Putnam patriot., 1924-12-12
A Pleasant Mission

A Pleasant Mission
 -Four months ago at a public mass meeting at the Victory Theatre the duty fell on me Co announce the worst financial disaster that Putnam had ever met-the closing of the First National Bank. and to ask what action We as citizens should take, The train of losses and misfortunes that fol. lowed this bank failure is known to you all.
 "I have heen asked to perform a much pleasantcr mission tonigh;-=to formally declare the opening of this exposition. which is symbolic of the splendid courage and fortitude that our people have displayed during this lperied and which has culminated in l this celebration. To man who can Iexrlain more fully and more enter itainingiy the meaning of this. l sur render this place Ladies and gentle mon. ! present to you Ralph C Jen- kius, superintendent ef public sshaels.
 Meaning and Purpose
 sTha general committee in charge ef Come Back Dav has asked me. sand M 2 nkins "fa tail yHH som thing of the meaning and purpose ef this occasion l can da this hest hy making a comparison h4tWeen the aae which We ali love ao well and the spirit of Putnam
 Think of the lag first as n moro physical thing. & strip of rcd and white bunting, a small square of blue. and in this square scattered number 0f stars. To a savage f would have no meaning, child would be amused by the pretty col CTS.
 But Co you and me it is the birth and life of our nation. II calls up visions of emhattled farmers at Concord Bridge and Lexington. ef long lines of Union soldiers. of khald-clad lads in the trenches lt is thing for veneratien. Instinct ively when fl passes, it's Hats off the Flag goes hy.
 Think of this celebration first in mere dollars and cents. We count 1 the cost of stores decorated with bunting We see streams Of people going into the banks. and lines of little children receiving at the tell. ers windows the full amount of the money which they deposited in tho school savings department of the Eirst National Bank We look at the exhibits in this armory and es- timate their worth.
 But think of it as q spiritual thing. II represents the restored confidence of a community lt sym- holizes for us not only n winter at Valley Forge, bat a glorious Appo- mattex It represents us ns no longer in Che trenches. but ndyanc. inc over the top to a splendid vie tory. It means that after such q catastrophe as few communities eN. pericnce In generation, PHiRanl Hus Come Back.
 Two From One Leaves Three
 And where have We beunf Let's not look back into the past. lt hurts. Just remember this.
 Suddenly. out of clear sky, Putnam's only commercial bank closed it's doors. Temporarily all was confusion But then, n mira cle happened In spite of the fact that there was no money in sight. a group of contemplating men asked the 1 community for SIb0,000. Within a ! MRtk AttNbHl RA1VsAft HdH HttNff3i l Then there was delay but when it i came time to collect the pledges. all the necessary money was obtained within ten days. And money was forthcoming for a third bank. am a school teacher. and l teach that two take away one leaves one. But that doesn't apply to Putnam banks. i If you have two and take away one, the result is three.
 What does this mean? Is it a mushroom that grew in the night and will rot in few days7 Is t a rainbow after a shower that will disappear with the dawng Listeni !
 "A community to be prosperous must have certain natural advant- ages. Putnam has them. Our health officer tells me that Putnam is remarkably free from disease We have healthful climate. We have excellent railroad facilities. We are at the center of a prosperous agri- cultural area.
 And in addition to all that we have developed something which Is just as important to community as climate or railroads.-a diversified industry.