The Clermont Sun, October 9, 1907 PARKER STUDENTS Hold a Glorious Reunion More than Three Thousand People Participate in the exercise of the Day -The Citizens of New Richmond Deserve Unbounded Praise One of the most enjoyable events of Home Coming week was the reunion of the former students and friends of Parker's Academy, which was held at the city park, New Richmond, last Thursday. Fully three thousand people were in attendance to enjoy this "feast of reason and flow of soul." The citizens of New Richmond deserve much credit for the manner in which they entered into the spirit of the occasion and the time and money spent by them to make it a grand success. Not only this but in order to show their high regard for the noble teacher, whose memory was celebrated by the event, they closed all their factories and business houses for the day and to crown it all their hospitality and good cheer knew no bounds and the writer desires in behalf of all the students both present and absent to thank them one and all most sincerely for their efforts to make the day a most joyous one. The instrumental music furnished by the Times- Star band, Cincinnati, was par excellent. J. Harvey GATES, the first student to register at the old academy in 1839 and TurpinMORETON the last student to place his name upon the honored roll in 1891 were both present and we believe that some of the members of every class during the fifty-two years of its existence were there. All who were there join in pronouncing this meeting one of the best of the Home Coming week. It was devoid of all formality and seemed to us like a reunion of a large and happy family bound together by ties of love and friendship rarely seen in these busy days of push and commercialism. Time and space forbid a full and complete account of all the excellent numbers included in the program. In a clever and touching address W. P. FLANAGAN introduced the chairman, J. Harvey GATES, who responded in a few well chosen remarks. E. A. LOCKWOOD in behalf of the Parker students and L. F. WHITE for the Ohio township Home Comers extended a cordial welcome to one and all Mrs. Hassie PARKER STUCKEY on behalf of the family expressed her feeling of gratitude and appreciation with a heart over-flowing with tenderness and love. The devotional exercises were conducted by Rev. E. A. READ, a son-in-law of "Teacher". Rev. D. Lee AULTMAN, presiding elder of the Hillboro district, made a happy hit in his impromptu speech. During the two hours intermission for dinner and hand-shaking the time was well improved by the renewal of old acquaintanceship and was all too short for many of us "to get around." The afternoon exercises consisted of addresses appropriate to the occasion by Dr. Albert SMITH, President of Ada University, General Henry C. CORBIN, of Washington, D.C.; Mrs. E. A. [ARCHERD] CONNER, of New Richmond, and an original poem by Hon. C. N. BROWNING, of Wilmington, O., all former students of the academy. The solos rendered by Mrs. A. S. DUNN and Miss Tillie PURSELL were exceedingly appropriate, exquisitely rendered and highly enjoyed. One of the most touching numbers on the program was parody to "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground," arranged by Mrs. Florence DONALDSON CARNES and entitled "Thinking of the Old School Ground." The combined choirs of all the New Richmond churches led in this song while the entire audience joined in the chorus, a most affecting scene which brought forth many a tear drop to the cheeks of the vast audience. The reading by Miss Helen FRIDMAN was faultlessly rendered and rapturously encored. The exercises closed by all join in that grand old song "Auld Land Syne" with Mrs. Fannie PARKER CURRIER as accompanist. Transcribed by Bill Archerd 06/08/2000