Maine’s tribute to her soldiers and sailors, the memorial at Kittery will be dedicated with appropriate ceremonies today. Armistice day, and the occasion will bring crowds from all sections of the state as well as a large number of visitors from her neighbor state, New Hampshire. Former governors, representatives in congress and persons distinguished in civilian and military life will be the guests of honor at the exercises.
The memorial park at the end of the new inter-state bridge, the gateway into Maine, is about 200 feet wide and 600 feet long. The beautiful design for the memorial tablet, which will be erected in the park, is being prepared by Miss Baska Paeff, the young Boston sculptress, whose drawing won in competition with prominent sculptors from Washington, New York and other cities.
Peace triumphant over war will be the theme of the design on the bronze statuary tablet, which will measure eleven feet wide by eight feet in height. The tablet will set on a massive granite panel thirteen feet wide by nine feet high and the granite base, measuring 48 by 22 feet, will bear the inscription, “The State of Maine to Her Sailors and Soldiers.” The work of preparing the tablet design will consume considerable time so that this part of the memorial will not be completed for several months.
The formal exercises will open at 11 o’clock, the hour when the firing ceased on the western front in the world war, six years ago. The program will be as follows: Address, “World Peace and Good Will,” Governor Percival P. Baxter of Maine; address, Hon. Frank G. Farrington of Augusta, president of the Maine senate; address, Col. Albert Mulivant of Rumford, commander of the American Leglon in Maine; address, Gen. Albert A. Greenlaw, representing the soldiers and sailors. Music will be furnished by the band of the Kittery navy yard.
The exercises will be followed by a luncheon at the navy yard for the guests of honor.
Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME, November. 11, 1924