New York at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis 1904 Part 13

REMARKS BY MR. BERRI

"We should be thankful way down deep in our hearts that we are citizens of such a great country--the United States of America. When you think of its wonderful struggle for years and know that to-day it is at the forefront of progress among the nations of the earth should we not be thankful that we are a part of it? We should be thankful that we have such a great President--a man respected by all nations. Republicans should be thankful that they won such a great victory at the polls, and Democrats should be thankful that the Republicans give them such good government.

"The married men here should be thankful that they have such good wives, and the wives that they have such good husbands; the unmarried men that they have in the future such a vista of happiness that is to come to them, and the young ladies should be thankful that there are so many young men around. There is no way to view this occasion but with a thanksgiving spirit, and nothing pleases me more than to be with you to-day. There has been no feature of our Fair at any time, in all of its various functions we have had, that gives me such great pleasure as to preside at this gathering. It is the first time we have been all brought together, and, while the hours of the Fair are numbered, I am sure that every one will go home never forgetting the pleasant days they have had at the great Exposition at St. Louis in the year nineteen hundred and four."

He then called upon Mrs. Norman E. Mack, the only other member of the Commission present. Mrs. Mack was warmly applauded and said:

RESPONSE BY MRS. MACK

"It gives me great pleasure to be able to take my Thanksgiving dinner to-day with so many who have done so much for the glory of New York at this Exposition. I particularly wish to compliment those of our own building who have always been so courteous and nice to me, and by so doing have aided the New York Commission in making the New York State building the social center of the Exposition."

OTHER SPEAKERS

Brief remarks were also made by Mr. J. H. Durkee, Superintendent of Agriculture; Mr. DeLancey M. Ellis, Director of Education and Social Economy; Mr. James T. Patterson, a.s.sistant Superintendent of Horticulture; Mr. A. B. Strough, in charge of the Forestry, Fish and Game exhibit; Dr. H. H. Hinshaw, in charge of the Scientific exhibit, and the following officials of the State building: Hon. Frank J.

LeFevre, Superintendent; Mrs. Dore Lyon, Hostess; Mrs. F. P. Applebee, a.s.sistant Hostess; Miss Laura C. MacMartin, Matron, and Mr. George B.

Cowper, a.s.sistant Superintendent. Others present were called upon and made appropriate remarks, and the Pikers' Club, an organization composed of attaches of the building, furnished the musical part of the entertainment.

PRESENTATION TO SECRETARY BALL

Vice-President Berri then presented Mr. Charles A. Ball, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, with a complete fishing outfit in behalf of all of the employees of the New York State Commission. Mr. Ball enjoys a wide reputation as an expert with the rod.

In his remarks Mr. Berri said that it had never been demonstrated that the Secretary had ever returned with any fish, and expressed the hope that with such a perfect equipment some tangible results might be shown.

He also humorously referred to the fact that in the fire which a short time before had threatened the destruction of the State building, Mr.

Ball's first thought had been for the safety of his fishing reels. The presentation was a complete surprise to the Secretary, who feelingly expressed his deep appreciation of the thoughtfulness of his staff in making him a present which he should treasure as long as he lived. He also expressed his grat.i.tude to all of the employees of the Commission for their loyal support, which had meant so much in the successful partic.i.p.ation of New York at the greatest Fair the world ever knew. He closed with laudatory remarks concerning the Commission, and the wisdom and thoroughness which had characterized its work.

In the course of her remarks Mrs. Lyon read the following original poem:

POEM BY MRS. LYON

Like ships upon the changing sea of life, Unknowing and unknown until we met, We've sailed awhile together, and no strife Has marred our joy, nor brought a faint regret.

O'er this composite family of ours, Begotten from each corner of our State, Has breathed a peaceful spirit, and the hours Have sped on wings from early dawn till late.

'Tis something to have met each other here, And found in each some trait to be admired, And felt the world replete with joy and cheer, And friendship still the thing to be desired.

The tiny corners that we once possessed By gentle contact have been rubbed away, And words that might have hurt have been suppressed, And peacefully we hail this Festive Day.

The time when we must part comes on apace, And soon we'll wend along our various ways, Then mem'ry's realm will crowded be for s.p.a.ce To welcome friends of Exposition days.

