Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-11-11

master.
A notable affair which wildly re-
called the school days OF early Indiana
took place recently in the Beech Grove
church In johnson county in honor
Of Professor Benjamin +. Kennedy.
the list county examiner under the
old and the tirst county sIperlntendent
under the new law. says special dis
patch from indianapolis TO tie Chica-
20 Record Herald. Professor Kennedy
now Is in his eighty-fourth year, and
the occasion was a reunion Of the
men and women, together with their
children and their childrens children.
who had been his pupils in the old
days. Men and women were in the
assemtlage who were gray with age,
many Of them having passed the three
score years and ten mark.
The projectors or tie reunion deter
mined that IL shodld be reminder of
the old days in every particular. and
everything modern was tabOoed. In
one corner OF the church an old loom.
a relic OF fifty years ago, was set up.
and an aged grandmother showed how
she used to weave jeans and linsey
upon H. Beside IL was spinning
wheel. and another gran lmother made
II whir and hum for lie edification
of the young as she walked slowly
backward and forward. running the
yarn over the spindle to the music of
the rapidly revolving wheel. A blanket
was hung in another corner of the
church. and an aged woman told how
she had sheared the sheep, carded the
wool. spun II into yam and then WOW
Ell il into a blanket I.,ore than fifty
years ago.
The menu was abundant but the
dishes were the same as those served
fifty years ago. Beef and mutton boil
ed before an open fireplace In pot
suspended from crane, roast pig
cook ed in an oven with live Goals I'M
derneath and on the lid and chicken
fried before an open fire constituted
the meats. and there was enough for
two or three reunions. Corn pone and
light bread similarly baked. succotash,
Irish and sweet potatoes, apple and
pear butter. old fashioned ginger
bread. cookies and rye coffee sweeten-
ed with maple sugar, pumpkin and
apple pie and maple molasses made up
the meal
The meal was preceded by recep-
ton, in which every one went about
renewing acquaintance. After din
ner Ara Clark. one of the earliest pu-
pills of Professor Kennedy, was called
upon to preside, and the meeting was
formally opened. Speeches were made
by number of the old settlers, and
the pranks that they played on the
teacher the hardships that they under
went in pioneer life and their spark
ing Of the girls were all gone over.
Then came the contest of the day.
A prize was offered for the man who
had received the greatest number of
whippings from Professor Kennedy.
and Ara Clark, the president; DR.. Ira
william, Senator J. ]. Moore. T. s.
Hamilton and J. II. Shank entered tile
lists. Each told of the whippings he
had received and the causes leading
up to them, the kind OF rod that FRO
lessor Kennedy had welded and lust
how badly 1t had hurt When all had
told their stories it was voted that Mr..
Kennedy should decide and that the
decision should be based both on ouan-
tity and quality.
The aged professor Viewed the char
acteristics Of each of the contestants
as he remembers them after the lapse
Of more than fifty years and then de-
cided In favor of Ara Clark The de-
cision was received with applause.
Before the day closed permanent
organization of the pupils of Professor
Kennedy was effected. and it is pro-
posed to hold annual reunions rs long
as he shall live. Money was also rails
ed to have life size portrait of the
venerable teacher painted, and this
will be hung In the county superin.
tendent's Office In Franklin.