Old Dartmouth Historical Sketches
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%o f/- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 077 894 1 Hollinger pH 83 MiU Run F03-2193 F 74 .T)^5 Of "The Eoc:Xv ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Old Since the last annual meeting three Dartmouth Historical society was pamphlets have been printed: held last evening, when reports of o£- No, 41. IG pages on "The Mills of ficers wei'e made, and ofBcers chosen. New Bedford and Vicinity Before the The following were re-elected as of- Introduction of Steam." ficers of the society: No. 42. —23 pages by Robert C. P. President—H. E. Cushman. Coggeshall "The Development of the Secretary—H. B. Worth. New Bedford Water Supplies." Treasurer— Frederic H. Taber. No. 43. 20 pages, containing Pro- Directors for three years^—W. W. ceedings of the Annual Meeting and Crapo, Walton Ricketson, Edward L.. Summer Outing at the Buzzards Bay Maconiber of Westport. Canal, to which were added Historical The report of Henry B. Worth, sec- .Vrticles on Oxford Village, Fairhaven retary of the society, follows: and Captain Thomas Taber. The Old Dartmouth Historical so- These publications are sought by ciety originated in an address by Ellis libraries and irdividuals throughout L. Howland, a member of the the United States on account of the reportorial staff of The Standard, historical and genealogical details re- delivered before the Unity club lating to the early families, branches of the Unitarian church. Janu- of which have removed to every part ary 16, 1903. At the close of of the land. People in the west and the meeting a committee of five south wrio desire to trace their an- were appointed to investigate the cestry back to the Mayflower and the feasibility of forming a historical so- good Old Colony days find the Old ciety. At a meeting held in the same Dartmouth researches often start place May 25, 1903, an organization them on the right track of investiga- was effected and a plan adopted for tion. the work of such a society. This A meeting was held October 2 7, provided four departments. Museum. 1915, in the rooms on Water street, Historical, Research, Publication and and Hon. Milton Read of Fall River Educational. Along these lines the gave an address on "Men I Have activity of the Old Dartmouth has Known." This was an extemporaneous developed and the institution has be- discourse and Mr, Read had no notes come popular and widely known. This from which it could be printed. His appears in the large membership, the comments and reminiscences were de- number on the roll now aggregating lightful to his hearers and would have 821. The number withdrawn has been been valuable to publish, but un- ten and the 23 who have deceased fortunately could not be preserved for are the following: publication. Walter S. Allen. A meeting was held in the High Mrs. Francis T. Akin. school auditorium Thursday evening, George D. Barnard. Feb. 24. 1916. when a large audience A. Emma Cummings. present listened to two addresses, one Mrs. W. L. Chadwick. by Dr. Hermon C. Bumpus, president Clara S. Freeman. of Tufts college, on "The Historical Horatio K. Howland. Society— Its Significance and Value in George L. Habicht. the Community", the other illustrated George S. Hart. with laiilern slides, by Professor W. Mrs. Pemberton H. Nye. D. Underwood on his experiences! Mrs. Andrew G. Pierce. which he entitl'^d "P^isherman's Luck." Charles S. Paisler. Cordial relations between the mem- George R. Stetson. bers and their friends have been main- Ellen M. Stetson. tained through the medium of social Thomas M. Stetson. gatherings. The first was held at Charles D. Stickney. Lincoln park. Sept. 22. 1915, and H. call- Mary Stickney. ed a "jambouroe," combining the Myles Standish. features of a fair and a bazaar. The Anna H. Parlow. other was held in the Odd Fellows Mrs. John Paulding. building, March 6, 1916, and was a Mrs. George F. Klack. Mardi Gras festival. Both entertain- Arthur H. Jones. ments were attended by a large num- Lydia J. Cranston. ber of persons. The original statement authorizing that the newspaper men of this city the work uf the society provided that have been so cordiall.v inclined to- the educational section should aim to wards the history of this section and inspire interest In history in the this, of course, indicates that the pub- schools. In his lecture in the High lic who:n they serve are also inter- school, Dr. Burnpus showed that this ested and friendly. appeal