USA > Indiana > The Indiana centennial, 1916; a record of the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to statehood > Part 7
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A county celebration was planned to take place in the fall, but interest seemed to have spent itself in the Frankfort school observance. In a word, the school people of the county seat held high the Centennial banner while its citizens gen- erally allowed it to trail in the dust.
Miss Goldine Grove of Frankfort, seated on a prancing thoroughbred, represented Clinton in the Centennial Caval- cade at Indianapolis.
Admission Day was observed by the High School and one or two of the grade schools of Frankfort and by the Michigan- town schools.
CRAWFORD
For a county which claims to have furnished more soldiers for the defense of the Union in the Civil War than any other in the State, for population, Crawford might have been ex- pected to make a better showing of state patriotism. It did practically nothing in recognition of the Indiana Centenary. Numerous representative citizens were appealed to, the ma- jority of whom did not so much as deign a reply. Interest seemed almost wholly lacking.
Some recognition was given in the schools of the county under the leadership of the county superintendent, S. A. Beals. He set apart February 11 as Centennial Day, on which nearly all the schools held appropriate exercises. In some instances two or three of those of smallest enrollment united in the giving of programs. It was Mr. Beals' plan to bring teacher, pupil and patron together, each to have a part, by recitation or reminiscence in the review of state or local history.
Finally, in April, the Commission got in touch with Miss Lucy Thornbury of English, who evinced an active and patri- otic interest in the cause, and accepted the chairmanship. She began at once to perfect plans and July 4th was fixed as the date of a county celebration. A long and serious illness com- pelled her to relinquish the leadership, however, which no one else would assume. Hence these short and simple annals.
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DAVIESS
"Our Centennial Celebration on Monday, October 13, 1916, was the biggest and best demonstration in our city within its history. The people of the city were simply dumbfounded as they witnessed the immense procession. Over 3,000 school children, floats, wagons, vehicles of all kinds, log cabins on wagons and all, more than two miles in length, witnessed by thousands who lined the streets on all sides."
Thus came the first returns of the Daviess celebration from the enthusiastic pen of the chairman, Hamlet Allen, Superintendent of the Washington schools. A fine gentleman of the old school, Mr. Allen was not too thoroughly engrossed with the stress of latter day education to take time to culti- vate his soul and those of the young people entrusted to his care, through an appreciative recognition of the past. He took his Centennial responsibilities seriously but enthusiastic- ally in the spirit of true patriotism.
Early in the year he began by appointing a committee in each township and outlining the general scope of the work which the committees should undertake.
In thorough keeping with the spirit of the year, in April there was held in Washington a four days' celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Methodism in Daviess county. Commemorative addresses, informational and in- spirational, were given, together with an interesting exhibi- tion of old records and relics associated with the early history of Methodism in the community, which attracted much at- tention.
One week previous to the Daviess county celebration at Washington, an appropriate and successful local celebration was held at Elnora, under the efficient leadership of Mr. Clif- ford Farris, chairman and township trustee. A general pro- gram of events, including a parade, picnic dinner, music, drills, and folk games, and talks on local history, was enjoyed.
The scope of the county's one-day observance is indicated in the opening paragraph above. Following the large parade in the forenoon, the school children presented a series of beau- tiful scenes emblematic of early history. Dressed in the quaint garb of their forefathers, the children gave a realistic presentation of pioneer life.
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A very large and excellent exhibition of relics was on dis- play throughout the week, deserving much commendation and in which the county at large manifested much interest. On a railroad side track was exhibited the old "Atlantic," an engine built in 1832 and said to be the second engine used on the Baltimore and Ohio road. With it was displayed an old- fashioned railroad coach, with a seating capacity of about a dozen passengers.
In connection with the celebration the historical film "In- diana" was shown.
Daviess County was represented at the state capitol on County Day by the presence of its county chairman and by Miss Bernice Sims of Elnora, who rode in the Centennial Cavalcade as Miss Daviess.
