Vernon Parish Democrat., 1922-05-04
EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY
A BIG SUCCESS

Anyone who paid visit on the first
of May to Llano Colony at Stables, on
the occasion of its eighth anniversary
celebration. and who remembers the
awful eyesore that that section of Ver-
non Parish presented after the Gulf
Lumber Company ceased operation,
must admit that the Colony is big
asset to Vernon Parish in general, but
more especially to Leesville and the i'm
mediate neighborhood The debris of
rotten lumber, of trestIes and unsightIy
sheds have been removed, and hum
dreds of acres of land have been clear
ell and stumped, and cut-over lands
transformed into smiling gardens, fruit
full fields and promising orchards. The
colonists are anon tghe most law-abid-'
ing citizens of the parish and have
brought many thousands of dollars in
to the parish that were spent in Lees
vile for needed supplies. They have
come to redeem the waste places, to
turn the abandoned acres of auded
woodland into productive farms and
green meadows.
The exhibits displayed in domestic
and needle work. in bakery goods, in
farm and garden produce. preserves,
homemade shoes, ETC., are certainly
highly satisfactory proof of the eff
cient workmanship. both of man and
woman in the Colony.
Attention was, called especially to
the newly-arrived herd of pure-bred
Toggenburg milk goats, splendid adj
dition to the animal industry Of the
Parish. The Colony also has the only
herd of pure-bred Holstein cattle in the
Parish, pure4bred hogs and poultry, and
takes front rank in progressive stock
raising and in the agricultural forward
movement, as well.
The celebration proper began with
foot races in the forenoon, in which
men, women, and children took part.
and all Of them evidenced good phys
ical stamina, although of course only
a few could come in first.
Speeches and music by large or
cheStra, consisting Of 26 lPersonSS.. rang
ing from 10 to nearly 90 years of age.
filled out the rest of the forenoon. The
music was exceptionally good, highly
creditablc, md furnishes 4 relioble in
dex to. the p:aiseworthy cultural aims
of the community
The Ideals of the Colony, as elucida-
ted by one of the speakers, is to imi-
tate the example set by the
Christians. as recorded in the Acts of
the new testament of the Bible. Com
munity ownership of all productive pro-
perty. everyone doing his share of the
necessary work, and all sharing alike in
the fruits thereof. Well, if it suits
them. no one else has any kick coming.
A bountiful dinner was served in the
hotel, just the best ever, at 25c; else
where it would have cost from 75c to
$l.00. 1t was a great spread all right,
and, best of all, all Colony-raised.
During the afternoon there were
folkdances by the children of the
school. under the direction of Mrs. Mar
tin, their teacher, music being furnish
er by the Colony brass band. The
children acquitted themselves most adj
mirably-they seem to make play Of
everything they do.
Next, baseball had its inning on the
Colony diamond, Leesville and Llano
both doing good work.
AT night there was a cabaret ball in
the lobby of the Colony hotel, the att
tendance being the largest for years.
Leesville people and neighbors had
turned out in large numbers to help in
the celebration. They are always well
come to the Colony's entertainments
free of charge.
The celebration really started on
Sunday night when fine show of mus
ical numbers. sketches, and other stunts
was pulleI off at the Colony theater.
The Colony people at Stables are
making fine showing. and should be
given every encouragement possible in
their oncrous self-assumed task of sub
dueing the wilderness.