‘Postmark’ Ceremony Honors John Henry
A special postmark honoring Santa Monica Police Department’s centennial and one of its officers was unveiled at a ceremony Friday at Grant Elementary School.
The cancellation was designed and the event conceived by Lt. Gregory Slaughter, a stamp collector. Slaughter had learned of the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to issue a stamp depicting John Henry, the 19th-Century steel driver whose victory in a contest with a steam-powered drill became part of America’s folklore, and that one of the department’s officers is named John Henry.
“I wanted to bring our [centennial program] closer to the kids in the community,” Slaughter said after the ceremony.
About 575 students attending the ceremony received envelopes bearing the John Henry stamp and special postmark, known as a cancellation among collectors. Collectors can obtain the cancellation for the next 30 days by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope to Santa Monica Postmaster Joe Digiacomo.
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