Silver Bay in 1909 — President Taft sends a message

President Taft had just been to the area a week or so earlier, so he couldn’t make it for the 1909 “Procession Day” at Silver Bay Association.

But he sent a message, and in return received a photograph of the Washington D.C. Young Women’s Christian Association delegates that honored him at the annual Y.W.C.A. conference at the conference center on Lake George.

About 500 delegates from 24 colleges attended the conference.

The delegation from the nation’s capital presented a “mock Inaugural Parade” on “Procession Day,” the day of the annual conference when each delegation presented some type of stunt or skit.

“All the paraphernalia, banners and flags and noise were represented, and Miss Elizabeth F. Pierce, chaperone of the Washington party, read a message from the President, in which he expressed his regret at not being able to attend,”the Evening Star of Washington, D.C. reported on July 21, 1909.

“After the procession the young women had their picture taken and sent a copy to President Taft, receiving in acknowledgement a letter expressing his thanks.”

Earlier in July President Taft had visited Fort Ticonderoga and Plattsburgh to participate in ceremonies to the 300th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s discovery of the region.

Later in life Taft frequently passed through the Adirondacks on his way to and back from his annual August vacations at a golf resort in Canada.

In another “Procession Day” performance, The Syracuse University delegation, which included Mass Okajima, a student from Japan, sang “Silver Bay, banzai, banzai, banzai,” meaning “live for ever,” to the tune of a traditional Japanese air, the Lake George Mirror reported on July 16, 1909, following up on a report in the Syracuse Herald.

“Ah-h-h the beautiful lake reminded me of the inland sea of my dear Japan,” Okajima said. “Our inland sea is narrower than your Lake George and the hills are a different shape, but your lake is very beautiful and my trip was an inspiration.”

Click here to read my most recent previous Silver Bay history post.