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JUST such a morning as the poet describes was the 11th of Sixth Month, 1892, when the members of the Westtown Alumni Association found themselves again united in the halls of their Alma Mater. A warm welcome by the officers of the school, and the presence of several Committee Friends, and Teachers, whom they had not met for many years, increased the pleasure of the meeting, From ten to one o'clock the time was spent in conversing, rambling over the grounds, and revisiting old haunts. During this time one hundred and fifty-nine guests registered their names in a book prepared by one of the teachers.
When the bell rang for dinner the guests repaired to the dining-room, and, for the first time as members of the Alumni Association, seated themselves at the school tables. Much credit is due the Superintendent and Matron of Westtown School, the Chairman of the Executive Committee, and the Westtown girls who worked under her directions for the tasteful decorations, the substantial, yet dainty repast, and the excellence of the service.
The President, Davis H. Forsythe, called the meeting to order near two o'clock, and the Superintendent, Zebedee Haines, bade the Association welcome in a few cordial words.
The roll was called and ninety-nine members responded to their names.
The report of the Executive Committee was read by J. Henry Bartlett. It is as follows:
The Executive Committee presents the following report to the Westtown Alumni Association.
Since the last gathering of the Association, two years ago, four meetings of the Committee have been held, as follows :
On the 25th of Ninth Month, 1890, a meeting of the Executive Committee was called by the Chairman at Friends' Select School, 140 North Sixteenth Street, at which five members were present. The subject of publishing the proceedings of the last Alumni Meeting was under consideration. Charles E. Gause, Jr. and Elizabeth W. Warner were appointed to attend to the printing and distribution thereof.
The second meeting was held at Friends' Select School, Tenth Month 11th, 1891. Present seven
members.
The time was chiefly occupied in discussing the arrangements needful for the next Biennial Meeting of the Association.
A sub-Committee of three, consisting of Davis H. Forsythe, Anna Walton and Sarah B. Dewees was appointed to take charge of the literary programme for the day.
The third meeting was held at 1305 Arch Street, Fourth Month 14th, 1892. Present, six members.
The requisite permission having been kindly granted by the committee of Westtown School for the Alumni Association to hold the usual Biennial Meeting there in the Sixth Month, the 11th was selected as the most suitable date.
The Executive Committee was also much pleased with the information that the authorities at the school had consented to furnish a luncheon for the Association in the dining-room, at a reasonable cost.
The committee on literary entertainment submitted their programme, which was approved.
Elizabeth W. Warner was appointed to have the invitations printed and sent out, and to arrange for trains and special cars, N. Howland Brown and Edward L. South, of the Association, being requested to assist her in the work.
It was resolved that all the old Westtown teachers be invited to the next meeting of the Association.
The committee appointed to have printed and to distribute the proceedings of the last Alumni Meeting reported their work accomplished, at a cost for printing, envelopes, and postage, of $68.37. Observing the fact that the printed reports of the three Alumni Meetings were of three different sizes, and displayed three different styles of binding, the Executive Committee suggests to the Association that it adopt a uniform size and style for its reports. And further, the Committee respectfully recommends the Report of 1890 as a suitable
model.
The Committee wishes also to call the attention of the Association to the desirability of electing the principal speaker of the day by ballot, as one of the regular officers, and recommend that the Constitution be amended, to include the Speaker in a list of such officers.
Ann Sharpless and Dr. William Evans having completed the work required of them on the trees planted by Westtown graduates at a cost of $15.70, were discharged some time ago.
Having been informed that the name plates on some trees have already met with accident, the Executive Committee recognizes the need of continual care, and recommends that a tree committee be appointed by the President at each meeting of the Association.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee held at the School, Sixth month 11th, 1892, Eliz. W. Warner reported that the invitations had been sent out, as directed, and the bills, as appears on our Treasurer's report, paid. The Committee have consulted with the Westtown teachers, and various members of the Association, and recommend that our appropriation this year be given for the purchase of the $60 edition of the Century Dictionary, or for a large $5o globe, to be placed in the Reception Hall or Library. To defray the expenses of the lunch this year, the Executive Committee recommend that each member of the Alumni pay to the Treasurer the sum of seventy-five cents, and the same for husband or wife.
Recommendation I. was adopted without discussion, on motion made by Wm. F. Wickersham.
Recommendation II. was referred to the incoming Executive Committee, after discussion by Dr. Edward G. Rhoads, Henry T. Brown, Edward M. Jones, and J. Henry Bartlett.
