USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island tercentenary, 1636-1936. A report by the Rhode Island Tercentenary commission of the celebration of the three-hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations > Part 10
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At two in the morning on Friday, October 12, 1492, just 444 years ago, a sailor aboard the "Nina" announced the appearance of what proved to be the island, which Columbus, taking solemn possession for their majesties at Castile and Leon, named "San Salvador."
When Columbus returned to Barcelona, he entered the city in a sort of triumphal procession, was received by their majesties in full court and seated in their presence, related the story of his wanderings.
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ABIGUP PARANY
IN LASTING TRIBUTE TO THE INTREPID MARINER GIOVANNI DA VERRAZZANO OF FLORENCE, ITALY, WHO IN HIS GOOD SHIP "DELFINA" VISITED NARRAGANSETT BAY APRIL 21 TO MAY 5,1524
HUIS DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPLORATIONS THEN MADE IS THE EARLIEST RECORD WE HAVE OF THIS DISTRICT AND HIS REFERENCE TO THE ISLAND OF RHODES LED TO THE USE OF THE MAME RHODE ISLAND
PRESENTED OF THE GRAND LODGE OF RITODE ISLAND OF THE ORDER SONS OF HEALE DE AMERICA QOTOBER 1. 1214
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The Rhode Island Tercentenary 1636-1936
Today we recall with gratitude another Italian, one of the first Europeans to set foot upon the shores of what is now Rhode Island. It is Giovanni da Verrazzano, who had the help of another King, Francis I of France. With a crew of fifty seamen on board the "Delfina," he set sail from Maderia, January 17, 1524, like Columbus seeking the westward passage to China and India.
About March 20, he landed, probably near the present North Carolina shore and explored the North Atlantic coast northward and eastward as far as Cape Breton. He was one of the first sixteenth century navigators to sail directly west instead of following the southern route familiar to the Spaniards and Portuguese. On the return voyage he sailed directly east.
From the letter which he sent King Francis on July 8, 1524, shortly after his return, he gave evidence that he was thoroughly familiar with latitude and longitude and had made a fairly accurate calculation of the probable width of the North American con- tinent from ocean to ocean, based upon the observation of the length of a degree of longitude at certain latitude and knew the advantage of great circle sailing.
The original letter has been lost, but some of the translations from a copy of it relate to Rhode Island. Preceding paragraphs tell the story of a voyage up the coast to the mouth of a river identified as the Hudson. Sailing from Sandy Hook, eastward, always in sight of shore, Block Island was discovered and named Louisa in honor of the King's mother.
Of Rhode Island, 412 years ago, Verrazzano wrote the King a detailed and vivid description. He wrote of the aborigines (the Narragansetts), their habits, customs, their kings, their treatment of him, the inland country, the fauna and flora and one final para- graph about Newport harbour as follows:
"Among these islands any fleet, however large, might ride safely, without fear of tempests and other dangers. Turning towards the south, at the entrance to the harbour, on both sides, there are very pleasant hills, and many streams of clear water, which flow down to the sea. In the midst of the entrance, there is a rock of free-stone, formed by nature, and suitable for the construction of any kind of machine or bulwark for the defense of the harbor. Having supplied ourselves with everything necessary, on the fifth of May we departed from the port."
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This expedition called for qualities of extraordinary daring and Verrazzano won the glory of detailed discovery for the crown of France, and the honor for his Italian birthright.
In this, our Rhode Island Tercentenary Year, when all great deeds should be called to mind, we are glad to be reminded of those two intrepid navigators, the one, Christopher Columbus, the other, Giovanni da Verrazzano, both Italians, whose discoveries opened the way for colonization of the New World and Rhode Island. We salute them upon this Italian Day, which I have by my official proclamation set apart in memory of their deeds and valor.
Since those early days, many Italians have come to Rhode Island, first by the hundreds, then by the thousands, until now with their descendants they constitute a large part of the citizenry of the State. As the years go by, they are making a greater and greater contribution to the State's commercial and cultural development. To my mind, the dedication of this tablet to Verrazzano means much more than the calling to mind the deeds of one great Italian, and the procession we are about to form in honor of Christopher Columbus means much more than honor paid to another great Italian. They form parts of what I have designated "Italian Day," commemorating this year the great contributions which many thousands of Italian birth and descent have made, are making and I trust will continue to make to the development of the State of Rhode Island.
