Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 129, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1916 — SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT [ARTICLE]

SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT

Prof. W. C. Woodson, of the State Historical Commission, Met With Centennial Workers Here. Prof. W. C. Woodson, of the State Historical Commission, visited our city Monday evening, discussed lar.s with some Representatives of the various organizatiohs -that are interested in having a county centennial celebration. The last state legislature made an appropriation of $20,000 fir the purpose of a celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of our State. With so small a sum it was found by the .Historical Commission, appointed to perfect the plans, to be too limited an amount to put on an exposition at the capital as some states are doing, and lack of funds has proven to be a blessing in disguise, for it compelled the people of the various parts of the state to collect their own historical material and “put on” their own expositions instead of having one prepared for them. The general plan of the commission has been to institute first an educational propaganda to arouse interest in the local history. This has been done very largely through the schools, the county superintendent urging each school in the county to oibserve an Indiana Day, at which time local historical material was to be an important part of the program. This suggestion was carried out in nearly all the schools of our county and much interesting historical material collected that .an be made of permanent value. Especial study of Indiana history and literature was given in the course of study for the year. With this preparation accomplished it is the further plan of the commission to ask each county to hold a county celebration that would be a means of presenting local and state history in an impressive and helpful way. Many suggestions for such a celebration were given ant mention was made of what had been done and is being done in other parts of the state. Among the most interesting celebrations was that at Huntington, where a very extensive exhibit was made by the various townships in the county in the corridors of the court house. Reproductions of historic landmarks and old fashioned equipment were displayed. In one section was an exact reproduction of the part otf the Wabash Erie canal that went through that county, with the mill that stood on its banks and the locks and gates all in miniature. A small-copy of an ancient stagecoach had been made by the boys after a study of the originals. An Indian village that had once existed in the county was pictured in miniature, in one section the floor being covered with sand to represent the soil and little children in Indian garb gave life and activity to the picture, With the fine court house we have in our own county, the third floor of which remains unused for the greater part of the year, it seems possible that we might do something of this kind, each township .being asked to reproduce some place of interest in its own history and in this way cultivating a broader acquaintance, one with the other. In connection with these exhibits, historical pageants might be given each township, furnishing an episode in its own history or some phase of the county’s development. A home-coming day is also a pleasing addition to such a celebration. Each county should try to secure a worthy reminder of this year in the Way of a permanent centennial memorial and as Jasper county is just now erecting a new county hospital it wil l'be right in line to follow this idea. , n Supt. Dean, of our city schools, has been appointed by the commission as chairman of this county and he, with Profs. Wildrick, of Remington and Sterrett, of Wheatfield, constitute the committee that will plan the centennial celebration in this county some time in September or October, and at this celebration a series of moving pictures depicting scenes m the history of our state will be shown at the local picture shows. These pictures have been passed upon by the commission and will be historically correct. ,