Honolulu County HI Archives News.....HAWAII 49TH STATE THEME AT BIG CELEBRATION IN GLEN ROCK, N.J. July 6, 1948
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/hi/hifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com March 2, 2012, 9:19 pm

HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN July 6, 1948
  Glen Rock, N.J., July 6 (By Wireless)—Hawaii as the coming 49th state was 
the theme Monday of Glen Rock’s lively and colorful Independence Day pageant 
and celebration.
  This pleasant New Jersey town turned out thousands of residents to see the 
ceremony and enjoy a big family carnival.
  Thousands more motored from nearby towns and villages. Two featured speakers 
talked about the mid-Pacific territory and statehood.
  They were Robert L. Ripley, famed Believe It or Not cartoonist and a recent 
Honolulu visitor; and Riley H. Allen, editor of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  They were present as guests of Glen Rock’s active and energetic Independence 
Day association. This was the 10th annual pageant staged by the association, 
and its largest to date.
  Hawaiian Music
  Charles E. King, noted Hawaii song writer, now a resident of New York, 
brought down a troupe of Hawaiians from the big city, decorated a truck and he 
and his troupe stole the show so far as attention in the parade was concerned.
  Queen of the visiting troupe was comely Lokelani Putnam. Another Hawaiian 
was Johnny Kaonohi Pineapple, star of the Johnny Pineapple radio show and a 
World War II veteran who came back from Germany with medals and honors. He, 
too, lives in New York.
  It was through the efforts of Charles King with the local committee that 
authentic Hawaiian pageantry was added to the moving tableaus that included 
Revolutionary War scenes and pantomimes.
  All this Hawaiian atmosphere for Glen Rock’s annual patriotic pageant 
started when John Brogan, foreign manager for King Features Sydnicate, was in 
Hawaii a few months ago. He liked the islands, and became an enthusiastic 
supporter of statehood.
  He boosted Hawaii
  Returning to New York, he talked Hawaii and statehood emphatically. He lives 
near Glen Rock and talked about Hawaii to Charles F. (Chuck) Buhlman, 
president of the Independence Day association.
  He wrote to Editor Allen about the celebration and the editor wrote to his 
longtime friend, Charlie King, in New York. And then Mr. King began his 
preparations to put Hawaii on the pageant map of New Jersey.
  While the Honolulu editor was attending a party given for him in New York by 
Mr. Ripley, the invitation came from Glen Rock for both to take part in the 
Glen Rock celebration.
  So Mr. Ripley drove Mr. Allen over from New York early Monday, both wearing 
leis, and they were in the speakers’ stand with Chairman Buhlman, Mayor 
Frederick A. Demarest and the other officials and guests.
  The parade, in several well organized sections, passed on three sides of the 
spacious grounds of Glen Rock’s Central school, and the carnival was staged on 
the grounds.
  8,000 attend.
  An estimated 8,000 persons attended. There was a “Hawaiian Hut” and many 
other attractions.
  The annual pageant and carnival is self-supporting. It’s a big family 
affair. The women and girls of the borough contribute much of the materials 
and most of the labor is volunteer.
  Borough Mayor Demarest is vice president of the Biddle Purchasing Co., 280 
Broadway, New York. He  told Mr. Allen that his firm does a lot of business 
with Lewers & Cooke and Davies & Co.
  Several young men of Glen Rock who served in Hawaii during World War II 
introduced themselves. They said they’d like to go back to the islands.
  Bob Ripley was a big attraction during their brief stay at Glen Rock. 
Hundreds recognized him. Youngsters swarmed around him or autographs, which he 
gave with unvarying patience and courtesy.
  Incidentally “Rip” likes Hawaii so much he hopes to go out for a longer stay 
than his one-day stops when, aboard the President Cleveland, he went to the 
Orient and returned, earlier this year.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/hi/honolulu/newspapers/hawaii4924gnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/hifiles/

File size: 4.3 Kb