Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-15
ART STUDENTS HEAR
 FROM FRENCH ORPHAN
Ten Year Old Suzanne Bochard
 Writes Charming Little Letter.

The January meeting of the Nor wich Art Students association was held Monday evening at the home of the Misses Lucas. Mrs. Birge, presi,i- ing
 The usual reports were. given and Mrs. Charles H. Haskell read a letter from little ten year old Suzanne Boch- ard, one of the French orphans adopt ed by the association. who is living not far from Calais. A charming and touchfnsinely grateful little letter it EroyeG to be.
 Tho resignation of Miss Gertrude Hyde was received =.
 Miss Alice cogswell gave the pa per of tie evening on Medieval Towi.s Of Raigium
 Tie subject 5ci,.g large ann and
 i1"-A t'ir.G a g.eat nj .:iyr T.t die raj towns, Miss Cogswell selected but four to talk upori Bruges, G1ent, Antwerp and Brussels
 Flanders at one time comprised what is now the northern part Of Belgium, Flalr' 'Fll being spoken there, anI the southern Ititioh was inhabiF d hy the Eailoons, sspeaking French. Flanders was ruled by counts. hetween whom and the burglers constant struggle ragged. The heroism displayed today by Belgium is a survival of early pa- triotisrn, from which it differs, how ever in that it's early feeling. was purely local, the different sections only banding together when a common danger threatened. .s ,.si
 Bruges, the name signifying bridge was originally a fortress built on al, island, with bridge connecting if with the mainland. Around this fortress grew up the city. The first ruler of Bruges was Count Bald win. :@ Y The. city, a quaint and sleepy abode of peace. abounds in old stories and historic legends. Its buildings are handsome and interesting, perhaps the halls of the elothweavers being one oi the best known. rBruges had at one time a great trade in woolen cloth Gradually, however. the river or which it stood, filled up with sand and her trade drifted to Ghent. The rich ness of her city and the fertility of hei l lands filled the neighboring nations with envy and she was constantly sub- Jected to their eonspiracies against her. The Bruges matin. bloody battle, was a famous epoch in it's his tory and the Battle of the Colder Spurs was another justly celebrated event in it's history.
 Ghent, unlike ~Bruges, was a large and prosperous. city. in 1914, as wei as relic of the historic past, really | a combination of the old and the new The city really grew up about tw: ] monastries. St. Peter and St. Bavin. was one of the greatest monastic cen.
 tres Of Flanders in medieval times. 4
 number of old castles, some thous I or NJJ -Asr | Ghent. In the 18th century the guild. became very powerful The begin. l arges of Flanders are interesting to- ! day They are a cross between aims house and convent and were original ly built as refugees for women. :. In tn, | Ghent be1fry. one of the most import
 ant buildings, is Great Roland, til, 1 beH that has rung for all the notabl, | events of the city. from battle to fire A great rival to the two cities wa.
 meanwhile growing up. in Antwerp l There was a powerful fortress, cover.
 ing five acres, some of it still in use Antwerp f1ourished greatly unde Charles v, accommodating vast wealth
 but under Philip II of Spain was doom ed to great reverses. The unpait Spanish soldiers stationed at the fort
 footed and stripped the city for sev
 era1 days. From then on the Bel gian provinces belonged to Spain, thel
 to Austria. Tn Antwerp is the won derful cathedral of St. Bavins, the tin est Gothic edifice in the Netherlands
 Brussels is a modern and up to dat city. It was the seat of the court an was the centre of the linen trade an
 the city f1ournshed. It suffered fror
 several revolutions, that of 1880 bein
 the final one, after which the, treat
 entered into guaranteed the neutralit
 of Belgium was signed. which treat
 was in effect for eighty years, unti 1914.
 1 In the. present war Bruges~ has sui
 fered little. as has Brussels and tn
 cathedral of Antwerp is still in goo
 condition.
 At the conclusion of the paper, pic lures were shown>of the various plac es mentioned
 The meeting concluded with tn
 singing of the Star Spangled Banner