing its sweet breath, Were nevermore content with door or panel Where beauty was denied its bead or channel. These homes our fathers cherished, like their laws, Reveal the steady minds of men who caught Life's dignity and beauty : freezing, thaws, Time's negligence, and scars blind worms have wrought Have sagged their oak foundations, yet they stand The architectural glory of the land.
IV.
Gloom settled on the pioneers to see The all too transient Oriental glow Of full-flung autumn on each wayside tree After a night of rain, fade out and go. (How could such foliage fling Defiance to the sky and fail to bring
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Down on its head cold winter's reckoning ?)
They watched the trees turn gray through countless falls And poured their heart's blood into gray stone walls. These walls their Pyramids; the Sphinx that gazed Upon them from the green, the white church spire, Whose priests curtailed the Liberty they praised, And dangled over Everlasting Fire The Pequots and the witches who defied The Hebrew god their stern faith magnified.
V.
Whence came the sternness? Was it from the rocks That pauperized their hillsides? Or the soil So thin it set young men to making clocks Or peddling Yankee notions ? Did it coil Out of the whirlwind gusts of cold that stormed Hard pews in Meeting Houses never warmed? Grim were the hardships, treacherous the foes Our fathers grappled with to make them strong; Out of their poverty and faith arose A breed that to the Iron Days belong. Gaze on their portraits, trace deep lines that spent Long nights in Doubting Castle with Despair ; Heed earnest eyes to whom the heavens had sent A sign like Jacob's when he strove in prayer.
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VI.
How numerous the heroes crowd this vale! A Revolutionary Muse might sing The blue-eyed teacher-athlete, Nathan Hale; Or "Brother Jonathan" whose echoes ring As true as Washington's who called him friend When friends were few and trusted leaders fled; Or Putnam, ambushed, wheeling to descend Precipitous steps; or Silas Deane who sped DeKalb and LaFayette when many a head Was bowed to meet an ignominious end.
VII.
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Another with a fancy more perverse Might sing the exploits of the untamed few With habits not so steady. Arnold's curse To him hides not the blessing. He would do Obeisance to the name of old John Brown, To Alcott smiting pedagogues of woe ; To P. T. Barnum tearing the black gown From Puritanic shoulders-there to throw A bright burnoose of merriment and cheers On folk who reckoned earth a pilgrimage of tears.
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VIII.
Our fancies, rather, let us weave around The men who hewed the rafters and the beams, Who served with Mason on Long Island Sound, And drove the imperturbable ox teams; Round sailors bearing lilacs from the far And fragrant Orient To merge at last their sweet, exotic scent And color with New England eyes and hair. How many a cellar yawns whose lilac tree Can conjure up the scene for you and me ! Tumbled the walls and hearthstone; tough scrub oak And hardy maple do their best to blind Our hearts to these our people left behind : Here is the record no success can bring To glorious fruition. Lilac, cling To your abandoned yard and broken wall Lest we forget the wormwood and the gall Steeped from New England hemlock. Reinvoke The memory of the days before the yoke Fell on unequal shoulders. Give to the breeze Your heart-shaped blossoms, may they tell what tears And laughter rounded out three hundred years Of new-world story from whose page we scan The enduring grief and dignity of man.
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The Tercentenary in Review
SAMUEL H. FISHER
LN the year 1635 three small bands of pioneers were begin- ning a precarious existence in the river settlements which subsequently became the towns of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield. From these early settlements there has grown the Commonwealth of Connecticut, rugged in its individualism, strong in its traditions, persistent in its ideas of economy. From the soil of this Colony and State have sprung leaders in religion, literature, medicine and industry, and here was formulated the first written document embodying the princi- ples of self-government based on constitutional liberty.
Several years ago there was quietly voiced a desire to pay tribute in this tercentennial year to those founders of Con- necticut as well as those who later helped develop the Commonwealth and who brought fame to it during these intervening years.
A meeting, at which different sections of the State were represented, was held in Hartford in December, 1927, at the home of Dr. George C. F. Williams. Those present agreed on the appropriateness of such a celebration and, under the leadership of the host of this first gathering, the idea of a Tercentenary was laid before the General Assembly at its session in 1929. The plan met with favor and a special act was passed authorizing the Governor to appoint a commission to make plans "for participation by the state in the appropriate observance of the three hundredth anniversary of the settle- ment of Connecticut as a colony." Such a Commission was duly
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appointed, and continued by authority of acts passed at suc- ceeding sessions of the General Assembly.
