of his birth, to open the exercises with prayer. Dr. Gordon courteously consented. These important preliminaries settled, the rest of the programme was left to a sub-committee consisting of the chairman and Messrs. Swift, Tillinghast, Phelan, and Clement, whose work was approved by the full committee at a subsequent meeting. When it was learned that M. Jules Jean Jusserand, the ambassador of France to the United States, would be in Boston, January 17, 1906, to deliver an address in the evening before the Sons of the American Revolution, it was voted to invite him to attend the afternoon ceremonies in Symphony Hall. His presence on this occasion was deemed especially appropriate and significant, not only on account of the traditional friendship between the United States and the French nation a friendship which Franklin powerfully advanced during his long residence at the court of France as the first envoy from the United States to that country, but also because the ambassador himself is bound by ties of peculiar strength to this country, his wife being an American woman and a connection of the noted Boston and Groton family of Lawrence. An invitation, accordingly, was sent to M. Jusserand by the secretary and a prompt and gracious acceptance was received. His Excellency Curtis Guild, Jr., Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and His Honor John Francis Fitzgerald, Mayor of Boston, both of whom assumed office with the new year, accepted the invitations extended to them by the chairman to be present. The statue of Franklin in front of City Hall, as well as the site of his birthplace, No. 15 Milk Street, and the monument to his parents in the old Granary Burying-ground, were decorated by order of the mayor, and flags were displayed on the schoolhouses and other public buildings and on many private structures also. On January 17, 1906, at 2 P.M., the hour for opening the doors of Symphony Hall to ticket-holders, a large number of people had gathered about the entrances. The seats assigned were promptly filled, the seating of the floor and the general management of the front of the hall being in charge of Mr. Manning, of the sub-committee on reception and platform, while his colleagues, Messrs. Guerin and Joyce, attended to the care and escort of the distinguished guests to whom platform tickets had been sent. Those who were to participate in the exercises and the honorary guests assembled in the ante-room soon after 2 o'clock. At 2.30 promptly the few persons still remaining outside were admitted to the hall. Nearly every seat upon the floor and in the first balcony was occupied and a considerable number of those in the second balcony, for which no tickets were required. Copies of Selections from Franklin's writings, prepared for the use of the pupils in the public schools, were distributed to the audience on entering, as well as the following programme of the exercises: GEORGE ANGIER GORDON, D.D. Pastor of the Old South Church (Franklin was baptized in the Old South Meeting-House) 4. Chorus, "Holy, Holy is the Lord," from "Elijah" PUPILS OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 5. Introductory Remarks by the Chairman of the Joint Committee 9. Story of the Franklin Fund, "Franklin's Gift to Boston" HENRY SMITH PRITCHETT, LL.D. Eichberg 10. Andantino for Strings ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA Reinicke 14. National Hymn, "America" PUPILS OF THE BOSTON SCHOOLS, ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL 15. Benediction THE RT. REV. MGR. WILLIAM BYRNE 16. "American Republic March" ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA Thiele The chorus, composed of about one hundred and seventy-five pupils of the Boston public schools, under the leadership of Mr. John A. O'Shea, assistant musical director of schools, was seated upon a rising platform at the rear and sides of the stage. Above the chorus and at the back of the stage center, were draped the intertwined colors of the United States and of the French Republic. A space on the floor, directly in front of the stage, from which the first two rows of seats had been removed, was filled by the orchestra of forty-one pieces from the English High School, under the direction of Mr. James A. Beatley, a master in that school, who has trained and conducted this orchestra ever since its organization, several years ago. During the seating of the audience the overture was played by the orchestra. At precisely 2.30 the second orchestral selection, the Lachner march, was begun, and the chairman, accompanied by the Governor, the Mayor, the Orator, the Ambassador of France, and the others whose names appear on the programme, came upon the stage and were seated in the order assigned. The presiding officer occupied the center seat, and on his right, in order, were the Governor, Ambassador Jusserand, the Hon. Daniel A. Whelton, lately acting mayor of Boston, and Dr. Lory B. Fenderson, the reader of the poem. On his left, in order, sat Mayor Fitzgerald, Dr. Henry S. Pritchett, the Hon. Carroll D. Wright, and the Rev. George A. Gordon, D.D. In the rear row of chairs were the members of the committee, former mayors of Boston, and several other distinguished guests. |