USA > Indiana > The Indiana centennial, 1916; a record of the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to statehood > Part 20
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Much credit must be given Chairman Miller and his com- mittee for keeping the St. Joseph Centennial observance on a high plane, clear of bauble and tinsel. In their achievement they acquitted themselves patriotically and honored their State in spirit and in truth.
STEUBEN
With Frank H. Walker as chairman, a partial organization was formed and tentative plans for a celebration were made. Sufficient interest, financial or otherwise, proved wanting and the patriotic project was abandoned. A modest recognition of the year was arranged in a few of the schools for Admis- sion Day.
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SULLIVAN
Sullivan defaulted to the Centennial spirit of 1916. A chairman was secured in John S. Taylor, a young attorney, who guaranteed that his county would take its place with credit alongside the other counties in the work. But he re- signed in April and no one could be found who would take interest or assume responsibility. Repeated letters to the secretary of the Sullivan Commercial Club were ignored. The man, or the woman, of the hour was not in evidence in this county, with the result that it helped bring up the rear of the Centennial procession, if indeed it could be said to be in the procession at all.
In addition to the lack of a leader, the little show of in- terest on the part of the school authorities, and newspapers, contributed to this regrettable situation.
The township of Farmersburg celebrated the Centennial of its founding along with that of the State. Merom also manifested some patriotic interest in the anniversary.
The Woman's Club of Sullivan gave an Admission Day program, one feature of which was a talk on "how the Centen- nial was observed in the different cities," minus Sullivan !
SWITZERLAND
It is a real regret that nothing can be recorded from pic- turesque little Switzerland County and Vevay, rich in his- torical and literary associations so dear to the loyal Hoosier. Forrest Iddings, connected with the schools of the county, took up the work as County Chairman with apparent hearti- ness, but for some cause it was not prosecuted with vigor and no plans of observance were ever reported. In justice to Mr. Iddings it should be said that Switzerland was not his home county and he was doubtless somewhat handicapped thereby. But what an opportunity for "The Hoosier School Master" of 1916!
TIPPECANOE
Though bearing such charmed names as Tippecanoe, La- fayette and Purdue, it was with the greatest travail that this county gave any evidence of a Centennial consciousness. It was not for the want of individual souls who had the vision, of which there were not a few. County Chairman Brain-
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ard Hooker, county school superintendent, and Prof. G. I. Christie of Purdue University, were both in attendance at the December conference, getting and exchanging ideas on county celebrations. They were but representative of other Tippecanoe citizens.
Chairman Hooker effected a thorough county organization. He began the work in the schools, for which he issued an outline observance program. He suggested subjects for in- vestigation and report on points of local history. Original papers, based largely on original sources, were written and filed in Mr. Hooker's office.
The County Committee fixed upon a week in the latter part of May for a celebration, for which it was making plans. It counted upon an appropriation from the County Council sufficient to finance the patriotic project. Failing in that, it announced, the last of March, the indefinite postponement of the celebration, claiming that an adequate popular subscrip- tion would be impossible in view of other heavy demands. This regrettable decision was heralded far and wide, not only proving an unpleasant reflection upon the county but mili- tating against Centennial celebration efforts in other parts of the State.
To the credit of the Lafayette press be it recorded that the Courier and Journal came out with strong editorials, depre- cating the abandonment of the Centennial plans and urging their resumption. Feeling the disgrace of the situation, rep- resentatives of town and university attempted at a meeting in June to revive the enterprise, affecting a reorganization, with Judge H. H. Vinton at its head. After repeated and earnest but ineffectual efforts to elicit information from Judge Vinton, the Commission gave up the Tippecanoe situa- tion in despair. The reorganized committee must have done the same, for after its appointment nothing more was heard of a county celebration.
But Purdue University was to be reckoned with. At the eleventh hour it did for the county what, apparently, the county could not do for itself. With but two or three weeks' preparation, it presented on October 31, on Stuart Field, a pageant in celebration of the birthday anniversary both of the State and of its founder-patron, John Purdue.