The Commission decided early that the celebration should be in keeping with the manners, methods and habits character- istic of the people of Connecticut,-that there should be a conservative, orderly progression of events following the best traditions of the State. This ideal persisted in the planning, and in the actual execution of the plans, from that day until the end of the celebration.
There may be said to have been four primary objectives in the mind of the Commission, and the events of the year have contributed more or less definitely toward these ends.
I. First, to record in permanent form the traditions of the past, and thus to point out the rich heritage the people of today have derived from their forefathers.
Naturally the most direct method of transmitting the stories of the early days was by publication. The Commission arranged for the printing and distribution of a series of his- torical pamphlets covering in somewhat popular form incidents of history thought to deserve a more permanent place in the records of Connecticut, many of which hitherto had been neglected or touched upon too briefly in available written accounts.
These were supplemented by an intensive study of Con- necticut history in the schools of the State. The study was made as comprehensive and attractive as possible by com- bining classroom work with lighter voluntary work, such as pageantry, plays and essays. This, which was one of the first activities of the Commission, was continued throughout the period of observance and will undoubtedly be carried on for many years as a result of the impetus given it during the year.
Addresses on historical topics and interpretations of the influences of the past were frequent throughout the State dur- ing the entire period of the Tercentenary.
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2. The second purpose was to interpret to the people at large the influences of the past and recount the occurrences of great historical significance by presenting them in popular and impressive form through exhibitions, pageants and parades, on a scale not only impressive but of enough magnitude and in such a variety of places as to give everyone an opportunity to see them and thus visualize the life and accomplishments of the former citizens of the State. Great exhibitions of furniture, paintings, costumes, utensils, books, maps, documents, records and other things which have been cherished as mementos of the men and women and the life of earlier days, but were seldom, if ever, on view to the public, came forth during the celebration and were assembled in attractive settings.
3. The third aim was to bring together the different ele- ments of our population so that groups with various national antecedents could have an opportunity to learn the history of the State and some of the traditions of American life while telling of the rich folk lore of their own mother countries and the contributions of their representatives to the present life of the Commonwealth. Thereby they would have greater pride in their adopted country and understand more clearly the con- tributions which they make to the life of the people. The keen, active interest in the parades and pageants of these varied racial groups evidenced their appreciation of this feature of the Tercentenary.
4. The fourth object was the practical one. Perhaps the best results for the State were effected by the advertising and publicity attendant upon the celebration. Without any par- ticular fanfare, those outside its borders were made aware of the splendid past, rich with the accomplishments of its citizens in government, law, art and craftsmanship, which Connecticut could celebrate. The people of the United States and those of many other lands know more about Connecticut because of the Tercentenary, and have a new picture of the State which was well worth while developing in the minds of the world at large.
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Aside from the educational program already referred to and the publication of the historical pamphlets, as well as the issuance of souvenirs designed as appropriate mementos, the public ceremonies of the observance began on April 26th when there was held at Hartford a joint meeting of the Supreme Court of Errors, the General Assembly and representatives of the administrative branches of the Government. The day was chosen as an anniversary of the meeting of the first General Corte of Connecticut, that body from which the three branches of our present governmental system have descended. The principal address of the day was by Chief Justice William M. Maltbie and is here printed. More than three thousand people filled the hall and many others outside heard the exercises through amplifiers.
About this time an essay contest, which had been conducted in the schools of the State, came to a close. In all parts of the State pupils of the public, private and parochial schools had been encouraged to write historical essays, and on May 10th the writers of the best twenty-four compositions of the contest received awards from the hands of the Governor for the excellence of their work.
Early in the month of June the Commission arranged, through the cooperation of musical clubs throughout the State, a choral concert in the Yale Bowl in New Haven with a great massed chorus of some three thousand singers. While this was designed as a form of popular entertainment, it also provided an effective medium for creating interest in the Tercentenary, for the singers were drawn from nearly every part of the State and the audience came from all sections of Connecticut as well as from other States. The program was broadcast over a hookup of about thirty radio stations of the United States and Canada.
In this State the town has always played an important part. It might be said to be the keystone of our political, social and economic structure. Connecticut is not dominated
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by any one great city, as is the case in many states. It is not surprising, therefore, that it early became obvious that the suc- cess of the Tercentenary was dependent on the cooperation of the various towns of the State rather than on any one great central event. To this end cooperation was sought from the different communities and, as an understanding of this desire on the part of the Commission became generally known, the aid and support of the several towns was readily given.
