The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-09-02
Pioneers and Supervisors Picnic.

| Time nor place, neither could have been
improved on. McCurdy Park was at
its finest. The weather was as perfect
as though spring and Indian summer
and autumn's finest had all been blend
ed for the occasion. And it was all ap-
preciated by the crowds of pioneers,
officials and ex-officials from every part
of the county. A hundred or more car
riages were in evidence before noon
along the east and west sides of the
park while the feed barns of Corunna
held many more and Owosso barns took
care of others whose owners had driyen
in from the west side of the county and
availed themselves of the change to
trolley cars for the remainder of the
trip.
At the park the picnickers divided in
to family and friendly groups and in
dulged in whatever fancy pleased, rest,
amusement, sight seeing or visiting
until the noon hour brought the appre-
citation of the contents of the lunch
basket-except that the societies were
called to order in the pavilion before
noon and many listened to part of the
program of the day.
The program was an extended one
The idea of the picnic was different in
some respects from preceding ones.
The pioneers of the county have an or
ganization of their own. The superyis-
ors, ex-supervisors and county and ex-
county officers have another, Both or
ganizations make an annual outdoor re-
union one of the features of the year.
The dates selected by the two organiza-
tions came so near together this year
and there were so many who were
members of both organizations that the
suggestion was made and received with
favor that they, be given together. The
result fully justified the judgment of
those to whom the matter was left.
The afternoon session was called to
order promptly on time with A. L..
Chandler acting as chairman. Mr.. s.
S., Miner, of Owosso was introduced to
give talk on the history of the county
with especial reference to the men who
had made the history. Mr.. Miner spoke
from notes but referred to them but
sparingly. He had moved among the
men about whom he spoke to the au-
dience too long to need more than the
merest assistance from notes. He had
reminiscent word and word full of
kindIiest memories and deep regard for
almost every county officer for years
back, and the well timed eulogy of the
men he mentioned was well received.
After Mr.. Miner, and after listening
to music, Judge Smith was presented to
the audience. He had been associated
with Shiawassee county officials for
many years and had himself been a sup
ervisor some six or seven years.
From his experience he believed that
ninety nine per cent OF, all the officers in
Shiawassee county tried to do their
duty. The man who remembers that
the Office belongs to the people and that
the officer is the servant of the people
will not go far wrong. The judge was
visibly affected at being called on to ad-
dress so many of his old friends and as
sured them that it had always been a
pleasure to him to serve them to. the
best of his ability and to meet them on
such occasions as this.
Hon Frank H. Watson. of Owosso,
was called to the platform and announc-
ed for speech. He too assured the au-
dience that it had been a pleasure to
him to serve the people of Shiawassee
county as one of their officers and
though he had never had the honor of
being a member of the board Of super
visors and therefore was not eligible to
membership in that organization, he
felt that he was eligible to member
ship in the Pioneers Association.
He was born in this comfy forty
six years ago and had lived here all his
life. He thought that the idea of the
society was q good one. One OF the
reasons for the admirable work of the
Japs during the present war he believed
was the reverence which they were
taught to observe for their ancestors.
He thought that more of the sort of
reverence for our own ancestors, such
as societies like this were teaching our
young people would be good thing for
our country.
Mayor Stanley e. Parkill was called
out from the audience Immediately on
his arrival. He announced that he had
been asked to prepare an article for the
society on the life of the lately deceased
Lucius E. Gould, but said that he had
had to decline as the time was too linn
ited AT some future meeting he would
be glad to have the paper ready. He
then qualified anew for membership in
the association by few brief reminis-
cences and finally by telling story of a
famous snake Of the early days Of the
county, the snake being endowed with
the reasoning power of supervisor and