The pageant was given in the afternoon, opening with the
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arrival of Miss Indiana and her twelve handmaidens, repre- senting the counties of 1816. Indiana, finding the Place Beautiful, is prevailed upon to tarry and behold the evidences of progress wrought during the century. Father Time re- fuses to tarry, but allows the Hours and Days to remain for a brief period of recreation and pleasure.
The Dance of the Hours, in the presence of the grouped counties, constituted the second episode. In the third epi- sode, Day requests Indiana to tell something of the university, its purpose and relation to the State. The Spirit of Indiana consents to do this, and then surrounded by the various groups, she summons forth by means of the magic fire of memory the Spirits of the Past.
Next, History and Education appear hand in hand, fol- lowed by the Spirit of the University, followed by a tableau, "The Spirit of '76." The site of the city of Lafayette is pointed out by its father, Wm. Digby, to the illustrious French nobleman whose name it bears. John Purdue appears, and with his associates, selects the site of the future University.
Episode five, participated in by eighty young ladies, was symbolic of the aims of the University. "Purdue of Today" was the designation of the last episode, comprising athletic activities and a military drill.
The pageant was written and directed by Bernard Sobel of the English department, and was put on by three hundred and fifty people.
In the evening an old melodies concert was given in Fowler Hall, followed by an ode to Indiana by Miss Evalene Stein. The address of the occasion was delivered by Father John Cavanaugh, president of Notre Dame University and a member of the Indiana Historical Commission, on the sub- ject, "What Constitutes a State." It was a strong plea for a better appreciation of the religious element as the funda- mental factor in effective state building.
TIPTON
If holding a formal celebration is to be taken as the cri- terion, Tipton may be summarily dismissed, for it had none. So far as the county as a whole getting into the Centennial spirit is concerned, there is little to be said. It was appar- ently not interested. Yet, strange as it may appear, doubt-
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less the best piece of work in the State with children was done in the town of Tipton.
The Indiana Historical Commission in outlining the pur- pose and ideals of the year's observance had iterated and re- iterated the fact that it was to be historical, educational and patriotic. To many people this was mere verbiage. To some it was the expression of an exalted motif. Among these lat- ter was Mrs. Sam Matthews, in charge of the city library of Tipton, which became a radiating center of Centennial in- terest and enthusiasm.
Among the children of the town and community, Mrs. Matthews organized the Indiana League of Counties, each member taking the name of some Indiana county for which that member became sponsor for information, historical or otherwise, concerning it. At regular meetings, interesting facts concerning the counties were presented. Obviously, this program to be complete involved upwards of one hundred children. And there was a waiting list!
Under the inspiration of its presiding genius, the League gave an excellent account of itself during the year. From September 1915 to May 1916, the League met at the library every Saturday and conducted what was known as the Indiana story hour. In the winter, in keeping with the spirit of the year, it gave an Indiana Products dinner or luncheon. It
donated to the Pioneer Mother Monument fund and to the state park project. It planted an elm tree in the library yard on Arbor Day. It launched the enterprise of a memorial marker in honor of General John Tipton, for which it do- nated the sum of twenty dollars. During the first week in May it conducted an Indiana art exhibit, giving on each eve- ning an Indiana program.
Ebert Allison was Tipton County's Centennial Chairman and he gave much time and devotion to the cause. He was one of the first of the County Chairmen to conduct a live, newsy and informational Centennial department in the local press, the latter in Tipton being fully cooperative.
A popular movement was started to secure funds for the erection of an auditorium in the Tipton County park as a Centennial memorial. While the citizenship did not rally to the enterprise sufficiently to put it across in 1916, as had been planned, subscriptions to the amount of $2,250 were made.
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Another memorial was promoted in Tipton that was dis- tinctive. The retired gentry who by long habit make a ren- dezvous of the court house, and known locally as the senate, proposed the erection in the city park of a log house. Volun- teer logs were called for from over the county and a cabin of substantial proportions was raised under the auspices of the Tipton Senate.
March 17 was observed as Centennial Day in the schools of the county in much the same way as in other counties in the State.
