The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-05
1000 ATTEND AVER
FIRM JUBILEE FETE
-
Noted Men Help Observe Ami
versary Of Americas Oldest
Advertising Agency.
TAFT AMONG SPEAKERS
Says He FavOrs Free Press and
Defends Closed Sessions
at Times.
TAFT AMONG SPEAKERS
Special Despatch TO Tan Soy.


PHILADELPHIA. April A thousand
advertisers, publishers and business men
celebrated the close OF half century OF
advertising history here tonight with a
dinner in the Bellevue Stratford in honor
Of the fftieth anniversary CT the found
largest advertising agency in the country.
The speakers we're ex-Presldent Will
lam Howard Taft, Victor Lawson, pub
Usher OF the Chicago Daily Neus; Earl
d. Babst, president of the American
Sugar Refining Company; N. c. Kings
bury. vlce-president of the American Tel
ephone and Telegraph Company Ed
ward w. Box editor of the Ladies' Home
Journal: Edward s. Jordan. president OF
the Jordan Motor Car Company. and
members of the firm; Albert G. Brad
ford, Jarvis A. Wood, Wilfred w. Fry
and William NJ. Armistead. +. Wayland
Aver, who with his father, Nathaniel w
Aver. was the original founder of the
firm of n. W. Aver & Son and Is now
the active head of the business, presided
as toastmaster.
One of the features of the Jubilee was
the presentation of a portrait OF f. Way
land Aver by Albert @. Bradford. a
member Of the firm. Mr.. Aver received
testimonial of appreciation signed by
all the guests present and employees
Of the Arm in the form OF an elabo
rately bound and illustrated autograph
book bearing the inscription:
TO F. Wayland Aver, who made n
motto and has lived 1t, who evolved a
principle and has practlsed it. who sci
an ideal and has attained it,"
A bronze tablet was presented to the
organization in memory of Henry "
Mckinney, a member of the firm who
died April IS. 1918, and who had been
associated with them for forty-two
years. The tablet was inscribed, His
constructive genius and tireless energy
made inestimable contribution to ade-
quate recognition to the power OF ad-
vertisDg."
Numbered among the guests at the
banquet were representatives OF each
of the clients of y. ". Aver & Son, and
the four hundred employees of the firm
Page boys and page girls were ranged
behind the chairs of the speakers as
living place cards" Ensconced behind
the chair Of Mr.. Taft was a living pic
ture of G. o. i.
Behing Mr.. Box was Color Page" in
black face makeup. Paging Mr.. Jordan
was Miss Play Boy" in characteristic
Jordan Arrow" costume. Behind Mr..
Kingsbury stood "lineman." Mr.
Babst of American Sugar fame was an
nounced by package of Domino
Sugar.
Did $4,000 Business First Year.
The history OF n. W. Aver & Son. as
told by Mr.. Aver, recalled to publishers
and advertisers present, many OF whom
had been in tho business for over nifty
years, the early struggles OF advertising
for respected place in business. At the
time the agency was founded. in 1869. ad-
Vertising was confined 10 very few lines
such as patent medicines, tobaccos, seeds
and agricultural implements There were
only very few great daily newspapers
and the monthly magazines were UNI
known.
The firm early adopted the motto
Keeping Everlastingly At 1t Brings
Success and with a beginning OF
$4,000 the frst year. to-day it points
TO an annual business OF many millions
Within ten years It had taken the lead
among advertising agencies in the
amount OF business placed, and has kept
II ever since. Since its founding the
agency has paid to publishers more than
81 900 900.
The latest contribution OF the firm 10
advertising science is a campaign 10
advertise advertising. designed to i'm
press on newspaper readers the bench,
OF reading carefully every advertisement
The plan provides for One piece of forty
inch copy once n week over a period OF
at least flftS weeks According 70 IN
announcement made by William NJ
Armistead, a member OF the firm, more
than 900 newspapers are cooperating in
the campaign.
In his address former President Taft