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All in All Jan. 21, 1957 "Quite a Thrilling Day"
On January 21, 1957, Page Dame lll ’59 and Junius Fishburne Jr. ’58 took part in history by attending the second inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
On January 21, 1957, Page Dame lll ’59 and Junius Fishburne Jr. ’58 took part in history by attending the second inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Page was so moved by the day’s events that he shared his recollections with his parents in a four page letter, which he generously donated to the School’s archives this fall.
Page and Junius departed Episcopal by taxi following that morning’s chapel service, and upon arriving in D.C. they were hosted by the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Congressman Howard W. Smith (father to Howard W. Smith, Jr. ’32, grandfather to EHS Trustee Howard W. Smith III ’76, and great-grandfather to Howard W. (Worth) Smith IV ’12).
When an individual in Congressman Smith’s office learned that Page did not have a ticket to the inauguration, he produced a handful of them and told Page to take his pick. Page was thrilled to discover that his seat for the swearing in ceremony, a mere 25 yards from the presidential platform, afforded him a bird’s eye view. He had 25 minutes to enjoy the Marine Corps Band before the start of the ceremony, which he described to his parents: “As Ike entered the platform, the band struck up “Hail To The Chief” and the gathered multitude cheered solidly for about two or three minutes. Then after about a three minute pause Nixon was sworn in by William Knowland, Senate Minority Leader from California. Then Marian Anderson sang the National Anthem, and Earl Warren swore in Eisenhower with much solemnity. Hereupon Ike delivered his inaugural speech amid the audible grindings of the movie cameras, etc. and the pops of the flashbulbs.”
Congressman Smith’s hospitality continued after the inauguration ceremony when he hosted Page, Junius, and others for “a sumptuous banquet of a buffet lunch. The tables groaned with platters of sandwiches, deviled eggs, olives, pickles, various dips etc.” Replenished from lunch, Page and Junius watched the parade from the roof of the House wing of the Capitol. As their Inauguration Day adventure concluded, the students “… bade good-by to all our benefactors and sped back to the High School in a taxi.”
Congressman Smith’s hospitality continued after the inauguration ceremony when he hosted Page, Junius, and others for “a sumptuous banquet of a buffet lunch. The tables groaned with platters of sandwiches, deviled eggs, olives, pickles, various dips etc.” Replenished from lunch, Page and Junius watched the parade from the roof of the House wing of the Capitol. As their Inauguration Day adventure concluded, the students “… bade good-by to all our benefactors and sped back to the High School in a taxi.”
