The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-15

all looked forward with the greatest
pleasure and interest.
On Wednesday we had been given
purple ribbons to assure US of a seat
in car for the trip to the Royal
Palm state park, distance of forty
five miles. At the very last minute
we were told we would be altogether
"out of it" at lunch time if we did not
secure a green badge with the name
Homestead" on it, as the ladies of
the Homestead club were to be our
hostesses at lunch After this i'm
portant feature had been attended to
we were placed in cars. There were
1913 in all, cars of every make and
Isle, and it was magnificent "motorl
cade" that moved southwark along
the famous Dade county main high
way, an oiled boulevard extending
from Miami to Florida City. From
there to the park is rough and barely
passable, but thanks to the commit
tee it was put into shape so that the
trip could be made possible for US.
The Metropolis said 'this was the big
best event of its kind ever pulled off
in Florida"
As we neared the grounds, also the
end of the road, our eyes rested on a
beautiful woodland with here and
there large towering royal palms,
beautiful to behold. Everything SEEM
ed to be in readiness, a stand for the
speakers, seats for the delegates, etc.
Long tables were near, filled with
tempting edibles, with the Homestead
ladies' busy getting ready for the
lovely lunch they were to serve at
o'clock.
The dedication speech flor the park
was made by Hon. J. E. Ingram, may
or of st. Augustine, and for whom
the Ingram highway was named. His
speech was most interesting, telling
CT his early discovery of this "Par-
adise Key" also of his talk with Mr..
and Mrs. Flagler and of Mrs. Jen-
ning's efforts later to secure it for a
park. The legislature gave $50 acres
and Mrs. Flagler gave $50 acres,
making 1920 acres. He concluded by
congratulating the president and fed
Grafton members on its success. Mr..
Belcher, chairman of the Dade county
beard of commissioners, dedicated the
Ingram highway in fitting speech.
Mrs. Sherman was the principal
woman speaker of the day. She is
chairman of the conservation depart
rent of the general federation and
was the distinguished guest at the
Miami convention. She began by
comparing her home state Colorado,
with Florida. Her state, she said, is
high and mountainous and would nat
urally be called more elevated than
ours, but to US was given "the palm. .
She said she knew of no other state
doing so much in conservation as
Florida and along so many lines.
Mrs. Jennings very fittingly and
beautifully dedicated the park with
these words:
with the power in me vested as
president of the Florida Federation
of Women's Clubs, / do hereby dedi-
cate this Royal Palm Park to the peo-
pie Of Florida and their children for
ever"
After singing the doxology, the
benediction was pronounced by DIR.
Ira Adams of Miami. We then form
ed in line to pass around the long
tables prepared with good things.
The lunch, was served in cafeteria
style and with notable ease Turkey,
cranberry sauce, baked beans, potato
salad, pickles, doughnuts and coffee
was the menu. Waiting in line, the
line SO long and apparently moving
so slowly, I could but think of what
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