USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 31
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This is practically a winter camp and is constantly in use during the season on week ends and holidays. Out of the success of "Scoutland" grew the establishment of the Dover and West- wood Boy Scout Reservation, containing close to a thousand acres, available for troops under the Boston Council for week ends and holidays. This is probably the largest scout camp in America. It has a swimming pool 500 feet long and 200 feet wide which is used for swimming in summer and skating in winter. Of this area 225 acres have been assigned to camp Storrow, dedicated to the memory of the late James Jackson Storrow formerly president of the Boy Scouts of America. Camp Storrow is designed for work- ing scouts, to give them health and a good time in the woods of an accessible territory that has not essentially changed in char- acter in a century. The first troop of Boy Scouts was organized
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in Dedham in 1911 and had a membership of about a dozen with James Y. Noyes as camp leader. Dedham now has five troops.
GIRL SCOUTS. A national, non-sectarian, non-partisan movement which has for its object the development of wholesome happy girlhood preparing for effective citizenship through parti- cipation in small self governing groups. It was founded here in 1912 by Mrs. Juliette Low of Savannah, Georgia, being patterned after the British Girl Guilds. To become a scout a girl must take a tenderfoot test and subscribe to the scout promise of duty to God and country and the law of honor, loyalty, helpfulness, friend- liness, courtesy, humility, obedience, cheerfulness, thrift and cleanliness. The first troop of Girl Scouts to be organized at Dedham was the Red Rose Troop No. 1, established in 1919, and soon followed by Golden Rod Troop, No. 2, Holly Troop, No. 3, Oak Troop, No. 4, and Blue Bird Troop, No. 5. A Girl Scout coun- cil to assist officers in their work was organized in 1919, with Mrs. Walter Austin as commissioner. There are now three troops of Girl Scouts in Dedham, all under interested and competent leaders.
CAMP FIRE GIRLS. An association of girls and women organized to develop the home spirit and help to dominate the community. It is a means of organizing a girl's daily home life. It shows that romance, beauty, and adventure are to be found on every hand and in wholesome ways, that even drudgery may be made to add to the beauty of living. It is the only organization of the kind that gives boys and girls wholesome, interesting things to do together. The first group of Camp Fire Girls was organ- ized in Dedham in August, 1922, with seven original members. There are now three groups in Dedham engaged in this interesting work.
MILL VILLAGE OLD HOME ASSOCIATION. This Society was organized in 1911 with Owen J. Reynolds as President. This is an organization of "Old Timers" who meet for sociability and to keep alive memories of the past of which they have been a part. The old houses and fields at Mill Village seem like living friends to the members of the Old Home Association. Monthly meetings are held at which times many incidents they have witnessed are recalled by the members, interspersed with patriotic and much loved songs. An Old Home Week is celebrated in July each year
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which brings together present and past residents of Mill Village.
DEDHAM COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. Dedham has in the Haven House on High street a fine example of 18th century architecture excelled in interest and beauty by few houses in New England. This stately mansion, now the home of the Dedham Community Association, was built in 1795 by Samuel Haven, a distinguished citizen of the town and for 40 years registrar of probate in Norfolk County. Being especially interested in both horticulture and architecture, Judge Haven spent much time in the construction of this house and the laying out and beautifying the grounds. The English elms, which for a century and a half held their vigor and attractiveness, were set out by Judge Haven in 1787. The Dedham Community Association, organized by a little company of interested men and women, was chartered in 1922, to develop community spirit by doing things together. Pro- gressive communities provide wholesome leisure activities, parks, playgrounds and when necessary make school houses community centers. The Dedham Community Association now has classes in basketry, hand made jewelry, interior home decoration, dancing, appreciation of pottery and sculpture, teaches music, French and English, and co-operates with associations in charitable and phil- anthropic work as well as furnishing wholesome food in the Ded- ham Community Kitchen.
The tennis court of the Community Association has easily become an institution of the town through the interest manifested in the instruction of youth. The instruction under Mrs. Marjorie Morrill Painter, chairman of the tennis committee of the Associa- tion, is given in classes. Mrs. Painter is nationally and interna- tionally known as a leading tennis player, who has won several championships not only at home but abroad.
