The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-09-29

anu MrS. ftugn Mclnn1S.
The Ceremony.
Seats had been arranged in srcnt CT
the entrance and Capt. ]. P. Carter
was master of ceremonies. Rev. e. J..
Currie offered prayer, after which
Capt. Carter introduced Capt. John
Hamper, of. Meridian, who donated
the forty acre park, by saying, "occas-
lonally one finds a man broad enough
to look out for the welfare of others,
and Capt. Hamper has done that in
giving this park to Hattiesburg."
Capt. Hamper, whose wish It has
been for years, as some time
ago expressed it, ito see the park
ready for children and other people
and beautified, before he died." de-
clared he was proud to have been able
to give 1t. He is so anxious to see it
beautified that he suggested plan.
Capt. Hampers Plan.
This plan was to have various lodg-
es take plots to ornament with grass,
shrubbery, flowers or statues, or their
emblems, as the lodge sees fit. He
declared himself ready to give 500
and said he felt sure some of the
lodges would be willing to lend a
helping hand. This plan, he said, had
been worked successfully in
other big parks. He urged all 10
work together, and suggested having
a lake with boats. The young people
could learn to row and thus expand
their chests, while the revenue would
help keep up the park. The $4,000
offered by the speaker was to go to
wards this work of having lake and
boats.
Mrs. e. McGregor responded, thank
ing Capt. Hamper.
Capt. ]. P. Carter, who delivered
the grafton for the occasion, spoke in
glowing terms of the thoughtfulness
and generosity of Capt Hamper in
giving a place to the city where the
young people will have amusement
and instruction, too. He showed how
public parks these days are for TIE
education and developments of the PEG
pie and for the amusement OF all. lie
cited instances of parks with bridal
paths, driyeways. satuary, museums,
lawns. and scenery that held close to
nature. while in one park an arcn OF
triumph was inscribed with names OF
great generals and battles. Boys see
ing these names unconsciously learn
ed history
The park, Capt. Carter declared
should always have surroundings that
will lead any girl or boy to higher
life, and that is what this park, it is
hoped, will do when properly beauti
fed, if the city government will back
the commissioners and help make II
resort for amusement and pleasure
The speaker stressed the import
ance of environment of the right kind
The young and old will have amilse
ment, and they should have it at the
park and away from the temptation
of evil.
A beautiful tribute to Margaret, tn,
orphans friend in New Orleans, whose
statue stands in the public square
there, was given and the address wa'
closed by an appeal to the board ant
Mayor for assistance in making Kan
per park a beautiful, clean amuse
ment place to be proud Of.
The Daughters of the Confederacy
who kept up interest in the park an'
are still working for its success, wer'
complimented also.
A poem on "Our Hamper Park" b,
Mrs. E. McGregor, was read by Mis-
Mary Anna Allen, after which Mrs
D. B. Holmes read a history Of Ramp
er Park, written by Mrs. w. H. Hardy
now of Pass Christian. but the frs
president of the chapter.
Deposited in the Corner Stone.
In the large iron box deposite'
in the corner stone for futre gel
erations to see, were current cople
of the Hattiesburg News, clipping
from other papers about the U. d. {
and the park; Commercial Club litera
ture relating to this city; photograph
of Capt. and Mrs John Hamper an
their granddaughter, Lillian, now Mrs
Gallatin; photographs of Capt w. j
Hardy, Mrs. Hardy and their family
Mrs. Hardy's history of the Park. list
of the members of the local chapter
of the u. d. C. and the Kings Daugi
| +arc and the CamD of COnfederat