Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-19
OLD HOME WEEK,
Meeting of State Association
at the State House.
he Celebration Will Be Held August
10 TO II Inclusive.
ND decided Which City Will Celebrate Stale
: Day About &C Present.

| sire To perpetuatc the yearly ccIenra
ton of the occasion and a wish th.,t
TINS years observance NAV far .vcar
! mat Of last year. There were not &c
many present as had been desired. abu.t
60 being seated when the mcetino W.,
/ called to order by Sec. :. W. Matthew,
! But if the meeting lacked numbers !,
dla not lack enthusiasm. Not a word
was heard that was not entirely in
favor of making the Old Home Wac,,
: yearly event in the State
In the absence OF the president. Hon.
i-lt"eilyn Powers. the meeting Was
called to order by s. w. Matth MS
secretary of the association. Who
called to Charles s. Hichborn of Ar.
guSta. to the chair.
Col. F. y. Boothby. mayor Of Pow.
land. was the first to speak to the AS
ISOLATION In beginning he said: IT re-
Gently saw Governor Rollins of Now
Hampshire. and he said if We do NOT
continue tine celebration of III. c;a
Home Week in Maine il win be I, Great
mistake. Coz. Roothby spoke Of now
iuspiciouSly the movement started at
he first meeting held in Portland.
He said that no event ever took place
in that city over which there was more
enthusiasm and which was more large
ly attended. Last year. Portland had
what is known as the State day She
does not want to be selfish and take
tie leading celebration every year 1t
is something that should be given to
different towns. Col. Boothby's talk
was full of enthusiasm. He said that
he had been empowered by ex-Gov-
ernOr Powers to express his regret at
his Inability to be present.
pr Charles II. Bangs of Lynn.
Mass. secretary of The Dirigo Fedora
ton Of Maine Clubs in Massa chusatt.;.
Of which Hon. +. T.. Hayes of Lynn. Is
president. said that Massa chu5ctts
stands ready to do anything to make
the event a success. Il find ne said.
lin my conversation with people Of
Maine. residing in the Bay State, ;hat
they are looking forward to the cele-
hration in Maine and are planning to
take their vacations at that time ana
come to Maine" He said that rhn
Massachusetts, railroads offered re-
duced rates for people to attend the
New Hampshire celebration but did not
expect anybody TO go. But when tho
time cdifle u dtNti biHt Niit event tiiN
railroads We're afraid they We're goinS
to have more people than they could
handle.
Secretary Matthews gave interesting
statistics concerning last years ce:H-
bration showing some % or 80 towns
in the state that held celebrations.
He stated that he had received COM
munications from different sections
of the State and many places were
enthusiastic over the idea of holding
observances. this summer. sec.
Matthew's idea. gained from eXperl-
ence. is that the celebration should ne
more general with q less number OF
large demonstrations.
Rev.F. W. O'Brien of Bath. sald t12-
his town wanted celebration. he
thoHSht the Old Home Week an 81
niirable thing and something that
should be greatly encouraged. lie
thought it would be q great misi""-
tune to have it fall through now.
LAST wears celebration was an expert
mont but it was a success ana MI
O'Rrien thought that as years pass
the observance would become more
general.
Pev. Mr.. Sibley of Belfast said:
ssNhen the Old Home Week was men
toned last wear. I supposed it was 70
continue. 50 heartily was IL endorsed
and did not think it would be an
item for discussion here. whether oi
not it should be continued. he spohe
of the pleasure which attends the r.
turn of past citizens and SAID that t'e
Old Home Week was heartily en-
dorsed in Belfast and surrounding
towns. He thought the social pila'e
of the celebration should be empaa-
sized. c..a
Secretary NJ. y. Rich Of the state
Hoard of Trade. said that the Ola
uome Week should never be given up
He favored having the observance dur-
inc the second week of August When
All the country hotels will be IN luii
commission and prepared to receive
ouests. He said if Augusta should get
the State day. he had no DOUBT sIie
would give celebration that wouio "e
q credit to the State. But WANT "
dav in Portland he said. we might
have il and not disturb other towns.
We are going to have more peopie
from the West and South, this year OH
account of the Pan American EHPoe
ton Mr.. Rich said he hoped the oi''
Home Week celebration in Maine
would never be given up: that IL Is tiie
best thing in the world to advertise the
State.
Mayor Lendall Titcomb of Augusta
said that he heartily believed III ll'e
Old Home Week and thought mat 'iie
state was greatly benefited by II. i'9'
wear. The event should be mace
permanent fixture as it is a gran"
thing. His idea of the Old Home
was the return of former residents W
their old homes to renew associa. 'o''7
of youth, to attend the old chuich' ~
throw a line into the old pond anu
again visit the rugged hills OF ci'i"
hood days. He did not think that ''ie
State day should be limited to one ~
year after year. At the time VI -.
wear when the celebration comes.
gusta is greatly handicapped oeiiit.
partially depopulated by those me-
needed in such n movement. Inc
shore draws away those in Whoii' -.
chief interest rests. And so. Wfiie "
Titcomb felt it would be an hoi"i '
n credit to the city. at the SAINT
coming as it does at the time "
wear when Augusta is ut SCcn u us