DEARBORN
Although a Centennial Chairman was selected in Dearborn in the summer of 1915, it was not until in August of 1916 that committees were appointed to take the matter in hand. The sequel was that no county celebration was held, although one day, October 7, was set apart for Aurora, and another, Oc- tober 14, for Lawrenceburg, in connection with annual fall festivals. On the occasion at Aurora, Governor Ralston de- livered a Centennial address.
Some recognition of the anniversary year was given by the schools of the county, in the courses of study, in exhibits and in plays depicting state history. The high school gradu- ating class of Aurora, in place of the annual class play, pre- sented a well arranged dramatic portrayal of Hoosier history.
The Aurora Woman's Research Club, gave a Centennial program on Admission Day, following which an anniversary elm was planted in the city library yard.
W. H. O'Brien acted as County Chairman.
DECATUR
In view of the many celebrations and pageants in Indiana during the year, it is remarkable how few of them encoun- tered inclement weather. Of the whole number of pageants given, two score and more, not more than a half dozen suf- fered any considerable inconvenience, and of these latter, one
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only was prohibited altogether of presentation by rain. This is a very comforting and felicitous observation-except to the one in question. That one was the Decatur County Pageant.
The incident of misfortune was ill-deserved and unhappy in view of the Centennial spirit and enthusiasm manifested by Decatur county. County chairman Walter W. Bonner and his central committee, composed of Roy C. Kanouse, John F. Russell, Elmer C. Jerman and Norman C. Schlemmer, were loyally supported in their plans by the citizenship of the county, the schools cooperated most heartily, and the news- papers proved generous and alert in behalf of the movement. And after all the energetic efforts expended-but why relate our tale of woe before absolutely necessary ?
The Committee started the ball rolling early in the year in the observance of Indiana Products Day on February 22. A banquet, largely and enthusiastically attended, was given at Greensburg, when several addresses were heard, the prin- cipal one by Hon. Philip Zoercher of Indianapolis.
In March historical sentiment crystallized in the organi- zation of the Decatur County Historical Society.
County School Superintendent F. C. Fields declared March 17th "Indiana Day," issuing instructions and recommenda- tions to all the teachers concerning its observance. The day in Decatur county was distinctive among similar days in other counties, in the fact that with it was incorporated the home-coming idea. As a result, messages were delivered by ex-pupils and teachers, in person or by letter, from all over the country. Each school presented a brief history of the town or township in which it was located, as well as of its own district.
Another distinctive feature of the day was the effective way in which it was used by the County Centennial Commit- tee. The latter organized a volunteer speakers' squadron, with the result that simultaneous addresses were made in the schools all over the county. Nowhere was closer coopera- tion evident between the school authorities and the County Centennial organization.
The pupils studied the history of the State and wrote the stories of intimate interest concerning its people, institutions, industries, etc. Certificates of honor were issued to all school children who read the history of Indiana.
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Various organizations were active in observing the year. The D. A. R. gave an exhibit of relics. The Woman's De- partment Club exhibited paintings of Indiana artists, and clubs generally gave attention to Centennial subjects. Fra- ternal organizations and churches were zealous in supporting the plans of the county committee.
The third week in October was chosen as the time for hold- ing the county celebration, the date of their annual corn fair. Great stress was placed upon the home-coming feature. A large order was placed for the Geo. Ade home-coming book- lets, gotten out by the State Commission, to which the De- catur committee added its own invitation, which was distributed broadcast.
The county was well organized and a cash prize offered the township making the best showing in the county parade. The latter was scheduled for October 18, and despite unfavor- able weather, proved a big success. Much interest was mani- fested in the historical exhibit of relics, made in the display windows of business houses.
On the evening of the nineteenth, Governor Ralston braved the elements to speak at the exercises dedicating the memorial furnished by the D. A. R. to mark the old Michigan road.
