Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-10
FAMILY MEETING.
Annual Reunion and Banquet of
Horticultural Society Like One.
Good Cheer and Notabls Speeches Fol-
lowed by 0ancing-Four Hundred
and Fifty Present.

County Horticultural Society Wednes-
day evening was not unlike great
family gathering. 1t would be hard to
find 400 persons assembled on more IA
niliar terms than the one which gath
cred about the banquet table for the
dinner, and after listening to the
speeches assembled on the lower floor
to dance the time away until midnight.
Year after year the reunions have
grown in enjoyment, and the circle of
people that look forward to the event
has increased steadily, until it is now
impossible TO accommodate those who
desire to take part. And it is not strange
for there is a cordial good-fellowship
about the reunions that is seldom
equaled -Four hundred and fifty per-
sons were gathered at the banquet ta-
BILE, and many more came in to take
part in the dancing.
Great credit is due the various COM
mfttees for the hard work they put in,
and special credit is due to Secretary
Hixon, who has been taxed to the ut
most to handle the big undertaking, but
who carried 1t through without hitch.
The members and guests began to as
semble soon after 6 O'Clock Promptly
at 6 80 o'clock the line was formed and
a few minutes later the SldTleu
up stairs for the banquet nall.
Caterer Yeaw had the room arrayed
very daintily. Beautiful cut flowers, the
gift of Lange, rested on the guest table.
Pinks lay at every cover in the room
and cut flowers were found on all the
tables.
At the head table were the following:
President o. B. Hadwen, Hon. Henry l..
Parker, Mayor R. B. Dodge, Hon.
Stephen Salisbury, Mr. and Mrs. ]. A.
Norcross, C. F. Hodge, Mr.. and Mrs.
H. Burleigh, Mr.. and Mrs. G. f. Carroll,
Mr., and Mrs ]. Lewis Ellsworth, Mr.,
and Mrs W. G. Jewett, Mr.. and Mrs. E.
w. Breed. Principal and Mrs H. p.
Lewis, Principal and Mrs. e. r. Good
win, Rev and Mrs. G. w. Kent, Chief
of Police and Mrs. j M. brennan, Sec
retary A. A. Hixon, Mr.. and Mrs.
George Cruickshanks, president of the
Massachusetts Fruit Growers Associa-
ton, of Fitchburg; Prof L. F. Kenney
of Kingston, r. l.. B. p. Ware Of Mar
blehead, Prof. S. H. Maynard Of AM
herst Agricultural College, Gen. F. H.
Appleton, president of the Massachu-
sets Society, Boston; Prof. John W
Clark of North Hadley, Col H. w. VIII
son of Boston.
After an invocation by Rev. Mr.. Kent,
the discussion of the good things began.
It was some time before President
Hadwen called for order and opened the
after-dinner speaking with few words
of greeting, and closed by introducing
Hon. Henry L. Parker as toastmaster
of the evening.
The POSTMASTER referred to the pur-
pose of the reunion, which was for fra
ternal greeting among members and
friends.
Mayor Dodge was introduced as the
frsi speaker. He expressed pleasure at
meeting with feIlow-farmers. Farmer
Parker and Farmer Paine among
others.
After speaking IN a pleasant vein, he
said the prosperity of an agricultural
community was not altogether due to
the natural advantages. A great deal,
he said, depends upon the people. Near
the crops must be the city. We have
our peop4e, our manufactures and en-
terprise IN every business In our city.
We have won success, because we hav
deserved it. 1t has been wrought out
by the energy of our citizens. 1t has
been fos5ered by such organizations as
your own. 1t is gratifying TO find men
of such prominence interested in your
society. May You continue tc be an
ornament to this glorious old city, the
heart of the commonwealth, a city
whose future we are not able to foresee
and which may be indeed worthy of the
old county Of Worcester.
Hon. Francis H. Appleton, president
of the Massachusetts, horticultural Soci-
ETY., the next speaker, brought greetings
from the city and suburbs of Boston.
have heard remarks he said, that make
me say / hope you won't have q new
bridge Perhaps it was because I used
to cheer so much that lost my voice
for several days afterward. wish we
might have more botany, etymology
and natural history in our public
schools. feel that it would be OF great
help t. all.
In closing ne appealed for supplies in
case of war with Cuba, owing to his po-
sition of commissary general of Massa-
chusetts
Prof. C. F. Hodge said that me had
heard it said that Clark University
stood for pure intellectually. The man
who made such a remark could not
ton of the heart. Clark University
stands for activity. We must learn
what to do, but we must also do what
we have learned
I do not think the work of nature
study In the schools is appreciated. In
a horticultural sense, l believe it Is a
movement back toward paradise. If
we can educate the children in these
matters and then get them to do what
they have learned we shall have a
community that will stand before the
world. I feel that this society can do
much in the advancement of horticul-
ture and it's practice, Children are
neglected in this education. If they
could be taught to raise something, they
would have more regard for other peo-
pies fruit and flowers, / hope the So
ciety may do something to do with the
children what it has done for older
people.
Superintendent c. r Carroll said he
was clad to follow in the line suggested
by Prof. Hodge. l am glad that there
is society trying to restore the para
disc to the city; the giving back of trees,
parks and lakes that have been lost.
This feeling is manifest in the public
schools by flowers in the windows and
corners of rooms.
Nature study as suggested, means the
relation of things. When we hear of
the flower, we hear of the insect, and
so on / say this is practical kind
Of nature study, and | am glad to see
that Clark University stands for some
thing. If / should say that we ought
to introduce more nature study, the peo-
ple would say that is something to bur-
den down the children. but as long as it
comes from Boston, it is all right. l
wish that we might have something
green in all the school yards. / wish
this society might help us. | hope
that pupils and teachers alike will mani
fest an interest in it. | feel that our
children are robbed of something We
should give them a chance. If we could
keep some of our boys on the farms we
would do much for them. We have