The Frances M. Baker Park, bearing the name of the donor, was given to the association in 1927. It is utilized for playground purposes during the summer months and greatly increases the efficiency of the association in out-of-door sports.
At a meeting of the directors of the Dedham Community Association, held on March 28, 1922, Walter F. Ellis was chosen president. In accordance with a vote authorizing the purchase of property necessary for the work of the corporation, it was further voted to purchase in the name of the association the
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property at the corner of High and Ames streets already de- scribed, consisting of the house and about three acres of land. This purchase was completed and the work of the Dedham Com- munity Association was launched, and every year the association has been more fruitful in good works fostering the true com- munity spirit in promoting the common welfare.
DEDHAM FORUM. The Open Forum of the Association, which has become an institute of the town, was organized in 1922 with Walter F. Ellis chairman of the Council which consisted of twenty-nine prominent citizens of Dedham with Mrs. Joseph H. Soliday as secretary. " The Forum is strictly non-partisan and non-sectarian. Its objectives are educational, better understand- ing of the opinion of different groups in the body politic and tol- erance of each for all. The spirit of Democracy at its best has been its guiding spirit throughout the thirteen years of its exist- ence. The Council has presented through the years some seventy- five distinguished speakers who have addressed the people of the town on subjects delightfully varied, stimulating, and appealing. The list of speakers includes many distinguished citizens of Am- erica and foreign lands.
SOCIETY FOR APPREHENDING HORSE THIEVES. When cart paths were developed into roads and horses took the place of oxen, they were kept in ever increasing numbers on Dedham farms. Horses, however, were so often stolen from unlocked barns that societies for apprehending horse thieves were early organized. Complete records of such a society exist in Dedham from 1810, with evidence that the organization is still older. Dr. Ames records June 8, 1802 Horse Thief Cottrell Whip'd. The Society was first called "The Detecting Society in Dedham ;" or- ganized to prevent thievery of all kinds. Riders were appointed by the society whose duty it was to overtake thieves and regain stolen horses. Membership in the Dedham Society for Appre- hending Horse Thieves is much sought at the present time; the society having a large membership.
THE DEDHAM THIEF DETECTING SOCIETY. At a meet- ing of the citizens of the First Parish held at Hazelton's Hotel on the evening of February 3, 1841, the Dedham Thief Detecting Society was organized. The society consisted of 76 original mem- bers and included many of the prominent citizens of the town.
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There was a feeling that such a society would furnish the means of meeting the great number of larceny and pilfering cases re- cently committed in the village and vicinity; it was further felt that it was necessary that something should be done which would have for its object the suppression of crime. A detective com- mittee was appointed whose duty it was on the application of members, from whom property had been stolen, or, whose per- sonal property had been trespassed upon, to determine the best and most efficient way of detecting thieves and to prosecute them to a conviction. The annual dues were 50 cents a year and for a time much efficient service was rendered, but the interest slack- ened and on January 7, 1851, a final meeting was held in the Phoenix Hotel.
DEDHAM GARDEN CLUB. This is an auxiliary of the Dedham Women's Club and was organized in 1931. It has a limited membership of fifty members and from the start has had a waiting list. The aim of the club is to beautify the town and gardens, to learn more about trees, plants, shrubs and flowers. In the spring of 1934, with the cooperation of railroad officials and town authorities, the club took in hand the project of beauti- fying the railroad station and adjoining areas. With a nucleus of a thousand dollars worth of shrubs, originally planted on the grounds of the abandoned railroad station by the Dedham Village Improvement Association, the club started on its work and today in place of much bareness and ugliness we see masses of yellow forsythia overhanging the stairway's gray stone walls, or against the architecture of the white concrete bridge; banks of briar roses, footed by graceful barberry, rising from a foreground of a cool green lawn; spirea in its common and rarer varieties, virburnum, rhydatyphus, syringa and lilac, making a season-long succession of bloom and screening out less sightly perspectives.
