ARISTON BY-LAWS AND MINUTES
SECOND VOLUME
NOVEMBER 1915 TO FEBRUARY 1950
Inside the front cover:
“According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, Aristo, or Ariston, as he was sometimes known, lived circa 250 B.C. He was a pupil of Zeno, but rejected the philosophy of nature and despised formal logic. He claimed there was but one virtue: a clear, intelligent, healthy state of mind. According to Durant in his Life of Greece, Aristo or Ariston likened logicians to people eating lobsters, who take a great deal of trouble for a little morsel of meat concealed in much shell.
According to Follett’s Classic Greek-English Dictionary, Ariston, or αριστον,
was a morning meal or a breakfast taken at sunrise; later the midday meal, the Roman prandium. According to Cassell’s Latin-English Dictionary, prandium was a late breakfast or luncheon of bread, fish, cold meat, etc., served about noon. Dinner - cena - the heavy meal, was served at 3 or 4 o’clock. According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, “postprandial” is “Following a banquet; after-dinner”. “Prandial” is defined: “(L. prandium a repast) Of or pertaining to a repast, esp. dinner”.
On the first page:
Minutes of the Ariston Club
Opened Nov. 8, 1915
Walter A. Towne, Secretary
Aristocracy
<Gk. “aristos”, best + -“kratia”, rule. Those regarded as superior to the rest of their community in birth, rank, wealth, or intellect.”
November 20, 1917
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Mr. Hull gave notice that at the next meeting he should move to increase the membership to twenty eight.
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December 10, 1917
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A motion, offered by Mr. Belcher, that the membership of the club be fixed at 28, with an amendment that it should not be more than 30 offered by Mr. Buell, prevailed.
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October 14, 1918
The regular meeting of the club was postponed on account of the prevailing epidemic of influenza.
November 11, 1918
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On account of the “Peace” celebration the literary program was omitted.
December 13, 1920
The club met with Mr. Bird at the Mohican. Members present: Messrs. Belcher, Bird, Buell, Coit, Danforth, Dimick, Eggleston, Hitchcock, Hoggatt, C.H. Hull, H. A. Hull, Jacobs, Kerridge, Lee, Marshall, Palmer, Reeves, Rogers, Towne, Waller, Wells, Whiton, G.B. Whittlesey, George Whittlesey.
The following gentlemen were also present as guests of the members: Messrs. C. L. Avery, Clifford Belden, A.B. Calkins, Admiral Gaferton, USN retired, John Hislop, Rev. C.H. Howe, Lieut. Com. Kilhorn USN, S.H. Miner, J.A. Stanners, E. J. Taylor.
Presiding officer, Mr. Coit
Paper by Mr. H. Palmer.
Subject: The Northern Canadian Rockies
The subject was made especially interesting by the use of a stereopticon. The club gave Mr. Palmer a rising vote of thanks.
The following gentlemen were also preset at the reading of the paper: Messrs. Bowen, Hunt, Johnson, Melcer, Palmer, Woodruff.
April 11, 1921
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Attention having been called to the fact that it was the twentieth anniversary of the first meeting of the club, it was voted to send salutations to the founder, Rev. James Wilson Bixler, D.D., of Exeter, New Hampshire.
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March 14, 1922
The club met with Mr. George Whittlesey at the Mohican.
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In the absence through illness of Mr. H. A. Hull, who was to read the paper, Mayor Whiton and city manager James E. Barlow presented a resumé of the government of the city during the first five months of the operation of the new charter, with a recital of the problems that must be settled in the near future.
A standing vote of thanks was extended to Messrs. Whiton and Barlow.
April 17, 1922
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The five minute speaker was Mr. Reeves who gave several incidents concerning the detection of petty thieving on the steamers traversing Long Island Sound.
May 8, 1922
The club met with Mr. Rogers at the Mohican.
Members present: …, and Mr. Homer Brook and Judge Arthur P. Anderson of Groton as guests.
Presiding Officer: Mr. Hitchcock
It was voted to hold the meetings hereafter on the first Tuesday of the months in which meetings are held.
It was also voted that after three unexcused and consecutive absences of any member, the secretary should advise him that absence from the next meeting without excuse would automatically end his membership.
The paper was by Mr. Buell.
Subject: Criticism and Comment.
March 4, 1924
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The club was fortunate in having as its guest Col. James G. Steese, President of the Alaska Railroad Commission, who related incidents of travel in Kamchatka, and also of the visit of President and Mrs. Harding to Alaska in the Summer of 1923.
December 2, 1924
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Mr. Hulbert brought greetings from the Fraternity Club of Portland, Maine, a club very similar to the Ariston Club, and the secretary was ordered to make acknowledgement.
...
March 3, 1925
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A suggestion was made by Mr. George Whittlesey that the twenty-fifth anniversary of the club be observed by a reunion of past and present members with ladies in April 1926 and that a committee of nine be chosen to make preparations: and that this committee consist of five active members, two ex-members, and two non-resident members. Further consideration was postponed until the next meeting.
