The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-16

Almost two hundred years ago there was held Q celebration of St. Patrick's day. the first known in record, within the borders of what is now the United States of American. On March 1T, 1737, the newly organized charitable Irish Society of Boston met, on the anniversary of St. Patrick's death to do honor to the memory of 1reland's beloved Saint, That custom spread throughout the colonies, was observed during the years of the Revolutionary War by the Continental Army under the direct orders of the Com- mander- int Chief George Wash- ington. and today IS recognized by appropriate ceremonies in all parts of the union.
 What is the purpose of this celebration? What profit to us in this age to gather around the banquet board and toast in song and spoken words the memory of st. Patrick? Two hundred years have passed since that small group of Irishmen met in Boston. We pause a moment to glance back over the years. That sparsely settled fringe of colonies cling ing to the Atlantic sea coast, struggling for bare existence against Q cruel nature, beset by hostile Indians, facing usually the lack of sympathy from the mother country, with jealous con- tinental nations seeking always an opportunity to spread their dominion in the new western world, had problems that must have seemed to them fully as serious as any as we face today. Yet with undaunted courage they proceeded to tame the wilderness and establish local government.
 War of 1776
 The War of Independence was tough and won by patriots, every unit of whose fighting forces on land and sea was filled with Irishmen in the ranks and in places of leadership. A De- claration of Independence and a Constitution of the new union of states were drafted to take high position among the immortal documents of the human race, each bearing the signature of Irish birth and descent. A second war against Great Britian was brought to a successful conclusion. Fifty years later the union was preserved, and the doctrine firm- ly established that 1t shall ever remain "One and inseparable." There followed American partici- patton in the most terrible war in all history. Meanwhile, from its few scattered thousands . nation of 125,o00.000 has come in- to being, spread across Q vast continent, with splendid cities linked together by Q marvellous system of transportation and communication. We call attention in passing only to the fact that these many battle fields in the quest of the wilderness and the desert, in the stupendous growth of business and industry, in the wide diffusion of the arts and sciences, learning and culture, a proud and compelling part was played by Irish men and women.
 First Celebration
 If 1t should seem to you tonight when in memory we retrace these two hundred years to the first celebration in American of St. Patrick's day, that we are going back into history a long time in the effort to shed light in the question as to why we continue to celebrate this day, then you must also keep in mind this thought: More than six times as long Q period elapsed between the death of st. Patrick and that first long-ago American ceiebra- ton in Boston than has passed since then. For, according to what appears to be the authentic rec- ord, the date of the death of st. Patrick was about 465. We arc told that he had been taken as q boy slave to pagan Ireland in tho early part Of that century. After seven years of servitude he either eDcaped or was permitted to return to the continent. There. for a quarter of century he