DEDHAM ASSOCIATED CHARITIES. The earliest asso- ciation for relief work was the Dedham Associated Charities, or- ganized May 9, 1882 with Mrs. George G. Nichols, President and Miss Ellen H. Crehore, Secretary. The work was efficiently car- ried on for a number of years by a company of devoted women of the town, but subsequently merged with the Dedham Board of Charities, whose purpose in the words of its constitution "shall be the better organization and administration of the charitable
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work of the town through the concerted action of all bodies en- gaged in such work." Its work to be advisory, merely to safeguard and harmonize the work of the several bodies, each body providing and distributing its own funds and executing its own work. At a public meeting held January 3, 1887, President Nichols of the Dedham Associated Charities gave this timely advice to those who presumably would help in the work. Do you ask what you can do? I wonder if any one of you ladies and gentlemen have not some family, connected with you in some of the relations of life, not today independent but receiving relief. You may have been ready to give relief and have done it kindly, and have thought how you can help that one family to become independent. Visit their home. Know the children and their sex and ages. Learn what each can do, or cannot do, and yet ought to do and can be taught to do. What wages, what employer, what occupation. See if occupation and earnings cannot be improved. Especially look after the children beyond the school age and advise and in- sist that they go to work and help to keep work for them. If the man or woman is idle see what each can do and find them work or better still advise them where to seek it.
THE SOCIAL SERVICE BOARD OF DEDHAM. This board was incorporated in 1921. Previous to that date the organization was known as the Dedham Board of Charities, which was founded under the wise leadership of such well known Dedham people as Mrs. Frederick B. Ely, Mrs. George C. Lee, Mrs. Arthur B. Cutter and Mrs. Julius H. Tuttle. The Constitution of the Social Service Board states that the "Object of this Board is to Co-operate with the poor and needy of the town of Dedham in efforts for the im- provement of their condition," but as time went on the scope of the work has broadened until it has become an important adjunct in the town in doing follow-up work for many State and Boston Charitable agencies and hospitals, and has been entrusted with much of the private relief-giving during the past years of unem- ployment and distress. It employs a paid visitor and members of the Board assist in the work of visiting and the distribution of clothing.
DEDHAM EMERGENCY NURSING ASSOCIATION. This Association was started in 1891 with a Lawn Party, given by Mrs. Stephen M. Weld on the Weld estate to start a "Cottage Hospital."
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At first it had only two "emergency nurses," nurses not profes- sionally trained but willing to answer any call. Its headquarters was a locker, known as the "Supply Closet" in Lower Memorial Hall. In 1894 the Association was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth and leased a room in the Insurance Build- ing "where emergency cases could be treated." Later it acquired a permanent home at 82 Court Street, corner of School Street. On the 15th of March, 1917 the Association rented the house at 15 School Street to care for the children who were the victims of the epidemic of 1916. Here the Infantile Paralysis Clinic was started and from here the Emergency Nurses went out to struggle with the Influenza epidemic of 1918. The first "emergency auto- mobile" was purchased in 1918 and many recall it as it was driven about town.
Well Baby Clinics have been added to the work of the Asso- ciation. The clinics are held for the purpose of regulating the formulas and diets of well babies and advising mothers as to the best methods of taking care of them. It has been found that cases of malnutrition among children have increased due to the depres- sion. The Dedham Emergency is also engaged in the "Summer Round Up" for children of pre-school age. Its purpose is to give those children that are found not physically fit, time to have their defects remedied before school opens in the fall. Ninety per cent of all the children entering school are examined at the clinics. The Association has at headquarters five nurses, who annually attend to many thousand calls. Actually, it is not a hospital nor is it chartered to receive over-night patients, but, due to the in- crease in serious automobile accidents in the past few years, the association often is called on to receive four or five patients from a single accident, a great problem for its trim little surgery and neat, two-bed ward.
