December 6, 1926 Interlaken History Club

The Interlaken Historical Society recently received an account/scrapbook for the early years of the Interlaken History Club.

Memberships, officers and yearly programs are included within the pages.

For many years the History Club would have a year-long theme, with each meeting being a part of that theme.

The theme for the 1926-1927 year was “A Tour of the British Isles.”

Cover, 1926-27 Interlaken History Club Program
Interlaken Historical Society Collections

Each meeting was broken into a variety of topics. Roll call featuring a group of people, and then short presentations.

The 1926-1927 year opened with Prof. Wallace Notestein of Cornell University as the speaker. His topic was The Map and the People.

Programs as shown in the 1926-27 Interlaken History Club program

Collections, Interlaken Historical Society

Mrs. A. C. Peterson was in charge of the December 6, 1926 meeting. She was assisted by a number of other people. The program notes that roll call that evening would be British Statesmen. I can only imagine that as each member’s name was called, they would respond with the name of a statesmen. On November 22, the roll call featured British Poets, and on December 20, one needed to quickly know the British Novelists. It would seem that each person present needed to have a different answer.

Following the Roll Call, Mrs. John Porter presented a report on Houses of Parliament and Royal Residences. Mrs. Nellie Blauvelt reported on the London Museums, and Mr. John Porter on The Thames.

The cover for the 1926-1927 program listed the officers for the year: President: Mrs. Enda Travis; Vice President: Mrs. H. C. Peterson; Secretary: Mr. J. B. Docharty; Treasurer: Miss Anna D. Peterson; with program committee Mrs. T. P. Currier Chairman, Mrs. L. Arthur Gould, and Mrs. H. C. Peterson members and Mrs. Travis, ex-officio member.

I did not find an announcement in the paper for the December 6, 1926 meeting, but found one for 1925. “The Interlaken History Club will be held…December 7…by 8:30 the final preparations for the Mediterranean Cruise will have been completed and the anchor weighed. The steamer is expected to make a record passage across the Atlantic, reaching Madeira and Gibraltar the same evening.” [Interlaken Review, December 4, 1925.]

The History Club existed for many years, with the scrapbook dating from 1910 to the 1930s. In 1951, when the Interlaken Historical Society was formed a note in the early minutes stated that funds left from the History Club were given to the Historical Society as a natural successor.

Dewitt’s Diary Monday, December 6, 1926

Drew up a load of coal on the bob sleigh today.

Good sleighing.

Thermometer about zero all day.