The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-02-19
anniversary WAS
CELEBRATED BY
FORTN|GHTLY
successfuI Woman's Club Has
Completed Is Years
LARGEST WOMAh'S CLUB IaSTATE
Program Saturday included Short
Talks by Former Presidents, Char
ter Members and Music.

The twenty-ffth anniversary of the
Fortnightly club was observed Satur-
day afternoon with the rooms crowd
ed to their utmost capacity. The
chapel was beautifully decorated by
Mrs. e. w. Bradford. Two shields in
blue and gold with the dates of the
founding and anniversary of the club
/ weie placed on either side the plat.
form, the entire front Of the room
J was banked in white pine and huge
bowls Of daffodils completed the col
or scheme of blue and gold.
The program was arranged after
the manner OF symphony, the club
being like one in that it has been
guided from the beginning by one
idea "the intellectual improvement Of
| its members" and yet each president
and member has varied and furnished
individual interpretations. A piano
solo by j. w. Chambers furnished the
prelude. Mrs. Wills made a good al
legro in a paper written in her usual
vivacious and humorous style which
showed the Fortnightly was local
expression of general awakening of
American women due to the industri-
al revolution Of the last century.
After tribute to the Valentine FAM
ly and their service to the club through
three generations. fifteen of the char
ter members led by Miss Jennie Val
entine took their seats on the plat
form. Those present were Mrs. Har-
riet Bradford. Mrs. L. ID. Bennett,
Mrs L. r. Whitney. Mrs. Helen
Thomas, Mrs. F. w Goodall, Mrs. Lau-
ra Cole, Mrs. Spencer Hathaway, Mrs.
III. l.. Hover, Mrs. G. w. Keeseman,
Mrs Il. L. Sibley, Mrs H.. !. Norton.
Miss Henrietta Adams. Mrs. H. NJ
Williams, and Miss Mary White. Miss
Valentine gave sketch Of the besi
ginnings and early meetings of the
club Due to the non arrival of an ex-
pected letter Miss White was unable
to give her "Reminiscences" as stated
on the program. Every symphony
contains a trio, accordingly papers and
Impressions of three Fortnighuyi
officers whose personalities were so !,
closely woven into the early days and
traditions of the club were then read.
Mrs. L. r. Whitney gave a most feel
ing impression of Mrs. Seymour, Mrs.
Bennett read a paper of Mrs. Sey-
mour on Hens" Mrs. Frank Brad
ford read paper Of Mrs. Valentines
on Mariana and the New Woman"
and Ms. Sibley read bit from Mrs.
Ritcl,-, Following the papers an ex-
hibition of the grand children Of the
charter members was made. or the
total of 81, nineteen were present
Mrs. Janice Smith, granddaughter OF
Mrs. Seymour and Miss jeanette Per-
kins, granddaughter of Mrs. Valen-.
tine led, then follow ed Estelle Benz
nett, .Tirsah Ayres, Breard Hawks,
Nancy SibIey. Mary Louise Packard,
Elizabeth Goodall Charles Coles John
Cole. Waldo, Frances and Richard
Holden, John Spenser and Julianna
Holden, John, Elizabeth, Helen and
Theodore Thomas the Holden and
Thomas boys and girls having both
grandmothers among the chartermem.
bers of the club 9
The ex presidents of the Fortnight
ly took seats on the platform follow
ing the charter members, each giving
a brief message. Mrs. e. L. Sibley
said she was distinguished as being
the oldest living president. Mrs. G.
S. Mills spoke of the many difficulties
of her administration and Miss Hilda
Pratt spoke of the strange manner in
which she became president. A mes
sage from Mrs. Alfred ]. Norton. who
now resides in Springfield, Mass, was
read by Mrs. Burke and Mrs. G. p.
Endress gave an appreciation Of Mrs.
H. w. Tirrell now of Quincy, Mass.
Mrs. f. E. Howe spoke of the debt the
Fortnightly owed to its presidents OF
the past. A-l~
The enthusiasm and interest dur
ing the program was very marked and
when the finale came in which all
were to have a part chord had in. Z
deed been struck and the heart re-
piled. "Swanee River" Columbia
the Gem of the Ocean," annie
Laurie. 4" Jingle Bells" "Juanita"
and "Auld Lang Syne" were sung with
much enthusiasm and expressions Of
loyalty, appreciation and good feeling
were heard on all sides. The opinion
that the anniversary was one of the
best afternoons the club ever had
seemed universal. ~
A number of the souvenir programs
which attracted so much attention
were left and anyone desiring extra
ones may obtain one by calling at tho
Banner office. These artistic pro.
grams are the joint work Of Miss
Jeanette Perkins and Miss Hilda
Pratt. The title page was drawn by
Miss Perkins.