USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Proceedings of the 250th anniversary of Old Bridgewater, Mass. at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, June 13, 1906 > Part 11
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Responded to by Mrs. George M. Webber, President, of East Bridgewater.
The Ousamequin Club, being a Woman's Club, would belie the reputation of their sex, were they not pleased with this opportunity to say a few words about their work on this occasion.
It seemed to us very appropriate to name our Club for the great Indian Chieftain, and we trust this day's exercises may sufficiently acquaint the people of this community with the significance of the name, so we may not be so often asked the question-did you name your Club for the old fire engine Ousamequin, which I believe was the first engine to exist in Bridgewater?
The object of the Ousamequin Club is culture :- the broad intellectual culture, illuminating the mind to behold new pos- sibilities in science, literature, music and art; to realize the relation of art to life; of beauty to education.
It includes the social culture for philanthropic work, for the improvement of our homes, our town streets, manners and morals.
The culture that seeing the new social conditions brought about by the industrial resolutions, seeks to understand these problems. The culture that seeing moral inertia lie at the foundation of nearly all the monstrous abuses of our day, seeks to add our indignation, to the general wrath which Club women have poured out in such generous measure, as to contribute in no small degree to the moral upheaval now in order.
And yet, while men who stand at the head of great public movements acknowledge the help women's clubs have been in the practical work of the various social organizations, there came to us not long ago the message "that women's clubs were a menace to the integrity of the home."
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Thus spake Mr. Grover Cleveland. Does he not know "the heart of the American woman always rings true when the home is touched upon .? "
There are Women's Clubs existing purely for social pur- poses, like many Men's Clubs. Mr. Cleveland may have been thinking of these when he heedlessly spoke in this way, he surely knew not the "Ousamequin."
Our Club has two hundred members the majority of whom are mothers or home makers. We not only try to improve our own home life but that of others ; as for example, we have had a course of lectures on practical domestic affairs such as home sanitation, diet and health, food and household values, which the women of the towns were invited to attend, and to profit thereby.
We have had an Arts and Crafts exhibit considered the best held in the State. We organized a few years ago a Stamp Saving Station, whereby the children of Bridgewater are encouraged to shun the fascinations of chewing gum and pink sticks, saving their pennies for something really worth while. It is a pleasure to note how many hundreds of dollars have been saved in this way by the children.
Industrial classes have been formed whereby the children of the town may be provided with home work for the winter.
It is women from our Club who organized and so success- fully conduct the Visiting Nurse Association.
Not least, of all the Ousamequin Club has been the means of bringing the Bridgewaters in closer touch with one another.
The women of the towns are in thorough sympathy, eager to work together for the betterment of all.
So may the Ousamequin Club grow and prosper, may it live to tell of much more accomplished for the good of the Bridgewaters at the next anniversary celebration, for "The divinity that dwelleth in these things groweth not old."
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Comments of the Press.
From the Brockton Times.
With a pride fully justified by the glorious records of the past, with 'a harmony which will always be one of the happy memories of the event, with a spirit of brotherhood like that of one great family, the descendants of Old Bridgewater's pioneers yesterday celebrated the 250th anniversary of the settlement of the ancient community. Not only did those who boast a direct descent from those staunch Pilgrims who tamed the wilderness join in this reverent ceremony, but also those who are adopted members of the great Bridgewater family. The latter, bearing the blood of other settlers, many of them recent arrivals from foreign lands, were just as true and sincere in the part they played. Boundary lines were for the time being wiped out of existence, and Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, West Bridge- water, and North Bridgewater, the latter now Brockton, joined in the observance. Though held for convenience and for historical association in the town of West Bridgewater, the birthday party was a union effort successful in every way. It occupied the entire day, and will always be remembered by those present as a feast of eloquence, a beautiful display of patriotic sentiment.