Following the exercises at the State House, more than 200 lodges of the Sons of Italy and independent Italian societies and clubs, with Gov. Green in the vanguard, marched to Dexter Train- ing Ground in one of the largest local parades of recent years. More than 15 bands were in the parade, as well as a number of floats, most of them depicting scenes from the discovery of America. At Dexter Training Ground another speaking program was held after arrival of the parade, which took three-quarters of an hour to pass City Hall, where it was reviewed by Mayor Dunne and members of the city government.
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ELEAZER ARNOLD HOUSE, LINCOLN, 1687
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The Rhode Island Tercentenary 1636-1936
MINIATURE MODELS OF EARLY ARCHITECTURE
NE of the most unique and interesting of the Tercenten- ary projects and one whose value, already great in illustrating Colonial architecture will grow with the passing years, was the series of models of early New England and Southern buildings, made by students in the Depart- ment of Art at Brown University. They were shown throughout the State during the summer under auspices of the Community Art Project, in co-operation with the Rhode Island Tercentenary Commission, whose grant from its appropriation made completion of the work possible.
These models, made under direction of Prof. Will S. Taylor, chairman of the Department of Art at Brown University, were fashioned in miniature to exact scale of the original, by William H. Kahler, '36, of Meadville, Pa. and George E. Manley, '36, of Ansonia, Conn. Built on a scale of one-sixteenth of an inch to the foot, each model is an authentic copy of the original structure even to the wooden pegs which the early builders used in place of spikes to fasten joists and beams. Portions of the exteriors of models have been left incomplete, to show the details of construction.
Three of the models are of Rhode Island structures. Another, selected as the best illustration of another trend in architecture, is of a well known Massachusetts structure. The fifth is an out- standing example of Southern architecture.
Each was built from an examination of the original structure after study of the early records and by following the original plans as closely as possible. In building each model, particular attention was given to structural details. The labor was long and painstaking, for shingles, bricks and all parts used were hand made to exact scale in miniature.
Following the Tercentenary, the models will be used for demonstration purposes during lectures in the Brown University course on "The Evolution of American Architecture."
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The first model finished was of the Eleazar Arnold house in Lincoln Woods, built in 1687 and now owned by the Society for the Preservation of American Antiquities. During its 250 years of existence this house, long used as a tavern, has been altered and enlarged to meet the needs of successive owners and does not look today as it did when first built. In constructing the model the original gable roof has been restored and the addition on the rear has been eliminated. The stairway has been placed in its original position and leaded glass windows with diamond panes installed on a miniature scale.
The large chimney filling one side of the house completely, was a distinctive characteristic of many early Rhode Island dwell- ings. Each of the three fireplaces has been reproduced in the model. The style of the house was scrupulously followed even in such details as timber structure and the vertical sheathing under the clapboards of the exterior.
The second model is of the Elder Ballou Meeting House in Cumberland, which is believed to date back to 1740. This is one of the oldest houses of worship in Rhode Island and the one most nearly in its original condition. Its three galleries, including the slaves gallery, the pulpit with deacon's seats and the rows of straight-backed pews were built with painstaking regard for details, in the model.
Unlike most of the other early New England churches, the Elder Ballou Meeting House has no steeple. From an architectural standpoint it is especially interesting because of the manner in which the joists and beams are fastened together with wooden pins and so arranged as to carry weight and stress in accordance with the best engineering principles. All of these features were repro- duced in the model.
The third model is of the Wanton-Hazard house in Newport, erected about 1680. This house, sometimes known as the Wanton- Lyman-Hazard house, is probably the oldest house now standing in the former capital. Its date of erection is given in "Historic New- port" as 1675. It has a huge pilastered chimney, curious twisting stairways, paneling of the best period, old blue tiles and the fire- back and crane still in position in the ancient kitchen fireplace. The original structure has recently been restored and now is a summer show place, with its oddly broken roof line.
