Las Vegas Free Press

The celebration on Columbus Day, Oct. 12th, 1892, is commendable not only because it will diffuse among centers of American life throughout the country the significance and spirit of a memorable anniversary, but also because it will practically emphasize the value of the free school, the most characteristic of national institutions.

Columbus was the greatest educator who ever lived, for he taught mankind that human destiny extends over the whole world. Because the school house, like Columbus' voyage, has been a protest against popular ignorance, and has done more than anything else to make our free America what it is, surely this plan of a national celebration should be approved by all.

The great power that the American republic is in modern civilization is due to the free school system. Therefore the school house is the proper place for celebrating the great event on that historic anniversary, Oct. 12th, 1892.

The plan is, to bring together all the school children in the country, at the same hour, to commemorate the greatest event in the modern world. The executive committee will furnish a program, the aim of which will be that certain leading exercises may be the same in every school in the republic, and that the program at Chicago and the school program may be identical at least in one feature.

The public school of Las Vegas must not stand back in this matter. There is no doubt but that the pupils of this school can carry out their part of the program in a manner which will reflect credit upon themselves and their teachers.