Photography courtesy of the Missouri History Museum
P0900-S02-00088.tif
When Clay School built this float, in 1894, every school had a float in the July 4 parade, and fireworks were as safe as land mines—which is why the paper had a contest where kids came up with “substitutes for the noisy demonstrations that shock the sick and nervous and endanger your own lives.” One little boy suggested just letting the adults “set off the dangerous ones.” (What do old people need fingers for, anyway?) A girl in Brentwood invited everyone to visit her house and then go fishing. Another kid suggested that everyone go to Jefferson Barracks to spend the day doing military drills, with “soldier suits” provided by the city. “I told my papa to bring home a big stack of paper bags,” another kid wrote. “When I want to celebrate, I’ll say, ‘Dad, blow up this paper bag,’ and after he blows it up all he can I’ll crush it between my hands, and if that don’t make enough noise, well, let George do it.” (The identity of this sturdy-handed George is lost to time.) But perhaps 10-year-old Dolly had the best idea of all: Just have a parade, with some flags, of course—and then, “When we get tired, we could go to the park, and finish the day in peace.”