The celebration owed its origin to the Old Bridgewater Historical Society, which public-spiritedly invited the co-opera- tion of all. In making up the program the general committee in charge selected not only those who reside in this section and have attained public notice by success in many lines, but also those who have gone to other parts of New England, but have not forgotten their ancestry. The public showed its sympathy with the celebration by throwing to the breeze the stars and stripes, while hundreds laid aside their daily tasks, lined the route of the parade, and listened to the literary exercises.
The celebration took this order : A gathering of citizens at the soldiers' monument in West Bridgewater at nine, brief exercises there, parade, stopping for brief periods at the Cary monument, old Keith house and Memorial hall for simple
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recognition of these spots, arrival at Drury field, conclusion of the morning literary exercises, dinner at noon, the afternoon given up to further literary exercises on Drury field.
The procession was formed with City Marshal Ira Kingman of Brockton as chief marshal. A squad of Brockton police followed, led by Lieut. C. H. Chase. The squad included Officers Walker, Lays, Jacobs, Swain, Higgins, Packer, Rowley and H. Allen. The police were followed by the Martland band and a vast concourse of people on foot, in carriages and automobiles.
The line of march extended down River Street, past gaily decorated houses to the Cary monument, where Rev. E. B. Maglathlin introduced Rev. Howard Cary Dunham, a lineal descendant of the original John Cary, and the man who was largely instrumental in the erection of the monument last year. Rev. Mr. Dunham substituted for Rev. Seth C. Cary of Boston, who was to deliver the address, but who was unable to be present.
The procession then wended its way along Bryant and Arch Streets to the old Keith homestead. This house was presented to Rev. James Keith, the first minister of Bridge- water, in 1659, by his parishioners. The vast crowd assembled in the yard and street in front of the house, had the pleasure of listening to an interesting address by a direct descendant of the first minister, Rev. Sydney K. B. Perkins of Raynham. The venerable minister was vociferously cheered at the close of his address.
The procession moved forward once again, going to the head of Bryant Street, countermarching in front of the resi- dence of E. P. Dunbar, Chairman of the Dinner Committee. The Memorial Building on Howard Street, the home of the Old Bridgewater Historical Society, was the next and last stopping place, before proceeding to the dining tents on Drury field. An address was delivered at this point by Joshua E. Crane of Bridgewater, Corresponding Secretary of the Old Bridgewater Historical Society, and Secretary of the Executive Committee. The handsome building was tastefully decorated, and was the occasion of many admiring remarks from the visitors.
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From the Memorial Building the procession marched up Center Street to Howard Seminary, up Main Street to the Drury field.
The line of march was one continued ovation for those in the procession. The houses and places of business were hand- somely decorated, two decorators being busily engaged for the past few days.
Royally the program was carried out and all contributing to the success of the interesting observance may well feel proud over the record of the day.
The celebration honored the debt of memory of all contri- buting to its success. It passes into history to testify to the appreciation of the people of this time for the traditions of the past, and when another half century has run its course, bringing around the tercentenary of Old Bridgewater, the story of yesterday's celebration will be rehearsed, as showing the regard of the present generation for the milestone just passed on the journey of time. Such celebrations are valuable for the renewed interest they create in the history of the section, and the emphasis they give to the duty of remembrance.
From the Brockton Enterprise.
From 1656 to 1906-250 years. It is a long time, but time cannot efface from the tablets of memory great events. It was in 1656 that a sturdy band of Pilgrims was allowed to have a portion of the old Duxbury township set apart as a separate township, and settled the ancient town of Bridgewater from which has sprung all the towns bearing that name, and the city of Brockton, formerly North Bridgewater. The early struggles, suffering and achievement of that band of pioneers remain in the memory of their descendants, and in commemora- tion of their action in founding the new township fitting cere- monies and exercises were held yesterday at West Bridgewater, where was built the first meeting house in the new settlement.
All roads led to West Bridgewater throughout the day, and
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it is estimated that between 5000 to 6000 persons took part in the celebration. They began to arrive early in the morning from the surrounding towns by electric cars, carriages and auto- mobiles, and the spirit of the occasion made itself manifest in many ways. The townspeople gave a cordial welcome to the visitors, and the houses and buildings were in gala attire with decorations of red, white and blue.
