VOL. II.

No. 2.

I

IN obedience to an act of Congress, the President, on July 21, issued a proclamation recommending that October 21, the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, be celebrated everywhere in America by suitable exercises in the schools.

A uniform programme for every school in America, to be used Columbus Day, simultaneously with the dedicatory exercises on the World's Columbian Exposition grounds in Chicago, will give an impressive unity to the popular celebration. Accordingly, when the superintendents of Education, last February, accepted The Youth's Companion's plan for this national public school celebration, they instructed their executive committee to prepare an official programme of exercises for the day, uniform for every school.

To enable preparations to begin immediately, the executive committee now publish

THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME. For the National Columbian Public-Scchool Celebration, Friday, October, 21, A. D., 1892. [NOTE. The schools should assemble at 9 A. M., in their various rooms. At 9:30 the detail of veterans is expected to arrive. It is to be met at the entrance of the yard by the color

guard of pupils, escorted with dignity to the building, and presented to the principal. The principal then gives the signal, and the several teachers conduct their pupils to the yard, to beat of drum or other music, and arrange them in a hollow square about the flag, the veterans and color guard taking places by the flag itself. The master of ceremonies then gives the command "Attention!" and begins the exercises by reading the proclamation.]

I.

READING OF THE PRESIDENT'S
PROCLAMATION,

...By the Master of Ceremonies WHEREAS, By a joint resolution approved June 29, 1892, it was resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled "That the President of the United States be authorized and directed to issue a proclamation recommending to the people the observance in all their localities of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, on October 21, 1892, by public demonstration, and by suitable exercises in their schools and other places of assembly.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America; in pursuance of the aforesaid joint resolution, do hereby appoint Friday, October 21, 1892, the 400 anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, as a general holiday for the

From ocean to ocean, in city, village, and country-side, the children of the States are marshaled and marching under the banner of the Nation, and with them the people are gathering around the school-house.

Men are recognizing to-day the most impressive anniversary since Rome celebrated her thousandth year-the 400th anniversary of the stepping of a hemisphere into the world's life; four completed centuries of a new social order; the celebration of liberty and enlightenment organized into a civilization.

And while, during these hours, the Federal Government of these United States strikes the key-note of this great American day that gives honor to the common American Institution which unites us all, we assemble here that we, too, may exalt the free school, that embodies the American principle of universal enlightenment and equality-the most characteristic product of the four centuries of American life.

Four hundred years ago this morning, the Pinta's gun broke the silence, and announced the discovery of this hemisphere. It was a virgin world. Human life hitherto upon it had been without significance. In the Old World for thousands of years civilized men had been trying experiments in social order. They had been found wanting. But here was an untouched soil that lay ready for a new experiment in civilization. All things were ready. New forces had come to light, full of overturning power, in the Old World. In the New World they were to work together with a mighty harmony.

It was for Columbus, propelled by this fresh life, to reveal the land where these new forces were to be given space for development, and where the awaited trial of the new civilization was to be made.

To-day we reach our most memorable milestone. We look backward and we look forward.

Backward, we see the first mustering of modern ideas; their long conflict with Old World theories, which were also transported hither. We see stalwart men and brave women, one moment on the shore, then disappearing in dim forests. We hear the axe. We see the flame of burning cabins and hear the cry of the savage. We see the never-ceasing wagon trains always toiling westward. We behold log cabins becoming villages, then cities. We watch the growth of institutions out of little beginningsschools becoming an educational system; meeting-houses leading into organic Christianity; town meetings growing to political movements; county discussions developing federal governments.

We see hardy men with intense convictions, grappling, struggling, often amid battle smoke, and some idea characteristic of the New World always triumphing. We see settlements knitting together into a nation with singleness of purpose. We note the birth of the modern system of industry and commerce, and its striking forth into undreamed of wealth, making the millions members one of another as sentiment could never bind. And under it all, and through it all, we fasten on certain principles ever operating and regnant-the leadership of manhood; equal rights for every soul; universal enlightenment as the source of progress. These last are the principles that have shaped America; these principles are the true Americanism.

We look forward. We are conscious we are in a period of transition. Ideas in education, in political economy, in social science are undergoing revisions. There is a large uncertainty about the outcome. But faith in the underlying

principles of Americanism, and in God's destiny for the republic, makes a firm ground of hope; The coming century promises to be more than ever the age of the people; an age that shall develop a greater care for the rights of the weak, and make a more solid provision for the development of each individual by the education that meets his need.

As no prophet among our fathers on the 300th anniversary of America could have pictured what the new century would do, so no man can this day reach out and grasp the hundred years upon which the Nation is now entering. On the victorious results of the completed centuries, the principles of Americanism. will build our fifth century. Its material progress is beyond our conception, but we may be sure that in the social relations of men with men, the most triumphant gains are to be expected. America's fourth century has been glorious; America's fifth century must be made happy.

