President Judy called the meeting to order. Marc S. led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Verna led us in ‘Star Spangled Banner’, and Tobe Gerard gave the invocation
Today’s Guests: None announced
Announcements:
· Peter Golden needs photos of a kid for an upcoming Tour De Natick article.
· There will be cherry plant delivery Saturday June 6, 9 am – 10:30 am, meeting at Home Depot.
· The installation of new officers takes place Monday evening 7 – 10 pm. on Monday, June 15. Please please please RSVP to Mark Blumenthal.
· There will be no regular meeting on June 16.
· The next board meeting will be Wednesday, June 3. Location to be announced.
· Tour Update – The sign-up sheet went around. We will need 100% member participation this year, as always. And we still need sponsors.
· The Scholarship Committee did their work and made decisions as to who will receive scholarships on Awards night. There were MANY excellent applicants this year.
Speaker:
Guest Speaker was Peter Golden, the topic was Horace Mann
He was born in Franklin MA 1796. His family was quite poor. He had access to the first public library in the United States, located in Franklin MA. He was academically gifted. He went to Brown University and married the president’s daughter. She died of TB. He was a bright, handsome guy. He became a lawyer and eventually joined the State House of Representatives and the State Senate – eventually rising to the Senate presidency.
In the middle of the 19th century, the country was enjoying a massive influx of immigrants – Irish, German, etc. The country was also building its infrastructure and industry. Mann saw that America needed an educated, free working class. He proposed public education. There wasn’t such a thing at the time. Towns like Natick could afford anything more than a 3 month term. There were no municipal funds, no capital. Mann launched the public school committee in the state legislature, and travelled to local towns to establish public schools. Natick had a school cart that was driven to three districts in town. What became the Boston model was copied throughout the East Coast of the United States.
Mann retired in 1848 and went into the US House of Representatives. he died in 1861 as the President of Antioch College.
He is credited with creating a means for the United States to have a meaningful, emergent middle class.
Raffle: Scott D. had the lucky number – but no luck with the queen. Better luck next time.
Fondly Submitted –
A. James Meyer
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