<P> By the early 20th century, there were various versions of the song in popular use . Seeking a singular, standard version, President Woodrow Wilson tasked the U.S. Bureau of Education with providing that official version . In response, the Bureau enlisted the help of five musicians to agree upon an arrangement . Those musicians were Walter Damrosch, Will Earhart, Arnold J. Gantvoort, Oscar Sonneck and John Philip Sousa . The standardized version that was voted upon by these five musicians premiered at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 1917, in a program that included Edward Elgar's Carillon and Gabriel Pierné's The Children's Crusade . The concert was put on by the Oratorio Society of New York and conducted by Walter Damrosch . An official handwritten version of the final votes of these five men has been found and shows all five men's votes tallied, measure by measure . </P> <P> The Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini used an extract of the melody in writing the aria "Dovunque al mondo ..." in 1904 for his work Madama Butterfly . </P> <P> The song gained popularity throughout the 19th century and bands played it during public events, such as July 4th celebrations . </P> <P> A plaque displayed at Fort Meade, South Dakota, claims that the idea of making "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem began on their parade ground in 1892 . Colonel Caleb Carlton, Post Commander, established the tradition that the song be played "at retreat and at the close of parades and concerts ." Carlton explained the custom to Governor Sheldon of South Dakota who "promised me that he would try to have the custom established among the state militia ." Carlton wrote that after a similar discussion, Secretary of War, Daniel E. Lamont issued an order that it "be played at every Army post every evening at retreat ." </P>

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