PUBLIC WINTER MEETING OF THE BOAED, 



AT WESTFIELD. 



The annual public winter meeting of the Board was held 

 in Columbia Hall, Westfield, on Tuesday, Wednesday and 

 Thursday, December 5, 6 and 7. The weather conditions 

 were extremely favorable, and the meeting was a successful 

 one. 



The opening session was called to order by Secretary 

 Stockwell, who said : It is fitting and proper and according 

 to our usual custom that we look to the Divine Master for 

 guidance and aid in the work and discussions of this meeting. 

 I will call upon the Eev. R. B. Esten to offer prayer. 



Prayer by Rev. Mr. Esten. 



Secretary Stockwell. We come to this beautiful town 

 at the request of its people, to hold this our annual winter 

 meeting. We will first listen to an address of greeting by 

 the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Mr. Chas. H. Beals. 



Mr. Beals. It is with a great deal of pleasure that Ave 

 welcome you to our town. We trust that your visit with us 

 will be pleasant and beneficial. Like all towns in this northern 

 latitude, our town is not at its best. Our lawns and streets 

 are our pride in the summer. Our factories are all busy ; 

 our people are well employed. We invite you to go through 

 our mills and factories. This town is the centre for whip 

 manufacturing. More whips are made here than in any other 

 town in the world. We manufacture three-fourths of the 

 whips used in this country, most of them being sold and used 

 in this country. 



We feel very proud of our schools, and we invite you to 

 visit them. We have in our town the State Normal School. 

 We think there is none better in the State. If you have 

 daughters who wish to fit themselves for teachers, they cannot 

 do better than to come to our normal school. 



