It's a commission from Mayor Raymon Gilbert making the chimp "an Honorary Citizen of the City of Kokomo."
The Kokomo students are to appear on Garroway's show Thursday morning. At that time they expect to present Mayor Gilbert's commission to Garroway and the little chimp.
The mayor's commission reads in full as follows:
"I, Raymon Gilbert, duly elected mayor of the City of Kokomo, Ind., by virtue of the authority vested in me as mayor of said 'City of Firsts,' do hereby designate, name, and certify that 'Kokomo Jr.,' the distinguished actor on the Dave Garroway show 'Today,' be and hereby is made an Honorary Citizen of the City of Kokomo, Ind., and that said 'Kokomo, Jr.' is hereby officially welcomed to our city, and upon visiting our city will be extended all the courtesies afforded our honorary citizens.
"I further commission representative seniors of the Kokomo High School Class of 1957 to deliver this certificate of Honorary Citizenship to 'Kokomo Jr.' with our warmest best wishes."
photo caption: KOKOMO Jr., the chimpanzee of NBC-TV's "Today" show, ponders the honor to be bestowed upon him by Kokomo, Ind. Seventy-five of the city's high school students will present Kokomo Jr. with a scroll from Mayor Raymon Gilbert, adopting him as an honorary citizen of Kokomo. The presentation will take place Thursday, April 18 during the 8-9 a.m. (EST) segment of Dave Garroway's show.
