Program of the Unveiling and Dedication of the Cooperstown World War MemorialArmstice Day, November 11, 1931The MemorialThirteen years have passed since that memorable Armistice Day of November 11, 1918. Since that time there have been several attempts to secure a World War Memorial all of which have proven unsuccessful. Finally the ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit No. 579, pledged themselves to the task of properly commemorating to posterity the deeds of those who served and the names of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the World War and to that end asked the Cooperstown Exchange Club and the Cooperstown Rotary Club to name a joint Committee to select a site and a suitable form of Memorial. Under the able leadership of Hon. Walter Watson Stokes, who became the Chairman of this joint committee, the site was secured, the form of Memorial agreed upon by the committee, adopted by the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit No. 579, and the campaign for the necessary funds instituted, all of which culminated in the splendid Memorial we are now here to dedicate. The Committee here wishes to extend its appreciation to those whose services made this Memorial an actuality. The designer and sculptor of the bronze figure is John Horrigan, Sr., of Boston, Mass. The Studio in which the statue and markers were modeled and cast is T. F. McGann & Sons Co., Boston, Mass. The beautiful granite boulder upon which the bronze figure stands is the gift of Mr. William Lighthall of Starkville, New York. The moving and transporting of the huge boulder from its location near Starkville, Herkimer County, N.Y. , to Cooperstown presented a very difficult engineering problem which was successfully completed by Hans H. Frey, as principal contractor and the sub-contractors Bart J. Ruddy, Inc., and Utica Trucking and Cartage Co., All of Utica, N.Y. The markers were placed by Everett A. Potter and Peter Jones of Cooperstown. Miss Elizabeth Patterson of Cooperstown, suggested the inscription on the tablet on the front of the Memorial. Alfred R. Cobbett and Ernest F. Tyler of Cooperstown, supervised the architectural details regarding the general design and the placing of the Memorial. And last but not least the Committee is deeply grateful to those loyal and patriotic citizens of Cooperstown and vicinity whose suggestions, advice, and generous contributions have made the Memorial possible.
CommitteeWalter Watson Stokes, Chairman Berton G. Johnson, Vice Chairman Alfred Rcobbett, Treasurer Mrs. Fletcher A Blanchard, Secretary Mrs. Floyd J. Atwell Miss ElizabethG. Patterson Fletcher A. Blanchard Mrs. Alfred J. Peevers Harold D. Carpenter Adrian A. Pierson Mrs. Alfred R. Cobbett Dr. Leroy Pitcher Miss Elizabeth Coleman Benjamin Reisman Newton E.D. Gilmore Mrs. Frank Simmons Berton G. Johnson William C. Smalley Mrs. Berton G. Johnson Mrs. James Stiles Joseph P. Leary Clermonte G. Tennant Moses E. Lippitt Orange L. Van Horne Mrs. A. John Wedderspoon ProgramInvocation The Rev. Gordon L. Kidd Huggick-Purcell-Shepherd Post, American Legion, Richfield Springs Singing “America” Presentation of Monument Rowan D. Spraker, President of the Village Acceptance of Monument Alfred R. Cobbett Clark F. Simmons Post No. 579, American Legion, Cooperstown Unveiling under direction of A. Leo Stevens, formerly chief instructor in Aeronautics, U.S. Army. Dedication The Hon. Clermonte G. Tennant, Cooperstown Singing National Anthem Salute to the Dead Taps Benediction Program by courtesy of the Freeman’s Journal Co. |