Evening star., 1926-06-13
CONNECTICUT IDEAL.
UPHELD BY SOCIETY
Citizens of State Adopt Ira
ditionS in Meetings Held
in Capital.
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

DeniZens of the Nutmeg State SO
iourning in the National Capital fol
low the traditions of home in regard
10 the meetings of the local society and
these pleasant events are planned like
the old town meetings. and so, so far
as it is possible to translate conditions
in Connecticut to the banks of the
Potomac. this is accomplished.
The present State society from this
indomitable member of the original /:
colonies is among the youngest in the
group, but it is a continuation of the
political clubs, some Republican, some
Democratic. the fortunes of which rose
and fell as the particular party to
which it belonged registered in the
national progress. 1t is today q
power among those societies in Wash
ington which have monthly meetings
and annual election of officers. The
Connecticut State Society was founded
at the Willard Hotel, in November.
1921. The meeting was called by
benjamin Sherman and there were
about 60 citizens of the State present.
Representative John q. Tilson. floor
leader of the House. was among those
who made an eloquent plea to Con-
nectiCut men and women resident here
to make their State society among the
Representative James p. Glynn and
Schuyler Merritt also addressed the as.
sembly and, with Mr. Tilson, were
amons the charter members.
Camp First President
The first officers elected were Henry
NJ. Camp, president; Mrs. Guerney S.
Strong, first vice president; j. G..
Johnson. second vice president: Fred
eric Q. Boyer, recording secretary and
treasurer, and Miss H. F.. Marsh, cor
responding secretary. The constitu
ton, which was adopted shortly after
the organization, eliminated every po
litical aspect and the society was
committed to a program of social in
tercourse between Connecticut people
In Washington with a strong tendency
toward an International side.
With this end in view, the old
town meetings, which form so solid a
background in all New England
States, was followed with the renewal
of acquaintances and the exchange of
opinions incident to these assemblies
Few formal schedules are arranged at
the meetings of this society. but cur
rent events free from every political
consideration are freely discussed
with an emphasis laid on all the con-
Germs. characteristics, history and as
pirations of Connecticut. Several
times a year speakers from outside
the State are invited to treat of some
important theme. DR.. Harvey Wiley
has several times addressed the mem
berS on the subject of hygiene, and
Mr.. William Tyler Page has devoted
himself to episodes in the history in
which Connecticut had played a major
role.
Following the old town meeting idea,
the meetings of the Connecticut
State Society have been, since it's first
assembly. particularly devoted to pro-
noting loyalty to the State and to its
traditions in the primary sense and
in detail, insisting on those citizens
entitled to vote to exercise this priv
iege in token of this loyalty. The
management of affairs was confined to
the officers and to a board of eight
directors, one from each county in
Connecticut.
Large Membership Sought.
These directors have been diligent
In gathering all those eligible to men,
bership into the local organization
and in getting distinguished visitors,