PRESIDENT'S PRIZE BANNERS.
Through the generosity of our president, the state has five banners which are awarded each year to the counties showing the greatest increase in membership. The state is divided into four tiers—northern, southern, eastern, and western—and a banner goes to the county in each division which has rolled up the greatest increase. The fifth banner is for the Y's, and is awarded to the county which has gained most in Y. membership, regardless of location.
The Loyal Temperance Legion also has a beautiful banner, which was first presented in 1891 to Suffolk county for having gained most in the number of Loyal Temperance Legions during the year.
These banners are each held for one year, being then brought to the annual meeting and "passed along" or held over again, as the case may be.
EXHIBITS.
In 1885 our state was represented at the World's Exposition at New Orleans by a beautiful banner, and that we were worthily represented is shown by the fact that to this banner was awarded the first honorable mention.
The exhibit sent by our state to the Columbian Exposition, and which was placed in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union exhibit, was a beautiful banner, five feet wide by seven feet in length, of dark blue silk, telling in large gilt letters the name of our organization, with legend of our membership, W. and Y., and honorary members; also the number of members of the Loyal Temperance Legion, the location of headquarters, and name of state paper. It also gave the laws which have been secured through the state's instrumentality. A sketch of the state work was also prepared for the historical work published by the Chicago World Book Company, and for the encyclopaedia published by the Board of Lady Managers of the World's Columbian Commission.
SUMMER MEETINGS.
In 1883 our state for the first time held summer meetings—one at Thousand Island Park and one at Round Lake, both being well attended.