Getting ready for “Home Comers Day”
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from Ellen Ruckle, a longtime friend with whom I share the hometown of Friendship, NY. Knowing that I have been doing a regular weekly column, writing with the Wellsville Sun, she wondered if I could do a piece advertising an annual event in Friendship, which will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of its late July annual get-together of current and former residents. This will be the 101st celebratory year since the beginning of this event but the Covid issues in 2020 interrupted and delayed the continuous string by a year. I was honored and thrilled to have a chance to share with you a little of the history of this locally popular annual event. What follows is a brief synopsis of the early years of the evolution of the now century old Friendship gathering.
The Current formal name of this organization is Home Comers Day, and it is celebrated each year during the last weekend of July. Ellen invited me to share some of the history of the group’s development and provided me with a detailed summary of the start, growth, changes, and current status of the Home Comers.I will write from her notes but consolidate and organize it to best share the history. Any mistakes or erroneous information included herein is likely due to my misunderstanding of that which is recorded. Some “paragraphically” listed data may be presented as bulleted items where appropriate for ease of reading.
The chronicled history goes back to the year 1923 when ten or eleven men, all in their 70’s and 80’s having been childhood friends, got together on July 27th at what was then the new Friendship Hotel. The next July, apparently having enjoyed that first group gathering, and wishing to meet a little more formally, on the last Friday in July eighteen men got together. This is chronicled as the “official beginning,” of what would the next year become officially known as the “Old Timers” when fifty-one men, the former “boys” of Friendship, met and formed the permanent organization.
Taking the next step of their formality, in 1926 on the last Saturday of July, sixty five men met and continued with the organization of The Old Timers by electing a President, Secretary and Treasurer and by designating the last Saturday in July of each successive year to be the official meeting day. By 1928 the group had increased in size to 127 members who attended what was to become an annual Old Timers Banquet. At this time a group of “the girls,” 31 members strong, got together at the Friendship Sweet Shop to form a companion organization of “Native , and Adopted, Daughters of Friendship.”
The next July 1929, the group became known as the Old Timers and Daughters. 165 of the men known as Old Timers met in the gym at the Friendship High School while the 156 ladies, now known as the Daughter’s of Friendship, gathered for their first official meeting at the Odd Fellows Hall in Friendship.
On the last Friday in July 1930, the 7th meeting of the Old Timers was attended by 175 men at the Friendship High School. The 2nd meeting of the Daughters, welcomed 211 members to their banquet at The Friendship Inn.
Some historical reference was also made of both the Friendship Inn and the Friendship Hotel, but it is unclear as to whether it was one establishment given two identifications or two actual buildings. As an “editors note”, more recently, at least in the time span that most reading this would have experienced, there were two hotels in Friendship until a couple of decades, or so, ago. The Friendship Hotel was on Main Street at its intersection with West Water Street and the second, The New Home Hotel was up a block at the intersection of Depot Street and Maple Avenue. Both establishments provided housing and an occasional libation.
From 1930 and for an undetermined number of years, each organization held their own respective banquet, before eventually coming together for a joint banquet, yet maintaining their separate identities. The 1965 Sesquicentennial celebration attracted 344 members to their annual banquet. The separate identities remained active as The Old Timers and Daughters of Friendship through the 70’s.
What follows is taken from the minutes of the 58th Annual Old Timers and Daughters of Friendship meeting, held on July 25th, 1981. The meeting began with the usual welcome to the “Friendshipites” with the 1st annual Nile Home Coming Parade in the afternoon. Later in the afternoon, Vice Presidents Carl and Judy Schneider welcomed those who gathered at the Community Center in Island Park. Approximately 200 attended the banquet at the Friendship Central School Cafeteria with the meal prepared by the members of the Friendship United Methodist Church.
At the meeting that followed, President Gerald Jones relayed that he had been approached by several who felt that the term “Old Timers,” was a negative indication of age and that in turn discouraged participation, especially from the younger residents. He suggested that since all people are welcome to the gathering, young and old alike, and they don’t have to be school alumni, the organization’s name be changed to “HOMECOMERS.” The name change was recommended to keep the organization strong and healthy.
After further discussion a motion was made to change the name of the organization and celebration to “HOME COMERS DAY.” The vote was carried with nearly unanimous acceptance of the name change, with only 5 in opposition.
In addition to the name change, several recognition classes were added to the list of what was once only the honored Ten-Year designations. Special recognition was given to those with other milestone years. Those at the 25 year level were honored as Silver and the 50 year celebrants were honored as Golden Jubilee. Other significant yearly milestones were as follow: The first news letter was sent out in 1983. At that time dues of two dollars per family were assessed to help cover expenses. In 1991 a scholarship of $100 was established. At this writing additional specific details were not available. Additional information may be added in later Wramblings as the annual event date draws near.
