Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-28
WASHINGTON CLUB
ANNUAL BANQUET
HELD THURSDAY
PROGRAM OF DAY WAS FULL OF
SPIRIT. THE FEAST EQUAL TO
BEST EVER SERVED

The fifty-frst anniversary of the
Washington club was held last Thurs
day at Hotel Belding, and>the meeting
proved to be one of the best. The re-
ception committee was on hand early
and warmly greeted all the members
as they came. The parlors were
finely decorated with Washington
day emblems and flowers.
The call to order came at noon by
took charge of the mornings pro-
gram. Rev. A. J.NBlair Offered pray
er Miss Eva Engle of Grand Rapids
entertained the company with several
selections on the piano. Clayton Knapp
and George E. Wagner gave vocal
solos, Mr.. Knapp, "The Morning
Wind" and Mr.. Wagner, "On the
Road to Mandalay," each responding
to an encore. After the address of
welcome by E. B. Lapham, which was
responded to by w. B. Wells Of
Greenville, the minutes of the last an
nual meeting were read by Secretary
Jud c. Smith. President Armstrong
made fine address and included in
it many good suggestions and recon-
mendations in line of keeping the
club up to the high standard of ex-
cellence it had attained and of the
loyalty to it which characterized its
founders more than a half century
ago. Byron F. Brown, the goatkeep-
er, in his report of the condition of
that ancient animal when it came in
to his hands and of his strenuous
work in caring for him convulsed
the members with laughter, ending in
loud applause. The following officers
were elected and duly installed into
Office by E. E. Fales, assisted by w.
A. Wilder, both of whom seemed to
have their lesson perfect and the
ritualistic work word for word:
President, George c. Bower; vice
president, w. P. Hetherington; Sec
retary and treasurer. Judd c. Smith;
goatkeeper, Mrs. Roy c. Ecker;
membership committee, F. E. Ranney,
r. F. Sprague, Mrs. F. A. Washburn,
and Mrs. w. P. Hetherington. Mem
oriaIs for Mr.. and Mrs. A. J. Ecker
ID. X. Black by Chas. M. Miller; Nor
Chas. Fl. Gibson by f. J. Bowman,
and Elizabeth Johnson by Mrs. C. c.
Wilson.
Ninety-two sat down to the ban
uuet tables at two O'Clock D. m, and
the menu and feast was of such ma
ture and so good and so well served
that satisfaction was depicted op ev-
| cry countenance. fhe dining room
and tables in their decorations with
national colors, miniature flags, car
nations, parts Of cherry trees, en-
twined with cherry twigs and cher
ries, looked inviting.
At the close of the feast in the abb
sence of /. L. Hubbell, who was call
ed to Chicago, Brinton F. Hall took
charge, as toastmaster, in very eff
fcient way. z. f. Chapple respond
ed. to the toast. "a Business Mans
Interest in the Community; Mrs. w.
H. Wilson, ga Wedge of Gold"; Mrs.
z. w. Ranney, "Help Wanted; and
Leaks" by Percy d. Edsall. There
was not dry part in the program,
all were excellent and elected great
applause.
The afternoon program was fea-
tured with harp solos by. Miss Helene
Lorch of Grand Rapids, and Hal Bur-
ris gave a chalk talk or cartoon
work which exhibited much skill in
picturing local people. Clayton
Knapp also gave solo, Zone Fleet
ing Hour"
| Much cerdit is due to President
Armstrong and his committees for
the very successful meeting of the
Washington club which has just
started on the last half Of a century
of eventful history.