The Press., 1897-09-23
COVENTRY South Coventry.

parents.
 One end of a ditch bridge on the Judd road has fallen in, making travelling there in the night dangerous.
 Willie B. Prince left town Monday. Lucian Curtis, Mrs. Erwin and her daughter, Constance left Tuesday.
 The tenth anniversary of the marriage of MT. and Mrs. Dewitt Kingsbury is to be celebrated at their home this evening.
 Rev. MT. Holden preached at the Con- gregational church last Sunday. Rev. MT. Perrin is to occupy the pulpit next Sunday.
 Owing to the indisposition of Dr. H. s. Dean his son, Curtis Dean, was unable to deliver the address on the Life of Nathan Hale," Memorial Day. Rev. MT. Purdy presented that subject.
 Norman Boynton died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Coombs, Saturday, aged seventy-nine years. Burial Monday, in the Nathan Hale cemetery, by the side of his wife, who died several years since. Mr. Boynton was native of this town and has always resided here, until the death of his wife he resided for many years in Flanders school-district, where he had owned kiln where first class brick could always be found He held many town offices, and his name was seldom left off the republican ticket. For several years he has lived with his daughter, Mrs. Coombs, his only business being the care of his houses in the village. He leaves four children, Carlisle P. and Walter, who have families and live in Branford, Mrs. Alice Coombs, Miss Estella Boynton and several grand child ren. His brother, Austin Boynton, sur wives him.
 (From another correspondent.) Mrs. John Isham is out of town. J. V. B. Prince is to have an addition to his house.
 John M. Wood is going to build an ad- dition to his mill.
 The inside of the Congregational parson- age is being quite extensively repaired.
 Subject for the Christian Endeavor meeting, Thursday evening, is Eternity" ]"
 Chas. Holt has much improved the looks of his house by adding 8 porch in front.
 Miss Bessie Peterson Is to spend the winter in New Haven. She will study music.
 The Rev. MT. Barrett of Brooklyn, N. Y, has accepted the call to be pastor of the Congregational church. He is to commence his duties the first Sunday in November.
 Nathan Hale Day.
 What may develop into an annual af- fair was the first observance of a Nathan Hale memorial day, at the Congregational church in this place, yesterday. Septem- Der g was the day on which Hale was hanged for being spy within the British lines. At meeting of the teachers and board of school visitors of this town Hale's birthplace-May 28, the observance of this day was suggested, and that sug- gestion resulted in the largely attended and very patriotic gathering yesterday. Credit is in a great measure due to the eff forts of H. P. Topliff, Andrew Kingsbury, Mrs. Martin Parker and Mrs. w. H. Ma son. The occasion was in a particular sense for and of the schools of Coventry, and also of Andover, an off-shoot from Coventry long after Hale's time. The school children were prominent in the ex- ercises.
 c. A. Hall of1ciated as master of cere- monies. The audience joined in singing "America" as the opening hymn. Rev. c. A. Purdy, of South Coventry, followed with an impressive prayer. H. P. Topliff, in behalf of the board of education and the people of Coventry, extended a cor dial welcome to visitors, mostly sons and daughters of Coventry, who had respond ed to the invitations of the committee. Mrs. Martin Parker read letters of regret from Judge Calhoun ot Hartford, w. E.. Payne of Rockville, and B. HI. Morgan, editor of the Dorchester Herald, Boston.
 Rev. O. A. Purdy gave a sketch of Hale's life. The speaker emphasized the peculiar fitness of a memorial service in honor of Hale under the auspices of the school board and teachers of his native town, for Hale was a model scholar, an efficient teacher and always foremost in school and college.
 Andrew Kingsbury followed, taking the topic, Lessons from Hale's Life," one of which was that he was ready to respond to the call of duty whenever the call came. The lesson to the children was that they l should improve every moment and do well every duty, even if the duty were not a pleasant one, as was the case with young Hale when he performed that duty for which he forfeited his life.
 Following MT. Kingsbury was the reel tation of patriotic poem by F. M. French by school children from the district where Hale was born. Miss J Julia White read an original poem composed by the late J. s. Babcock of Coventry, and the singing oi patriotic songs by the intermediate de- partment closed the morning exercises. Between 12 and 1 o'clock the people gathered in the basement of the church and partook of lunch. The ladies of the local parish furnished choice lunch foi visitors and invited guests.
 The afternoon exercises began at o'clock and included an address by Judge James Huntington, of Woodbury, na. tive of Coventry. His topic was, "Schoo Days of Former Years" He told of the methods of teaching when Hale, young man, began teaching in the old red schoo houses of his native town and boarded around. The judge believed that the character of the men who started iron the old red school houses of fifty years ago was a strong argument for the reten tion of some of the old methods to-day. Judge Huntington's speech was i'm promptu and largely in the nature of 2 talk over old school-day times.
 He was followed by Professor F. A Lillie, principal of the Union school O Manchester, and Coventry boy. Hi subject was ''Extremes in Education He contrasted the systems employed fit. and one hundred years ago with those o modern times and said the periods repre- scented the extreme swings of the educa tional pendulum. There were valuabl, features in each and happy medium be tween the two would give the idea course.
 Sidging and few short speeches b. local DeOnle brought the axercIses to