But interest centered largely in the pageant, written by Mrs. J. C. Meek and Mrs. O. G. Miller, with N. C. Schlemmer as director, all of Greensburg. It was arranged in nine epi- sodes, in general as follows: 1 .- Natural resources. 2- Spirits of the forest primeval. 3 .- Indian life and relations with the whites, in four scenes. 4 .- Pioneer life, in two scenes. 5 .- Indiana state house. 6 .- Campaign of 1840 in Decatur county. 7 .- Underground railroad. 8 .- Civil War. 9 .- Indiana of today. A beautiful pageant book was pub- lished and the cast was all in readiness for the presentation, which was to be made on each of the last three days, October 19, 20 and 21. The weather was so impossible, however, that the project had to be given up altogether, including practically the whole celebration, for which nearly $4,000 had been sub- scribed. On the following Sunday the churches conducted appropriate Centennial services.
The one thing for which the Committee is to be criticised was the bringing in of carnival attractions, under the mis- guided conception that such would contribute to the success
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of the celebration. But in view of all its troubles, the mantle of charity should for once be draped over this inconsistency.
Decatur county made an excellent showing on County Day of the state celebration, in a float consisting of a reproduction, in miniature, of its famous tree-grown court house tower.
Although, in a sense, the Centennial preparations of De- catur ended in disaster, they were by no means profitless. The Chairman, Mr. Bonner, reports a thorough arousing of a fine patriotic spirit in all the citizenship, and a better coopera- tion on the part of people of each township in the county.
DEKALB
From the very first, a spirit of patriotic interest and coop- eration prevailed in Dekalb county which assured a general observance of the Centennial. Attorney Walter D. Stump of Auburn proved an energetic Chairman and he effected a thor- oughly representative county organization through which came hearty support.
Happily, through the cooperation of Mrs. Lida Leasure, County School Superintendent, the Centennial propaganda began early in the schools of the county. February 18 was observed as Centennial Day, every school having public exer- cises in which recitations, papers and talks on Indiana his- tory were given, interspersed with Indiana songs and other patriotic music. Many Centennial school exhibits were arranged.
In the regular school work of the year emphasis was placed upon state history of Indiana. In connection with the graduating exercises in the spring, both town and rural schools required papers on subjects pertaining to the history of Indiana. As will be noted later, the schools of the county took a prominent part in the county celebration in October. In her report following the latter event, Mrs. Leasure said, "We feel that our schools have read, sung, talked and dreamed Centennial for a year, almost." With more women school superintendents in the State, a similar report would doubtless have been made from many more counties.
The first celebration in Dekalb county was held at Garrett on May 5. There was first a pageant parade in which his- torical features were introduced, such as the evolution of the Circuit Rider, portrayed by the Garrett Ministerial Associa-
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tion. The minister in the lead rode horseback, followed in turn by others in a cart, in an old buggy, in a surrey and last in an automobile. Floats were in line representing facts of Indiana history.
A good program was later given in which addresses were made by County Chairman W. D. Stump of Auburn, and J. D. Brinkerhoff. The high school freshmen presented "In- diana's Admission into the Union;" and a playlet, "Garrett's Stepping Stones," was given by representatives of all depart- ments of the city's activities. Music for the day was fur- nished by four bands of the county representing Garrett, Auburn, Waterloo and Laotto. The chairman of the success- ful Garrett celebration was M. D. Renkenberger.
In the latter part of July the town of Butler named one day of a street fair "Centennial Day" on which a parade took place and two addresses were given of a semi-Centennial flavor. The home coming feature was emphasized.
The county celebration was held in Auburn, October 4, 5 and 6. October 4th was Old Settlers' Day, with appropriate talks and reminiscences. The 5th was Organization Day, on which organization and fraternal parades were given. October 6th was Public School Day, on which the big feature was a processional pageant participated in by the schools of the county and portraying definite events and phases of history. On each evening the school children of Auburn and vicinity presented a series of folk dances and drills. The regrettable feature of the celebration was the introduction of a discordant array of carnival concessions which represented indeed a concession to the vaudeville taste which could not but mar the otherwise commendable observ- ance.
DELAWARE
Delaware county had one day of very appropriate and creditable Centennial observance. It was given, however, in connection with the Muncie Industrial Exposition, and not as an independent Centennial enterprise. The educational and preparative work in the county was very limited, no per- manent memorials were erected and no contribution was made to the state celebration. It therefore places itself in the second rank as having acquitted itself fairly well in the observance of the State's Centennial Anniversary.