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The Rhode Island Tercentenary 1636-1936
Martin Howard, Stamp Master, here found his position cost him dearly when the Newport mob, indignant at the stamp tax, looted his house and tore doors and window frames out in the troubled times preceding the Revolution. During the French occupation of Newport in the War for Independence, John Wanton, the Governor's son lived here and on one window pane a young French officer quartered in the house scrawled with his diamond, "Charming Polly Wanton."
The fourth model is of the Parson Capen house in Topsfield, Mass. Built in 1721, this is an exceptional example of the early New England dwelling with a projecting second story, pendants at each corner and a large central chimney. The central chimney type of architecture was common to many of the early Rhode Island homes.
The models of the Wanton-Hazard house in Newport and of the Parson Capen house at Topsfield, Mass., illustrate by comparison some of the similarities and differences between the early homes of Rhode Island and those of the Bay Colony.
Both dwellings have large central chimneys, with fireplaces on both floors, but the Rhode Island model has vertical sheathing on the exterior, as compared with horizontal sheathing on the model of the Massachusetts landmark. The Hazard house has no extra second-story overhang and most of its roof beams extend from the ridge pole to the eaves, reversing the arrangement favored by the early Massachusetts builders.
The fifth house was shown in an unfinished state but has since been completed. This was the Wishart house in the Norfolk section of Virginia, outside of Jamestown, one of the first in America and the oldest house in that section. The Wishart house is a brick structure, a story and a half, with exterior chimney. It was included in the group as the best remaining representative of its era in Southern architecture as distinguished from that in the North, where climatic conditions called for a different disposition of the chimney as houses grew in size.
These models are still in such general demand for exhibition that their usefulness for demonstration at Brown University is temporarily checked.
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SHOWINGS OF MODEL HOUSES
TRAVELLING ART CARAVAN OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
Arcade, Providence ..... June 29 to July 5
Deborah Cook Sayles Library, Pawtucket July 7 to 11
Curson Block, West Warwick July 13 to 16
Glocester-Chepachet Public Library
July 18-20
Greene Public Library ....... ...... July 22-24
Woonsocket-City Hall Building . July 27-29
Hope Valley-Langworthy Public Library
..... July 31-August 2
Westerly-Senior High School August 4-6
Barrington Town Hall ...... ...... August 8-11
Wickford Guild Hall
August 13-16
East Greenwich M. E. Church
.... August 18-21
Cranston-Junior High School
August 23-26
Bristol-John Post Reynolds School
..... August 28-30
Kingston State Fair
September 2-5
Newport-Art Association and Old State House
September 7-30
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The Rhode Island Tercentenary 1636-1936
COMMEMORATIVE HALF-DOLLAR
HODE ISLAND'S commemorative half-dollar set a new standard in special coin issues, not only in its beauty but also in its sales. For while similar issues in other States had lasted for months and in some cases failed to sell their entire number, the 50,000 coins issued for this Tercentenary were nearly all sold on the first day they were offered to the public. In fact orders were received in advance for the entire issue. A reasonable number were held out for calls from out of State collectors.
Although the coin was held by dealers at a premium more than twice its original price within a few days from the opening sale, it was sold at the first announced price-$1 for local sales, $1.15 by mail-so long as the supply lasted, by the Jubilee Committee, which handled it by agreement with the Tercentenary Commission.
The Rhode Island Tercentenary half-dollar was designed by John Howard Benson and Arthur Graham Carey of Newport. Both are graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design, where Benson is an instructor in lettering, while Carey is a designer and silversmith. Together they did much research and made many models before developing the coin by a method considered rev- olutionary for modern coinage-for the design was carved in re- verse and in the same manner as a small steel die is cut.
This was the method used by all the early Greek makers whose coins are today considered the most beautiful ever produced, and by the medieval coin makers.
The Tercentenary coin is thus described by one of its designers:
"On the obverse side or face of the coin the outstanding figure is Roger Williams arriving in his canoe at Slate Rock which is symbolic of his first landing and meeting with the Indians in Provi- dence. We selected this subject as an excellent symbol of Liberty, also because it is used as the modern seal and arms of the City of Providence.
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A Report of the Tercentenary Commission
"In his left hand he carries the Bible, symbolic of Europe's contribution to America, while his right hand is raised in the white man's customary salutation of friendship.