CHICKERING HOUSE. The Chickering House opened its doors for convalescents in 1911 in the old house on Washington Street, which since 1864 had been known locally as the Dedham Home. It was given this name in memory of Miss Hannah Balch Chickering of Dedham who started the work which was formerly carried on there for women who had been discharged from prison, and who are now being cared for in various other institutions. The property includes a large house, (the original part was built
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before 1727) and twenty-five acres of land much of which is wooded. The house accommodates twenty-eight patients and the staff. The patients come from all over the state, as well as out side of it, after illness, operations, and accidents, and often for much needed rest.
THE CLUB. This club was organized in December, 1855 and continued in existence for sixteen years. In local and town affairs the Club accomplished many good things. In 1858 under its auspices a large number of elm trees were planted on the Great Common and around the Agricultural Hall and High Street. In 1858 its members proposed, and by their efforts carried through the vote of the School District, to erect the Ames School house, and in 1859 with their co-operation, one hundred elms and maples were planted in the streets and on the school grounds. It will be seen that the elm tree has always been a favorite tree in Ded- ham. Henry Ward Beecher said many years ago, "Every one will confess that a large part of this scenic beauty of New England is contributed by trees-and particularly by the elm. They are as much a part of her beauty as the columns of the Parthenon were the glory of its architecture. Their towering trunks, whose mas- siveness well symbolizes Puritan inflexibility; their over-arching tops, facil, wind-borne and elastic, hint the endless plasticity ;- and both united, form a type of all true manhood, broad at the root, firm in the trunk, and yielding at the top, yet returning again, after every impulse into position and symmetry." Are we to lose our beautiful elms? In 1933 the Dutch Elm Tree disease was discovered in the outskirts of New York City which has spread with an alarming rapidity. In August 1934 there were 7000 diseased trees covering an area of infection estimated at nearly 4,000 square miles in New York, New Jersey and Connec- ticut. To prevent the spread of this disease our tree warden, John T. Kennedy is in action and it is hoped that our noble elms may long be spared.
DEDHAM MOTHERS' CLUB. This Club*, probably the oldest existing club in Dedham, is a member of what is now an international organization. The first Mothers' Club was formed in Portland, Maine in 1815 by Mrs. Edward Payson, wife of the
* In 1912 Mrs. Abbie Rolfe wrote the Club that her mother as a child was taken to a Mothers' Meeting in Dedham in 1807. No record has been found of such an association. It was doubtless a neighborhood mothers' meeting. Few, if any church associations, were so early organized.
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Rev. Dr. Payson, a Congregational clergyman. The second club was organized in the Old South Meeting house in Boston in 1816. The Dedham Mothers' Club is at least one hundred and nine years old (1935) as it is known to have been in existence in 1826. The Massachusetts Mothers' Clubs are united in a Union Mothers' Club Association, of which the Dedham Mothers' Club is called the oldest daughter. An annual meeting of the Association is re- called in which a thousand mothers were in attendance at the Park Street Church in Boston. The object of the organization has remained unchanged through the years and is as follows: (a) Our object shall be the promotion of the highest welfare of our child- ren by prayer and other efforts. (b) We pledge ourselves to culti- vate an interest in the children of each other, and in all the children of the congregation; to remember them, as well as our own, in our daily visits to the Throne of Grace; and in the event of removal of any of our members from their families to remem- ber particularly their children, both in prayer and in such kindly offices as may be practicable and desirable. (c) We will bear on our hearts the needs of childhood and motherhood, and endeavor to do our part in raising the standard of home life in our own and foreign lands. To this end we agree to meet, unless providentially hindered, once every month, devoting our meetings to prayer and conversation respecting the noblest training of our children. Some of the Club's interests in recent years have been, school problems, Dedham Emergency, Social Service Board, Red Cross work, Sale of Christmas Seals, Better Movies, Child development projects, Contributions to the care of sick children in hospitals, etc.