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April 14, 1925
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The subject of a reunion in 1926, which was laid upon the table at the March meeting, was taken up and passed with an amendment that the time of such reunion be left with the committee of arrangements.
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April 3, 1928
The club met with Mr. Lee at his home.
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Attention was called by the Secretary [George Whittlesey - Ed.] to the fact that the club was meeting at the birthplace of Ariston.
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April 2, 1929
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May meeting was omitted owing to illness of Mr. G.S. Palmer, who was to entertain and also have paper.
October 2, 1934
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Voted to amend by law to read - Two or more negative votes shall reject a person proposed for membership.
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November 5, 1935
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It seemed to be the sense of the members that meetings are too long so it was voted that no talk shall begin after 10:15 o’clock.
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[Marginal note: “Dec. 6 1935 paid Roger L. Denison $20 on account 1000 engraved cards ($25 total).]
November 9, 1936
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Upon motion duly made and seconded, IT WAS VOTED: That the Club have an Assistant Secretary, and that Mr. F. W. Edgerton be designated as such.
February 1, 1938
[Note attached, concerning the death of Colin Buell:\
COLIN S. BUELL was one of the twenty men who thirty-seven years ago formed the ARISTON CLUB. During all these years he has been one of our most faithful members.
We honor him as the distinguished principal of the Williams Memorial Institute and a leading layman in the church life of our community.
It was to our club that he first told his hope that New London might have a college for women; a dream which came true.
Through all these years he has shown the peaceful power of a quiet life. Educated at Yale, his life has been devoted to the education of others.
We miss him and extend deep sympathies to the family circle which was so dear to
him.
December 5, 1939
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The Club passed a vote of congratulation to Mr. Edwards upon his receiving the Navy Cross.
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April 2, 1940
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It was voted to celebrate the Fortieth Anniversary of Ariston in May 1941 with present and past members and their ladies in attendance, and a committee was appointed…
April 1, 1941
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Immediately following the approval of the report of the previous meeting, the club voted: That it is the sense of this meeting that the Club meeting next October be an anniversary meeting with former members and wives of the members invited to attend.
November 5, 1941
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Mr. Coit reported upon the decision of the special committee on the Anniversary Observance to hold the matter in abeyance for the present. He explained that Dr. Bixler would be unable to attend - due to his physical condition. It was the sense of the meeting that Mr. Coit extend the greetings of the Club to Dr. Bixler, to whom goes the honor of founding it.
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February 3, 1942
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[A marginal note: “Because of conditions, no meeting was held in January.]
There was brief discussion of the feasibility of suspending meetings of the Club during the war emergency. No action was taken.
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[Missing pages, October 1943 through February 1944, inclusive. Possibly elsewhere in the storage boxes.]
March 7, 1944
[Marginal note: “(no dinner a/c war conditions. Dress informal. Meeting began at 8 o’clockl P.M.)”]
May 16, 1944
On May 16, 1944, the Club met with Mr. G.S. Avery, Jr., at his home, Quaker Hill.
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The Secretary presented resolutions on Rev. James Wilson Bixler, founder of the Club. They were accepted for record and for transmission to the members of Rev. Bixler’s family.
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Mr. George S. Avery, Jr. announced that his removal from New London to Brooklyn, NY made this his valedictory appearance. IT WAS VOTED: To accept his resignation with regret and to make him an honorary member of the Club.
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Mr. Niles suggested that with the opening of the new season in October, the inability of the Club to secure the serving of meals at its meetings be not taken as a hinderance to holding the meetings.
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Resolution on James Wilson Bixler
Every man who has been a member of The Ariston Club has felt the satisfying experience of the friendly, inspiring association of its kindred spirits. And from time to time the fact has been brought home to each of us that this fraternity owes an obligation of gratitude to the man who founded the Club and with his associates gave the initial momentum that has carried it forward successfully through a long period of years. Realizing this obligation to him as the Founder, the present members extend to the surviving kin of
James Wilson Bixler
the sincere condolences of the Club. And coupled with this message is the hope of the members that the Club may continue as an enduring memorial to its worthy Founder.
October 1, 1946
[For some time the number of “five minute papers” was small, often just one. This is the first meeting when this was referred to as “the short paper”.]
[The meeting of November 4, 1947 adopted the statement below, concerning the death of Judge Alfred Coit on May 29, 1947]
IN MEMORIAM
Naturally gifted with a keen interest in matters intellectual and literary
ALFRED COIT
found in the Ariston Club an association with men of similar tastes and inclinations where reciprocal fellowship added dignity and depth to the art of useful living. In his passing the Club has lost one of its most enthusiastic members as well as the last of that original group who united in the common purpose of its establishment. Through the many years he saw the Club proceed successfully and enduring. From his hands to the Ariston members of today has passed the glowing torch of its purposes and achievements. May that torch ever be kept burning!