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Frederick F. McClellan, a Muncie attorney, acted as Dela- ware's chairman. He had a county organization in which the township trustees were appointed as chairmen of the township committees. Despite this fact, however, the cele- bration was pretty largely a Muncie affair, the leadership and large activity being assumed by Muncie people, although the townships were represented in the pageant parade.
Early in the spring, the business interests of Muncie began promoting an industrial exposition for the "Magic City," the time for holding which was fixed at June 5-10. Up to that time, owing to civic and political turmoil in Muncie, noth- ing had been done looking toward a Centennial celebration in Delaware County. Little or no public sentiment toward that end had been created. With this situation existing, and with the business interests behind a dollars-and-cents enterprise of their own, incorporation with the latter was probably about the only hope of expression left to the Centennial idea. June 6 was set apart as Centennial Day, in charge of Mr. McClellan and his helpers. Plans were laid for a pageant parade, which should be historical, showing the history of the county from the time of its aboriginal inhabitants down to the present.
The week of the industrial exposition was marred by rain, and the Centennial parade had to be postponed until June 8, when it was given very successfully. About fifteen hundred persons participated before crowds estimated at from forty to fifty thousand people. The parade was divided into the Indian, Colonial, Pioneer, Civil War and modern or county periods, for graphic historical portrayal. In the first, char- acteristic phases of Indian life were depicted, and a represen- tation of the signing of Wm. Penn's famous treaty with the Red Men, was given, along with other historical and semi- historical scenes. This part of the procession was put on by the local tribes of Red Men and the Camp Fire Girls.
The D. A. R. handled the colonial period, featured with "The Birth of the Flag," George and Martha Washington, Minute Men, colonial dames and belles, "The spirit of '76," etc. A yoke of oxen fittingly headed the pioneer division, followed by the pioneer cabin with its frontier equipment, the log schoolhouse, and of course the pioneers themselves, conspicuous among them being Drs. G. W. H. Kemper and T.
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J. Bowles, on horseback, representing the pioneer doctors, which they themselves were in the days gone by. In the Civil War period were representations of Lee surrendering to Grant, Gov. Morton and Staff, Lincoln and his Cabinet and a very realistic portrayal of Sherman's "bummers." The im- pressive part, however, was that taken by the real "boys of '61" as they marched in the procession.
Prominent in the modern period were the twelve floats of the Muncie schools, illustrating the twelve years of educa- tion. Other townships participated here, and very effectively. Along with the educational were portrayed the industrial, social, fraternal, and various developments of the modern period. The whole thing was well planned and well executed and was one of the very worthy Centennial parades of the year.
The work in the schools of Delaware county was not very extensive. Naturally, the preparations for participation in the above observance, directed attention to the Centennial and its significance, but comparatively little real work was done in Indiana history and the schools gave little attention to the anniversary apart from the general observance. Some work in English compositions was directed toward research in local history and biography, the best of the results of which was published, and the historical committee of Mr. McClellan's or- ganization had prepared and published in the newspapers a series of articles pertaining to the carly history of the county. The clubs cooperated in the arrangement of work in harmony with the Centennial year and its interests.
In summary it may be stated that the county rallied well to the one day of celebration, apart from which little per- manent or constructive work was done and after which little further interest was taken in the Centennial movement.
DUBOIS
One day early in September, 1915, Lew M. O'Bannon of Corydon, a member of the Indiana Historical Commission, journeyed to Huntingburg to make an address on the subject of the approaching Centennial. Immediately on his return home he wrote in to the office of the Commission urging with insistence and enthusiasm that Miss Genevieve Will- iams be appointed Chairman of Dubois County. In slang
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parlance, this put the office in a hole, for the appointment would violate two rules of procedure which had been followed. Up to that time county chairmanships had been restricted to mere man, and they had been assigned as a rule to county seats. Naturally, the office hestitated. But Mr. O'Bannon wished it and he wrote with the fervor of a major league scout who discovers, out in the "bushes," the sensation of the season. Miss Williams was appointed.
