Produced by K Nordquist, David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) PIONEER DAY EXERCISES. Ladies' Library Association. SCHOOLCRAFT, MICH. April 26, 1898. L. L. A. PIONEER DAY. At the meeting of the Ladies' Library Association on April 26, the following program was carried out, the papers having been prepared for the occasion by some of the survivors of the early settlers of Schoolcraft and Prairie Ronde: PROGRAM: Thanksgiving Hymn L. L. A. Quartette. Paper, "The Beginning of Schoolcraft" E. Lakin Brown. Paper, "Personal Recollections of the Early Public Schools of Schoolcraft" Mrs. P. S. Thomas. Song, "The Young Pioneer" L. L. A. Quartette. Paper, "The Transplanting of a Boy" J. H. Bates. Paper, "Reminiscences of the Life of a Young Pioneer" H. P. Smith. Paper, "Early Days in Prairie Ronde" O. H. Fellows. Song, "Michigan, My Michigan" L. L. A. Quartette. THANKSGIVING HYMN. WRITTEN BY E. LAKIN BROWN, And sung at a Thanksgiving dinner given by James Smith, at his home in Schoolcraft, November, 1835. Again the joyful seasons Have run their destined course, And borne ten thousand reasons Of more than reason's force. Why, man, the chief receiver Of all their countless joys Should raise unto the giver A glad and thankful voice. Yea, every land and nation That owns the gladdening sun Should render adoration To Him, the Holy One: To Him, to sing whose praises Angelic choirs unite; To Him whose goodness raises From darkness into light. But chiefly with thanksgiving And songs of honor new, As most of all receiving, Should we the homage due Repay to Him whose bounty With overflowing hand, Has sent us smiling plenty Far from our fatherland. And when with rich profusion We crown the festal board, And mirth and gay confusion With cheerful health accord, Be mindful of His mercies Who rules the rolling year, Who every doubt disperses And dries the falling tear. THE BEGINNING of SCHOOLCRAFT Written and read by E. Lakin Brown. _Ladies of the Association_: At the urgent request of your committee, but with much fear of failure of any good result, I have consented to write a brief article upon the early history of Schoolcraft, and the character and peculiarities of its first settlers; and by Schoolcraft, I mean not merely the village, but the township; or rather, Prairie Ronde and Gourdneck prairies. And first, of who constituted the Vermont colony, who first came to Schoolcraft, and how they happened to come here; and I fear this will necessarily be too brief and sketchy to be interesting, and too long for the occasion.