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The General visits Boston.
General George Washington comes to Boston,
by D. C. Colesworthy and Daniel P. Colesworthy1.
There is included in the book, John Tileston's School, a vivid description by one of the schoolboys of Boston about a trip to welcome the father of our country to their city. I shall quote from page 41 of Mr. D. C. Colesworthy's book:
"October 24, 1789, was a proud day for Boston, and for Mr. Tileston in particular. The illustrious personage, George Washington, was to visit the place, and extensive preparations were made by the town authorities to receive him. And the no little interesting part of the programme was the appearance of the school children in town, neatly dressed, with quills in their hands, full of smiles and radiant with delight. My father, Daniel P. Colesworthy, who died in Portland, in 1852, was one of Mr. Tileston's pupils at this period. At my request he wrote an interesting account of the occurrence which follows:
'When General Washington visited Boston I was a school-boy. The day before he arrived Master Tileston told all the boys to come to school the next morning with clean faces, and dressed in their best clothes; each one to be particular to bring a quill with him. We followed our master's instructions, and accordingly the next morning we marched with the scholars belonging to the other schools in town; our school taking the precedence, and the rear. We marched to Washington Street, as far as the upper corner of Exchange Street, where we halted -- opened to the right and left and formed a line on each side of the street, from Exchange Street to the Old South Church. At about half past ten o'clock the cannon on the Neck announced Washington crossing the line between Boston and Roxbury. The companies of militia of Boston and vicinity were out to escort him. A stage or bridge was built from the Old State House to the stores on the opposite side of the street, with arches underneath. It was covered with damask. Here the Governor and Council received him. An anthem was sung, as Washington, with his hat in his hand, passed by us on his light gray horse. We rolled our quills between our hands, that the General might notice us. When school was dismissed we called to see him, each one making a bow, which he politely returned. I saw him several times afterwards.'"
1. Daniel P. Colesworthy is a great-great-great-grandfather of the webmaster.
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