At the annual banquet of the Chamber of Commerce in Tipton, March 14, the Indiana products idea was observed. The Director of the Indiana Centennial was present and spoke of state-wide Centennial activities. Judge Dan Waugh talked of permanent memorials as embodied particuarly in state parks.
Some work in keeping with the year was done by the clubs in the county, especially by Indiana study clubs.
Tipton County was represented in the Centennial Caval- cade of the Counties on October 6 by Miss Blythe Burkhardt.
UNION
The combination of Union and Liberty was all but un- beatable as a Centennial challenge. And, although one of the smallest counties in the State, it seemed to realize that it carried an extra burden of responsibility and extended itself accordingly. It held one of the early celebrations of the year and one of the most praiseworthy.
S. W. Creed, the enthusiastic and capable County Chair- man, did not presume to put on a celebration without the most careful preliminary work and preparation. By the first of the year he had a respresentative, working county organiza- tion effected, which held weekly meetings for the laying and perfecting of plans. Each township had its own organiza- tion. The splendid cooperation of College Corner was indi- cative of how all rivalries, real or fancied, were forgotten and all worked together for the success of the Union County ob- servance.
Much good work was done in getting the citizenship edu- cated up to the celebration or, in musical terms, raising them to celebration pitch, the work in which so many counties were
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lamentably weak. Shortsighted chairmen who thought that an element of success in a celebration was in putting it over in the shortest possible time, could have learned much from the procedure in Union County.
In the first place, the Union committee was fortunate in the patriotic and generous support of its newspapers, the Lib- erty Express and Liberty Herald.
They not only gave full publicity to Union County's plans, but were very liberal in the use of the weekly News-Letter issued by the Commission, thus keeping their readers in- formed of the progress of the work over the State.
Under the supervision of the county school superintend- ent, C. C. Abernathy, a series of articles on various phases of county history, was contributed by teachers, pupils and citi- zens generally, and published in the local papers.
March 3 was made Centennial Day in the schools. Super- intendent Abernathy issued printed circulars to his teachers, outlining the general plan for the day and offering suggestive topics for programs. The latter were participated in by pu- pils, teachers, officers and patrons. Some schools had all-day exercises, with community dinner at noon. An exhibit of rel- ics was made by each school.
The Centennial spirit was carried into the graduating exercises, in which essays were read on phases of state and local history, which were also dealt with by the Commence- ment speakers. The schools also took part in the county cele- bration.
The latter was held June 15 at Liberty, and won unstinted praise from the press of neighboring counties. The parade was heralded as one of the biggest and best ever seen in south- eastern Indiana. With more than fifty floats, to say nothing of the automobiles, it was said to be two miles in length, and furnished a distinct surprise to visitors from larger places. This occurred in the forenoon.
After dinner, the social atmosphere of the olden times was reproduced in the giving of colonial dances on the green, and old-fashioned cotillions, following which the Centennial ad- dress of the day was delivered by Archibald M. Hall of In- dianapolis. Music for the celebration was furnished by the Indianapolis News' Newsboys Band.
In the evening an operetta, "Hiawatha's Childhood," was
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presented by local talent in the Coliseum. In this building a two-day exhibit was made of an excellent collection of relics and heirlooms.
The Union County celebration was thoroughly Centennial in character and greatly to the credit of the Centennial bodies and the whole citizenship. Union also put in appearance at the state celebration, being represented in the Cavalcade on County Day by Mrs. Ruby Little.
VANDERBURGH
Vanderburgh County, or Evansville-they are almost one and the same-led the pageant procession in the Pocket, and it was a procession in which no county was missing. The Vanderburgh Centennial observance was practically embodied in a great pageant given May 10 and 11, in connection with the State G. A. R. Encampment.
It was a real community enterprise into which the city entered whole-heartedly and joyously. The pageant was written by Mrs. Albion Fellows Bacon of Evansville, one of Indiana's well known and well loved women, and it was di- rected by Carl Dreisch, also a local citizen. The business men of Evansville rallied to its support in a financial guarantee. Instead of having to plead for people to take parts in the pageant there were more volunteers than there were parts, according to Mrs. Bacon, who reports that all together, nearly four thousand people participated in the performance.
