USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > History of Stephenson County, Illinois : a record of its settlement, organization, and three-quarters of a century of progress > Part 60
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Oliver Orlando Sons to Sir Rowland de Boys
Adam, servant to Oliver
Miss Margaret Stearns
Touchstone, a clown Miss Anna Sanborn
Corin
Miss Emma Krohn
Silvius :
Shepherds Miss Emily Smythe
William, a country fellow .
Miss Emily Smythe
Rosalind, daughter to the Banished Duke Miss Mabel Wright
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Celia, daughter to Frederick Miss Helen Hill
Phebe, shepherdess Miss Helen Staver
Audrey, a country lass Miss Margaret Rhody
In succeeding years other histrionic attempts have seen light, but while the first performances given by the club were either public, or at least witnessed by large audiences, the society has become exclusive of later years, and their productions have been privately staged at the homes of the members and before audiences consisting of the club members themselves and their immediate fam- ilies. Among the plays which have been given are "Twelfth Night," "The Tam- ing of the Shrew," "The Comedy of Errors," "The Merchant of Venice," and a number of non-Shakespearian plays, as well as short scenes or cuttings from the Shakespearian comedies. Outside professional companies have also been secured, among them the Ben Greet Players, who gave "As You Like It" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in Bailey's Park. The most notable outside per- formance was that of "Antony and Cleopatra" by the Charles B. Hanford Com- pany, the part of Cleopatra being taken by Miss Alice Wilson, now Mrs. Cecil Magnus, of Fort Hamilton, New York, a former member of the Shakespeare Society.
Among the outside activities undertaken by the society has been the securing of lecturers who have appeared not only before the club but before public au- diences, on subjects connected with the current topics of the year's program. In this way the society has served not only to widen the interests and broaden the intellectual horizon of its members, but of the community as well.
The Shakespeare Society has recently completed the twenty-second year of its existence. There are at present but three active members whose names were on the original roll of the Wantahno Circle. The organization has increased in numbers and has extended its labors into every field of cultural activity. Dur- ing this period, sixteen of its members have occupied the president's chairs, only two or three of them having served for more than one term. The presidents of the society since its founding have been :
WANTAHNO CIRCLE.
Miss Anna M. Smythe, 1887-88.
FREEPORT SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY.
Miss Vennette S. Crain, 1888-1891 ; Miss Margaret Bidwell, 1891-1892; Miss Laura Malburn, 1892-1893 and 1904-1905; Mrs. Mabel T. Hettinger, 1893-1894; Miss Anna Barton, 1894-1895; Mrs. R. B. Mitchell, 1895-1896 and 1899-1900; Miss Helen Hill, 1896-1897; Miss Bessie Gund, 1897-1898; Miss Jennie Huenke- meier, 1898-1899; Miss Bertha Trembor, 1900-1901; Miss Harriet Lane, 1901- 1902; Miss Bertha Bidwell, 1902-1903 and 1905-1906; Miss Mary Stoskopf, 1903-1904; Miss Alice Bidwell, 1906-1907; Miss Eva Hettinger, 1907-1908.
EUTERPEAN.
"Love the best things; do the wisest things; think the purest things; aspire to the noblest things!" When the Euterpean Musical-Literary Society organized
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in 1902, it chose the above motto to guide its steps. The club was organized through the efforts of Wilber M. Derthick, founder and director of the Euter- pean Fraternity, who went about the country establishing clubs in every city or prominence. The Euterpean Fraternity of America was founded in imitation of the Euterpe, a Norwegian musical society of which the composer, Edward Grieg, was the chief. Mr. Derthick and his wife, Mrs. May M. Derthick, suc- ceeded in establishing the Freeport chapter in 1902 and provided the members with a program for the winter of 1902-3.
The Euterpean was not the first society which Mr. Derthick had fostered in Freeport. About ten years ago, he came to this city and assisted in founding a club which became known as the "Musical-Literary Club." While this club had really no connection with the Euterpean Society, still those who had been mem- bers of the Musical-Literary Club became members of the Euterpean for the most part, and in addition to this, the aim and general purposes of the two clubs were very much alike. There was this exception; the "Musical-Literary Club" aimed to carry out programs which should cover the fields of Music and Literature. The Euterpean took up this work and added the province of Art. Painting was discussed and the works of the great masters were studied, while the literary and musical work was continued as well.
