possible profits that might accrue from the festival, it was decided that any sum over $500 was to be used to support Finnish-language summer schools in the area, while moneys up to the $500 figure were to be held as a permanent fund for arranging future festivals. The figure was, as a matter of fact, placed so high that money never did become available for any summer school programs. Contributions to the total of $156.70 were received from the following societies : the Sparta, Elba, Eveleth, Virginia, Hibbing, Ely and Chisholm temperance societies, the Otava Kaleva chapter and the Sampo Society of Sparta, and with this fund preparations for the festival were completed.

A description of this first 24th of June festival would, perhaps, characterize the more than half century of such festivals which was to follow. The program began early that day at the Eveleth railroad station, where out-of-town visitors were greeted by a reception committee, a guard of honor of 50 ladies in white blouses and blue skirts, standard bearers with flags unfurled, and crowds of townspeople. When the morning train arrived, a band began to play the National Anthem, and P. E. Dowling, representing the city of Eveleth, bade the guests welcome. The combined bands of Chisholm, Ely, Eveleth, Hibbing and Virginia played a hymn; and then Pastor S. W. Renfors offered a prayer, and the combined bands played another hymn.

Immediately after these ceremonies at the station, everybody lined up to parade through the city to the festival grounds, where the program was continued. There, with some 5,000 persons present, Frank Matson gave the welcoming speech, the Hibbing

band played, and William Vuoti (the 1953 Juhannusjulkaisu says it was William Niemi) gave the opening speech proper. The united male choruses sang, and then John Saari spoke, in English. The Ely band played, and then Rose Anias gave a reading of poems. The Ely mixed chorus sang, and then M. Kokkonen spoke briefly, in Finnish. The Hibbing chorus sang, the Chisholm band played, and then Kaarlo Sorsen gave the main address, to be followed by Hanna Mattson reading the poem written especially to commemorate the occasion. The Eveleth chorus sang, and then Congressman J. A. Bede spoke. The Virginia band played, and then S. R. Mäki read a few poems before the Eveleth band played a march to conclude, at last, this phase of the program.

After a dinner break, the competitive phase of the festival began: the mixed choruses, then the male choruses, sang and were judged and ranked, and then the bands followed suit, while athletic teams on another part of the field competed in track events.

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