both old and respected residents of this city, offered to the City Trustees some
seventeen acres of lands, comprising the grounds of their beautiful Sixth street
home, to be used as a public park as a memorial to their two young sons, Seth
Cook Boyd and John Franklin Boyd, Jr., who died some years ago. The princely
gift was accepted by the Trustees on the 2nd day of January of this year by a
resolution unanimously adopted by the Board, composed as follows: S. P.
Moorhead, A. N. Boyen, David Duncan, H. C. Gieske, Geo. T. Page. On the
14th of last month the Trustees passed ordinances for the care and maintenance
of the park and appointed the park commission.
Later, last Saturday was appointed as the day for the formal transfer and the
necessary committees were appointed to take charge of the exercises.
Boyd Memorial Park was formally presented to this city last Saturday afternoon
by its generous donors, John F. and Louise Arner Boyd. The ceremonies
attending the transfer of the princely gift were simple and impressive. They
were in keeping with the quiet unostentatious manner in which the gift was
made while at the same time their very simplicity seemed to emphasize the
strong feelings of love and respect that the people of this community entertain
and always have entertained for Mr. and Mrs. Boyd. It was a day, the memory
of which will long live in this city. It was the occasion for the gathering of some
four thousand people from this city, and its suburbs. It was a holiday and not
one enforced by the terms of some statute. Every business house was closed,
and this included every saloon within the city.
Such a gathering of local people and such a universal effort to make a holiday
finds no other parallel in our municipal history. The word holiday is perhaps not
a fitting one with which to describe the occasion. Every man, woman and child
in the vast concourse, gathered on the lawn of the beautiful park to witness the
ceremonies had no thought of a holiday in the ordinary acceptation of the word.
Every one there knew the flood of sad and tender memories that must have
rushed upon Mr. and Mrs. Boyd, and sympathy with them and for them abided
in every heart and made itself manifest in the quiet decorum of the multitude.
The ceremonies were carried out strictly in accordance with the program. The
procession formed at Fourth street, near E, and started at 2 o'clock under the
guidance of Grand Marshal Captain N. Vanderbilt, and his aids, with Mount
Tamalpais Military Academy cavalry as escorts. The Fifth Regiment band of
some twenty-five pieces led the march. Then came Company D, N. G. C., in
full force, with their new uniforms and Krag rifles. Then came an imposing
array of infantry and cavalry from Mount Tamalpais Academy. These were
followed by the Hitchcock Military Academy band and cadets from the
Hitchcock Military Academy. The cadets from both schools in their natty
uniforms presented a beautiful spectacle.
The San Rafael fire department followed next with an imposing turnout. Then
came the city officials and speakers of the day in carriages. Following close
behind was the St. Vincent Orphan Asylum band The youthful players of this
fine, large band have always been popular in this city and that popularity was
only added to by their performance on Saturday. These little fellows headed the
school children's portion of the procession. After them came the classes of
every school, both public and private, in this city.
It is estimated that there were some twelve hundred children in the line of
march, and they were well dressed, good looking children too, each carrying a
branch of a tree. Such a sight was never witnessed here before. To the strains
of music from three bands, the procession at 2 o'clock moved down Fourth
street and turned up B street to the park. The sidewalks all the way to the
entrance was lined with spectators. Slowly the great throng passed between the
granite gates and made its way along the driveway and paths to the pine shaded
lawn where a temporary stage had been erected and decorated for the occasion.
Quickly the benches and chairs were filled and the grassy slopes were hidden by
the crowd. The sun sent down its warmest rays, and dainty parasols vied with
the great boughs of the pines in giving shade. The bands had stopped and the
only sound was the moving feet upon the gravel. Four thousand people were
there, but there was no noise. In the grandstand were Mr. and Mrs. Boyd and
their daughter. The silence was a popular tribute to them, and a public
appreciation of the tender sentiments that prompted their generous gift.
Without delay the exercises commenced. The Fifth Regiment band rendered a
selection after which the Rev. Dr. Arthur Crosby delivered an eloquent
invocation. As one individual, the great audience rose and with uncovered and
bowed heads, followed the eloquent words of the minister.
After the prayer the school children sang "America," and then ex-Mayor
Moorhead, the president of the day, introduced Mr. Luther Burbank, the "wizard
of horticulture," who delivered a thoughtful address.
Judge W. W. Morrow, acting upon behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd, was then
introduced to make the presentation speech, and deliver the deeds to the city
upon their behalf. He performed his task with characteristic grace and handed
the deed to Superior Judge T. J. Lennon, who accepted it upon behalf of the
city.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd were visibly affected during both eloquent speeches, and
there was probably not a heart in the great gathering that did not throb with their
own.
Following the presentation addresses, Judge Morrow, on behalf of the ladies of
the San Rafael Improvement Club, handed to Mr. and Mrs. Boyd, an engrossed
copy of a set of resolutions, conveying the Club's appreciation of the great gift.
President Moorhead followed, and on behalf of the City Board of Trustees
presented to Mr. and Mrs. Boyd. handsomely engrossed copy of resolutions
which the Board had unanimously adopted.
After a beautifully rendered selection by St. Vincent band, the high school made
their way to a knoll where a 70 foot flag pole had been placed. Here to the
voices of the school children, singing the "Star Spangled Banner," and the
accompaniment of the Hitchcock Military Academy band, the large flag was
raised by the high school.
The concluding number on the program was the tree planting by the children.
Each of the following schools planted a tree: San Rafael High school, South Side
Primary school, Mount Tamalpais Military Academy, Hitchcock Military
Academy, Fourth Street Grammar school, B Street Primary school, Dominican
College, St. Raphael school, Miss Stewart's school. While the planting was
being done the children united in singing the tree planting song.
As the exercises closed, refreshments in plenty, consisting of ice cream, cake,
sandwiches and lemonade were spread upon two tables under the trees, on
either side of the west driveway, under charge of Mrs. Hoover and a score of
assistants.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd had thoughtfully provided this feature of the entertainment.
There was plenty and enough for all, and many a youngster was made joyous
with the knowledge that for once he had experienced a surfeit of ice cream.
The exercises were in charge of the following citizen's committee: S. P.
Moorhead, chairman, A. N. Boyen, H. C. Gieske, P. H. Cochrane, John F.
Boyd, E. S. Rake, D. W. Martens, David Duncan, Geo. T. Page, Matt. J.
Pedrotti, F. S. Johnson, S. H. Olmsted, E. B. Strong.
The park commissioners, who will have control of the park, have already been
appointed by the City Trustees. They are John F. Boyd, William Babcock,
Robert Dollar, Leon Sloss, A. W. Foster.
The exercises were a popular public movement. Every man, woman and child,
every official, organization, and class put their hearts and best endeavors into
making of it a great success. This being so it is no wonder that they succeeded.
The proper public spirit was shown by all from the little fellows of the St.
Vincent Orphan Asylum band, who came all the way here to donate their
services, to the local saloon men, who, without a request or hint, closed their
doors during the afternoon.
From Bodie to B St
Call of the Arctic
Marin History Museum
(formerly Marin County Historical Society)