THE REPUBLICAN

June 13, 1884

DANE’S DAY.

The Danish Independence Day is Waupaca.

Procession, Speeches, Music, Fun.

            For several weeks previous to last Thursday, the Danes’ Home Society of this city had been quietly making preparations to celebrate the 5^th of June, the day as dear to the hearts of Danish people as the 4^th of July is to the Yankees.  The Danes’ Home is an order of universal brotherhood among Scandianvians, the same as Odd Fellows, K. P.’s or any of the orders for mutual relief and protection.  The Home in this city numbers some eighty members, and the society have the old court house nicely arranged for a home.  The upper room for a hall and lodge purposes and the lower story a boarding house.  Any citizen from the father-land coming over to this country and stopping off in Waupaca will receive care and attention until he gets work and a start for himself.  This is one of the main features of the work of the Home.  But the celebration:

            A special train came in on Thursday morning, containing four couches and 400 people representing Racine, Oshkosh, Neenah, Fort Howard and Green Bay.  A process-sion was formed, headed by Christianson’s Cornet Band from Oshkosh and marched to the grove.  It may be well to state, however, that Waupaca D. H. Society with fife and drum corps met their visiting brothers and sisters at the depot.  All the busses of the city were hired to convey the women and children to the picnic grounds. The order of march was as follows:

Christianson’s Band.

The Presidents of the different societies and Racine Delegates,

Danish Brother Association of Oshkosh, with 60 members.

St. Ansgar Society of Fort Howard, with 15 members.

Danish Brother lodge No. 2 of Neenah, with 45 members.

Danish Brother, No. 9, of Oshkosh, with 50 members.

The Dana Club, Neenah, with 30 members.

Fife and Drum Corps.

Dane’s Home Society, Waupaca, with 75 members.

            An arch of evergreens was placed at the foot of Main Street and at the grove on the banks of Mirror and Shadow Lake the procession passed under an arch with the letters

meaning  the same as “Welcome to all”.  The brothers all marched to the music stand, where the band played a beautiful piece, and the president of the Waupaca D. H. society, Jacob Rasmussen, on behalf of Waupaca and the Danes’ Home, in a neat little speech (not translated by our reporter) welcomed the brothers, their wives, and sweethearts, one and all.

            The company broke ranks and breakfast commenced at 10 a.m. and lasted until 12:30 p.m.  Everybody had all they wanted to eat of everything good and luxurious as the Waupaca Danish ladies know how to prepare.  All entertainment music and dancing was free.  Waupaca Danish society paying all expenses of their visiting brethren.  Beer was sold to those who wanted to drink and the sales came to enough to let the society out and a little to spare which will be applied to a payment on their building.  Although a large amount of beer was sold it was a noticeable fact that among the Dane’s there was no quarreling or boisterous demonstrations.  What the people might have heard in the evening or when the party broke up, came from a lawless element outside.

THE EXERCISES

            In the afternoon.  Music, singing and speeches form R. Oleson, of Farmington, father of Ole Oleson, of Madison.  Rev. Scholm, pastor of Danish Lutheran Church, Knute Jensen, of Racine, formerly of Waupaca, and N. Nelson, of Neenah one of the G. L. officers.

            Mr. Oleson, the first speaker was a member of the Danish Legislature for a num-ber of years.  Helped frame the law making a constitutional government, that made it possible for his people to celebrate the anniversary of its ratification.

            A dancing pavilion 32 x 42 feet was kept warm all the afternoon and evening, also a swing kept moving round and round to the tune of the drum.  Those that enjoyed rowing on the crystal waters of Mirror and Shadow Lakes had plenty of boats at their pleasure.

            Gregory Bros. pitched their variety circus tent not far from the grounds and also drew a portion of the crowd part of the time.

            Take it all in, all it was a grand gala day, well enjoyed by the celebrators, and having to return on the midnight train caused them reluctantly to say the “good byes” to their Waupaca brothers who had given them such a royal entertainment.