The Portland daily press., 1896-10-10
THE FRATERNITY CLUB.
Annual Meeting and Report of Executive
Committee Last Evening.


The annual meeting of the Portland
Fraternity took place at the Fraternity
House 10 Spring street last evening. The
slection of officers resulted as follows:
northumberland G. Jordan.
Vics Fredericksburg ". Thaxter.
Secretary W. Snow.
Treasurer-Edward D. Noyes.
Directors-W. ". Thomas, Alfred
Woodman, Charles f. LIBBY, James P.
Baxter, Rev. DR.. Henry Blanchard,
Rev. Dir. Asa Dalton, Rev. John Carroll
C. Woodbury., Mrs. Edward G. Jordan,
Miss Irene II. Noyes, Miss Maud Wash
burn, Miss Gertrude Jenkins. Mrs. 5.
W. Thaxter, Mrs. /. P. Harrington.
The report Of the executive committee
was submitted, of which the following
is an abstract:
furnished the only free evening school
in our city.
When Portland established an excel
lent evening school, with trained teach
ers and free text books, the directors of
the Fraternity set themselves to consider
what future promised best for their Or
ganization. Economy aud care had been
$4,000 and some lesser sums, asmall fluid
had been accumulated, with the idea
Of securing permanent quarters CONSTANT
ly kept in view.
The association decided to purchase
the st. John Smith property, corner
Spring and Oak streets. The plan of
work was, as formerly, to maintain
cheerful, attractive rooms for study.
reading and amusements for the less
well-to-dO: above all to seek to establish
friendly and kindly relations with our
poorer neighbors, free from patronage
ana artifioiality.
The house was not ready for occupancy
until December end. For sc veral days u
was then open to the public in general
for inspection. and on Decem Der 4th,
the first formal meeting was held.
While no regular evening school was
considered or conducted, study hours
were given sometimes to those unable to
avail themselves of more extended
courses of instruction. The principal
along club lines. Mrs. Dortlcos and Mrs.
Bates had club of younger boys. and
Miss Mabel Davies club Of young men.
Miss Mary G. Davies conducted the
sewing school with eighty pupils and
eighteen teaohers.as many pupils as
we could accommodate, from the very
beginning. The reading room was open
every evening, and on Sunday afternoons
with a good average attendance. Later,
it was decided to open the rooms from
four to six in the afternoon for the chill
dren from the public schools. For the
happiness of these, several children' .
parties were given. A number Of meetings
together. Miss Billiard taught ciRss
in cooking, which WAS we'll attended.
Interest was maintained In a debating
club, Mrs. If. @. Jordan, president, which
also received instruction from Mrs. ~.
S. Osgood and Mrs. q. S. French. Miss
Flagg gathered about here club of girls
for Shakespeare study and social even
which much interest was maintained.
Miss McCobb gave five Shakespeare read
ings to this club. Miss Jenkins con-
Quoted q girls club during the spring
months. Mrs. Stanley Warren gave q
lecture on pottery and china decoration
to Miss Flagg's club and Mr. Edward
Snow gave candy pull. Miss Flagg's
club brought out little comedy In the
course of the season and Miss Davies
club, two plays. Mr.. Thaxter gave
talk on the currency. During the win
ter illustrated papers were distributed to
the children attending, and also to some
OF the light stations along our coast
Friendly visits have been made to a
large number of families connected in
some way with the work of the Frater-
nifty.
For the summer, club work was sus-
pended. our available forces being de-
voted TO keeping in touch with mem hers
and friends Of last winter; picnics
foItnightly formed our summer pro-
gramme.
The executive committee feel that their
one winter of dwelling house work has
resulted in an opening up of new aven.
ues. They do not claim that much has
been accomplished, but they do realize
that the need ia as great in this new
Fraternity house as in the old school and
amusement halls, the need of wise, dis
eliminating. faithful endeavor to level
olnss distinctions, to avoid the selfishness
that luxury sometimes brings with it,
and the forgetfulness of Strengthened cir
cumstances and attendant ills.
The recent distributions of the Walker
Fund includes us to tho extent Of
$1,000.
MARCIA B. JORDAN, Chairman.
Leonard A. Furbush, aged SO. a paint
eF at the Maine Central repair shops at
Wat0IYi1lo committed suicido Eridav