In April, 1884, a conference under state auspices was held in the Broadway Tabernacle, New York City. At this meeting Hannah Whithall Smith gave a Bible reading in the afternoon, and Frances E. Willard an address in the evening, to large audiences. In July of this same year a grove meeting was held at Round Lake, and in August the state, with Wyoming county, occupied a day at Silver Lake.
On August 9 and 10 in 1887 a meeting was held at Sacandaga Park, in Fulton county.
In May, 1889, the state held a conference of two days in the lecture hall of the Young Men's Christian Association building, New York City, and a school of methods held at Griffin Institute, Round Lake, August 7 to 9, was a success in every way. In July a two-days' conference was held at Prohibition Park, Staten Island.
In July of 1890 a three-days' meeting was held at Round Lake, and in the summer of 1891 a meeting was again held at Prohibition Park—these meetings all being under state auspices.
In the fall of 1888 the state had the honor of entertaining the national convention, although most of the responsibility, financial and otherwise, rested upon New York City and the neighboring counties. Right royally was this convention entertained. The Metropolitan Opera House was secured for the meetings at a cost of $2,500 for the five days. Nearly $900 was paid to the caterer, and $200 more for the privilege of serving lunch, beside incidental expenses. Mrs. Burt and her corps of assistants did heroic work in the planning and carrying forward to a successful finish the arrangements for the entertainment of this great gathering.
This chapter would hardly be complete if we failed to mention the beautiful welcome which our state extended to our national president, Frances E. Willard, on her return from England after an absence of nearly two years. This meeting was held in Calvary Baptist Church, on West Fifty-seventh street, New York City, and when we say that the arrangements were all in the hands of Mrs. Mary T. Burt and Mrs. Frances J. Barnes, that is sufficient guarantee that they were perfect. Mrs. Burt presided over the meeting. Mrs. Boole and Mrs. Tenney of the state officers were present, beside many from other states. The "Greeting" was beautifully illuminated and engrossed upon parchment, and framed in white and gold. In the upper left-hand corner, delicately done in water colors, was the graceful figure of a woman twining the white ribbon around the world. Greetings came from all directions—by word, by letter, and by telegram—and everything conspired to make this one of the most delightful gatherings ever held under state auspices.
In 1893 the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York received a legacy of $2,000 from Mrs. Helen S. Houghtaling, of New York City, who, although not a member of our organization, became interested in our work through her niece, Miss Evelena Brandow, president of Greene County Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and through reading our state paper, she being a regular subscriber to the same.