The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-14

gals to return to the paternal mansion. Not only the rejuvenating effect of their presence was desired but material assistance was necessary to redeem from threatening abandonment district rich in history. beautiful to view and pleasant beyond compare for summer habitation.
 'The children came-they saw and they were conquered. The forgotten land marks appeared to them anew. The abandoned farms were bought up and transformed into comfortable sum- mer homes. public buildings were instituted and the village took . new lease on life"
 New Hampshires example was fol- lowed spasmodically elsewhere in New England and most generally in Ver- mont. which has abandoned farms Of her own. The week in which falls the anniversary of the Battle of Bennington really fought in New York State, say the historical iconoclasts-was set aside az old Home week for several years. Perhaps Vermont did not sell as many abandoned farms as did her sister State. but she must have made 1t pay, because she has kept 1t up.
 This summer the microbe has dis seminated itself over all the six States ne DIS8cSI CiticS nave Oiu hohC "SSh fever in its most virulent form.
 Boston and Providence are going to bring their children back from July 2S to August 3 if persuasion. reduced car fares and & three ring circus have any potency. worchester has its old home week earlier. Fall River led the list
 New Bedford Is in line. and Attleporo centre of the jewelry manufacturing to tn Qdva nj nf fhn low railroad rates granted Boston and Providence, and has appropriated s3,- 900 to celebrate with.
 At first glance the utility of old home week as applied to the large New England cities may not be ap- parent. Boston's abandoned farms are over grown with large. heavy brick structures of classical architecture. The same is true of Providence. New Bedford and Lynn.
 It might be thought that local merch- ants hope to reap harvests from an influx of strangers, but the merchants themselves do rot ',oll at 1t tha. way. The proprietor of one of the largest stores in Providence when asked for a contribution to meet running ex- penses said he would give twice as much to buy off the old home week promoters.
 But those enthusiastic and hard working individuals could not be bought off. Their theory Is that even though they have no abandoned farms to sell, an old home week celebration which calls to town any considerable number of strangers whose thoughts would not otherwise be turned in this direction is going to advertise the op- portunities of their city, whether 1t be the cotton centres, New Bedford and Fall River, the jewelry centers. Provi- der ce and Attleb pro. or Boston. centre of culture and isms.
 And there you have the kernel of the Old Home week but as applied to the larger communities
 Naturally these places are not able to offer the same line of attractions which have proved potent in recalling the prodigals of the mountain villages The old swimmin' hole. the red schooi house. the trout hole beneath the mill dam and the picnic grounds out 10 Smiths Grove are not accessories or urban existence.
 Out of this lack a new science of Old Home week treatment is developing. The principle of it is to have some- thing on which you can hang the whole thing, some big central attraction to make the remainder of the weeks events excusable.
 Rutland Vt, departing from the Bat tie of Bennir gton custom. hangs her Old Home week celebration this year on a horse show. Providence is try ing hard to arrange 'lloon race for a Providence cup. Boston will have a big muster of hand fire engines.
 As regards Old Home week in the large cities, too, there Is a condition not felt in the villages which might l abound to the injury of the function The centres of population offer, or course diversity of occupation to meet all desires. with the result that instead of losing their young people they drew young people from smaller places
 If the injunction to get back to the old home were liberally needed Bos- ton would lose during her gala week not less than a qua"ter of her popula- tion, including many of her most prom inent citizens. The Mayor of Provi- dence would soon be setting sail for Ireland. also a Providence man. would be found in New York State from July 2S to August 3. And large proportion of the leading lawyers. mer- chants and manufacturers would be speeding on train and boat to other and remote places.
 But such catastrophe as this Is not looked for. The cities are offering too much this summer in the way of pageants. water feats. automobile racse and the like to lose their leading men even during Old Home week.