100 Years Ago: April 24-30

From The Indianapolis Times, Friday, April 30, 1920: Tomorrow, Saturday, May 1 has been proclaimed “America Day” by Gov. James Goodrich “in order to combat the radical and un-American propaganda which has been cunningly spread in the United States by agitators who receive their inspiration from eastern Europe.” Necessarily, Indianapolis public schools conducted programs today celebrating the event. America Day was observed in some classrooms with singing of patriotic songs and reading of patriotic poems, while in others the selected quotations of President Theodore Roosevelt were recited, and flag drills conducted. Patriotic addresses were delivered to student assemblies at Technical High School and Manual Training High School while students in each classroom at Shortridge High School discussed Americanization subjects. George Buck, Shortridge principal, announced that students might contribute to a fund for war orphans and other practical Americanization relief work.