Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-13
GRAND AFFAIR PLANNED IN CON.
NEcTloN WITH STATE FAIR
OF NEXT YEAR.
FIFTY THOUSAND FORMER
RESIDENTS TO COME BACK
invitation. to Be Sent to Every For
mer Resident Whose Name Can Be
Procured-Plans for Home Coming
Celebration to Start Early-To Be
Big Feature of Fair.
Especial Correspondence

lhSpSSldl III
Des Moines, Oct. 13.-Iowa's big home
coming celebration next year is to be
as grand an affair as the original
home coming held by the state of Ken
lucky. 1t is to be state wide and ma
zion wide matter centering for one week
at the Iowa state fair, which is con- |
sidered an especially appropriate meet i
ing place for the entire state. "A home
coming has been suggested in Iowa be-
hold such a gathering at the state fair
this year but the suggestion was made
100 late to carry out broad plans.
Secre tary Simpson has already begun
the work on the home coming for next
year. 1t will be the big feature of the
1910 state fair. The plans are being
laid now and it will probably take one
persons time from this on to handle
the correspondence and perfect the de-
tails for gathering the sons and daugll-
tiers of Iowa from every county and
cline on the globe.
Just as a rough guess Secretary
Simpson believed that the addresses of
perhaps $4,000 former residents of the
state can be secured in one way or an
other and he proposes to set about this
| stupendous task at once. 1t is planned
as one of the first moves in the big
home coming celebration to have a
meeting soon in Des Moines of all the
/ officers of the county old settlers asso-
Citations. There will be formed then.
state association of these county Of
fees. Thru them il is expected to
secure the greater part of the names
of former residents of the state The
chief officers OF this state association
will be expected to play an important
part in The planning for the big home
coming.
Secretary Simpson realizes the loss
TO the state and the success of the big
home coming of the late Hon. Isaac
Brandt. who was better posted perhaps
on old settlers and their Whereabouts
than any man in the state.
Another source thru which work will
be done is the Iowa associations in the
many large cities of the country. New
York, Chicago Los Angeles, and cities
nearly everywhere have such associa-
lions and thru them the names and ad-
dresses of many can be had
Special Invitation to Go Out.
1t is proposed not only to send to
each of these a special invitation hut
It IS expected to repeat the invitation
with printed matter concerning the big
home coming. The program will be an
all Week affair and it is counted more
} han likely that the attendance will be
50 great that it may be necessary to
divide the state into sections and have
,he program for one section on one aav
and tlat for another on another dav.
one of the states great orators win
Z be invited % Guido Henry Waterson in
his Welcome TO the returning sons an
daugil ers oe that state
Secretary Simpson is welcoming
suggestions from every quarter as. 10
The features for the big homecoming.
l For one thing it is proposed 10 erect
a big old fashioned log cabin on the
! grounds and make this the center for
relics of early days of the state. 1t Is
proposed to get Bill Coop TO split the
shingles for the roof Just as was done
in the early days of the state. The
I building will be a permanent one and
I Will remain on the grounds in a con-
f7t-NsASI2 P'04Nitii dS q page lOI pre-
q serving relics of the early days 81 the
4 state
I In the due course of time it is ex-
Z pected that Governor B. f. Carroll will
I issue a proclamation calling upon all
I the scattered children of the state 10
D return for one week
Work WIN Start Early.
The work of planning for the home
a TING ic ia No eta nj ~, ~,
that all former Iowa people will know
] of the affair long enough in advance
Il that they will make their plans ac-
cordingly and before they have made
4 plans that will conflict 1t is expected
4 that every resident of Iowa will write
at once TO former residents of the
state who are relatives and friend:
and inform them of the big celebration
of next year. 1t is believed that mex,
\ year is very favorable time for the
I homecoming. Many of the forme
residents of Iowa now live in tn,
= northwest and on the Pacific coast
. They have been there for severa
= years. During the past year many lowe
: people visited the Seattle expositio,
= and visited their friends and relatives
! This reminded the straying children O
! their old home and it is hoped create,
: a desire to return and see their native
] state. Next year will be about tn,
! right time for them to come.
The problem of arranging the pro
! gram for the gathering and handIln,
: the crowds after they arrive at tn
state fair grounds or in the city o
! Des Moines is a large one but it
? nothing as compared with the probIer
/ OF reaching every former Iowa resi-
: dent not only with an invitation bu
Z with an effective urgent appeal re
! peated with another and another az
7 peal until he loosens and comes.
I OF course everyone In Iowa wi
! write to his relatives and friends VIII
I formerly lived here and this it is be
! lieved will be one Of the best and mo-
: effective means Of getting them
Z come back for the home coming wee
q It is proposed to delegate every res
dent OF the state committee Of one I
. write personal letter to every o,
they know of who formerly lived 4
Iowa and invite them back. But ev,
SO effective an appeal should be SUI
plemented with other appeals and !,
ducements. One Of the things Seer
tary Simpson will probably DO is
send copy Of the proclamation
:. Governor Carroll TO every perst
" whose address he can secure when Il
. proclamation is Issued.
1t Is going to take some money
L.