StarBulletin.com

Statehood Stamp Sale May Establish Record


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POSTED: Tuesday, August 18, 2009

While Governor Quinn was sworn in as Hawaii's first state governor, Honolulu's citizens were swamping the Post Office to set a record in the sale of stamps.

Before day's end, postal officials expected purchases of the Hawaii statehood commemorative stamp, which went on sale for the first time today, to reach or exceed one million.

And across the street at Iolani Palace's bandstand, Hawaii's newly elected state officials and other civic dignitaries gathered to make the observance of the first-day issuance of the seven-cent air-mail stamp a memorable one.

About 500 persons witnessed the ceremony.

Honolulu Postmaster George T. Hara, representing U.S. Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield, said:

“;Their widespread use (the stamps) in the month ahead should do much to interest every American in Hawaii in the significance of her admittance to the Union today.”;

He also presented 14 albums containing the commemorative stamp to 14 of Hawaii's people who contributed to the Statehood cause.

Three others also were to be present to President Eisenhower, Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton, and Semmerfield.

Honolulu dignitaries receiving albums were:

Governor Quinn, Lieutenant Governor James Kealoha, U.S. Senator-elect Hiram L. Fong, Mrs. Joseph R. Farrington, former Delegate to Congress; Mayor Blaisdell, Riley H. Allen, editor of the Star-Bulletin; Kazuo Maeda, president of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society.

Others, who were not present to receive their albums, were:

U.S. Senator Oren E. Long, U.S. Representative-elect Daniel K. Inouye; former Delegate Burns; former Secretary of Hawaii Edward E. Johnston; Lorrin P. Thurston, former chairman of the Hawaii Statehood Commission.