The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-12
in UNIQUE PICNIC
Rotary Club in Unusual Affair
at Industrial School.
Presidents Inaugural and Fare
well All in One Speech.
DR.. CHARLES, DEPARTING HOST
Welcomes Rotary Guests and
Then Waves Farewell.
Impressive Exhibition Put On
by Industrial Boys.

In all t. history of the Topeka
Rotary club, there has never been an
annual picnic quite so unique as the
one held on the grounds of the Boys
Industrial school Thursday evening.
The picnic this year had three pecu-
liar features which set it aside from
all the other picnics of Vie club-it
was the inaugural of the new presi-
dent and his farewell, and it was the
farewell party to the host of the day.
Fred A. Derby, the president inau-
gurated at the picnic, will leave very
soon for France as member OF the
army Y n. C. A. DR.. H. w. Charles,
host for the day, leaves tonight for
Atlanta, Ga, where he will be sworn
in for duty with the American Red
Cross.
Another peculiar feature of the pic
mic was the effect these announce
ments had on the Rotarians. There
were no saddened countenances this
time as if the men were going 1orth
for the last time. Quite the contrary
the Rotarians cheered the departing
members, philosophically took on the
"it is the war; look. and cheerfulIy
proceeded TO enjoy the evening
Officially the picnic was to start
about 4:3O O'Clock in the afternoon,
and for a large number of the Rotar-
ians and their families it did. For
the rest it began at o'clock, or as
soon thereafter as the members could
get TO the grounds. The first con-
tingent spent the time between 4:SO
o'clock and o'clock in inspecting the
buildings End grounds of the Boys In
dustrial school. The program started
at 6 o'clock when the picnic dinner
was served by a corps of boys from the
school.
inaugural and Farewell.
MT, s;~.+ ,,aaoJ, Of the evening was
the farewell address of Retiring PreSl-
dent Henry Bennett, which served as
the introduction of the new one, Fred
A. Derby Derby's inaugural address
was also his farewell address and ne
gave the club but one message for the
wear. 1t was simply this Garry on.
Other speeches of the two minute
variety made during the picnic dinner
were named as messages from the m
ternational convention of Rotary held
in Kansas City late in June. Charles
L. Mitchell, E. E. Brookens, Robert
Stone, Robert Fullerton and John M
Kinkel were the messengers and each
tried his utmost to outrival the others
| in the glory of his language.
One of the special considerations OF
| the club pledged at the meeting
Thursday evening was the backing OF
the campaign to erect county home
and hospital for the aged poor who are
now placed in jeopardy of death by
| fire on the county farm north CT the
city. The club pledged itself to work
| as a body for the new structure, and
| the campaign to make possible the
new building promises to be supported
| by the real heavyweights of the town
Ninety Per Cent Make Good.
| In his welcoming address to the
| Rotarians and their families, DR.. H
/ W. Charles, host for the day, told OF
| the work the Boys Industrial school is
| doing in the reclamation of bad boy
| dom. He said that during the sixteen
| years he has been in charge of the
school he has had under training
more than $500 boys. OF this num-
| Der, Charles said, at least 90 per cent
have proved true to the best princi-
| pies of citizenship and are now max
| ing names for themselves as real men
| in all parts of the world.
Superintendent Charles points with
pride to the fact that at least one hun
dred of the former inmates of the
school have heard the call of the bugle
and are today in the service of the
| country, some of them on the firing
lines in France and some of them in
training to take their place there.
Appropriation for School.
In the course of his speech Superin-
tendent Charles asked the Rotary club
to use every iota of its influence at
| the coming session of the legislature
| to get an appropriation for the school
| which will permit of the erection of
necessary new buildings on the
grounds. He pointed out two of the
old buildings which were only last