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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Local DAR plans Constitution Day reenactment at Manito

The Esther Reed Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host a Constitution Day celebration at Manito Park at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Now in its fifth year, the celebration is being recognized nationally for its educational value.

About 18 men and women will dress in period costumes and act out a script about the events surrounding the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

The event will take place at the George Washington monument across the street from the Park Bench Café in Manito Park.

A town crier on a box will narrate part of the script. The supporting cast will play their parts as well. The idea is to give a real-life feel to the signing of this country’s guiding document.

The Esther Reed Chapter was recognized in 2014 for having the best program in the state, as well as in the six-state northwest region of the DAR.

As a result, it was listed as one of the top six programs nationally.

Janet Norby, the author of the re-enactment, also did a painting of the event. For the painting, Norby was awarded first place at the state level and second place nationally in an American Heritage contest, which is open to the DAR’s membership of 189,000 nationwide.

Members of the Spokane chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution are participating in the program.

Constitution Week runs Sept. 17-23 and was officially created in 1956 by President Eisenhower from a congressional resolution sought by the DAR at the time.

Julie Pittman, of Spokane and vice regent of the state DAR, said she hopes to attract families to the event so children can learn more about their history.

“The Esther Reed DAR members perform this re-enactment as an opportunity to share the past with the public,” Pittman said in an email.

“Everyone is invited to enjoy a non-political afternoon in the park and learn about the United States Constitution and the way it was shared by the citizens in 1787,” she said.

The Washington monument in Manito Park was a gift to the city from the Esther Reed chapter in 1932 to commemorate the bicentennial of Washington’s birth in 1732.

The monument was previously tucked in a quiet part of the park and was being defaced by vandals. The Esther Reed Chapter, along with stonecutters John and Dick Tresko, restored the monument and moved it to its current location in 2009.