Evening star., 1925-12-06
SOCIETY MEETINGS
NOTABLE AFFAIRS
Pennsylvania State Body's
4 Gatherings Attended by
{ Many Natives,
BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.

When the State standard of Penn
sslvania is uplifted for the meetings
of its local society, in the larger of
the bathrooms in the Willard, there
foregathers a distinguished company
which frequently includes three mem
bers of the cabinet. the Secretary of
the Treasury. the Secretary of the In
rerior and the head of the Department
IF Labor, besides many of the legisla-
tive body and hundreds of other Key
stoners" resident at the Capital. This
standard with its rampant horses and
its ship Of state over which flies the
eagle has for it's motto. Virtue, Lib
erty and independence But good
fellowship is the keynote of the society
with every reverence given the State
motto and all the traditions of the
commonwealth. In the personality of
It's officers may be detected the reason
for its vitality and tremendous prog
ress. Representative Clyde Kelly IS
president and has been for the past
five years. Though he has changed
its meetings from rather nomadic af-
fairs, held here and there i'll school
houses or wherever shelter was Of
fered. he is insiStent that the spirit of
The old meetings. just home folks get
ting together to chat about the
place where | was born shall not be
lacking though now more than
thousand guests are regularly received
and as fine an entertainment is offered
as the Capital knows in any of its So
cial centers.
Meetings Formerly Small.
Thirty years ago the Pennsylvania
Society came into being with a hand
ful of loyal keystone citizens led by
col. $. X. Stratton. About % years
go it was organized and Col. Stratton
was the first president. From then
until 1920. when Mr.. Kelly
took charge of its destinies, its
meetings were sparsely attended. little
or no expense was connected with the
event. and little of Importance oc-
Cured. But that was the history
of nearly all the state organizations.
for it is only in the past five years
that they have assumed deserved
position in the National life. The sec
ond president in these 80 years. Mr..
Kelly is merely emphasizing and de-
NelopinG the spirit of good-fellowShip
and giving such dignitaries as Mr..
Andrew Mellon, DR.. Hubert Work and
Mr.. James Davis. Senator Pepper and
Senator Reed and "A host of other top
liners an opportunity to meet the
home folks at least six times every
winter. hear music which has a Penn
sylvania significance and meet some
citizen not resident in Washington
who is the special guest at each recep-
ton. Pennsylva men and wom-
en-. turned out to the number of 1900
at the first reception of the season
held on November 81, in the ballroom
of the Willard when the president of
The champion base ball team, William
Mckechnie of Pittsburgh. was pre-
sented TO his wildly enthusiastic fell
low Pennsylvanians. Mr.. Kelly has
made an inviolable custom that when
the society entertains the guest of
honor shall be a representative citizen
Of the State and for this reason the
meetings are not set for any particu-
lar day but are called when a guest
of distinction has been secured and
has signified the date on which it will
be convenient for him to journey to
Washington. The next meeting will
be on December II when Samuel NJ.
Nauclain. president of the Baldwin
Locomotive Works of Philadelphia
will be the principal guest and will
make an address.
January 81. 1921, may be said to be
,he date of the Pennsylvania local
society's brilliant debut as large,
powerful and entirely competent
agency to typify its strength at the
National Capital Mr.. keIl" Just
elected president. had decided TO give
Benjamin Franklin night and to re-
vive the splendid memories of the past
and things which make the State what
it is today. A list of celebrities ac-
cepted Mr.. Kelly's invitation led Gift
ford Pinchot. not vet the Governor
but then serving as State commissioner
of forestry, and Mrs. Pinchot. the late
Mrs. Lillian Russell Moore Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry p. Fletcher. the late Phi
lander n. Knox and Mrs. Knox, and
practically the entire Pennsylvania del
egation in Congress. The Vice Presi-
dent and Mrs. Marshall were guests
on this occasion and they were re-
ceived by the. officers and for a brief
time held place in the receiving line.
Anthony Wayne Night
Following Benjamin Franklin night,
Mr.. Kelly introduced an Anthony
Wayne night. which was held less
than a month later and logically all
the wearers of gold braid and brass
buttons which Pennsylvania can claim
as native sons honored this occasion.
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