The gold leaf., 1909-05-06

Representative Men or Fro
fession, Journalists, Com
mercial Leaders and En-
ployes are Present.
The following will be read with in
terest nv newspaper men and Others
throughout the country who will offer
congratulations TO the popular and
successful firm mentioned upon the
sarv OF the beginning Of their busi-
ness career:
Philadelphia. Pa. April 24-The
fOrtieth anniversary of the founding
Of the honse of n. W. Aver & Son. a
leading advertising agency of the
country, AS well as the successor OF
the pioneer advertising arencv. was
celebrated tonight At the Bellevue
StratfOrd bv a banquet rendered by
the firm to upward of 800 guests.
comprising their 16O-Odd employees
and the most prominent men Of the
country in advertising circles, Jour
nalism and immense entarprises and
industries in commercial lines.
BALL ROOM TAXED.
1t would be impossible TO conceive
Of a more fitting illustration of the
growth of the advertising idea as a
businpss7its Importance as factor
in modern commerce.
The guests at the notable banquet
were seated at about nine great
tables-one table running the entire
length of the immense ball room.
and projecting therefrom. eight
prongs, each one over fifty feet long
and accommodating over fiftv guests
At the head table were the four MEM
bers of the firm-F. Wayland Aver.
Henry n. Mckinney. Albert G. Brad
ford and Jarvis A. WoOd-together
with the guests of honor.
Following the Invocation. the good
things provided were heartily dis
cussed. During the progress of the
banquet, speech and pleasantly were
indulged, entirely in an impromptu
manner rendering the occasion still
more social and familiar in it's aspect.
There was no formal program of
speech making.
DECORATIONS.
The tables were decorated with
simlax and trailing arhutus. The
head table bore six enormous baskets
of flowers, many of them being
orchids and other rare blossoms.
Each of the eight shorter tables bore
three enormous baskets of flowers
similar in nature, but all varied and
variegated as to color. At each
plate was placed a butonniere, and
every man present found when he sat
down that little bunch of the very
/ best possible cigars was waiting for
his use, tied with ribbons of the civic
colors of Philadelphia
PRESENTATION TO MR.. AVER.
At a given signal, James A. Bu-
chanan, the dean of the business get
ting staff, rose in his place, and
catching Mr.. Ayers attention, in a
very apt speech presented him with a
massive sterling silver loving cup.
Mr. Aver, although taken completely
by surprise, accepted the gift in a
most felicitous way, even though he
found it difficult to express himself
under the circumstances. This event
was characterized by an immense
amount of enthusiasm on the part
of all present. The cup was indeed,
a tribute which any man might be
proud to receive from his friends,
business associates and employees
Upon one side was inscribed the fol.
lowing: Presented to F. Wayland
Aver by the employees of n. W. Aver
x Son at a banquet cOmmemorating
the forUieth anniversary of the found
ing of the firm" Upon another
side appeared these words: "Belle.
vue-Stratford, Philadelphia, April "a
1909"
Upon the third side. "There is nc
better motto than Keeping ever
lastingly at it brings success and
no better example OF it than +. W
A."
The letters "F. W. A." were in Mr.
Ayers characteristic style OF sigma
ture affixed to the mass of documents
which has passed through his hands
in the past forty years. At the close
of the banquet which occurred
promptly at II midnight, all present
rose to their feet and Joined the quar-.
tet in singing God Be With Us
Until We Meet Again"
THE FIRMS HISTORY.
In 1867. Nathan W. Aver, IA native
of Connecticut and a graduate ol
Brown University. removed from
Western New York to Philadelphia
to continue in a private school the
work of teaching, to which his life
had been devoted.
In 1868, his son. +. Wayland
Aver, then student in the Univer.
sity of Rochester, New York, followed
him to Philadelphia to seek his for
tune in business. Without friends,
acquaintances or business experience,
he did not readily find remunerative
employment, and, as a temporary
expedient, accepted an engagement
as solicitor of advertising for re-
ligious weekly newspaper.
April l, 1869, the firm of n. w
! Aver & Son was announced. George
o. Wallace was its first employe.
In 1873, Mr. Y ". Aver died, and
at the beginL II 1874, Mr.. Wal
lace was admit u to an interest in
the business. which continued until
his death in 1887.
Henry n. Mckinney entered the
employ of the house in 1915, and be