Town after town, through local committees, arranged something of interest such as exhibits, balls, pageants, parades, meetings, dinners, plays and reunions. Before the summer was over all but seven towns of the State had some sort of organ- ized participation, and these seven towns have a combined population of less than twelve thousand. Nowhere, so far as known, has there ever been such whole-hearted cooperation in every community of a State as in the towns of Connecticut in the observance of this Tercentenary. Nearly three million people have attended these local affairs which have proved the real heart of the celebration.
The observances took various forms, according to the inclinations of the communities and the size of the towns. In some cases several places combined to produce a more elaborate program. They varied from some sixty or more colorful pageants and parades, witnessed by hundreds of thousands, to simple gatherings on village greens under the graceful elms or maples. Historic relics and family heirlooms were brought forth for display. Dedicatory exercises were held when statues and other landmarks were unveiled. Indian vil- lages and settlers' cabins were reproduced. Many old meeting houses and neglected public buildings were restored, and in one town at least a permanent memorial was cut in the natural rock beside a much traveled highway.
It is not possible to recount all the varied activities of the different localities in these tercentennial celebrations, nor do credit to the many thousands of participants, but the spirit
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of cooperation fostered in these affairs, the local history re- vived, the impetus to local and State pride quickened by them is incalculable.
Also during the summer there were a number of State exhibits. One of the most representative collections of authen- tic Colonial furniture was assembled in Hartford and was visited by thousands. In New Haven there were unusual displays of the paintings by such early Connecticut artists as John Trumbull, Ralph Earl and Samuel F. B. Morse, as well as exhibits of silver and prints. The historical societies and leading libraries brought forth for examination their treasures of maps, books, prints and documents relating to Connecticut to prove an inspiration to the student and historian.
These were followed in the fall by other exercises. The Federal Government recognized the occasion and sent a squad- ron of destroyers to New London. The officers and men were welcomed in appropriate manner.
An educational day, with selected pupils and teachers from every town attending a meeting in Hartford, was followed on Monday morning of the next week with exercises in every school of the State commemorative of the founding of the Colony.
An Industrial Exposition in the State Armory in Hartford from October 2nd to October 12th, inclusive, gave the manu- facturers of the State an opportunity to evince their patriot- ism. This was a non-commercial display with no selling or advertising. Groups of manufacturers representing different industries combined to present the development of their prod- ucts historically over the years, as well as their present day output. Here again was shown a whole-hearted spirit of co- operation and nearly two hundred thousand people from home and abroad visited this Exposition and learned of our indus- trial growth.
On the evening of October 5th a choral concert of male voices charmed an enthusiastic audience in the Music Shed on
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the estate of Mrs. Carl Stoeckel in Norfolk. The three hun- dred singers came from different parts of the State and a nation-wide hookup gave the people of this and neighboring States an opportunity to hear the delightful program.
On Saturday and Sunday, the 5th and 6th of October, occurred the Connecticut Sabbath when the peoples of the different faiths and creeds met in their churches, pursuant to a proclamation of the Governor, to give thanks for their bless- ings and to recall the part which religion has played in the story of the Colony and State. These services were of varied types. In some cases the regular programs included special prayers and talks, while in others there were repro- duced the early Colonial services with the congregations in appropriate costumes.
No ceremony showed the keen interest of the various racial groups as did the indoor pageant which was staged in the Bushnell Memorial Hall in Hartford on the three evenings of October 8th, 9th and 10th. It was entitled "America's Making in Connecticut" and included among its actors all the principal nationalities which make up the citizenry of the State. A gorgeous spectacle, it recalled many of the leading historic episodes of Connecticut, climaxing in a striking gathering of all these representative racial groups in a beautiful scene which exemplified the spirit of cooperative endeavor possible in the years to come.
Early in the afternoon of Friday, October 11th, the Com- mission and special guests held a reception in the Memorial Hall of the State Library. This was followed by a dinner at the Hartford Club in an unusual, distinctive setting with mod- ern skits showing the early Puritans and their natural enemies, the Indians. A great public meeting, held later in Bushnell Me- morial Hall, included in its program an ode written for the occasion by Wilbert Snow of Wesleyan University, an his- torical address by James Rowland Angell, the President of Yale University, a short talk by Wilbur L. Cross, Governor
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of Connecticut (all of which are included in this pamphlet ) , as well as songs by Lawrence Tibbett, the popular baritone. The meeting was representative of the best traditions of the State, just as the reception and dinner were characteristic of Connecticut hospitality.