The pageant was arranged for a two evening presenta- tion. It opened with the Mound Builders, dim lights suggest- ing the mystery that hangs over the early history of this country. In brighter light there followed the portrayal of Indians, the trappers and hunters, the pioneers, the early set- tlers and the Rappites and Owenites. One scene was devoted to the two capitals, Corydon and Indianapolis. One scene presented the birth of Indiana's first newspaper; another a torchlight political procession of 1840.
The second night's presentation began with the story of the Civil War. One of the most original features was found in the development of the use of fire as symbolical of the progress of civilization. Starting as the Indian's wigwam fire, it became the settler's campfire, the Civil War campfire and then the forge fire of modern industry. On the second
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evening much emphasis was placed upon the advancement of education, including all the practical and humanitarian arts which have made for the comfort and physical betterment of the people.
A mere recital of the barest outline can convey no idea of the spirit and beauty of the pageant. Much was made of symbolism, made doubly effective by the wonderful color ef- fects wrought by ingenious lighting. The pageant was given on such a scale-in Bosse Field-as to be necessarily imper- sonal. There was no dialogue. It was a great, impressive spectacle.
In the Grand Army parade, which was one feature of the celebration, floats depicting historical scenes were introduced.
Howard Roosa, versatile editor of the Evansville Courier, was Vanderburgh's Centennial Chairman, and the Centennial enthusiasm displayed in the Pocket district as a whole was due in part to his cooperative spirit and that of his friends. George S. Clifford, public spirited citizen of Evansville, as- sisted in presenting the Centennial plans and ideals to the school teachers of that section.
The spirit of Evansville is further shown in the sending of five or six hundred of its school children to the Corydon celebration, in which they participated.
VERMILLION
Though getting a late start, Vermillion County rounded out the year with one of the most unique and inspiring cele- brations held anywhere in the State. In November 1915, Taylor C. Parker, superintendent of the Newport schools, ac- cepted the county chairmanship and began formulating plans. In January he resigned, however, for political reasons. The Commission then attempted to secure a chairman in Clinton, the large town of the county, but failed.
Attorney Chas. N. Fultz of Newport, a young man deeply interested in things historical, was secured in February, to fill the vacancy. In cooperation with the county school super- intendent, he began Centennial educational work in the schools, arrangements being made for giving appropriate pro- grams in connection with closing day exercises in the spring. Mr. Fultz himself visited several of the schools, which he ad- dressed. In view of the geographical condition of the county
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and its distribution of population, it was found very difficult to put on a county celebration, particularly with Newport as a center, and in July, Mr. Fultz found it necessary to resign.
Through the initiative of Professor Donald DuShane, newly elected superintendent of the Clinton schools, and with whom the Commission had been in touch in Jefferson County, Mr. J. W. Pierce, Editor of the Clintonian, was secured as chairman, in September, and preparations were zealously un- dertaken for a celebration at Clinton in the southern part of the county. The newspapers cooperated, among which hon- orable mention should be given the Cayuga Herald, which con- sistently supported the Centennial movement throughout the year.
October 12 was chosen as the date of celebration, and the day was made one of great patriotic significance. In Clinton, with its many elements of population, much is always made of Discovery, or Columbus Day. Hence a combination was very advantageously made, wherein the Centennial anniver- sary of the State was celebrated along with that of the dis- covery of the country which to the foreigner has proved the land of opportunity. Another and distinctive element in the observance is found in the fact that the celebration was held on the very spot where, exactly one hundred years before, the first white settler entered land in what later became Ver- million County. Several descendants of this first settler were present at the observance.
