Putnam patriot., 1921-04-15
DR. OLMSTED SPEAKS
 TO THE MEMS CLUB
"Ramble" of Head Master of Pomfret School Delights
 Members
Annual Meeting and Banquet Held
 Tuesday Evening

Tuesday Evening
 That man with 'grouch" finds no sympathy in the heart of Dr. Will liam Beach Olmsted, head master of Pomfret School, was emphatically evidenced when Dr. Olmsted ram bled" for forty-fve minutes before the members of the Putnam Mems Club assembled in annual meeting about the banquet board in the gym nasium of the Congregational church, Tuesday evening.
 ] It was announced that Professor Theodore Collier, head of the depart ment of history of Brown University, would make the address, but he was unable to be present, as he is i'll in bed. W. L. Macdonald, president of the club, called Dr. Olmsted and ask ed him to come to Putnam and to speak to the club members for forty five minutes.
 Dr. Olmsted kindly accepted the in vitation, with the exception that he did not agree to talk forty-fve min7 utes. Several times Dr. Olmsted, who said he had prepared no speech and had none to offer, alluded to his talk as a 'ramble" As matter of fact he did talk for forty-fve minutes. Ap- parently the speaker did not realize that ke had consumed so much time Assuredly the audience did not realize that he had spoken so long and would have gladly sat longer if Dr. Olmsted had consented to "ramble" at greater length.
 While Dr. Olmsted had no set speech and merely ''rambled," his subject might we'll be called Organized Op- timism," for it was optimism" and "organized effort" that were the key note of his remarks. He also touched on "Americanism," and said that there was no place in this country for French-Americans, German-Ameri- cans or any other kind of hyphenated Americans. That we were all Amerl- can or else not American.
 Dr. Olmsted never rambled very far from the message he sought to mphasize-optimism and organiza- tion-and said that no man should be- come a member of an organization un- less he was willing to assume some of the responsibilities of the organiza- tion and do his part, and that organiz- ed effort without individual optimism would be of little avail
 It was an informal talk indeed and Dr. Olmsted got close to his audience. While little stories were interspersed with a vein of humor, yet they con tained an underlying seriousness that was felt by the listeners. Optimism was easily the keynote of the short forty-five minute "ramble" and 1t left a lasting impression on the members of the club.
 It was nearly half past seven when the members filed down stairs and sat down to the tastefully arranged ta- bles. The pastor, Rev Boynton Mer- Till, was asked to say grace. The menu served by the ladies was as fol- lows:
 Oyster Cocktail
 Consomme
 ce,arv Jelly
 Roast Lamb
 Mashed Potato Peas
 Cucumber and Lettuce Salad Nuts Coffee haie,''
 When the tables had been cleared request was made that the ladles ..come out of the kitchen" When they did so President Mcdonald told them how much the supper was en- loved. The ladies were greeted with applause as they came out ana ap- plause rang in their ears as they re- turned to their duties.
 The old officers were reelected Tor the ensuing year. These are: fresi- dent. W. L. Macdonald; vice presi- dent. Ernest c. Morse; secretary ana treasurer, F. J. Daniels. The bylaws were amended to allow the election oi an entertainment committee consist ing of c. Dwight Sharpe, Carl I. Kent and Jacop Albert. It was announced that the Brown 1 Glee Club would be present and give a concert in Union hall, Tuesday eve ming. April 26. If the affair nets surplus it will be devoted to charity,
 It was reported that the club nao s14e.4O in the bank. This does not include the annual dues collected De- fore the meeting.
 The banquet was most success1ui Ill every way. Dr. Olmsted's address concluded the evenings entertainment and after prolonged applause for the sneaker the gathering arose from the tables and filed upstairs where many took occasion to shake Dr. Olmsted hand and speak words of appreciation for his interesting forty-hve minute s'ramble."