The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-18
WERE 500 There
Friends of Harrison CIarksOn
Did Him Honor.
At Flower Festival on His
S0th Birthday.

! More than five hundred persons
| honored Harrison Clarkson by par
ticipating in a floral reception held in
the Sunday school temple of the First
! Methodist church Friday night. 1t
was the occasion of the eightieth
birthday of popular man who has
| been since 1868 a resident of Topeka
Members of all departments of the
First Methodist church. the life in
| surance men of the city, members of
the Topeka Commercial club and
scores of friends combined in heaping
flowers upon a man who is decidedly
alive and alert.
The program was an impressive one.
of the occasion. A solo, when the
Roses Bloom was sung by Miss
Hazelle Loveland, who when she had
concluded her vocal offering present
ed Mr.. Clarkson with an elegant bou-
quet of American Beauty roses, the
gift of 'the parsonage"
While a professional was being
played by Mrs. E. H. Anderson the
members of the kindergarten depart
ment of the Sunday school marched
past MT. Clarkson who was seated on
platform against a background of
attractive palms, each child tossing a
flower at the gentleman who was be-
ing honored. In the same manner did
the members of the primary, junior
and intermediate departments pass by
reached the platform.
The Philathea and Baraca classes
presented Mr.. Clarkson with a Tyre of
roses. The business mems Bible
class handed him eighty carnations,
and a representative of the Country
club eighty roses.
DR.. r. L. Love1and, on behalf of the
official board of the church presented
handsome solid gold watch, while
through C. F. Hardy, the fire insur-
chain and Scottish Rite emblem. E.
l.. Copeland presented a resolution to
the effect that Mr.. Clarkson was to go
to an art studio today to have a life
adjacent to his memorial window in
the Sunday school temple.
A cake was set before the man to
whom honor was being shown, and
around it were eighty brilliant can
dies. Each child present was given a
piece of the cake and many Of the
grown-upS, too. Refreshments were
served at the close of the regular pro-
gram. General congratulations were
offered Mr.. Clarkson.
Mr.. Clarkson was deeply touched as
result of the display of goodwill
and appreciation of his life work.
I'm not going to the cemetery
with these flowers tomorrow he said.
ct feel as though I'll be here good
many days; possibly a good many
years. Possibly there there are those
who have been members of this
church longer than I have-I came
here forty-five years ago.
1--WE wondered how this affair
came about. In the last two or three
weeks I have noticed groups of per-
sons here and there intently discuss
ing some question-and they didn't in
vite me to join in the discuSsion!'
Mr.. Clarkson had much to do in
the way of making possible the cree
ton of the $4,000 Sunday school!
temple in which the reception was
held. He spent three years in work
ing on the plans, together with others
Mr.. C1arkson was born in Franklin |
county, Indiana. He came to Topeka (
in 1868. He worked on a farm in the
"beech fats of Indiana until he was I
81 years of age. For years he was a |
fire insurance man in Topeka. He
originated the first rate inspection sys- /
tenn in the United States. He has
been in the printing business for some /
years. While in college in Indiana he
cast his first vote with the old Know
party.
Mr.. C1arkson's father was one of
the old pioneers of Indiana. He drove
an OK wagon from Bangor, Me-, to
Franklin county, Indiana, in 1888.