The striking feature of the day was the parade, which was literally, a "parade of the nations," the most interesting thing about which, as the Clintonian declared, was, of course, the people themselves, of whom there were about 4,000, repre- senting almost every country on the globe. Each "nation" represented some phase or feature of its own history, on a background of loyal Americanism. There were enough "char- ter member" Americans to give adequate recognition of their own history, general and local. Suggestive of the spirit of the day was the "Melting Pot" group. On this float were repre- sentatives of the following peoples: French, Welsh, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Scotch, Finnish, Roumanian, Hebrew, Choctaw, German, Polish, Lithuanian, Slovak, "American," Chinese, Rhenish, Slavonian, Austrian, Hungarian, Irish, Swedish and Servian, with Bohemian and English missing.
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Unrepresented peoples were: Spanish, Portuguese, Negro, Danish, Macedonian and Syrian. The float bore all varieties of flags, the Stars and Stripes over all, with the motto, "One Country, One Language, One Flag."
In the speaking program, various foreign elements spoke for Americanism, Peter Savio for the Italians, John Kur- peikis for the Lithuanians and K. B. Czarneki for the Poles.
In the afternoon, games and amusements, dear to the people's hearts, were indulged in. An educational feature of the day was an exhibit of relics, quaint, historic and odd, made in the library assembly room and arranged by the Fri- day Literary Circle.
A large audience gathered in the evening to enjoy a dis- tinctive Centennial program. Readings and speeches remi- ยท niscent and historical were given, together with a fitting tableau, representing the different nationalities laying aside their native flags and taking up that of the United States. Music peculiarly fitting to the occasion was an enjoyable fea- ture of the evening.
In reporting the celebration, Chairman Pierce summed up the results thus: "With Americans participating alongside all other nationalities, a sense of unity and common patriotism was stirred and foreign-born were interested in the history of their State and adopted home."
VIGO
Old Vigo County proved a good promiser but a poor per- former. It had a thoroughly wide-awake and enthusiastic chairman in Prof. Herbert Briggs. Indeed, his enthusiasm fairly bubbled over Vigo County and was drawn upon freely to help start things elsewhere in the State. His zeal was a continual encouragement to the State Commission.
Beginning in the summer of 1915 to lay plans for a cele- bration commensurate with the historic importance of the county, he effected a complete organization. In fact there may have been too much "overhead" organization, as was suggested in an editorial in a local paper on "Regardin' Terry Hut" in which it was stated that "a list of committees was appointed as long as from Fifth street to the river bridge." Preparations were made for an elaborate celebration in Oc- tober, including a great pageant. The press agents were
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doing their part well. But some one interposed a question of finance-and that's how the trouble began. Said the Terre Haute Tribune, "The Centennial celebration does not know whether it will go on or not, money 's so scarce. Showing that a Centennial celebration is human after all!" Finally the situ- ation was so hopeless that an announcement was made calling on people to contribute ten cents per head toward the cause and asking them to drop around somewhere or other and de- posit their dimes! This stroke of Centennial finance com- pleted the story and the result was summed up in the one line in the Tribune "Lost-one public spirit." Practically all of the Terre Haute celebration which materialized was a Centen- nial ball which was given at one of the hotels of the city on October 20. It must be recorded however that a representa- tion for Vigo in the Cavalcade of the County Day Parade at Indianapolis was arranged.
Finally, in connection with Admission Day, the State Nor- mal, under the leadership of Professor W. O. Lynch, did for Terre Haute and Vigo what they had been unable to do for themselves. Professor Lynch wrote a drama of Indiana his- tory covering the period of statehood to the close of the Civil War, which was presented by the faculty and students of the Normal to packed houses on three successive nights. Pre- pared as it was by a thorough student of our history and in- stitutions, the portrayal was impressively realistic and was most enthusiastically received. An Admission Day program was given by the Third Ward Civic Society in the Montrose School Building.
WABASH
Some observance of the Centennial was made in Wabash County, but the real spirit of the year apparently failed to appeal convincingly to its people. To begin with, it was with great difficulty that the movement was started at the county seat. It was not until March, when the Vice-President and Director of the Commission visited Wabash and addressed a small meeting there, that an organization could be started. Owen J. Neighbours, City Superintendent of Schools, was made County Chairman and manifested commendable inter- est, especially considering that he was a comparatively new resident of the State and county.
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