New Britain herald., 1930-04-23
DESCRIBES PER|LS
 OF POLAR VOYAGES
Mate of "BoWdoin" Speaks at
 Father and Son Banquet

The last session for the present season of the First Church Mems association was held at the church on Tuesday night, and took the form of father and son night. It furnished a very enjoyable and in structiye evening for the boys and young men of the church, together with their dads. The program be- gan with short concert by the trumpet band of Troop 4, Boy Scouts, which was rendered in the chapel under the direction of Ker- met E. Parker, bandmaster. Follow ing this the fathers and sons march. cd 10 the dining room to music play cd by Troop orchestra.
 Ernest w. Christ, president of the Mems association, was Postmaster and following the supper and brief business session, introduced Franklin At%ater who responded to a toast 'To Our Dads" to which Richard E. Pritchard replied with a toast ITO Our Boys" The chief speaker of the evening, introduced by Rev. Theodore A. Greene, was RalphfP. Robinson. mate of the S. s. "BdWdoin," the ship used in Arc tic explorations by Commander MacMillan of the Rawson- Field MacMillan expeditions. MT. Robin- son spoke from his wealth of ex- l perience during nine years of par ticipation in arctic explorations, telling of some of the thrilling her oism of men who took part in the Greeley and Scott expeditions to the two polar regions, and the indebt- edness of civilization to these heroic llen for their scientific discoveries which have resulted in practical benefits to all.
 The company listened to the tales which Mir. Robinson told of adven- lures in the northland, and then ad- Journed to the chapel where the story was continued with the aid of four reels of motion pictures and a splendid collection of beautifully colored slides. Life on the Labra- Cor coast, hunting and fishing in northern waters, in Greenland and on the mainland in arctic regions were presented in realistic fashion, 1 by the spoken word and the motion and still pictures.B The hunt of the
 ;alrus. seal and polar bear, Eskimo life and customs, the stone isloos of southern Greenland and snow igloos Eot northern Greenland, native dances, the flora and fauna of the northland, magnificent views of ice bergs and glaciers, dog sledging and snow mobiling in the northland, all were shown in delightful fashion. The speaker told of the religious be- Lefs and superstitions of the oeo- pies of the north, and the splendid work done by Danish missionaries who have introduced many of the benefits of science and medicine and have imported lumber with which to build houses where tuberculosis cannot thrive as it does in the native Ii5loos. Elementary education is now being introduced in few places by the Danish missionaries also.
 He spoke Of the great difference which the radio has made possible 10 the men engaged in polar explor- iation, since each day through the long polar night they arc able to listen to radio concerts and to re- lceive messages from their friends I"back homc." During one period when the BoWdoin was ice bound flor 1 4 months, her wireless sent out lG0.000 words and received 100000. and her radio effected daily contact with the rest of the world. Mr. Rob Iinson spoke with enthusiasm of tho experiences in the north, and one could not mistake the fact that he has come to love the northland. He stated that after 20 years of explor- ations in the arctic regions, Con- mander McMillan is this year plan ming to take year off, for a visit 10 Iceland, to participate in great celebration which is planned to com- memorate the founding of the colo nies there.
 The closing program of the Mems association for this season proved to be most entertaining and helpful, and very fitting celebration of the Father and Son fellowship. About 14o fathers and sons sat down to the supper together, and enjoyed the evenings entertainment. Troop 4 orchestra furnished music during the supper, and the entire company engaged in group singing between