CASS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MARCH, 1955--No. 2
Jear Members:

Meeting time is here again-—March 15, 8 pe me Court House, Cassopoliss
Dre Paul Herbert, who heads the Forestry department at Michigan State College
is coming to speak to our group concerning Russ Foreste

Also on the program will be Mrse Max S. Osborn who will review a histor-
jical booke Glenn Dunning of Cassopolis will read a couple of old newspaper stor—
ies from his extensive collection of clippings from The Cassopolis Vigilant and
the old Cassopolis Democrat, many of them many years olde

We had an overflow mecting in February, and a most onjoyable meeting it
was, planned by Presidont Gcorge Fox and our program committee which is doing a
fino jobs They will approciate your suggestionse We had oa wonderful tinc with
our antique show--cverybody brought somcthinge Wo can't begin to tell you what
they includede However if a prize had been offered to the merbor who could idon-
tify the most articles--it surely would have gone to Charles Springstcen of Wayne
whg young as he is, know what practically cvery article was and its usce Mre
Fox has promised that we can have onother "show" again this yeare

Dre J. We. Ritter, who is recovering from an illness, has some antique den-
tal tools including the turnkey Mr. Fox asked for, but was unable to come. How-
ever ho will bring them when the weather is warmer. Perhaps he would like a sub-
ject on which to demonstrate. Any volunteers? Dre Ritter is our collaborator in
collecting stories of his colorful great-grandfathcr, William Renesten, and who
died when he was a youngstore Any helpwill be appreciated as this yoar is the
year we want to complete it--the 125th anniversary of Ronesteon's coring to La=
Grange township and establishing his carding mill and responsible for starting
a little settlement which became Downgiace And this will lead us right up to
Holrics Spalding, who took over the grist mill.

As you may have heard, if you were not present at the last nmoctings Atty.
Allen Reynolds, one cf our mombecrs, who was president of the Newton Woods assoc=
iction 20 years agoy spoke conccrning the cutting down of many large trees as a
part-of thcir "controlled forestry" progran. At the conclusion of his talk men-
bers voted unanimously to have Mr. Fox appoint a committee to prepare a rosolut~
ion to be presented at the March mocting, which ho dide Mre Roynolds said dure
ing his talk that he was sure that if college officials understood or know of
cormunity sentinent Russ Forest would be saved from further destructione He was
right. As soon as a copy of The Dowagiac Daily News roached college officials
and they wore made aware of cormmmity fcecling in the matter, favorable action
resulted within e few dayse Rep. John W. Fletcher also became interested and he
t00 contacted Dre Herbert and Dre Hannah. Ho notified Edward McVeigh, Daily News
editor by telephone that the college would cooperate and that Dre Herbert or a
representative would attend our March mecting. Dr. Herbert has since advised Mr,
Fox that he will be at our nectinge

Our April meeting will be hold in the Civic Contor in Dowagiace A part of
our program will be devoted to singing old time songs and Mr. Fox requests that
you bring your "requests® or the songs themselves to the March mootinge

Renerber that $3 will pay your ducs for joint monmbership with the Michi-
gon Historic] society and of course Onss County too. You will reccive the

quarterly magazine from the strate socictye

BERENICE VANDERBURG, Sccrcetarve