DEDHAM AFTERNOON CLUB. On October 21, 1887, thirty ladies were invited to meet at the house of Mrs. L. S. Schermer- horn to consider the practicability of forming an afternoon club, an association to meet at the same time the intellectual and social demands of its members. A simple basis was thought wisest for beginning in the hope that experience would broaden and elevate the work of the association. The ladies present voted to organize and named the association the Dedham Afternoon Club, meetings to be held in the afternoon of the first Monday of each month at 3.30 in the parlor of such members as are offered for the purpose, tea to be served on all occasions. The annual assessment was made $3.00. Mrs. Harriet T. Boyd was elected President and Miss
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M. L. Talbot, Secretary. The first lecture before the club was given by Miss Marion Talbot of Boston who spoke on the very practical subject, "Home Sanitation." The Dedham Afternoon Club is active and through the years has not only kept abreast of current events but has listened to many lectures on social, ed- ucational and scientific subjects by many prominent men and women.
DEDHAM WOMEN'S CLUB. Before the 19th century associations of women were pratically unknown. The first women's clubs in the United States were for religious and educational pur- poses and were usually connected with men's organizations, but organizations for women sprung up after the Civil War. The Sanitary Commission, the Woman's Loyal League and the Freed- man's Bureau showed women what could be done. The New England Women's Club, one of the oldest in the country, was or- ganized in 1868 by Mrs. C. M. Severage, but with the co-operation of men. A horticultural school for girls; a co-operative business association and a registry for night employment were undertaken in addition to a literary program. Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, so well known in Dedham, was a member of the Club. The work of the Dedham Women's Club is largely educational through lectures, social through teas and receptions, and with all practical in en- couraging all kinds of philanthropic and civil betterment work.
PINE HEIGHTS WOMEN'S CLUB. This Society was organ- ized November 21, 1916 with the following officers: President, An- nette Geoppner; Vice-president, Gertrude Gessner; Secretary, Annie J. Giffels; Treasurer, Helena Rogers ; Press Correspondent, Etta Goodwin. The club is of a social and philanthropic order and is a part of the larger organizations, the State and General Fed- eration of Women's Clubs. It has a present membership of thirty- five.
DEDHAM ROTARY CLUB. The first Rotary Club was or- ganized in Chicago in 1905 and was so named because the Club held its meetings in rotation in the places of business of its mem- bers. The organization now has a large number of clubs in the United States and in other countries. The membership of each club consists of representative business and professional men, one member from each trade, business or profession. The purpose of the Rotary Club is to develop the highest ideals of useful service
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and to make practical application of these to business and profes- sional life. The Dedham Rotary Club was organized in 1923 with fourteen members. The Club has weekly meetings and now has a membership of thirty-four.
THE FAIRBANKS FAMILY IN AMERICA, INC. The Fair- banks Family in America of which Henry Irving Fairbanks is President was incorporated under Massachusetts laws April 17, 1903. One of the purposes of the corporation was the "acquisition of the title to and the preservation of the Homestead of Jonathan Fairbanks in the town of Dedham." Every lineal descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks of Dedham, Massachusetts is eligible to mem- bership in this family organization, and upwards of seven hundred of the descendants are enrolled as members. They hold Reunions annually at the Homestead which are largely attended. The suc- cess of the Fairbanks Family in America in its efforts in the preservation of its heritage is the cause of most favorable com- ment by all recognized authorities in such matters in every land. The affairs of the corporation are directed by a board of nine directors who are annually elected by the members at the business meeting generally held in conjunction with the annual Reunion at the Homestead. The Fairbanks Family in America is a very active organization and has achieved every purpose for which it was organized.
DEDHAM CONTENTMENT CLUB. A social and literary club, taking the original name of the town, was organized in 1904 by Mrs. Elizabeth Endicott Young and Mrs. Joshua Crane. It is a luncheon club and designed for social and literary enjoyment. It had an original membership of seventy ladies and has been a great success from the start. The Club has had as guests such notables as Hamilton Mabie, Hopkinson Smith, Booker T. Wash- ington, Dr. Van Dyke, Margaret Deland and many others of like standing. The Club has frequent meetings and now has the ori- ginal membership of seventy ladies.
FISHER AMES CLUB. In the early eighties many congenial gentlemen in Dedham felt the need of establishing some place where they could meet and pass a pleasant evening, but nothing definite was done until October 29, 1888, when a meeting was called in Lower Memorial Hall which resulted in the organization of a Club which was named in honor of that distinguished states-
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