The Evansville Press, June 29, 1935

Article was typed as it was worded in the newspaper.

THOUSANDS TO ATTEND FETE AT ROCKPORT

Dedication of Lincoln Pioneer Village To Be Thursday

Special Correspondence

Rockport, Ind., June 29—A parade of historic floats will open the July 4 dedication program of the new Lincoln Pioneer Village at Rockport City Park.

Nearly every Spencer County community will be represented in the parade, which will start at 10 a. m. in the downtown section, moving to the city park.

Four reception committees will greet the thousands of visitors. Taylor C. Basye, president of emeritus of Spencer County Historical Society, sponsor of the village, is chairman of the main committee.

Lunch will be served from 11 a. m. to 1 p. m. by the Methodist Church Ladies’ Aid.

McGuffey Club Meeting

Main program will start at 1 p. m. when the Southern Indiana McGuffey Club will hold its first annual meeting at the log cabin school, one of the 21 cabins in Lincoln Village.

Joseph R. Haines, Rockport Democrat editor, will welcome club members. Rev. J. F. Rake of First Baptist Church, Evansville, will speak on "McGuffey’s Influence in Indiana"; Mrs. Alidore Cassidy Huffman, Tell City, will give "The Life Of William Holmes McGuffey"; and Mrs. Charles H. Salm will lead singing of old songs.

A permanent club will be organized by persons who used McGuffey readers as their text books.

Dedication ceremonies will begin at 2:30 p. m. with Mrs. Bess V. Ehrmann president of the Spencer County Historical Society, in charge.

Rev. Lee S. Jarrett of Rockport M. E. Church will give the invocation; Mayor Harvey T. Chinn will make the welcoming address, and U. S. Sen. Sherman Minton will talk on "American Patriotism."

Representative E. C. Simpson will introduce Sen. Minton and Atty. Gen. Lutz whose topic is "A Fourth of July in Lincoln’s Time and Today."

Judge To Speak

Judge Roscoe Kiper, Boonville, will review Lincoln’s boyhood in Indiana.

George Honig, Rockport sculptor, who made the Lincoln village his life-time ambition and who has devoted months to supervision of its construction, will make the dedication address.

Other talks will be by: Harold Van Orman, Evansville; Congressman Boehne and J. Roy Strickland, organizer of the Indiana McGuffey Club.

Rockport High School Band will play and Mrs. Ben Smith, Grandview, will sing.

Benediction by Rev. Wilbur M. Allen, Rockport Lutheran Church pastor, will close the program.

Rockport school teachers, who will act as official guides in the village, include: Edith and Helen Brother, Ethel Lawburgh, C. A. Fay, Helen Posey, Eva Kehrer, Essie Lee Williams, Ben Atkinson, Thomas Fortune, Tina Hill and Eva Featherston.