The "Musical-Literary Club" had disbanded after three years of work. The Euterpean too, in spite of an interesting and helpful year, broke up at the end of one season. It was not until three years later that the old members began to make some move toward reorganizing. Then, remembering the pleasures of their one year together, they decided to meet and continue the musical-literary programs. Mr. Derthick had given up his work and the Euterpean Fraternity as a national organization was no longer in existence. But the ideas which he had instilled into the minds of his former pupils were still fresh, and the men and women who had studied with him were anxious to recommence their work.
The result was a complete reorganization in 1905, under the name of this "Euterpean Musical-Literary Club." Miss Julia Molter was elected president and retained her office for one year. In 1906, Mrs. Edna Baker Oyler was made president, and she remained in office for three terms. She was succeeded in 1909 by Miss Isabel Fry, the present leader of the society. After two years of this work, the Euterpean began to feel that it had undertaken too heavy a proposi- tion. It was very enjoyable to study art, music, and literature, but it took time and continued effort. The programs were long, and it seemed that undue ef- forts were expended upon them. Moreover, the club was composed almost en- tirely of persons interested chiefly in. music. Accordingly, the nature of the club was again changed and in 1907 the society became the "Euterpean Musical Club."
The Euterpean Musical Club filled a long felt want inasmuch as it was the only exclusively musical club of the city. The Woman's Club has maintained a music department and had given public musicales at various times, but the chief interests of that organization lay elsewhere. The Euterpean, however, has given itself entirely over to music, and the development and education of a musical taste in the community. To this end, they have given at least two artist recitals a year ever since 1907. They have secured a number of eminent
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musicians, among them Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Butler, of Chicago, who are hon- orary members of the Euterpean, and have given several Euterpean recitals both privately and publicly.
It has been the custom for the past three years to close the work of the year with a picnic or social gathering of some sort, on the evening of the final recital. This recital has usually been one of the two artist recitals of the year, but on one occasion the program was made up exclusively of home talent. Last year, the picnic and closing recital was held at the club house of the Lakota Club in West Freeport. The Lakota Club gave its house over to the Euterpean So- ciety for the occasion and the Euterpean entertained the Lakota men as their guests. This year the picnic was held at the home of Mrs. Frank Bass, on South Carroll street. The artist on this occasion was Mr. Harold Henry, of Chicago, pianist.
The Euterpean Society plans to continue its work next year, with Miss Isabel Fry, as president, and it is to be hoped that it will remain a permanent institution. It is one of the few clubs of the city which have been organized with a definite purpose in sight, and is second to none in importance as it is the only musical society of the city. The Euterpean has only been active for a short time, but during that brief period it has accomplished a great deal in the way of further- ing musical interests in Freeport.
CULTURE CLUB.
One of the literary clubs of Freeport which has not appeared in the lime- light at any time, but has always continued to do its work quietly and unas- sumingly is the organization which is known as "The Culture Club." As its name indicates, the aim of its members is the acquisition of a broad range of knowledge and experience productive of general culture. The club is somewhat smaller than any of the other organizations of the city, the membership being limited to eighteen. At the present time there are sixteen members.
The Culture Club had its beginnings in a small and exclusive circle known as the "Home Reading Circle," which was founded nearly seventeen years ago. The three members who may be styled as charter members of the club, inasmuch as they first gathered together at one another's homes to pursue a course of read- ing, are still active members. These three found the association so pleasant and the work so enjoyable that they decided to increase the membership and widen the circle of activities. This was done in a few years and the club soon took its present name of "The Culture Club." The three charter members were all teach- ers and most of the present membership is made up of teachers in the Free- port schools. However, this is by no means considered as a necessary qualifica- tion for membership.
The Culture Club meets once a week, on Monday evenings, at the homes of its several members, and carries out a literary program consisting of papers and discussions. A program of work is outlined each year and adhered to through- out. It has been the custom of the club of late years to select as a general topic for the year's work a nation and its people. In connection with the study of the land and people, some of the literature of the nation is read. Two years ago, Russia was the topic, last year France was the general subject, and next year Germany will be studied.