"Standing on the rock is an Indian welcoming Roger Williams, his hand extended palm down, which in the Indian sign language means 'Good.' Behind him is a plant of Indian corn, symbolic of the native contribution to the new American civilization and partic- ularly characteristic of Rhode Island. Behind both figures is the rising sun and the word 'Liberty' to represent the beginning of religious liberty in this country. There is also the mint required motto 'In God We Trust' and the dates, '1636 Rhode Island 1936' in lettering around the rim.
"On the reverse side or 'tails' of the coin is the State shield bearing the Anchor and the scroll bearing the motto 'Hope' to represent the authority of the State, while behind these is a mantling carrying the motto 'E Pluribus Unum,' which is insisted upon by mint regulations for all United States coins and which stands for the authority of the nation.
"The symbolism we have sought for in this design is the rela- tion of the Federal and State governments to each other with the Federal standing back of the State as shown by the mantling behind the shield. The wording around the rim-'United States of America-Half-Dollar' is required by mint regulations, but it is interesting to note that the treatment differs in many ways from that on the usual commemorative coin.
"On most such coins" said Mr. Benson, "the words required by mint regulations are often put on as small as possible. Here we have made them a definite part of the whole pattern so that orna- mentation and lettering fit together in an integral design."
All silver coins turn black eventually and the best ones give a beautiful black and white pattern, the background remaining black and the raised portions white. When this happens to the Rhode Island coin, it will have an unusual effect.
The designers were awarded a prize of $100 offered by the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Tercentenary Committee, Inc., the judging being by a committee headed by Royal B. Farnum, Director of the Rhode Island School of Design. His associates were Mrs. Murray S. Danforth, President of the School of Design; Prof.
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Will S. Taylor, of the Department of Art, Brown University; William D. Miller, President of the Providence Public Library; Howard M. Chapin, Librarian of the Rhode Island Historical Society; Henry D. Sharpe of Providence and Durr Freedly, an artist of Newport.
Fifty thousand coins were minted-20,000 at Philadelphia, 15,000 each at Denver and San Francisco. The coins were dis- tributed by the R. I. Hospital National Bank to 30 Rhode Island banks and placed on sale March 5. The limit, first set at 10 to a person, was quickly reduced to three to a person as the demand reached unprecedented heights due to novelty of the design and to a Presidential statement that future production of such commem- orative pieces should be limited and replaced by medals.
The first coin was bought by Ethelbert A. Rusden, 522 Angell Street, Providence. In the first day of six banking hours nearly the entire issue was sold. Mail orders had been received from every State but none was filled until the Rhode Island demand had been taken care of. Many collectors bought sets of three-one coin from each mint. By the end of the year such sets were quoted by local dealers at $7.50, the Philadelphia or "P" minting being held at $2.50, the others somewhat higher.
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THE TERCENTENARY POSTAGE STAMP
HERE was general satisfaction with the design of the Rhode Island Tercentenary commemorative postage stamp, not only among Rhode Islanders but also among the great and growing army of philatelists, to whom this was but another in a long series of commemorative special issues. It was hailed as one of the handsomest postage stamps issued by the United States in recent years and one of the most distinctive. Where other commemoratives of more than usual size were horizontal, the Rhode Island stamp was a vertical one-the first vertical stamp to bear a figure of an individual, in the issues of the preceding decade.
Carrying the figure of Roger Williams, it spread throughout the length and breadth of the land, the message of the tercentenary of the State he founded-the first government in the history of the world, to be established with separation of church and state. Its design was at once simple and symbolic, attention attracting and artistic. Its meaning was clear and easily understood. It was a popular stamp not only in Rhode Island, but elsewhere.
