Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-20
1000 PEOPLE At
CLOSING SESSION
Of OLDER BOYS
527 Delegates Link Hands in
Great Circle of Friendship
Two Boys Walked so
Miles to Attend.

Rutland. Jan 1G.-Nith ~ delegates
from - towns standing linked hand ~
hand in a great circle the sixth annual
conference of Older Boys .. Vermont
came to and end tonight at the ConSrega-
tional Church in the presence of an audi
cnce of nearly 1000 people which filled
every seat and left numbers standing.
The following committees, who will
serve for the ensuing year were named
Resolutions, Waldo A. Becker of Troy
Conference Academy, Dean +. Logan Of
Ludlow, Dorimer II. Brown Of Burr and
Burton Seminary, Elisha W. Culver of
Saxtors River and Jesse II. Harrington
Of Arlington: credentials, Walter A. JET
ferry of Chester, Merrill d. Barrett Of
the Vermont state School Of Agriculture
Clarence e. Wright of Westminster. Ro-
land +. Nyc of Woodstock and William
II. Farweli of Montpelier.
The address which was to have been
delivered by DR.. John NJ. Thomas prosi
dent of Middlebury College, was changed
to one by Franklin X. Matthews of New
York as Mr.. Thomas was confined to ils
home by illness.
The boys attended the three sessions
Saturday with a regularity that showed
I
couched their remarks in language the
youths could understand. Flowery ora :
tory was lacking The men talked in a
cordance with the big brother style and
this seemed to make a decided hit with
the boys.
The first speaker Of tie day was Albert
county department of the international.
a adj
boys to live on the plan adopted by Jcs
Frank II. Matthews. a boy scout worker
in New York, took the place Of Chief
Scout Master James T. West Of New
York, who was detained at home by ILL
ness. Mr. Matthews said that the scout
organization provided "A way for the
bottled up enthusiasm in the boy to get
out in a way that made the lad do some
thing. It teaches tho hoy to think for
himself. to be chivalrous and honest
Jared Van Wagencn Of Lawycrvillc.
y. Y, associated with the agricultural
! department of the State of New York,
paid tribute to the late Senator Justin
Morrill,. the father of agriculture" say
| ing that many States had erected :,
monument for him. Mr. Van Wagencn
explained that the farmers boy to-day
! ueeuS just as muCn eQucatlOn, spiritual
and academic as tho city boy.
An address physical Efficiency
| and Success in Life" was given by DR..
| George J. Fisher of New York, physical
director for the internat ional Y. NJ. c. \.
committee, showing the boys that one
of their most important duties was to
| safeguard their health.
| The Rev. DIR. John NJ. Thomas, pres
ident of Middlebury College, also adj
| dressed the conference.
| In the evening, the boys listened tC
a recital of Jerome's Passing of the
| Third Floor Back by Edward A. Mead
| of New York.
Lynn and Earle Colby of Wilmington
brothers, walked from their home tc
| Rutland to attend the conference. "A dis
| lance of so miles by the route they
| took. Leaving Thursday morning al
| three o'clock they walked until seven al
night the first day out, reaching Itas
| Dorset. This trip required "A climb OF
the Green mountains and put them )
miles away from home. Friday they
walked to Rutland in the face of a bit
ing north gale and zero temperature