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The roll of members is as follows: Miss Emma Voss, Miss Alice Reitzell, Miss Eva Milner, Mrs. Edward Bengston, Miss Clara Swanzey, Miss Mabel Goddard, Mrs. Linnie Scofield, Mrs. Kettle, Miss Vida Graham, Mrs. A. C. Knorr, Miss Vorta Walker, Mrs. William H. Thoren, Mrs. A. Billerbeck, Miss Ida Bastian, Miss Susan Brown, and Miss Irene Place. The officers for the cur- rent year are : Preseident, Miss Emma Voss; vice president, Mrs. L. E. Scofield; secretary and treasurer, Miss Mabel Goddard.
HUMANE SOCIETY.
The work of the Freeport Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was inaugurated by the Freeport Woman's Club. On the meeting of April 15, of that date the subject was first brought up by Mrs. J. G. Oyler, who has since continued to be very active in the work. The principal cities about Free- port all had humane societies which were doing good work, and the more enter- prising Freeport people, particularly the ladies of the Woman's Club, felt that the lack was a serious detriment to Freeport's good name. Accordingly, Mrs. Oyler who had investigated the subject moved that the Woman's Club take action to found a Humane Society, and appoint a committee to carry out the project. Her motion was carried and a committee was appointed by Mrs. Hildreth, then president of the Club, consisting of Mesdames Zipf, Oyler, Dunn, and Truesdell.
The work was soon under way, and a few weeks later an organization was perfected. The organizing meeting was held in the parlors of the Y. M. C. A., and after transacting preliminary business, the society elected the following mem- bers to serve as first officers of the association : President, Henry Dorman; vice president, Mrs. John G. Oyler; secretary, Miss Marion Clark; treasurer, Joseph Emmert; humane officer, Charles Hall.
Thirty-eight charter members enrolled in the first humane society, and the club started out with the laudable intention of preventing cruelty toward chil- dren as well as dumb beasts. But at first the humane society did not thrive. There had been other humane societies in previous years, which flickered and died out after a short and uncertain existence, and it seemed at first that the new organization was to follow in the beaten path. It is due to the unfailing energy of the members, and especially the officers that the humane society survived and became so potent a factor in the welfare of the community. Charles Hall, humane officer, was chief of police at the time, and his time was occupied with his duties in other directions. Consequently his career as humane officer was not marked by any great activity, and he did not accomplish any marked success.
Some of the more active members, feeling that it was a disgrace that the humane society should not be properly supported, called the members together at another meeting two years after the first one, in 1903. A reorganization took place and new officers were elected. At this time the following were placed in office : President, Henry Dorman ; vice president, T. H. Hollister ; secretary, Mrs. J. G. Oyler ; treasurer, Joseph Emmert; humane officer, B. F. Brubaker.
From the time of this reorganization dates the present activity of the Free- port S. P. C. A. B. F. Brubaker proved himself a willing and capable humane
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officer, and to him is due a great part of the credit for the excellent reputation which the humane society has of late achieved. Although engaged in other busi- ness he has devoted time and energies to his duties as humane officer, and has more than creditably filled his position.
A short time ago occurred the death of President Dorman. T. H. Hollister thereupon took his place. The other officers of the association have remained unchanged. From an original thirty-eight the membership has swelled to over one hundred and fifty, and constant additions are being made from time to time.
JUVENILE COURT.
The juvenile court work has been an outgrowth of the humane society, and, like that organization, was fostered by the Freeport Woman's Club. Three names have been very intimately connected with its career in Freeport, those of Miss Bertha Bidwell, Miss Alice Hettinger, and Mrs. John G. Oyler, who have devoted much of their time and efforts to the maintenance of the institution.
Mrs. Oyler has been the first and only probation officer, and Judge Clarity has been the only judge of the juvenile court. During the comparatively short time of the court's activity, no less than one hundred children have been cared for. Some of these have been sent to institutions of correction, some have been sent to schools for dependent children, and others have been placed in good homes. A large number have been legally adopted.
