The Newtown bee., 1905-06-16

Beautiful is the sun, o stranger,
 When you come so far to see us!
 All our town in peace awaits you,
 All our doors stand open Tor you;
 You shall enter all our wigwams. . For the hearts right hand we give you. Thus in the name of the Washing ton Monday club I welcome you to the Connecticut hill town of old "Judea," or Washington. 'What's in name" Although every state in the Union has a Washington, this was to the first town to be named after the 'Father of our Country" "" who several times passed through New Preston, the northern part of the town, on his way between Boston and Albany. We are |-Yery glad to welcome you at this time 1 to make our village beautiful, when trees and flowers are in their prime, when birds and bees are on the wing. All the advantages for nature study in Washington have been made famous by the pen and pencil of William Ham, iltOn Gibson in his books, "Sharp Eyes, Eye Spy," and others. Per- haps you may have noticed the bronze memorial tablet in the rock half way up from the station. We are sorry that we cannot have with us to-day Senator Platt. This was his native town, and for several years past he had made 1t his home. He loved it and was beloved and honored by all. Close ly allied with his name and with MT Gibson's also, is that of their teacher and friend, Frederick Gum, the foun- der and for many years the master of the Gunnery school. A better descrip- tion of the school than any of mine is that of the Birds Nest," in Arthur Bonnfcastle by J. G. Holland, MT and l .~l Ioo Mrs nd we are glad to have Mrs Gum here to- day. Many we'll known persons of the present day received their early train ing at the Gunnery, and several after starting in life have come back to Washington to make it their summer home. Recently two other schools have grown up-the Ridge for boys, and the Wykeham for girls. From all three schools you will have the pleasure of hearing little later. We wish that you had a longer time to yourselves, but we hope that although this may be the first visit to Washing ton for some of you, that 1t may not be the last for any one."
 A very pleasing response to the ad- dress of welcome was given by Mrs Edward H. Smiley of Hartford. The Wykeham Rise Glee club composed of a number of sweet voiced young la dies, rendered very delightfully."- "Lul- laby," by Mozart, and Prayer from Die Freischutz," by Weber. !; The meeting were then read by the secre- tary and approved. Some very inter esting talks on the subject of Pure Food were given by Madame Parloa and Mrs Gerard of South Norwalk. An entertaining report of the Council of Education was given by Miss Mary M. Abbott. Miss Dotha Pinneo, the cor responding secretary of the State Fed eration, in her bright and charming style, gave an account of the national council meeting in Atlantic City. The by an orchestra from the Ridge school and they gave fine rendition of some Japanese operatic selections and Cradle Songs. The reports from the different clubs of the Federation were listened to with much interest, and many helpful ideas were gleaned. The Gunnery club favored the audience with two songs "Pickaninny Lullaby
 and "Friendship." This club has , been trained under the talented in' , structor from New Haven, Professor , did fine justice to their teachers high reputation. So pleasing and delight ful was their singing that the boys . were obliged to return and sing again in response to an enthusiastic encore.
 At the adjournment of the council the ladies were invited to the chape
 for light refreshments and tea before leaving on the 30 special train.
 The flowers in the churcf were principally laurel, the colol scheme in the lunch-room yell low s and white and green, daisies
 buttercups and ferns. The ushers ano ' waitresses were in white and ,the ush
 CTS were distinguished by their wands
 The local general committee consisted of Mrs R. B. Carter, chairman; Mrs
 Thornton Cogswell, Mrs Loren Smith
 Mrs Frederick Wersebe, Mrs Charles
 Hollfster. Committee on luncheon, Mrs
 W. s. Church, Mrs Ellsworth Fem l On transportation, Miss Mary Church
 On decorations, Miss Fanny Palmer
 meeting were Mrs Charles H. Briscoe
 president; Miss M. M. Abbott, vice ' president; Mrs B. H. Smiley, vice. b cording secretary, Derby; Miss Bertha
 Tnompsonville Mrs William A. Ar hold, treasurer, Willimantic; Mrs Jay
 H. Hart, auditor, Waterbury; Mrs
 Willis Austin, director, Norwich; Mrs
 H. D. Curtiss, director, Woodbury ! Mrs James Edward Wilson, director Bridgeport; Mrs Arthur w. Gates
 Willimantic; Miss Bertha F. Scott @ Bridgeport; Miss Dotha Stone Pinneo j. general secretary, Norwalk; Miss An na L. Ward, Waterbury; Miss Mari;
 Parloa, Bethel; Mrs John H. Platt