Within the confines of West Bridgewater has grown and flourished one of the most noted churches in Massachusetts- the First Congregational (Unitarian,) and whose 250th anni- versary antedated that of the town itself by five years.
William Cullen Bryant, the famous poet, wrote his immor- tal "Thanatopsis" here, and the place was the scene of the early industrial activities of the noted Ames family, one of whose members, Oliver Ames, was governor of Massachusetts.
The town itself is one of the most attractive in the com- monwealth. It is mainly an agricultural community, possess- ing many large and fertile farms. The Taunton river winds through it picturesquely, affording splendid facilities for canoe- ing and boating.
The fine highways of the town are largely elm-shaded, and one cannot walk through any of them for many rods without passing some ancient building or other historic landmark.
The place, moreover, has some prestige as an educational centre, being the seat of Howard Seminary, whose handsome brick building, surrounded by the most attractive of grounds stands on a sightly elevation not far from the Central Square.
The latest addition to West Bridgewater's monuments is the one to the memory of John Cary, the first Town Clerk, standing at the corner of South and Bryant Streets, and dedicated a few years ago.
The fine Memorial Building on Howard Street makes a striking contrast to the historic buildings that stand so near it. The structure is a one-story affair, of brick with marble trim- mings, and of a colonial style architecture. The main building is forty by fifty feet and contains two alcoves, named respec- tively for the Keith and Howard families.
It was erected by the Old Bridgewater Historical Society
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"In memory of the original proprietors and settlers," and was dedicated in June, 1901.
On the first floor there is a large assembly hall and on the four walls are a number of memorial tablets, the inscriptions of which practically epitomize the early history of the place.
From the Bridgewater Advertiser.
How to fittingly celebrate the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Old Bridgewater has been the subject of much discussion by the members and committees of the Old Bridge- water Historical Society for a number of months past. The various committees appointed by the society have all been working hard to bring about an observance of the day which will properly celebrate the occasion. The results of their labors were manifest in the interesting program which took place to day in the old town of West Bridgewater.
Throughout the town the houses were profusely decorated with flags and bunting, while the big tents where the dinner was served, were items of interest to a large number. In the surrounding towns of Bridgewater and East Bridgewater the church bells were rung at seven o'clock, flags were flying, and houses showed a display of bunting. The schools in the differ- ent towns were closed and the pupils of the high school were on the program to sing during the anniversary.
From the Bridgewater Independent.
The day long anticipated and not soon to be forgotten by those privileged to share in its exercises has become a matter of history. It is hard to see how anything more could have been done to add finish to the program that attended the obser- vance of the 250th anniversary of the incorporation of the Old Town of Bridgewater at West Bridgewater, Wednesday. The
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weather, the speaking, dinner, the other exercises and the attendance all rejoiced those who had labored long and earn- estly to make the affair worthy of the occasion. Everywhere there was a hearty response on the part of the citizens to sug- gestions from the committee and the citizens of all the towns and the city would have been glad to do much more if those in charge had so asked.
The 250th anniversary of the Old Town of Bridgewater is an event of the past but its influence will be felt far into the future. It was notable for several things, the businesslike manner in which the program was carried out, the enthusiasm of the people and the interest evinced by both residents and non-residents of the town. The effect of the celebration must be of great benefit to the town and those contributing to it may feel that they have been a real help.
While the celebration is a thing of the past the people must see to it that the good things said and the prophecies made as to the future shall come true ; that the high position maintained by Bridgewater along educational, religious and social lines shall be upheld and to that added an industrial endeavor that shall be one of the features of the day of the cele- bration fifty years hence. The efforts of the past should be incentive to work for the future. Just so far as the present is an improvement over the days gone by, just so far must the improvements of fifty years from now be over the present. The mistakes of the past cannot be remedied but the lessons can be taken to heart and the actions of the future based upon those same lessons.
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