Morse Society Norwood Convention

The Morse Society

HOME CONTENTS FORUM MEMBERS STORE PHOTOS DIRECTORY JOIN

1984 Norwood MA

MS Newsletter Issue No. 39

   Our Morse Society's Third Reunion was held in the United Church and the Norwood Historical Society, Norwood Massachusetts, Saturday, October 6, 1984. Mr. William Gifford, Librarian of the Norwood Historical Society in a letter of invitation inspired by a member of our Morse Society, Mrs. Dorothy Morse Ross, offered the use of the Day House as a place for our meeting, a tour of the Day House, and view of the extensive memorabilia, photographs and genealogies of the Morse family which have crossed the family lines of the Day Family. This invitation had been extended to us in 1981, but plans had already been made for our second Reunion in Newbury, Massachusetts, and their invitation was gratuitously extended through the years to 1984. During this time there have been changes in the officers of the Historical Society, and likewise in their rules and regulations, so that two weeks before the Reunion it was necessary that I sign an agreement with them guaranteeing that nay damage, injury or loss would be paid by the Morse Society. Day Hall could accommodate only 100 people at one time, and it became obvious that our Reunion would exceed that number, which called for some fast decision-making on the part of our committee. We contacted four different churches, finally finding the fourth, the United Church, a block away, which could offer ample parking, hall space, and ladies who would serve a chicken dinner and provide refreshment for our members as they arrived to register. Greeting the members and guests at 9:00 a.m. were my daughter, Martha Mercorelli and her husband Remo Joseph Mercorelli, together with my son Phil, Jr., from Seal Beach, California, and his wife, Betty Morse, who registered the late arrivals, handled sales of our English Packets, Silver Pins, Maps, and signed up new members, while our President, William Francis Morse, sold all the Morse Genealogy books (numbering 20) that he had brought from his home in Oregon.

     Our meeting was opened with prayer and song at 10:00 a.m., by our President and Master of Ceremonies, William Francis Morse. Seated at the head table next to William was his wife, Mary Quintilla Morse, Denis Sidney Morse, our Vice President and Chief Editor and his wife, Margaret, Councilman Ernest T. Morse and his wife Mary O. Morse, from Canada, and on the left of the President, Philip Weston Morse, Chairman and Secretary of the New England Reunion Committee and Treasurer of both the New England Reunion and the Morse Society of the United States and Canada, and Ralph Cutter Morse, New England Reunion Committee member (later to be appointed by the President as the new Chairman of the New England Reunion Committee), Philip McCord Morse, Councilman, Assistant Treasurer and member of the New England Reunion Committee was absent because of the illness of his wife.

     Honorable mention was given to Dorothy Morse Ross and her father, 95 years young, who both had given valuable assistance on the New England Reunion Committee. Those present were introduced to the Norwood Historical Society and to Mr. William Gifford, who spent many hours helping to plan the Reunion. Mr. Charles Lennon showed slides of the Day House, which now houses the Norwood Historical Society, which were narrated by his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Lennon are the caretakers of the Day House. Steven Portugal, an architectural historian, gave interesting information on the 18th to 20th century Norwood houses, including Morse homesteads, and their architectural styles.

     It was voted that the Fourth Reunion of the Morse Society be held in 1987. Philip W. Morse nominated Ralph Cutter Morse to be a member of the Reunion Committee, and president William Francis Morse appointed him Chairman. Others who volunteered to assist on this committee were Howard Evans and his wife, Martha from Morrisville, Vermont, and Howard and Bernice Gilson of Wilbraham Massachusetts. Helpers to the committee were Charles W. Morse of Schenectady, New York, James Morse Dunning of Arlington, Massachusetts, and Arthur G. Morse of Ossining, New York. Our photographer for all our reunions has been my grandson Edward Philip Mercorelli, who introduced as a new feature, a videotaping of the Reunion. The head table centerpiece was presented to Mary Quintilla Morse.

     While Phil Morse conducted a tour of the oldest cemetery, previously called the First Parish Cemetery, where Ezra Morse is buried, William Gifford conducted a group of 40 to the Day House, where he exhibited Morse memorabilia pictures of Ezra Mason and his home. As tours of the cemetery and the Day House continued, attention of the group remaining at the Church hall focused on a large exhibit of the Genealogy of Samuel and Anthony Morse prepared by Howard and Bernice Gilson, which was discussed and enjoyed by their various descendants present.

     Some of the problems encountered by the committee in conducting our Reunion should serve as aids in planning future Reunions. These included: difficulties in arranging to feed and accommodate arrivals who had let us know only one day or less in advance that they would be present. Four members made reservations only one day before, while five arrived with no reservation at all. We had made arrangements for the caterer to serve dinner to 140, but in the long run they were called upon to serve 156. Also, today's costs make it difficult to conduct a Reunion for only $10.00 per person. I appeal to our members in future to help their committee by reserving and sending their checks, wherever possible, at least a month before the Reunion. The dinner, as originally planned, would have cost us, at Franco's Restaurant, $12.00 to $14.00 per person, but we were able to arrange that the dinner cost $7.00, and the morning coffee, tea and cider added only $57.95 to the total, so that the United Church bill was only $1,087.95.

back to conventions page