The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-12-19
VIII n ! !: iE:R. :. !.
Centenary e e G. rated.
iii. New ElIg!)ll md
Noted Speakers Eelogtre the poet Of
Freedom, At HfHs Birthplace--
; Life OF Whittier hRggely ~

-. -. 49, ~" -- - 49,, -! - < ''fs...> .
Boston, Mass, Dec: 18:-.The cele-
bAtlon Of the centennialsafi the birth
of the poet, John g. Whittier. for
: which sa1large section Of Ne% England
has been preparing for months ~past,
was ushered, In today withIanniver-
sary exercises in the public schools.
Scores of celebrations are on the
Calendar for, the next%three days. but
none will be Of greater interes st' than
that in the poets native town of
Amesbury, Thesmeettng viii be held
in the town hall Monday, when d
varied program Of. addresses, recita-
tions from Whittier's poems. and
readings will be carried out under
the direction OF theCtcitizens' cont
mittee. Governor Guild viii deliver
the Grafton of the day. IT Is expect
ed that, addresses viii be. made also
by Clarence steadman, ,of New York,
former 'secretary OF the Navy John
D., Long, former. Governor. John L..
Bates and Booker T.&Washington.
- John .Greenleaf Whittiers the
Quaker Poet. in honor OF whose
memory these celebrations are to be
held, was born December IT, 1907
in East Havcrhill, close by the. pres
cnt town Of Anlesbury. The house
in which he was Born, and which he
described in Snow Bound had
been built almost ,y120 years before
his birth by paternal ancestor nam
ed Thomas Whittier, who had come
from England and settled in 'Massa-
chusetts In 1858. Y =. -
Three or four winters at district
school and six months at the Haver-
hill academy was about all the
schooling young Whittier received.
When twenty-one years OF age he OBJ
tanned editorial employment on a
PAPER called the eAeeStesn; MaRufac-
turer, published in Bostopt But Ne
had worked there. but a short time
y. when be, was. ahltGa9 TO: ;ssretasgts
home on. Age0tigrtts 8, the faiiilg
{iEfeaiyh tof itss lgS ;fasg, i
few months 3 Unit 4 ne aaS eaaS hers tisaaf,
he edited the HaYefhtll Gazette. ! He
then for some tina edited the New
England Review published at Hart
ford, Conn, where, he gained some
experience and won many friends.
But in SHORT time his awn Ill health
forced him to- again return to his
home at Haverhill. !. ..% - H. p. y.
He soon published his ,hrst book,
poem of New IhSland legendary
life, entitled "Moll%s$ Pitcher" His
scattered poems Them amounted to
800. In November 1881. he gaye
the world his first anti4slavery verse,
ITO William Lloyd: GARRISON"
BY t840, books OF his poem were
hc'usehold property. Whittier was a
household name. School boys could
quote his poetry. He was declaimed
in the lyceums. From 1S4TTttll 1860.
The National Era, q Washington anti
slavery organ, published the greater
part of Whittier's verses, With the
establishment Of ThsxAtlanttes Month
" in rs 5557;z-tthe- s T : ftrst abpea9ance Of
Whittter's new poetry tWa8 made in
New England. "sR6W Bound" was
printed in the Styles and achieved
immediate pQpularity. ;: =,
After the var Whitttef' i1ived at
Oak KRoll;. DRnvers and, Anaesb bury.
1t was an extremely Quiet existence.
He was AMIDST q lifelong spvalid
r Though born Of sturdy and long
lived stock, he inherited mo, great
robustness yof franles and when he
was about II years; or age he an
jured his constitution. per'man emily
by overworl on his fat1er's farm. He
had a weakness of the heart that
not only gave him pain.b but for many
years. was constant menace to his
UTe.F -----~~--af--.-----.-- 81 -.
In his later life there were several
events Of Importance. which served
to show the veuerattqn, in which New
England held her poet. AS he grew
older the schoolsk- 1mei to observe
his birthday and the Whittier socte-
ties held Apecial exercIses. = On, his
10th birthday, meR and women Of
letters oontrib9tsd TO, the press no.
table ar2reeiatbns In ~ verse and
iToses. And ten, years. +lateEJthe gov
ernor and many other prominent cit
iZens went to Danvers and formally
cohgratutated him - g..
The poet had many friends. He
numbered among his famirarA ac-
qsaintances men of the highest tpo-
litical rank and the principal literary
men and women Of his time! ALMOST
every noted autltoress or }America
might be numbered as having been
among his most. intimate friends
Lucy Hooper. Gall HAMILTON, Grace
Greenw wood, Sarah Orne Jewett
Lucy Larc6nls Louise Chandler MouI.
ton and Elizabeth stuart Phelps were
. few Of the many who honored him
with their love And reverence.
Whittier's life was so largely do
mestic that 1T had, be@n passed al
most wholly An bhBa Espanv of ,wo
men-@4--frst his mother aSd sister al
1Iaverhill ada mesbisfy) then his
50 IL; Ia, ~ a u q jsS9