The stamp was designed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, after suggestions by the Rhode Island Tercentenary Com- mission, which furnished photographs of the statues of Roger Williams at Geneva and at Roger Williams Park, as well as the bust in the Hall of Fame at New York and asked the use of the park statue, with the seal of Rhode Island at one lower corner and the denomination of the stamp at the other lower corner. These sug- gestions were adopted and formed the basic idea of the stamp, which was described by the Post Office Department as:
"The stamp is the same size as the special-delivery stamp, 84/100 by 1 44/100 inches in dimensions, arranged vertically. It is enclosed in a double-line border and will be printed in purple" (the usual color for a three-cent stamp, under international agreement) . "The stamp will be in the 3-cent denomination. The words 'U. S. Postage' appear in dark gothic lettering in a horizontal line at the top of the stamp, underneath which are the dates '1636' at the left and '1936' at the right in dark gothic, between ornamental lines.
"The central design is a likeness of Roger Williams modelled
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from a photograph of the statue in Roger Williams Park at Provi- dence, R. I. The title 'Roger Williams' appears on the base of the statue in dark gothic. Between the base of the statue and the right side of the stamp is a circular panel with white ground enclosing the denomination designation '3 ¢' in dark lettering. In a corresponding position at the left is a reproduction of the central design of the State seal of Rhode Island.
"In a horizontal panel with white edges and dark ground at the base of the stamp, arranged in two lines, are the words 'Rhode Island' above and 'tercentenary' below in white roman lettering. The stamp is being printed by the rotary process without straight edges and will be issued in sheets containing 50 stamps."
The first stamps were printed April 24 in the presence of U. S. Senator Peter Goelet Gerry, Representative John M. O'Connell of the Second Congressional District, Postmaster General James A. Farley and Alvin W. Hall, Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. An edition of 75,000,000 was ordered printed-the same number ordered for Connecticut in 1935. The Rhode Island stamps were printed by the rotary plate process and plate numbers 21559, 21560, 21561 and 21562 were used.
At the request of C. B. Eilenberger, Third Assistant Postmaster General, the Rhode Island Tercentenary Commission designated Providence, scene of the original settlement by Roger Williams, for the first day sales, a distinction shared only by the U. S. Philatelic Agency at Washington. Postmaster Edward F. Carroll of Provi- dence ordered first 800,000, following this May 2 with a wire to Washington for a supplementary order for 1,000,000 additional.
By April 25, Dr. Carroll had received from philatelists more than 100,000 first day covers to be stamped and mailed May 4. When the stamp windows at the Providence Post Office were opened for general sales at 7:30 o'clock on the morning of Monday, May 4, the number of first day covers already stamped, cancelled and in the mail, had reached 212,000. For a week in advance of this date, 35 men had been working on this in a special section set aside for this work of placing the stamp carefully and evenly on the envelopes.
These advance covers were all hand stamped with special care and the result was unusually valuable philatelic souvenirs whose special handling brought much praise to the local post office.
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On April 30, Charles F. Anderson of Washington arrived here to take charge of first day sales as he has done since 1929, when the commemorative stamp for the Edison electric light was issued at Menlo Park. Mr. Anderson is best known for having been sent by the Post Office Department to act as Postmaster at Little America near the South Pole, during the last expedition by Admiral Richard E. Byrd to Antarcita. At that time he carried a letter from Post- master General Farley to Admiral Byrd, a letter whose travel for delivery was 16,000 miles-a record.
The Post Office Department also sent to assist in first day sales handling, Roscoe E. Fellers, superintendent of the Division of Stamps and Roy M. North, Deputy Third Assistant Postmaster General. They found that even with a maximum limit of 10 first day covers on an individual order, these covers were being received at Providence at the rate of 8,000 a day.
First day sales of the stamp at Providence were 560,000, with a cash value of $16,800. The number of first day covers stamped and cancelled was 245,400. This was far in excess of the figures for Maryland, 148,785 and Wisconsin, 130,000, in 1934 and for Con- necticut, which in 1935 handled 217,800 while the Michigan centennial figures in that year were 176,962.
The first sheet of stamps was sold to Gov. Theodore Francis Green, and was autographed by Messrs. North, Fellers and by Dr. Carroll, Postmaster. The second sheet was bought by Dr. Carroll for Mayor James E. Dunne, who was unable to be present. The first sheet sold through the stamp windows went to Ralph D. Stuntzner, a Providence dealer, who had waited in line for two hours from 5:30 o'clock. A local department store bought 30,000 stamps on the first day, an insurance company 20,000 largely for use on special cachets to customers.
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