HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-04-28-TCC-min.pdf 321
TOT,:N CETEBRATION, CONMITTEF •
April 25, 1960
The twenty-sixth meeting of the 1^59-'60 Town
Celebration Committee was held in the Selectmen' s
Room of t e Town Office Building at 8 00 p in
Present were M 's Pullen, Mrs Williams, Mrs
Litchfield and Messrs Cole, Cobb, Douglass, Howard
and Cronin
MR COLE COMMENDED THE COMMITTEE FOR THE 1960 PARADE
AND FOR THE DAY AS A WHOLE
FATRIOTS' DAY COMPLAINTS, COMMENTS AN FUTURE
SUGGESTIONS
1 Spirit of ' 76 A citizen had complained that
the fifer in the Spirit of '76 lid not play the fife.
(Mr John T Clerke of 10 Eliot Rd has offered to
buy a fife and to learn to play tunes appropriate to
1775 and to be in the Spirit of '76)
2 Fire Engines Sirens were too loud
9 Receptions Lasted too long (No refreshments
should be available after 5 9n)
Coffee, in addition to other bev-
erages, should be served
4 White Tricorns Hat Recipients : It was un-
fortunate that one white tricorne hat recipient was
not invited to ride in the parade (There should be a
policy of inviting the last 9 white tricorne hat
recipients to ride in parade )
5 Important Guests Each Selectman' s wife should
be responbible for a wife of a visiting dignitary
After the luncheon, the wives who are to be on the re-
viewing stand might be invited to tour Buckman Tavern
until the -parade reaches the center of town This
would eliminate the often cold long wait on the stand
6 Old Belfry Bell Mr Handley requests that
something' be done ebout the bell which is badly cracked
7 Duties of the Chairman of Selectmen Should
be carefully outlined
322
8 Bicycles : There should be better control of cm
bicycles (Suggestions That there be permission for
bicycles to be lecorated and to follow the horses in
the morning parade )
9 Civil Defense Communications ears Some
thought the communications cars were of little value
others thought they served a good purpose and had a
good psychological effect upon the crowd waiting for
the parade at the reviewing stand The cars were also
used to redirect floats which failed to make the proper
turn for as'emblin at the Green to be judged
10 Floats : A side street must be found where
floats can be in place by 11 30 a m and be ready to
enter the parade in the proper sequence
Some revision must be made by the Chamber of
Commerce as to the judging of floats There should be
a competition between floats which have been pro-
- fessionally built and a competition between floats
which have had no professional assistance (Suggestion
That a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and
float representatives be invited together to a future
meeting of the Celebrations Committee )
1.1 Car Signs Nicely done Effective.
12 Rope : Additional rope necessary for controlling
the crowds
13 Chief Marshal : Mr Howard commended the
marshals and their aides on their excellent job on
April l9 He suggested that the Chief Marshal appoint-
ment should be a climactic honor for someone who has
served through the years Whenever possible that
person should be chosen from outside the Celebrations
Committee (Mrs Pullen disagreed and felt that, if
feasible, the Chief Marshal should come from within
the Committee )
14 Drill Teams Mr Douglass suggested that more
drill teams might be stimulated to participate in the
parade it a cash prize could be offered to the best
drill team in a competition in the morning
Letters Letters complimenting the Committee on April
19, 1960 were received from Mrs Morey, Chairman of
the Selectmen Col Robert Bruce Braid of Watertown
Arsenal and Mr Grindle , 1960 recipient of the white
tricorne hat
Bills Bills were reviewed and approved for payment
The bill from the Boston Fire Dept Band for : 150 111
seemed high and it will be checked to see that no
error has been made )
3_23
Booklets Mrs Pullen reported that she has 2 full
cases of 1960 Celebrations Committee booklets (The
Committee recommended that the principal of each
elementary school should be asked whether his school ' s
library would like enough copies of the booklet for
use by Fourth Grades each Year in their study of the
history of Lexington )
Laurist, Wadsworth Reynolds, Avon, Mass , had
sent a request for a copy of the Celebrations Com-
mittee booklet (The Committee recommended that 3
copies of the booklet be sent
Mrs Williams recommended that a copy of the
booklet should be sent to each of the Lexingtons in
the U S
Mrs Litchfield suggested that a letter and copy
of the booklet be sent to the U S S Lexington which
held an April 19 observance n the Pacific
The Copyright for the 1960 booklet, "The Cele-
bration of April the Nineteenth from 1776 to 1960 in
Lexington, Massachusetts" by Doris L Pullen and
Donald B Cobb has been received and -gill be put into
the permanent minute book of the Celebrations Committee
Georgia B Williams ,
Recording Secretary
324