To name each one and strive to pay the debt We owe, of deepest grat.i.tude and praise In words, would take me many hours yet, And possibly run over into days.

And--after all, when all is said and done, It only means we've met--to live--to part.

Then here's my wish--That we have just begun A friendship which may blossom in each heart.

LANTERN SLIDES

At the conclusion of the remarks a series of lantern slides ill.u.s.trating some of the most attractive natural features of the Empire State were shown, the slides being a part of the exhibit in education. The entertainment concluded with informal dancing, music for the same being furnished by an orchestra which was in attendance. The a.s.semblage dispersed with three rousing cheers for the Empire State and for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission of the State of New York.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIOUX CHIEF "BLUE HORSE" AND ARMY OFFICERS]

CHAPTER IX

Educational Exhibit and Schedule of Awards

THE EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT

BY DELANCEY M. ELLIS

Director of Education and Social Economy

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The movement for an educational exhibit of the State of New York at St.

Louis was inaugurated at a meeting of the State Teachers' a.s.sociation, held at Saratoga in July, 1902, at which a resolution was offered inviting the various educational a.s.sociations of the State to co-operate with the above a.s.sociation in promoting an exhibit commensurate with the State's educational importance. An immediate response was forthcoming.

THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Ten powerful educational a.s.sociations and the two State administrative departments (since merged into the Department of Education) each sent a delegate to a central committee, which took the name of "Conference Committee," and consisted of Chairman, Myron T. Scudder, princ.i.p.al State Normal School, New Paltz, representing the Normal Princ.i.p.als' Council; Secretary, Henry L. Taylor, representing the University of the State of New York; A. M. Wright, Second Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, representing the Department of Public Instruction; F. D.

Boynton, superintendent of schools, Ithaca, representing the State Teachers' a.s.sociation; Andrew W. Edson, a.s.sociate superintendent of schools, city of New York, representing the Council of School Superintendents; Calvin W. Edwards, president Board of Education, Albany, representing the a.s.sociation of School Boards; F. S. Fosd.i.c.k, princ.i.p.al Masten Park High School, Buffalo, representing the a.s.sociated Academic Princ.i.p.als; George H. Walden, princ.i.p.al Grammar School No. 10, Rochester, representing the Council of Grammar School Princ.i.p.als; H. J.

Schmitz, acting princ.i.p.al State Normal School, Geneseo, representing the Science Teachers' a.s.sociation; A. C. Hill, Department of Public Instruction, representing the Training Teachers' Conference; Erwin B.

Whitney, school commissioner, first district, Broome county, representing the School Commissioners and Superintendents' a.s.sociation.

This Committee organized as above in October, 1902, and appointed a subcommittee to appear before the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission and request an adequate appropriation and the appointment of a director to carry on the work.

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR

At the Meeting of the Commission held June 10, 1903, DeLancey M. Ellis, of Rochester, was appointed director, and the sum of $20,000 was set aside for the preparation of the educational exhibit. Offices were immediately opened at 46 Elwood building, Rochester, N. Y., and the work of collecting and preparing the exhibit material was begun. As the schools were just about to close for the summer holidays but little could be accomplished, and none of the work of the school year 1902-1903 could be procured. It is to be regretted that time was not allowed to procure an exhibit of work covering an entire school year. That which covers a shorter period is of necessity fragmentary and hardly conveys clearly an idea of the quality or scope of the work being done in a given inst.i.tution.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Conference Committee was invited to retain its organization and to take the name of "Advisory Committee," to co-operate with and a.s.sist the director, the members of the committee to serve without compensation, but necessary expenses while in discharge of their duties to be paid from the appropriation for the exhibit.

It would be hard to overestimate the services performed by this committee. Each member took a hearty interest in the work in hand and freely gave of his time and advice in carrying the work forward to a successful conclusion. Any lack of interest or enthusiasm on the part of the members of a given a.s.sociation was quickly dispelled by a personal appeal to its members from its representative upon the committee. In this way the interest was most genuine and general throughout the State, and in no way could the sentiment of educational interests be more clearly crystallized than in a meeting of this committee, and to them is due the thanks of the Commission, as well as the thanks of the educational forces of the State of New York for their unselfish efforts and wise counsel, which in so large a way was responsible for the success of the educational exhibit.

PLANS PRESENTED BEFORE EDUCATIONAL a.s.sOCIATIONS