must be made to the child by The spectacular event th.at has e.xhihition of relics and objects of his- chiefly claimed attention of the pub- torical significance and that the t)ld lic is the addition to the Old Dart- Dartmouth was able along special mouth property on Bethel street at lines, through its museum, to effec- the top of what was once called Pros- tively engage in this work. It has pect Hill, a name more appropriate been expected that arrangements than the unexplainable designation would be made with the school teach- of Johnny Cake Hill. After the ers to visit the museuin w'ith a con- annual meeting last year another venient number of puiiils to see the house and lot was purchased and this rooms and the collection. During gave a frontage on Bethel street of the past year this work has not been 140 feet. The hill at its crown is 46 as vi.gorously conducted as de-sired for feet above tide water, and here has one reason, principally that the rooms been erected an addition over 100 feet have been disarranged by the con- long, surmounted by an observatoi-y- struction of the addition. Here will be the only wlmling mu- Delegaiinns fri iii the New Bedford seum in existence, equipped on a com- anc Fall l;i\ri in.inehe.-; of the Young plete and elaborate scale, and from Men's I'liiisliim association have the cupola tlie visitor may behold a visited the roums and pupils from view of the sea and shore that would New Bedford schools with teachers have gladdened tlie vision of the have taken advantage of the oppor- worthies of a century ago who were tunity. iVliss Tmma A. McAfee of eager to discover from the housetops the Knowlton school on two occa- the expected arrival of their whale- sions; airs. Ktta M. A. Srpead of the ships. Middle street school; Miss Helen M. Henry B. Woi-th, Welch of the Lincoln school, and Miss Secretary. .lane Conway of the Congdon school. I'erhaps this privilege is not fully understood by the teachers. In the The Hcport of tlie Curator. future the persons who can sustain The report of Frank Wood, cui-a- this institution from the must come tor. follows: class who are now in school. An in- 1 am sure that the officers of this of the terest in history and events society have an easier task this even- past car. best aroused while they be ing in presenting to you their annual attention are pupils by calling their reports than they had a few years to curiosities ob.iects which il- and when about all they could say methods. ago lustrate ancient customs and was that the society existed. Tonight This is offered to the pupils without it must be a satisfaction to you to any charge for admis.=!ion as long as hear, ag it is to us to be able to re- they are under direction of the teach- port, that the Old Dartmouth His- ers. Nor is it restricted to the city. torical Society has passed the stage Exactly the same privilege is extend- of a mere existence, and is for all ed to the pupils in the neighboring time to come a truly live society. towns that once with New Bedford One that you should be proud to be comprised the town of Dartmouth. It a member of. Yes more than that, is the desire of the officers to estab- one that the city should be proud of, lish cordial relations with the school as it is the aim of this society to children not only in the public schools make it for the benefit of all. of this locality, but as well in the pri- Tonight I propose to tell you some- vate schools. thing of the accessions in way of The work of the historical research gifts to our museum, and in this we section does not appear as such ex- have been fortunate. I am sure, too. cept in the publications of the so- that the coming year will bring us ciety and in the local press. Valuable many more for as the Bourne Whal- articles on a variety of sub.iects are ing Museum nears completion, it continually appearing in the New certainly will create a wider and a Bedford papers, for w^hich frequent- more enthusiastic interest. Y'ou all ly the writers depend on the Old know our needs, and at this time I Dartmouth members for material; do not think it necessary to appeal and means are employed by con- to your generosity, as we know it will venient indexes, to keep these ar- be to you a pleasure to do your part ticles available for future use. It in filling the cases and walls of our has been a fortunate circumstance museum. — Accessions 1915-191G. Eliot D. Stetson—Desk used and owned by his father, Thomas M. Stet- Francis Reed—Bed Key. son. G. D. and Dr.