The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1918-02-20
(From Saturdays Daily.)

I
Ninety-five fathers and ninety-five
sons gathered together at the Mem
orial Building last night and made
the second annual Father and Sen
Banquet here even greater success
than was the first held during
1917 The event was a truly patriotic
one. The program was effectively car
ried out impressively with the Amer
lean flag. There was a father pres
ent and across the table from him sat
his officer-son in khaki. A Y. Nj. C. A..
war worker was in the attendance and
made an interesting talk. And there
was more than one father there,
whose son is serving the flag either
in France of in the cantonments.
At the opening of the banquet
letter was circulated and signed by
every father and son present. The
missive read as follows:
"At the Fathers and Sons Banquet,
Greenwood, Miss, Feb, Is, 1918.
TO each Greenwood boy in camp
We are writing to let you know that
we are thinking and talking of you
every time We get together. We
haven't the right address for every
body, so if you see one of the fel-
lows, who has not heard from US,
show him this and tell him it is meant
for him too.
swish you could be with US tonight
but never mind, we'll have some
more banquets when you get back.
with best wishes, yours very
| truly. ......."
DIR. Jos. Rennie said the invocation.
A Toast to Our Dads"
Hon. G. L. Ray, the toastmaster of
the occasion was at his best Friday
night and his usual characteristic re-
marks, distinguished him in his po-
sition.
The first speaker of the evening
was twelve e-year-old John Quinn.
Johns opening number on the pro-
gram was one of its features. He
gave toast to "Our Dads" John
told some mighty interesting things
about love for his daddy. He said
that father likes for his son to play
with him. That a father will take y
son to places, where the other boys
can not. John told of hunting trip.
He held the deer stand with his father
in this trip. John urged all boys to
play more with their fathers. He said
that they would appreciate it.
"Our Sons"
Following John Quinn's talk on
"Our Dads" Hon. r. v. Pollard an
swered with one on Our Sons" His
talk bordered on actual experience
during his boyhood. His idea was to
impress upon the fathers present the
great lesson of ownership in a boys
| life. To further explain his idea he
quoted from The Country Gentleman,
a poem which served to describe Jim,
country boy, who had raised a pgI
marketed him and then his father took
the money and invested it in clothes
for him. jim had worked hard to
fatten the porker, but after his father
had gathered in the proceeds and
spent the money without query toI
him. he lost interest and declared that
when he grew up he was going to run
away and be blacksmith.
Mr.. Pollard declared that If boy
would manage well enough to pro-
duce, he could use the same judgment
in investing and financing his bank
account,
A Former Scout, Now U. S. Officer,
Talks to Boys.
Lieut.. S. R. Keesler, Jr., home on a
ten-days furlough before sailing for
France, was called upon for an ex-
preston. He told Of his genuine ap-
preciation of home folks and of his
great pleasure in being present. But
Lieut.. Keesler's big say was to the
boy scouts and one can justly remark
that every one of the ninety-fve faith
er's sons had their mind concentrated
On what this khaki-clad officer was
saying.
Lieut.. Keesler told the boys Of the
early boy scouts training and how 1t
aids in army life. He said that the
wig-wagging, the Morse code, the
bandaging and the knot-tying were al
used in the army and enthusiastically
told them to 60 to it; that they we're
on the right trail and all that they
learned would be of use to them In
later years.
Newton Fox told how the nation
now at arms was Making the Boy
Power Count" He explained the U,
s. Boys Working Reserve, its three
units, agricultural, industrial and vo-
cational and the significance Of the
i badge worn by each member. New
ton closed by asking all the boys OF
the city to join the reserve, the en-
ployees to use the reserve and the
people to boost it.
4 Cause Of Prodisal Son.
DIR. L. W Rose, whose talk was the