.The morning of Saturday, October 12th, dawned clear and bright and soon the city of Hartford was alive in anticipation of the Tercentenary parade. Promptly at ten-thirty, the scheduled time, the procession started, and for three hours there passed in review colorful marching units and floats de- picting scenes from the history of the Colony and State. Few incidents of major importance in the story of Connecticut were omitted in the more than one hundred floats. This tremendous spectacle was a complete panorama of the life of the State from its founding to the present day. It was a fitting tribute to Connecticut by her citizens, for its success was the result of fine cooperative efforts of towns, schools, civic organ- izations, racial groups, business firms and individuals.
Among the marchers were a number of representatives of the Centennial Legion, old military organizations from most of the original thirteen States. These and other visitors were guests in the evening at a Colonial Ball in the Armory at New Haven, while in Hartford on the same evening a display of fireworks was witnessed by some twenty-five thousand peo- ple in one of the public parks.
Appropriately the Tercentenary celebration ended on the same note with which the first settlement of Connecticut began, -that of prayer and religious observance. In all the larger cities impressive religious union services were held on Sunday, October 13th, in which members of all denominations and creeds took part.
The program of the Tercentenary, while of necessity changed from time to time, perhaps displayed a continuity as well ordered as any which could have been laid out in advance and adhered to rigidly. There was something of interest for
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everyone. It touched all the activities in Connecticut life, past and present. History was reviewed. The progress of the Commonwealth was traced in arts, classical and manual, in government, education, literature, industry and business. Our modern ingenuity was taxed to reproduce these things of the past in the most comprehensive manner while affording a worth while entertainment.
It is impossible in this brief résumé to do justice to all the activities of the Commission, its committees and the local groups. There were such hospitable features as the Informa- tion Booths at the several entrances to the State to welcome and advise visitors. Guides and attractive maps, local and State-wide, were made available, and in general the people of the State were in a kindly, receptive mood.
So, by music, by printed matter, by word of mouth, by visual display, Connecticut set forth her history and her char- acteristics to the world at large. No one could travel over her graceful hills or cross the streams which flow southward to the Sound or visit her pleasant shores this past summer, attend- ing here and there the varied celebrations, without feeling the richness of her heritage, without recognizing the healthy, joy- ous spirit abroad and without having confidence in her people and trust in her future. Many from outside her borders realized this year the charms of our State as never before, and Connecticut discovered herself anew and found the discovery pleasing.
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Connecticut Celebrates
WILBUR L. CROSS
C ONNECTICUT's Tercentenary Celebration is drawing to a triumphant close. As Governor I appreciate the honor paid to this Commonwealth by the presence here this evening of Governors or representatives of the original thirteen States and of Vermont, which is equally one of us, though a little late in coming into the Union. With the same pleasure I welcome other friends of Connecticut from whatever State or foreign country you may have come.
It is peculiarly fitting that the Governor of Rhode Island should have spoken for the other States. Rhode Island and Connecticut were settled at almost the same time. Both were originally plantations of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There was, however, a difference in circumstances. Thomas Hooker migrated with his congregation in the warm days of spring to the Connecticut Valley by permission of the General Court of Massachusetts. Less fortunate, Roger Williams was ordered to depart and never to return when on a cold winter morning he set out for Narragansett Bay.
But with all their differences Hooker and Williams had similar, though not the same, ideas on the proper basis for civil government. It was repugnant to both that the franchise should be restricted to membership in the Puritan Church. The authority for government, both held, comes not from above but from below; that is, from the consent of the people, though they would limit the franchise to men qualified by intelligence and character. They thus laid the foundation for modern democracy, such as was eventually to be expressed by
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Lincoln in his famous phrase, "government of the people, by the people, for the people." Still it must be remembered that the ideal of Lincoln was far in the distance. Both Connecticut and Rhode Island obtained charters from King Charles the Second, guaranteeing complete independent self-government. Each colony became at once a sovereign state.
A point of difference was that Church and State in Con- necticut remained one, whereas Rhode Island insisted upon full tolerance of opinion in matters of religion. The time was far off, though it at last came, when the Puritan Church in Connecticut and Massachusetts had to give way to that liberty of conscience which was a characteristic of Rhode Island. It was Rhode Island that first kindled the flame of civil and religious liberty, destined to enlighten all the land. Connecticut was a close second. Under the Constitution of the United States, soon afterwards to be established, one man, whatever his racial descent, became the equal of another before the law; one man, whether Protestant, Catholic, or Jew, was to have the same rights as another to worship God in his own way. This is the perfect state so far as there can be one.
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