Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-02-23
WASHINGTON CLUB
HELD FlFTIETH AN
NIvERSARY TUESDAY

members of the club, is evident from
the minutes on the pages of our re-
cords. From 1866 to 1876 the annual
meetings were held at the homes of
different members.
In 1877 Frank Adams and wife en-
tertained the members at the Grattan
Hotel, and at that meeting a resolu-
ton was passed that from that date
the meeting should be held at some
public house in order to better ac-
commodate an increasing member
ship. 1t was not until 1878 at q
meeting held at the hotel at Cooks
Corners that formal organization
was perfected and officers elected. At
this time the membership had reach
ed AZ, and they elected Hon. West
brook Divine their first president and
Aaron G.. Stockholm their first secre-
tary. Both of these officers ably and
faithfully discharged the duties of
their Offices to the time of their
death. In 1879 a motion prevailed
that a program should be prepared
for the next meeting, and an execu-
tive committee consisting of Carey
Epson, VIM. Gardner and Jno. ID.
Fargo was appointed to prepare such
program, which read as follows:
Address, John ID. Fargo; essay, Mrs.
James s. Chase; select reading, Mrs.
John ID. Fargo; music, Mrs. James
Chase; speech, VIM. Gardner.
The minutes of our records state
that the program was creditably rem
dered as arranged.
Since its organization TIA members
have been associated with the club.
OF these 101 are still resident MEM
bers, 40 are non-residents, 8 honor
airy members; have dropped from
the roll for non-attendance and other
causes, and II have been removed by
death. Such are the brief annals of
the Washington club as written up
on the pages of its records, but there
/ is an unwritten history containing
volumes of sacred. "reminiscences, and
page after page Of cherished memoir
/ les to which we turn with grateful
pleasure and satisfaction. That a
social society formed thirty years
ago should have lived, flourished and
increased in interest every year
through three decades, is assuredlv a
subject for favorable comment. We
point with pardonable pride TO the
I names upon our roster and TO the
history they have made during. the
last thirty years. Our nonresident
members are widely scattered; some
are on the prairies of the West and
some have crossed the sea. Our club
is represented from Glasgow on the
Clvde to Seattle on Puget Sound. II
the future of the Washington club
proves as fruitful Of friendship and
fraternal ties as the past, the organ
iZation will not have been formed IN
vain. Basing our hopes of its future
upon the results Of the past. we gaze
through the portal of our fourth de-
cade now opening TO us, and eaten
the CLEAN of golden possibilities in
years to come; possibilities that II
improved will bring blessings to us,
honor our charter members, and i'm
part an added gloss to the principles
of fraternity. May the membership
of this club ever be true to
Friendship. that peerless, price
less boon
To mortal man divinelv given,
To smooth the rugged ways OF
life,
And lead man up to God, and
Heaven.
C. C. Merritt.
Ellis w. Ranney. president OF the
club. raped for order with the MS
toric eavel. promptly at eleven o'clock
and the roll of membership was called
by the secretary. Jud c. Smith.
After an instrumental solo by Miss
Bernice Osmun. the invocation was Of
fered by Rev. st. Clare Parsons: In
a very hearty manner. Fred T.. Kan
new, with the key to the city, gave the
address of welcome and the response
10 the welcome was made by Fred A.
Washburn of Belding.
The usral business of the club IN
the election of officers, reports OF
committees, reading of memorials. re-
mort of the goatkeeper and installa-
ton of officers. was taken up and dis
posed of before dinner.
The election of officers resulted IN
the choice Of DIR. James Fl. Arm
strong. If Belding. for president; Os-
car C.. Miller of Greenville for vice
president: Jud G.. Smith of Greenvillc
for secretary and treasurer and Byron
F. Brown of Belding for goatkeeper
A pleasing and interesting feature
Of the occasion was the arrangement
of the pictures Of the charter members
cf the club on the walls IF the parlor
: Thev were al there Int three.
The goatkeeper. Percy ID. Edsall
in his excellent report of that ancient
annual, while under his care. prom
J inent and much beloved honorary
: member, was witty and interesting
showing that no mistake had beer
made in placing the honorable goat In
, hie hands.
The memorial of Mrs II. B. Fargo
, --as read by Mrs. IT. L. Bower, that OF
, Mrs. A. G.. Stockholm by Mrs. M. A
Rnrridoe: of T.. /. Phelps by Mrs
Rufus Sprague. and of Fred F. Ire
, land by Byron F.. Brown.
The program was sandwiched with
excellent music and songs by Ambrose
Wvrick who gave several solos In
, Scotch. Irish and American, to the de-
light Of ALL Mr.. Wyrick is certainly
ro~eessnd Of voice and a talent far
above the average, which cannot fail
to bring him a fortune.
Tho officers were duly installed by
L. Wells Sprague and initiation and
obligation of membership was by
Chas. NJ. Chittick and the following
vcre admitted: l. l.. Hubbell, f. f.
Chapple, r. II. Hall, Merton Smith
G.I-- Nv~~- Cwx.stL no~sox,