Reporting the 1st Leisure Reunion 1917

To avoid some confusion about how many years the Leisure's have held our reunion, please note there were a few years skipped due to wars and such. This year will be our 90th assembly but the 1st was in 1917 as reported in the local newspaper: (Thanks to Phil Leisure for sending me the article.)

LEISURE REUNION

The Leisures met in their first annual reunion at Mounds park, Anderson, Sunday, Sept 16, [1917]. 

Map of 1st reunion location and surrounding localities.

A bountiful dinner was served at 12 o’clock, in which over 200 partook of the good things prepared. At 1:30 p.m they were called to order to elect officers for the ensuing year. B H. Leisure of Windfall was chosen chairman of the meeting; Albert Leisure of Rush county president; B. H. Leisure of Windfall, vice-president; Mrs. Lulu Armstrong of Elwood, secretary-treasurer. It was decided the meetings were to be annual and the next one would be held at the same place on the first Monday in September, 1918. A collection was taken to cover expenses for the coming year at the close of a short business session. Mrs. Gertrude Leisure-Smith gave a recitation that she had composed for the occasion and upon being asked to recite again she gave “A Young Boy’s Troubles.” Miss Mable Hinds of Warren gave an excellent rendition of “The Ben Hur Race.” Short talks were given by Albert Leisure and J. A. Peterson, after which the audience sang “America,” then had the losing song, “God Be With You Until We Meet Again” and the benediction by Rev. Lee Hinds

Mrs. Smith’s verses are as follows:

A Call went ringing far and wide,
From the South unto the North;
A call for every Leisure
On this day to come forth
And bring with them their families
And all their kith and kin,
To join in this reunion --
Good fellowship to find.

There are Leisures tall and slender,
And Leisures short and fat;
Leisures dark and Leisures fair,
But Leisures for ‘a’that.’
There are Leisures with fat pocketbooks;
Some whose pocketbooks are small;
Some have come with moderate means
And some with none at all.

But all are meeting here today
In honor of the name
That all seem very proud of,
And none should bring to shame.
This name for many, many years
Has been known throughout the land.
And everywhere has known respect
And honor does command.

Let’s life a banner with our name
And raise it to the sky;
Let our example be the one
That sits the throne on high.
We see the lowly Nazarene
With pierced hands and feet,
Drawing us on to our loved ones
In a reunion dear and sweet.

Le’st place our shoulder to the wheel
And let honor hold full sway,
That our dear old name may be glorified
On the last reunion day.