In looking back over the year 1916, a review of the achievements of the Dubois Chairman, together with those of the women chairmen of other counties, leads one to the wish that Mr. O'Bannon could have extended his Huntingburg trip into a tour of the State! Once upon a time a great com- mander contemplated a strategic but difficult stroke. "Im- possible," declared a number of his staff. "Impossible? I know no such word." To Miss Genevieve McDonald Wil- liams, we accord the title of "The Little Corporal" of the In- diana Centennial. With her nothing was impossible. No bigger than a minute, but quick as a second and as persever- ing as the hours, she matched unquenchable enthusiasm with matchless tact and ability, forcing her county into the very first rank in the observance of the Centennial anniversary of the State. Her generalship was unsurpassed by any chair- man in the State and equalled by very few. A toast to "The Little Corporal" of 1916!
To begin with, a county celebration for Dubois seemed out of the question. There were the rivalries and jealousies almost inevitably incident to a situation in which the county seat town has a "runner up" in another part of the county. But with the diplomacy of a statesman as well as with the strategy of a general, Miss Williams soon had the situation so well in hand that Jasper fairly outdid itself in behalf of a county celebration held at Huntingburg.
A thoroughgoing county organization was effected, com- posed of a central executive committee made up of members from Jasper and Huntingburg and one from each township who was chairman of his own township.
The superintendent of the county schools lacked vision or initiative or both, and after vainly trying to get action through his leadership, the chairman went in person before the teachers, enlisting their support and conveying to them some-
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thing of her enthusiasm. She did have the active support of the City Superintendent of Huntingburg, N. F. Hutchinson. A number of schools held Centennial exercises at the close of the school year, when attention was given to Indiana songs and readings from Indiana authors, to themes in state and local history, and to exhibits of relics. Patrons and pupils often gathered for the day in patriotic community observance. The schools of Holland, Ireland, Birdseye and Jasper, had splendid graduating exercises in keeping with the year. In a week of exercises, June 11 to 18, the Catholic academy at Ferdinand emphasized the Centennial idea.
As was often true over the State, people were inert and apathetic as regards observing the birthday of their common- wealth. It was a condition of indifference born of ignorance. But Miss Williams is a born "publicity man." A newspaper woman herself, she wrote and edited columns of gingery "pub- licity" which found its way into the newspapers of the county. And it was not the frothy, misleading variety which so often masquerades under the name. The clubs of Dubois aided ef- fectively in this direction. The Twentieth Century Club of Jasper devoted the whole year to the study of Indiana his- tory. The Music club of Huntingburg incorporated in its program topics and discussions on Indiana and gave an In- diana musical program. The Huntingburg Camp Fire girls studied local and county history, while the Acirema Club of young men made the interests of the Centennial in Dubois its special order of business.
This club put on an Indiana Products Day Dinner, and made it the occasion of arousing interest in the historic Free- man boundary line run by the United States surveyor, Thomas Freeman, in 1802, when he surveyed the famous Vincennes tract. The old line runs through Dubois, and the Acirema Club undertook the project of marking it with suitable memo- rials. The guest of the evening was Geo. R. Wilson, of Indianapolis, author of a history of Dubois, who gave an address on the subject. The sequel was that Governor Ralston issued a commission to the club to erect suitable markers, three of which were later placed with fitting ceremonies as a part of the county celebration.
Miss Williams realized that she had her own problem to work out for her own county, yet she took every occasion for
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observation of the progress of the work elsewhere. Busy as she was as associate editor of a newspaper, it is safe to as- sume that no county chairman was in attendance at more celebrations, pageants in particular, and in all probability her record was equalled, if at all, by but one other chairman, that of Perry County.
The Dubois observance really began on Sunday, September 17th. Special services were held in the morning and a big union service in the afternoon. At the latter, Congressman W. E. Cox delivered an excellent Centennial address, and a good program of patriotic music, including the "Hymn to Indiana" was given by orchestra and chorus.
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