The juvenile court succeeded in sending to the penitentiary a woman who had been the author of a notorious case of child abuse, one Mrs. Mary Jane Sked, who is at present incarcerated in Joliet. The ladies interested in the juvenile court have also taken up the matter of impure and immoral productions at the theatres of the city. A profound agitation was aroused only one or two years ago by the appearance of a certain company at the Grand Opera House, whose performance was styled indecent. The company had intended to return and repeat its performance, but the prompt action of the juvenile court com- mittee blocked any such procedure.
The people connected with the court have done a great deal of good in the past, and give every indication of keeping up the good work.
TRUANT AND HOME MATRON.
Until last year the board of education employed the services of the chief of police as truant officer of the public schools. The arrangement was never satisfactory, for the chief of police always found himself too burdened with his regular duties to properly attend to cases of truancy. Following the lead of other schools in Chicago and the east, the board decided to engage the ser- vices of a truant officer who should devote her entire time to the work. Mrs. Edna Baker Oyler was engaged at a regular salary, and since September, 1909, has continued to fill the office most ably.
Her proper title is truant officer and home matron of the Freeport public schools, and in addition to her duties in cases of truancy, she is expected to direct her efforts toward bettering the condition of the children of the city schools in a moral, religious, and sanitary way. Mrs. Oyler deserves a great deal of credit
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for the unflinching stand she has taken and for the surprising and gratifying re- sults she has been able to accomplish. She has unearthed a great many surpris- ing and startling situations, and has been the cause of a large number of ar- rests and fines. The selling of tobacco and liquor to minors, and gambling on the part of boys under age have been the marked objects of her campaign, and in this connection she has been able to institute reforms in a number of in- stances. Mrs. Oyler's crusade has only begun but the board of education feels eminently satisfied with the proceedings so far, and hopes for a continuance of the work. In the employing of a special truant officer and home matron, the board of education is placing the Freeport public schools in the front ranks as the most progressive in the northern part of Illinois.
W. C. T. U.
Of the various temperance organizations which once flourished in Freeport, only one remains, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and that has not only survived the shocks of a troublous career, but it has steadily increased in strength, and now holds a post of honor and importance. The I. O. Good Templars, which was for a long time the leading temperance order of the city, as well as the Sons of Temperance, and several lesser societies, like the Free- port Reform Club, have lived and passed away after comparatively brief careers. This does not mean that the temperance movement has suffered a relapse in Freeport. Quite the contrary. The temperance wave which recently swept over the land and caused so many of the states of the Union to "go dry," was as strongly felt in Freeport as elsewhere. The death of the above mentioned or- ganizations merely means, if interpreted aright, that no reform movement which does not "mean business" can long endure, and certain of Freeport's temperance organizations, before their demise, were doing very little active work. The W. C. T. U., on the other hand, has always been most active, and has always carried the greater burden of the good work on its own shoulders.
It was founded on the 10th of April, 1874, when a meeting of the ladies of Freeport who were interested in the cause of temperance, was held in the First Methodist church, with a view to ascertaining what means could be best em- ployed in the undertaking on which they were engaged. Mrs. E. M. Marsh (deceased), who afterward became identified with the W. C. T. U. for many years acted as chairman, and Mrs. J. R. Lemon was the secretary. At this meeting the W. C. T. U. was organized and there were present Mrs. F. O. Mil- ler, Mrs. Isaac F. Kleckner, Mrs. E. Hemenway, Mrs. A. W. Ford, Mrs. J. S. Best, Mrs. L. Fisher and others. Mrs. Lemon was elected the first president, Mrs. Kleckner secretary, and Miss A. Jenks treasurer. Among the ladies still resid- ing in Freeport who have since headed the local W. C. T. U., are Mrs. A. K. Stibgen, Mrs. Robert Bell, Mrs. W. O. Wright, and Mrs. L. B. Sanborn.
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the organization of the society, in 1889, appropriate exercises were held in the Y. M. C. A. auditorium. Papers were read by Mrs. A. W. Ford and Mrs. Emily V. Keever and Mrs. Louise Rounds, at that time state president also addressed the gathering. The papers and dis- cussion which formed the program of the occasion recalled the work which had
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been accomplished in the lifetime of the Freeport W. C. T. U., the mass meet- ings which had been held, the various crusades which had been conducted against drink, and the number of persons reclaimed from the evil effects of the habit. The work within the last ten years has been particularly gratifying. However, it has been conducted in a quiet and unpretentious manner, and very little publicity has been given to it.
