THE ST. DAVID'S SOCIETY


held every year, with one exception, for the past twenty-eight years.
These meetings were the outgrowth of the monthly literary meetings held
during the winter in the Welsh Presbyterian Church on Light St., Oshkosh.
During the winter of 1919 the social committee of the church decided to
devote the March meeting to a program commemorating St. David.
     Taking their cue from similar meetings in Milwaukee, Chicago, Phila-
delphia and elsewhere,'they decided upon March 1 as the logical meeting
date. However March 1 fell on Sunday that year; so the meeting was
held on Saturday night, Feb. 28. The program was simple and planned
on the order of the traditional Eisteddfod, in which competitive essays,
talks, songs, etc. were given. The meeting was advertised in the other
Welsh Churches and was well attended. General approval of the meet-
ing was voiced and a permanent committee to plan and conduct the meet-
ings was appointed. Mr. Luther Davies was appointed as Chairman and
Mr. W. Jarmon Evans as the secretary. Later programs did not follow
the competitive type, but programs consisting of singing, talks, readings
and formal addresses were planned. On every program time was
given for the bards or poets to read original poems.
     Apparently, after trying out inexperienced speakers for the first
year, the committee decided it was better to secure speakers who were
trained, for the most part ministers. The Rev. D. Kendrick Roberts was
the first invited outside speaker to come, in the year 1920. He was
followed in later years by many others, among them Reverends Howell
D. Davies, H. F. Williams, T. D. Williams, J. G. Williams, John C. Jones,
W. C. Rowlands, Judge Gad Jones, J. Pugh Jones, Silas Evans, T. Parry
Jones and several others.
     Mr. Luther Davies acted as chairman until his death in 1928. Other
chairmen have been Mr. John H. Williams, Mr. John Rowlands, Mr. Ellis
Roberts, Mr. Bernard Williams and Mr. H. E. Jones. All the meetings were
held in the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Oshkosh, until it closed in
1935. That year there was no meeting. However, in 1936 the meetings
were resumed at the instigation of a new committee consisting of Ellis
Roberts (chairman), W. Jarman Evans, John Rowlands, Hugh E. Jones,
J. A. Breese, Rees Edwards and 0. R. Jones. The traditional programs
were revived as far as possible, and were held as supper meetings in
the First Congregational Church at Oshkosh. These later meetings have
been attended by as many as 300 people in recent years. The programs
of late have consisted of a song service, combined with a short address
and social hour. The meetings have served well to gather many old
Welsh friends together and are attended by people from afar. It gives
the Welsh people a chance once again to gather together, sing some
of the old familiar songs, and meet seldom seen old friends.
     In the accounts of the brief but quite well-kept minutes of the meet-
ings, one can find the names of the main speakers as well as the topics
of their addresses. It is interesting to note the interest the Welshman
has in his migration from Wales and the problems he has confronted in
becoming a good citizen of his adopted land. Next to these problems,
his interest lay in recollecting old times and people. After having had
several lean years about the time the Welsh Presbyterian Church closed,


155