Perry County, Indiana - Chapter 38: Indiana Centennial, 1916

The approach of the state's centenary of admission was recognized by the General Assembly of 1915 by the appropriation of $25,000 toward creating the Indiana Historical Commission, a part of whose duties (according to the act) were to be: 1. "To edit and publish in such form as it may determine documentary materials on the history of the State of Indiana. 2. To prepare and execute plans for an historical and educational celebration of the Centennial of the State."

"The Commission may arrange such exhibits, pageants and celebrations as it may deem proper to illustrate the epochs in the growth of Indiana ; to reveal its past and present resources in each field of activity ; to teach the development of industrial, agricultural and social life, and the conservation of natural resources."

At the head ex-ofRcio, of this Commission was His Excellency Governor Samuel M. Ralston, as President; Dr. Frank B. Wynn, of Indianapolis, Vice-President; Dr. Harlow Lindley, of Earlham College, Secretary, were the other officers, with Miss Charity Dye and Charles W. Moores, of Indianapolis ; Samuel M. Foster, of Fort Wayne; Dr. James A. Woodburn, of Indiana University; the Rev. Dr. John Cavanaugh, of Notre Dame University, and Lewis M. O'Bannon, of Corydon, as the remaining six members required. These elected Dr. Walter C. Woodward, of Indianapolis, as director, with Miss Lucy Elliott, of Tipton, as assistant.

Provision for state-wide correlation of the work was made through the appointment of ninety-two county chairmen, as a grand commission of the whole, and in August, 1915, Thomas James de la Hunt (II) was appointed Perry County chairman. A county organiza- tion reaching every town and township was immediately planned and effected, so that on Thursday, September 9, Dr. Lindley, who addressed a public meeting at the court house in Cannelton, was also able to hold a personal conference with practically the entire membership of the Perry County Centennial Committee.

Each one of these fully realized the lofty purpose of the great movement to do honour to the founders of our Commonwealth; to reveal the history of Indiana to the people of Indiana ; and the people to themselves, by stopping to consider what had been done in a hundred years.

The work called - undeniably - for personal sacrifice of time and energy, yet merely considering Indiana's honour roll of character in every line of achievement could not fail to awaken in the most listless a patriotism meaning state-wide, nation-wide and international interest ; a patriotism meaning unstinted, honest public and social service ; a patriotism engaging the individual exertion of every Hoosier in the upbuilding of the State, and showing what it means to live for one's country and to make it a country worth dying for.

The Beautiful River still flows toward the distant sea along its westward course which for an eventful century has marked the southern boundary of a proud and noble commonwealth - Indiana; rushing tumultuously over those rapids known as the Falls of the Ohio, but gliding smoothly past the half -hundred winding miles of Perry County's coast-line. Men may come and men may go : - still it listens to the story of To-day which shall sometime be the history of Yesterday.