One institution, more than any other, has wrought out the achievements of the past, and is to-day the most trusted for the future. Our fathers, in their wisdom, knew that the foundations of liberty, fraternity and equality must be universal education. The free school, therefore, was conceived the cornerstone of the Republic. Washington and Jefferson recognized that the education of citizens is not the prerogative of church or of other private interest; that while religious training belongs to the church, and while technical and higher culture may be given by private institutions, the training of citizens in the common knowledge and the common duties of citizenship belongs irrevocably to the State.

We, therefore, on this anniversary of America, present the public school as

the noblest expression of the principle of enlightenment which Columbus grasped by faith. by faith. We uplift the system of free and universal education as the master force which, under God, has been informing each of our generations with the peculiar truths of Americanism. America, therefore, gathers her sons around the school-house to-day as the institution closest to the people, most characteristic of the people, and fullest of hope for the people.

To-day America's fifth century begins. The world's twentieth century will soon be here. To the 13,000,000 now in the American schools the command of the coming years belongs. We, the youth of America, who, to-day unite to march. as one army under the sacred flag, understand our duty. We pledge ourselves that the flag shall not be stained; and that America shall mean equal opportunity and justice for every citizen, and brotherhood for the world.

(Written for the occasion and contributed by The Youth's Companion.)

"God helping me," cried Columbus, "though fair or foul the breeze,

I will sail and sail till I find the land beyond the western seas!"

So an eagle might leave its eyrie, bent, though the blue should bar,

To fold its wings on the loftiest peak of an undiscovered star!

And into the vast and void abyss he followed the setting sun;

Nor gulfs nor gales could fright his sails till the wondrous quest was done.

But oh the weary v gils, the murmuring, torturing days,

Till the Pinta's gun, and the shout of "Land!" set the black night ablaze!

Till the shore lay fair as Paradise in morning's balm and gold,

And a world was won from the conquered deep, and the tale of the ages told. Uplift the starry Banner! The best age is begun!

We are the heirs of the mariners whose voyage that morn was done.

Measureless lands Columbus gave and rivers through zones that roll,

But his rarest, noblest bounty was a New World for the Soul!

For he sailed from the Past, with its stifling

walls, to the future's open sky,

And the ghosts of gloom and fear were laid as the breath of heaven went by; And the pedant's pride and the lordling's scorn were lost in that vital air,

As fogs are lost when sun and wind sweep ocean blue and bare;

And Freedom and larger Knowledge dawned clear, the sky to span,

The birthright not of priest or king, but of every child of man!

Uplift the New World's Banner to greet the exultant sun!

Let its rosy gleams still follow his beams as

swift to the west they run,

Till the wide air rings with shout and hymn to welcome it shining high,

And our eagle from lone Katahdin to Shasta's snow can fly

In the light of its stars, as fold on fold is flung to the autumn sky!

Uplift it, youths and maidens, with songs and loving cheers;

Through triumphs, raptures, it has waved, through agonies and tears.

Columbia looks from sea to sea and thrills with joy to know

Her myriad sons, as one, would leap to shield it from a foe!

And you who soon will be the State, and shape each great decree,

Oh, vow to live and die for it, if glorious death must be !

The brave of all the centuries gone, this starry

flag have wrought;

In dungeons dim, on gory fields, its light and peace were bought;

And you who frout the future--whose days our dreams fulfill

On Liberty's immortal height, oh, plant it firmier still

For it floats for broadest learning; for the soul's supreme release;

For law disdaining license; for righteousness and peace;

For valor born of justice; and its amplest scope and plan

Makes a queen of every woman, and a king of every man!

While forever, like Columbus, o'er Truth's unfathomed main

It pilots to the hidden isles, a grander realm to gain.

Ah! what a mighty trust is ours, the noblest ever sung,

To keep this banner spotless its kindred stars among!

Our fleet may throng the oceans-our forts the

headlands crown-

Our mines their treasures lavish for mint and mart and town

Rich fields and flocks and busy looms bring plenty, far and wide

And statelier temples deck the land than Rome's or Athens' pride

And Science dare the mysteries of earth and

wave and sky

Till none with us in splendor aud strength and skill can vie;

Yet, should we reckon Liberty and Manhood less than these,

And slight the right of the humblest between our circling seas,

Should we be false to our sacred past, our father's God forgetting,

This Banner would loose its luster, our sun be nigh his setting!

But the dawn will sooner forget the east, the tides their ebb and flow,

Than you forget our radiant flag, and its matchless gifts forego!

Nay! you will keep it high advanced with everbrightening sway

The Banner whose light betokens the Lord's diviner day

Leading the nations gloriously in Freedom's holy way!

No cloud on the field of azure-no stain on the rosy bars

God bless you, youth and maidens, as you guard the Stripes and Stars!