Recommendation III. was adopted, and the Treasurer instructed to pay any bills presented by that committee, on which were appointed Lloyd Balderston and Ann Sharpless.
Recommendation IV. was discussed at length by George B. Johnson, C. Canby Balderston, Mary Anna Balderston, Dr. Edward G. Rhoads, Henry T. Brown, Watson W. Dewees. William Zelley, Joseph Pennell, Lloyd Balderston, Isaac Sharpless, and Thomas K. Brown, after motion made by George B. Johnson to spend the appropriation for the Century Dictionary, and to so mark it as plainly to indicate the donors. This motion was finally laid on the table in order to
give consideration to the other article recommended by the Executive Committee. Thomas K. Brown then moved that we make a choice between the two by raising hands. This motion was carried, and, the votes being taken, the
$60 edition of the Dictionary was decided upon, and it was directed to be lettered as suggested by George B. Johnson.
Recommendation V. was adopted by the Association without discussion.
The report of the Executive Committee, as amended, was adopted as a whole, on motion of William Zelley.
The Nominating Committee reported, verbally, that they had sent postal cards containing a list of all the candidates to all the members of the Association, and that the members had returned the cards to them after making a choice of officers. The election resulted as
follows:
President, THOMAS K. BROWN,
Vice-President, Dr. A. HELENA GOODWIN.
Treasurer, HENRY T. BROWN.
Managers :
WILLIAM F. WiCKERSHAM,
ELIZABETH M. CHACE,
C. WALTER BURTON,
N. HOWLAND BROWN,
MARY ANNA BALDERSTON,
ELIZABETH R. ALLEN,
SARAH ELY PAXSON.
As the constitutionality of the mode of voting adopted by the Committee seemed doubtful, George B. Johnson moved that the officers reported by the Committee be declared elected by acclamation. The motion was carried, and the officers declared elected.
The Treasurer's Report was read and accepted. It is as follows:
ALFRED E. MARIS, Treasurer,
in account with
WESTTOWN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
| CR. |
|
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| Cash from former Treasurer, |
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$ 63 70 |
| Dues of members |
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272 00 |
| Total, |
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$335 70 |
| |
|
|
| DR. |
|
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| Cash paid for lunch at school at the
time of Reunion, |
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$I00.00 |
| Plates for class trees, |
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15 70 |
| Annual report, |
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64 37 |
| Show-case presented to school, |
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50 00 |
| Postage, stationery, and invitations, |
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25 45 |
| Total, |
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$255 52 |
Bal. on hand, Fifth Month 27th, 1892. $ 80.18
Examined and found correct.
J. SNOWDEN RHOADS,
Committee.
The report of the Committee on Appropriations was read and accepted, viz:
After carefully considering the matter, the committee decided to order a show case and stand to be placed in the Library for holding rare books, interesting manuscripts, and other historical relics. The case was made according to the order, and it has been presented to the school in the name of the Alumni Association. The bill for it, amounting to fifty dollars, was paid by the Treasurer. A further expense of six dollars and fifty cents was incurred for boxing the case and stand for shipment, and in procuring a silver plate with an appropriate inscription. To have saved this amount out of the price of the article would, in the judgment of the Committee, have detracted too much from its size and appearance.
On behalf of the Committee,
THOMAS K. BROWN.
The extra sum expended was ordered to be refunded, with our thanks, on motion of George B. Johnson.
The President then announced that Walter W. Jacob had a matter of interest to lay before the Association. That member then read an interesting paper, in which he advocated the encouragement, by the Alumni Association, of scientific research and collecting of Natural
History specimens among pupils at Westtown School, and gave an account of such efforts in a school with which he had been previously connected. Thomas K. Brown, after speaking very highly of the proposition, moved that a Committee of five be appointed by the President to act in conjunction with the Executive Committee in carrying out the plans proposed. The
following Committee was accordingly appointed: -- Thomas K. Brown, Mary H. Bailey, Edward G. Rhoads, Walter W. Jacob, and Margaret Paxson.
Walter S. Taylor and Richard W. Bailey were appointed to audit the Treasurer's account for the next term.
The Nominating Committee was appointed as follows: Hannah P. Morris, Debby C. Passmore, C.
Walter Borton, and Joseph Scattergood.
Literary exercises followed.
The President's Address, by DAVIS H. FORSYTHE.
Address, by A. HELENA GOODWIN.
Address. by CHARLES S. CARTER.
A vote of thanks to the officers of the school and the Executive Committee of the Association for the entertainment of the day was carried, and the meeting adjourned.
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