Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-08-22
GREAT DOINGS
AT CHELSEA.
Returned Sons and Daughters
Warmly Greeted.

scattered all over this broad land,-wa
the query of many who were anxious TO
the success of our first Old Home Week
The committee exhibited a look Of dis
appointment as letter after letter was re
ceived, telling of other engagements ant
pressing business arrangements that KEEP
many from coming, but as the arrival
were announced Tuesday night anC
Wednesday, the brow OF the COMMITTEES
cleared and everything seemed to point tt
the successful climax which was duly at.
tanned. All the anxiety and perplexity o.
the occasion are now forgotten in tht
magnificent success which has beer
achieved, for the home-comers have gone
away feeling that Chelsea had not for
gotten her children, though many of them
had been absent from IS to 40 years and
many expressed themselves as having had
the best time in their life, and If they were
spared until Chelsea had another Old
Home Week they would help to make up
the list of former residents.
The reception Wednesday evening was
the first gathering for the week. Here
friends who had not seen each other for
years clasped hands and renewed ac-
quaintances long forgotten in many in
stances. The line was formed at 7:45 and
was made up of at least 70 former residents
and il was estimated there were 800 people
present at this gathering. Densmore's
orchestra was in attendance and rendered
fine music through the evening.
During the latter part Of the evening the
fOfloWinp UrOuran1 WAS rendered
Piano duet Misses Cummings and Smith
Quartet, Old oaken Bucket,
Messrs. Goodrich, Slack, Mattson, Dearborn
Reading, The Old Homestead,
Miss Blanche Townsend
Plano duet Misses Cummings and Smith
Quartet, Down on the Farm,
Messrs. Goodrich Slack, MattisOn Dearborn
The hearty applause given after each
number testified to the appreciation of the
audience.
The tasteful decorations, the temporary
furnishings of the hall, the punch bowl,
presided over by Misses Florence Whitney,
Sally Emery and Rena Barnes, all con-
tributed to make one Of the most complete
social events ever held in Chelsea.
Thursday was Veterans day, and COM
plete account of it will be found in an
other column.
Friday, August IS, Old Home Day
proper, was truly a red letter day in the
history of Chelsea.
AT ten in the forenoon was an open air
concert by Williamstown Cornet band
from the stand on North Common. This
band, which was in attendance both
Thursday and Friday, dispensing sweetest
music, is one of the best bands ever heard
in town.
Long before two O'Clock the crowd be-
gan TO gather in the beautiful auditorium
OF the new town hall for tine literary eXer-
cises. II soon becoming evident that
some hundreds would be excluded, the
managers wisely decided to adjourn the !
meeting to North Common across the |
road. From the bandstand the various
speakers addressed the large audience and |
there, too, Miss Eunice A. Noyes at the |
organ and an excellent male quartette,
consisting OF HI. n. Madison, Calvin Y. |
Dearborn, Walter S. Goss and Charles |
Goodrich, discoursed acceptable music
Mr.. Goss, with melodious solo, as always /
enhancing Chelsea audience.
The exercises were formally opened with |
prayer by Rev. A. j. Eastman, pastor of |
the Congl church, after which Col. Curtis |
). Emery, president of Old Home Week |
association, delivered an address of hearty /
welcome and Col. Charles X. Darling Of |
Fitehburg, United States marshal for
Massachusetts,, eloquently responded /
Thirty of Chelsea's beautiful little girls,
accompanied by Miss Moves at the organ. |
then sang "Hurrah for Old New England. .
After this came the real literary attraction
OF the day, historical poem by Rev. E. f.
Herrlck, now of Milton, but for twenty /
years pastor of the Cong1 church in Chel-
sea. This was truly literary gem, as we
always expect anything from Mr.. Herrick
20 be ON such occasions. 1t was even well /
up to his poetic effort at the celebration Of /
the towns centennial in September, 1884,
and that was easily the gem of that occa-
sion.
Walter S. Goss then sang "NIy Old
Green Mountain Home" accompanied by
the quartette in chorus and there followed
brief reminiscent addresses from many
former residents of Chelsea, Rev. Z. ].
Moore OF South birmingham, Mass, son
of the first male child born in Chelsea,
Hon. Marcellus Gould Of Concord, y. H.,
Martin S. Hall OF Fitchburg, Mass, Ed
ward c. Hatch of Laconia, n. H., j. S.
Fifield of Chicago, H., Rev. Frank II.
Roberts OF Hartland and Rev. William n.
Roberts of Union Village.
An attraction and entertainer of this oc-
casion was Royal B. Goodwin of North
Craftsbury, OF great local fame as hero of /
many a boyhood scrape forty and more
years ago. He made what he called his
maiden speech, much against the prelimi-
nary protests of his wife to whom he had
eonfided his intent in the early morning
hours before they arose. But he did it
well, revealing just enough of history to
his audience and keep not few
in former scrapes in fear and
trembling, for what, perchance, he might
disclose, even connecting reverend audi
Tor on the platform with boyhood pranks
Of long ago.
Prof. William III. Cummings, now super
intendent of schools in the Hadley- Hat
field Bernardston district of Massachu-
setts, and for many years principal of
kimball Union academy at Meriden, \.
H., and once also principal of Chelsea
academy, spoke Interestingly of things
more recent worth remembering and.
fresh from year of foreign travel. gave
excellent information, too, of most at
.ractive mountain views which might be
had from the neighboring hill tops. sthe
best in the world,' he said, advising the
Old Home Week association to develop
home resources in that direction.
Principal John NJ. Comstock read sever
al interesting letters from former residents
unable to attend and the afternoons exer-
cises closed with the singing of Robert
Burns beautifully appropriate hymn.
AUD Lang Syne," in which the whole
audience joined. 4
On Friday evening came the concert of
lohnson's Quintette club, consisting of