The society now in existence numbers about members. The offi- cers for the year are: President, Mrs. W. H. Manchester ; vice president, Mrs. J. J. Nagle; secretary, Mrs. Anna Alexander ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Nellie Effinger; treasurer, Miss Jeannette Engle.
FREEPORT AUDUBON SOCIETY.
Within the last few years a growing sentiment for the preservation of our songsters has manifested itself throughout the entire country. The Freeport Audubon Society, perhaps more commonly known as the Bird Club, has been a direct outgrowth of this sentiment. Miss Edna Porter was the founder of the society. It was established four years ago, by ten ladies interested in the study and preservation of birds, and has been very active since that time in carrying out its purpose. The members, whose number is limited to twenty- five, meet every two weeks at one other's homes and carry out programs con- sisting of papers and informal discussions. The club is very enthusiastic about its work, and is one of the most wide-awake organizations of the city. It aims to teach its members and the community as well of the nature, appearance, and habits of the feathered tribe, and is taking all the steps in its power to prevent the possible extermination or thinning out of the song-birds of this region, many species of which are rapidly becoming depleted.
Each member makes it a personal matter to do all she can in this direction. An illustrative incident occurred very recently. A small boy who evidently didn't know any better, was seen to enter a yard, pick up a baby robin, which had apparently fallen out of the nest before able to fly, play with it, and then throw it away after having handled it pretty roughly and broken both of its wings, The matter was reported to one of the members of the Audubon Society. After having ascertained the name of the small offender, she made it her business to see him personally and talk with him on the subject of birds. So success- fully did she accomplish her purpose that the boy was much affected and prom- ised never to torture any robins in the future.
During the past winter, the Audubon Society held a public illustrated lec- ture on the subject of birds. The lecture was one sent out by the State Audubon Society. The colored slides were also provided and the lecture was read by one of the members. This practice will probably be continued in future years, but no definite plans have been made to that effect.
The Audubon Society has become very popular during the past year. A large number of names are on the waiting list, but the membership is limited to twenty-five, and all are active and enthusiastic members. The ten ladies who organized the club are still on the roll of active members. For the first two years
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AUDITORIUM AT OAKDALE PARK
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of the club's existence, Miss Louise Morgan served as president. She was suc- ceeded by Miss Marion Clark, who has also served for two terms. The names of the charter members who founded the society four years ago are:
Mrs. J. Clark, Mrs. E. Morgan, Miss Louise Morgan, Miss Flora Morgan, Miss Marion Clark, Miss Laura Clark, Miss Edna Porter, Mrs. L. G. Young- love, Miss Mae Stewart, and Miss Belle Gransden.
STEPHENSON COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
The original Stephenson County Medical Society was organized in 1865, with Dr. L. A. Mease as its first president. For some few years affairs were con- ducted regularly, and meetings held on stated occasions. But the attendance became small, duties were neglected, and the interest waned. For a short time, there was no county medical society.
In June, 1878, the society was reorganized under the name of the Stephenson County Society of Physicians and Surgeons, and the following officers were elected : President, F. W. Hance; vice president, L. A. Mease; secretary and treasurer, Charles Brundage.
The new society consisted of nine members : L. G. Voigt, L. A. Mease, C. M. Hillebrand, F. W. Hance, C. B. Wright, E. A. Carpenter, Charles Brundage, Louis Stoskopf, and B. T. Buckley. The society soon took in the following additional members : I. P. Fishburn, and S. K. Martin, Dakota, and T. L. Carey, Lena.
For some years the society was neither active nor well patronized. One cause or another, usually professional jealousy, kept the membership list from growing, and the Stephenson County Society of Physicians and Surgeons was not known as an active and energetic organization. But within the last few years a remarkable growth has taken place. About all the physicians in good stand- ing in the county are members of the association, both in Freeport and in the villages of the county. A few years ago the name was again changed to the "Stephenson County Medical Association," by which it has since continued to be designated.
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