Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1892 — Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Hew to Observe CUumbus Day, Octofeer 2J. MORNING SESSION. SThe Official Program, prepared by the executive committee of the School Celebration of Columbus Day, provides for a morning celebration in all the public school-houses ot America. The pupils of the schools »re to gather on October 21, at the usual hour, in their respective schoolhouses. As far as possible, all the rooms in each schoolhouse under the same principal should unite in having the same exercises. The parents and friends of the pupils should be brought together. Family interests on Columbus Day should be made to centre in the particular schoolhouse where the children attend. The exercises of the morning may be simple or elaborate. Schools with sufficient resources may extend the Official Program with additional features, such as special music by chorus or orchestra,‘and historical exercises. The largest liberty is left for individual ingenuity and taste.

AFTERNOON OBSERVANCES. In the country, the day ought to be made a real holiday. Farm and household work might be well relinquished ; and the families of the district come together at the schoolhouse, with their picnic lunches, prepared to make a day of memorable festivity. The exercises of the morning being over, the afternoon might be devoted to games, and to social reunions of neighbors, which would make the day a joyous one to millions of our haid-working population. In cities and villages, however, the citizens will probably wish a formal demonstration, which may be in their own hands. Wherever the citizens are to conduct a Celebration, twb matters should be especially arranged:— First, that the Civic Celebration occur in the afternoon, so that it will not conflict with the Schoolhouse Celebrations. Second, that in the afternoon Civic Celebration ample recognition may be given to the Public School idea, the characteristic of the day throughout the nation.

THE REVIEW. If there is a general parade, a Public School Review” should be its most honored feature. If there is no general procession, the fchpols alone might be reviewed. Let the pupils xqeet at their schoolhouses at a designated hoar, and be conducted by efficient marshals, without delays and in perfect order, to their places in the line. The Army Veterans, north and sooth, the Blue and the Gray alike, should march with the schools as special guards of honor. As the Reviewing Stand is reached, let each part of the column salute the Flag. THE MASS MEETING. At tiie citizen’s mass meeting after the Review, the schools ought again to be given prominence. Seats should be reserved for their delegations Some features of Morning’s Official Program might be repeated. At least one of the speeches should deal with the reasons for making the American educational system the centre of this Columbian celebration; for one of the aims of this movement is to impress the American people with the significance of free education to American citizenship.

WHAT THE SCHOOLS ABE TO DO. The first duty of each school, however, is to attend to its own morning oelebration. Teachers, Superintendents, and School Boards should confer, that action may be harmonious and the best results attained. The proposed oelebration should be explained to each school at the earliest moment. It should be so presented as to awaken enthusiasm. Interesting topics relating to Columbus and the Discovery shonld be suggested for special Investigation. Such topics might be: The Map of the World before the disoovery, Important Inventions and Events in Europe Just before the Disoovery, The Story of Columbus, The Ships of Columbus, What Col umbus expected to find, Geographical Growth of the United States Stories Of South Amerioa, eto. The Teacher should assign the Address and the Ode to those who can render thorn most intelligently. The Flag Salute and the songs should be persistently rehearsed.

Important committees of pupils should be appointed; I, A Committee of Invitation, rooae fcuty it is to see that the family of each pupil receives a special invitation to the Morning Exercbta of October 21, and also, when thiy arrive, to show them seat*; 2, A Color Guard, whom duty ia (j) to see that the school has a Flag a«A