Planning Lowell’s Centennial – (PIP #94)

By Louise Peloquin

     By rallying together, combining efforts and forging alliances, Lowellians tackled centennial celebration arrangements.

L’Etoile – Front page, January 9, 1026

THE SPLENDORS OF

THE CENTENNIAL FESTIVITIES

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Grand four or five-day pageant with 1,200 extras at South Common. – Magnificent ceremonies at the Auditorium on March 1 broadcast nationwide by radio. – President Coolidge would be our host. – Probable expenses from $35,000 to $45,000.

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MANY CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS LAST NIGHT

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     At an assembly at City Hall last night, the Lowell Centennial Committee approved certain arrangements for this year’s gigantic celebration of Lowell’s 100th anniversary. Costs are presently estimated between $35,000 and $40,000.

     The celebration will include an entire week of pageants in June, all of them rivaling the splendid ones recently held in Lexington, Quincy and Gloucester.

     First of all, the festivities will consist in a four or five-day pageant at South Common. 1,200 people will re-enact Lowell’s history. This alone will cost approximately $35,000 but admission ticket sales are expected to largely cover expenses.

     On March 1, a grand ceremony to celebrate Lowell’s birthday will take place at the Auditorium. Eminent guests, including national and State dignitaries, will attend. The program will include speeches, instrumental music, and a 500-voice choir performance. On the morning of the same day, appropriate speakers and music will entertain the children of Lowell.

     On March 1, the guests of honor will be Governor Fuller; Cardinal O’Connell; Mrs. Rogers; Superintendent of Schools Hugh J. Molloy, who will be speaker of the day, and Mr. Ralph Shaw, official poet. Mr. George B. Chadwick was invited to compose an ode for the occasion.

     President Coolidge will most probably be the principal guest in June.

     All of these projects were reported to the Centennial Committee by its executive office yesterday. After approving the projects, the Committee voted to ask the City Council to appropriate a sum of $35,000 to finance the festivities.

     Each executive office member spoke about his preparation activities. John A. Hunnewell brought up publicizing and announced that the city’s three principal English-language newspapers were publishing historical essays about Lowell and were planning on preserving the texts by printing pamphlets to be distributed during the centennial. In the meantime, public school teachers will hand each essay out to students.

     Ralph E. Runels reported that the local cinemas had agreed to project views of Lowell as it was 100 years ago. These will be shown a short time before the centennial festivities. Mr. Runels also announced that he had made arrangements with the telephone company to obtain a direct telephone line with Boston radio station WEEI while General Electric promised to supply amplifiers in order that the March 1 program in the Auditorium be heard by the entire nation.

     Yesterday, Frank K. Stearns, president of the Centennial Committee, stated that all of the city’s clergymen had been invited to preach on the centennial in their respective churches on February 28th and that all were willing to cooperate with the Committee.

     Mr. Hunnewell said that the executive office accepted an offer from Tyler A. Stevens, manager of Central Edifice, for the use of suite number 327 which includes three apartments. This location will serve as Committee headquarters.

     George M. Harrigan indicated that the superintendent of schools and Mr. Harris, Lowell High School principal, had promised to participate in putting together the March 1 children’s program.

     John J. Walsh declared that the March 1 musical performances at the Auditorium and in the large High School hall will be of highest quality. He added that all of the city’s musical ensembles will have the opportunity to contribute to the ceremonies and to the June pageant.

     Mr. Hunnewell noted that a choral of 500 will perform on March 1. The committee in charge of organizing this choral is made up of : Arthur C. Spalding, president; James E. Donnelly; Dr. G. E. Caisse; Ora W. Hardy and Georges S. Drew. Letters have already been sent to different church chorals in the city requesting their support.

     Mr. Stearns mentioned that Ralph Shaw will provide a poem for the occasion and that George B. Chadwick, a former Lowellian, accepted to write an ode. The poem and the ode will be read in public on March 1.

     John J. Walsh and Charles L. Marren then presented both sides of the main question, i.e., should the June festivities consist in a pageant or an industrial exhibition.

     Mr. Walsh, president of the committee which visited Quincy, Portsmouth, Lexington and Gloucester, detailed the many reasons in favor of a pageant in Lowell. Mr. Marren, a Chamber of Commerce board member, then announced that the Chamber of Commerce offered to set up and finance an industrial exhibition to be directed by an expert.

     After much discussion, the Centennial Committee decided that a pageant was more appropriate for the occasion. It will probably be directed by Virginia Tanner who enjoys a nationwide reputation for such events.

     George M. Harrison presented the following estimate of expenses: March 1st celebrations, $5000; June festivities, band concerts, processions, fireworks, $5000 to $10,000; permanent commemorative plaques for historically-significant sites, $2,500; printing and office supplies, $1000; miscellaneous, $4000; safety margin in case of low ticket sales for the pageant, $15,000. Total, $35,000 to $45,000.

     Councilor John J. McFadden made a motion that the City Council be invited to the next meeting in order to perpetuate the Centennial Committee as it is today, including the newly-elected councilors. The vote passed.

     John P. Cryan, reporting in the name of the Butler commemorative committee, said that his committee was making progress. His report was accepted. (1)

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1) Translation by Louise Peloquin.