Club Minutes: The Home Interest Society, 1928

The 617th meeting of the Home Interest was held April 24th ,1928 at the home of Arthur Christie in Wesley Heights. As this was the first meeting to be held on the fourth Tuesday of the month - the date which has replaced the time-honored first Monday - tense interest held the city of Washington. Airplanes scattered flowers over Wesley Heights in honor of the breaking of this splendid tradition. The Marine Band played Dream Kisses and as the Home Interest seated itself for supper, all traffic throughout the city was stopped for the space of one minute.

At its meeting Harry Stabler presided. A memorial to Olivia Lansdale was read and approved. One copy was ordered to be sent to R. H. Lansdale and another spread upon the minutes.

For the Forethought Committee, Garland Ligon, speaking in dulcet tones which many took to be those of his wife, advised starting perennials now. If you want advertisement as a public-spirited citizen, get on the D.A.R. blacklist. Sodium fluorite kills roaches. With a small boy cleanliness is not next to Godliness, but next to impossible.

Lucy Moore, the other member of the Forethought Chain Gang, advised all to keep asparagus beds free from weeds. In cleaning yard put trash on compost heap. Another member of the society called attention to the fact that Lucy Moore had string-beans from her garden today - April 24th - a potent justification for her being on the Forthought Committee.

Milton Bancroft then read a very well studied paper on Landscape Gardening. It was a pity this paper could not have been illustrated by lantern slides. The word-pictures made one want ^(to) see the trees and planting and formal green swards. Milton sketched in rapidly the history of gardens. He touched on the theory of garden design, bringing out the principals governing it - Unity, Variety, Symmetry, Rhythm, etc. He made the point that the formal garden should continue one of the main axes of of the building and should end in a feature. And, in making a formal garden, make a layout plan and study it on paper first.

Mr. Allan Farquhar and Mrs. Sam Bond were appointed on the Forethought Disaster for next time. The essay for the next time was attached to Mrs. Annie Kirk, who was requested to write an account of her recent European Trip.

The Essay Committe - consisting of Annie ,Kirk, Mrs. Bancroft and Edwin Morris - was continued and urged to get busy.

QUESTIONS. Dr. Christy, Sr. asked the name of the tree with the pink blossoms. Allan Farquhar answered Judas Canadensis Dryensis Volsteadiana - without hesitation.

Edith Thomas asked how to start box bushes. Take pieces two inches long, root in sand, shade with small slats and keep moist.

Elizabeth Ligon asked if too early to set out Cut-and-ComeAgain stock. No answer - evidently confused with Cash-andCarry Drug Store.

Fred Thomas asked why a certain grade of wheat should be higher in Baltimore than Chicago - by 25%. Write Mr. Black - bourne.

Mr. A.G.Thomas exhibited a letter from the Sherwood Forest Company agreeing not put signs in Sandy Spring.

The death of Olivia Lansdale terminated what, on the part of this Society, was a happy relationship. While not active in any public or semi-public capacity, as so many of our twentiethcentury women are, she made two distinct contributions to the life of this community.

In the difficult role of wife and mother she was a great success - helping to maintain the integrity of home life in Sandy Spring and thus helping the cause of the American Home everywhere.

She had the rare gift of turning a smiling face upon any situation. Her gay spirit stimulated and helped those who were depressed with the wearisome round of everyday duties, and her courteous consideration and warm sympathy for everybody - whatever the circumstance - was a subtle but very real influence in the social life of the neighborhood.

These lines, written about another who had gone away for a while, might have been written of her:-

"And Peace I folded nestly And Joy I hung to air - It took both arms to lift it Along the attic stair.

Bliss I tied in lavender And comfort laid in rue - And packed away my laughter Till next I should see you."

She held a high code of honor for herself and for her family but she was magnanimous in her thought of others who fell short of what she thought to be right. Her qualities of heart were rare and difficult to maintain and we feel her loss deeply.

The 518 meeting of the Home Interest gathered at "Magnolia" on May 22nd - all families represented I believe except - The Chrestus - Who are always greatly missed ^{when absent} many pleasant guests added to the mtg's interest.

After a good supper - Wm. John Thomas called us to order - the first matter was passing the minutes from "Braemar" to "Clifton" for the next 3 mo.

The Forethoughts com. had a 50% report - some of its suggestions being to get the furnace in good order, & put the pipes into the [garret] for the summer mo's - as this prevents their rusting: We were also advised to keep aspargus free of weeds - also to see that the cellar is in good order.

Wm. J. Thomas our delagate to the Com. Consil reported a good attendance - Geo. Rust Canby being chosen chairman & Milton Bancroft secy - tres. of the concil.

*Under next business Mrs Harry Stabler asked whether something couldn't be done - to stop the very reckless driving of auto. - This brought out much discussion - all agreeing that something should be done - finally or soon. of Mr & Mrs Sam Bond & Mrs Harry Stabler were appointed to bring the matter to the Com. Concil - & ask them to consider taking some action.

We next had a treat - in a paper by Annie B. Kirk - delightfully telling us of her recent trip to the Mediterrean - she described the great vessel which was the home of some 612 travelers for several months -

She spoke of visits to Maderia, Lisbon Cadiz, Seville, Gibralter, Algeria, Constantinople Jerusalem, Alexandria, Egypt, Cario, Naples, Rome Marseiles, Paris & London - she used an aeroplane to go from Paris to London, & altogether the whole trip sounded like a beautiful dream come true.

Next questions. Grace Thomas asked where

she can get an ice chest. No information Rebecca Miller wants to know how to rid "[Mt. Airey?]" of chimney swallows - she had various suggestions. all very frivolous.

Harry Stabler complains that his asparagus has a small black bug eating it. He was told to spray the individual plant suffering.

Fred L. Thomas asks if it is too wet to plant Lima beans. He is told that it's hardly [Can?] be too wet.

Mrs Harry Stabler is told to give her Lilacs more time - to grow big - & then they will bloom.

Iris can be moved any time, any where.

Asa M. Stabler - wants us to tell him who to vote for. Hoover or Smith? Many members probably want that same question answered.

Adjourned [illegible] B. Thomas Secy.

*The com. to give us a new list of subjects and the [victims?] to write [illegible] had only one to offer - Dr. Ivan Wild on "The Dairyman" for the June one. the com. will report further program later

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