The times., 1897-08-07
Annual Session of TIVE Flourish
ing Holland Societies.
ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS
An Address to the Delegates by
Directress General Miss Van Pelt
the National Washington
selected as Yearly Meeting Place.

of the New Nethe Hands and the Knights
of the Legion of the Crown of the New
Netherlands held its first annual conyen-
ucn yesterday morning in the parlors OF
the Arlington Hotel.
The session was opened by prayer by
the chaplain, followed by an address to
| the delegates present by the directress
| general Of the national society. Miss Van
| Pet, of Chicago
The Constitution and bylaws now gov
erning the State branches were adopted,
also resolutions as follows: That the Ma
tional Society meet annually at Washing
ton ON March %. that tablets be placed
| on the wnlls- of Nos. 4 and 6 Pearl street,
New York city, and that the appointment
of Miss LUpton and Mrs. Fosdick be con-
firrned.
ON NOTION Of Miss Van Pelt, Miss La
vinia II Dempsey was unanimously elected
queen OF tie National Society, her corona
| tion To take place next January in New
| Amsterdam" otherwise. New York
The fol ,wing officers were elected for
| the year ending March %, l S99; Directress
| general, Miss Van Pelt, Of Chicago, Ill:
| regent. Mrs Van Yaien, of New Je.sey;
secretary, W. Irving Van Inwagen, New
| York city; committee of admissions TO the
national society, Hon. ]. Aird Dempsey.
OF New York city; lion. Charles l. Van
Noppen, Washington, ID. C.; Mrs. Kathryn
b. Harris, Flushing. l..
The Society or The Holland Danes of
the New Netherlands was founded in New
York last January, and is composed OF
| ladies OF Holland descent, together with
an honorary body OF gentlemen OF Dutch
ancestry, all OF whom can trace their
pedigree either through the line of father
or mother TO those Of pioneers from Hol-
land who settled here and helped TO make
| history when the country was young The
Holland societies composed OF men viii
admit only those members who bear the
Dutch sir name thereby excluding those
descendants through the female line.
This honorary body Of gentlemen is in
tended TO fiji the gap, and, though NUM-
ber of them bear Dutch names, they pre-
fer TO belong TO the association of which
| the ladies are formed. The association.
| though 50 recently organized, is rapidly
| increasing in membership Already there
are branch divisions IN Illinois, New Jer-
sey ana Connecticut, and applications
are being received from Dutch descend ants
from other States. in which il iS hoped
| divisions can soon be formed.
The danes and knights consider them
selves a miniature Kingdom, representing
Holland, and 1t is their aim, as far as
| possible to prrpetuate that countr y
customs aud institutions. For that reason
queen is elected instead Of a president, as
is the custom of American organizations.
founded on republican form of government.
Each State division elects its ownqueen, for
| u term of three years, but the national
queen reIgns for eight.
| The society is based on the same prin-
ciples as other organizations, and the duties
of the queen and the president are the
same
There are few Dutch descendants in
Washington in comparison TO those in New
York and other cities. but the city is al
ready represented In the society by Hon.
Charles L Van Noppen.
The first social meeting OF the society
was held at the Holland House, in New
Fork, last February, in the shape Of a
banquet, when toasts, speeches and orig
inal poems and music were contributed by
the Danes.
The coronation of the queen next Jan
uary, win take plsce at 8 O'Clock In the
morning at the Waldorf In New Arnster
dam" Miss Dempsey will leave her
residence in a coach and four, preceded
| by her equerry and followed by two
ladies in waiting. She will be met at
the entrance Of the hotel by six knights
of honor and Ter six pages, four OF whom
will carry her train. She viii enter The
throne rooII preceded by six ladies in
waiting and her mistress of robes and
following her VIII walk the six knights
The crown will be carried by dame o
OF the upper house and the scepter by 6
dame OF the lower house.
| Immediately after the coronation the
national queen will crown the queens o.
New Jersey and Connecticut, after which
she VIII confer kni ghthood on twelveknights
of honor, in due form. The coronation VII
be followed by a ball, which will be
| opened by a minuet expressly composed
for the occasion, called the "Wflhelmenie
Miss Dempsey, the national queen-elect
and founder OF the National Society of HoI
land DANES, Is a popular member of New
York's exclusive social set and will weal
her royal honors with dignity and grace
She is distinguished both in literary ant
musical circles and is a direct descend
ant OF Lubert Van Westeryelt, who set
tied in Flatbush in 1862.