The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-05-23
Old Home Dav

Wednesday was certainly gala day |
for the borough of Pemberton. Rain
fell early in the morning but it did not
dampen the ardor of those who had the |
Old Home day exercises in hand. The
town was 225 years old, according to the
date of settlement, but 1t was very young
SO far as celebrating was concerned.
Flags, bunting and other decorations were
in sight everywhere and the citizens
We'd with each other to make the day a
success, business being suspended and
the day was given over to pleasure.
1t was feared the parade would not
take place on account of the wet weather
but the rain ceased long enough to let
the parade take place and it was credit
to the town. Headed by the Metropoli-
tan band, OF Burlington, the societies and
others marched through the principal
streets. There were dozen floats in the
procession, representing many events in
the life of the old town. The Pemberton
Canoe Club had float in line. 1t was
canoe built of cedar and contained a
number of the club members dressed as
Indians. 1t took the first prize of
handsome flag. The prize for the best
decorated dwelling was awarded to Theo-
dore Budd. 1t was also flag.
1t was hoped to hold the afternoon
exercises in the open air, but the damp
ness, together with the high wind, which
made it very disagreeable to be out of
doors, caused this part of the programme
to be changed and the auditorium of the
high school was used. Long before the
speaking began the room was packed
and many were unable to gain entrance.
Mayor Benjamin Cramer was master OF
ceremonies and he introduced former
Governor Fort as the chairman of the
meeting. Some music was rendered by
the pupils of the public schools and
Governor Fort made the first address.
He said he was present because he felt
he is still part of Pemberton. He had
been wandering around the town and
had paused in the graveyard where he
saw the name of Fort on many tomb
stones, on one of which was the name of
his great-great-grandfather. Following
this line down to the present time the
former Governor showed that the Fort
family had always been connected with
the life of Pemberton.
Rev. Russell H. Conwell, the famous
Philadelphia clergyman, was the next
speaker and he contrasted life in city
with that in place like Pemberton,
where people may live and be away from
the vicissitudes and annoyances of a
large city. Wendell Phillips once said:
"All within my gates is Paradise, all
without is martyrdom," and DR.. Con-
well took this as his theme for the after
noon talk. He thought this might be
well applied to Pemberton and should
cause reflection on the part OF those
who contemplated leaving the quiet
peaceful life of a lovely country town to
live in big city.
Edward ]. Cattell, city statistician of
Philadelphia, is witty speaker and he
kept his hearers in good humor during
his talk. His remarks were along the
same line as those of DR.. Conwell. He
said his experience embraced CITY and
country life. He was no stranger to
Pemberton. He had gunned and fished
in the neighborhood and he knew 1t was
an all right place. He would not recon-
mend leaving the country for perman-
ent city life. He felt that boys should
be discouraged when they talked of do
ing this. He said the city is always
crowded no matter how much room YOU
have. He illustrated this by saving
that he has some room around his home
but one evening while sitting at his win
dow with his elbow on the sill he was
touched by lady who asked him to
draw his arm in as he was interfering
with the draft of her stove. He felt
that boys make great mistake in be-
ing to anxious to get into city life.
Senator Wells was the next speaker.
He began by referring to the days when
he attended the Mount Holly fair. He
said there was man who sold balloons,
little fellows, blue, red, yellow and
green. Then there was man who went
up in balloon and finally dropped,
coming down in parachute, sometimes
landing with thud. The Senator said
the big balloons had all assembled in the
speechmaking line and he felt like the
fellow who came down in the parachute
and when he realized how little there
was for him to do he knew he was moth
ing more than one of the little yellow
ballons. He recalled his boyhood DAYS,
the old swimming holes, the base bali
games, the apple orchards and other in
nocent amusements and he spoke in his
usual happy and witty style to the
pleasure of his hearers.
Those who were not able to get in the
auditorium went to the base ball grounds
where good game was enjoyed. The
visiting team was the Shamrock, of Bur
lington. Pemberton won by the score
Of to 6.
The day wound up with band con-
cert and danca