BY FREDERICK D. MEEHAN — March 3, 1952

The next four items in the Country club story will be reproduced in their original form, as it is felt the reader will enjoy the articles exactly as they appeared in the Gazette

I—CLUBHOUSE REMODELED AND ENLARGED

“The opening of remodeled and enlarged Warner Meadow Golf club house, Wednesday evening (August 19, 1904) by an informal reception was a very pleasant affair. Many members of the club and guests from this city attended. The reception was in charge of the house committee, composed of Mrs. G. B. McCallum, Mrs. C. D. Hazen, Mrs. Persis Rockwood, Miss Caroline Hinman, H. P. Field and C. A. Clark.

“Refreshments were served and there was dancing from 9 o’clock.“ Among those present from out of town were: Miss Florence Toole of Holyoke, Mrs. Arthur Warner of New York, A.S. Hills and Miss Alma Hills of Haydenville.

II—Board of Governors

“The newly elected board of governors of the Warner Meadows club met for reorganization Tuesday, March 7, 1905. This year’s board consists of Messrs. W. M. King, R. L. Williston, C. A. Clark, H. L. Williams, W. A. Clark, and Misses Rosseter, Capen, Harrison, Curtis and Kissock.“

The board elected W. M. King president, W. A. Clark secretary-treasurer, and also elected the following committees to serve for ensuing another year:
Green Committee: H. R. Graves, E. H. Copeland, B.B. Hinkley, D. M. Rust, T. M. Connor, H. P. Eastwood, A. G. Minshall, and the Misses Chick, Harrison, and Cowling.
Membership Committee: C. A. Clark, Mrs. G. B. McCallum, Mrs. E.H. Bannister, Mrs. O. T. Edwards, Mrs. Gertrude A. Clark, Miss Caroline Hinman.
“It was voted that the president appoint a special committee to look up the subject of new members.

Long Life—and Prosperity

“The Golf club, which is in reality more of a Country club, has had a longer life and more prosperity than any other similar institution existing in Northampton. The first meeting for the organization was held in March 1898, and from that time on the Golf club has been active and prosperous. It has about 200 acres of land in fine condition for a golf course besides having tennis, roque, and croquet grounds. The clubhouse, which was entirely rebuilt and enlarged last year, is fitted up with all modern conveniences for cooking, dancing and other pleasures of a similar institution. The men’s department is very conveniently arranged with lockers, shower baths, etc.

Is Now as “Twas Then

“The club’s annual dues and fees are the very lowest of any similar club in the state, and while it has been commonly thought that the club is exclusive, the very opposite is the case, as the membership is made up of all classes. It is a surprising thing, however, that more people do not belong to this institution, as the location is one of the prettiest in the city, part of the Warner farm, just beyond Florence, where on the very hottest days in summer one can get a cool breeze on the wide verandas of the clubhouse.”

III—Golf Club to Incorporate and Buy Its Grounds

“The Golf club last night (April 23, 1908) held the most important meeting it has had since it was organized in 1898, and as a result the Northampton Country Club, Incorporated, will be formed, with a capital stock of $5000, to be issued in shares of $10 each. This corporation will buy about 45 acres of land for a golf course, and this will be rented at a reasonable rate to the Northampton Country club as a social organization and
a new Country club house will be erected on the land.

It Was a Bullish Market

“Already 123 shares of the stock have been subscribed for, and as soon as one-half of the total number of shares have been subscribed for, the special committee of the club which recommended the purchase of the land and the incorporation, will proceed to acquire the land, on which options are held, and a special committee on corporation will take out papers of incorporation.

Harmony Ruled

“This, in substance, is the action taken at the meeting. There was a discussion of the whole matter lasting over two hours, in which many of the best-known businessmen in the city, members of the club, took part. Not the least opposition to the purchase of the land and the incorporation of the club was raised and the various motions were put through with entire unanimity.
“The question of Sunday playing on the new links to be acquired was discussed incidentally in course of the talk on the major question, but the Sunday play problem was not the cause of the move to get new grounds and to incorporate as it was thought that would be by some of those interested in the club.

They Met in City Fathers’ Lair

“The meeting was called in the common council rooms at the city hall as 7:30 o’clock, to listen to the report and findings of the special committee on grounds and to take up the matter of club incorporation. There were 36 members present, all of the representative of solid and social interests in the city, such as Alexander McCallum, E. H. Bannister, W.A. Clark, R.L. Williston, George W. Cable and others.“ The club president, R. L. Williston, presided.

They Had Faith in Their Men

“A number of women members went to the hall, but did not remain for the meeting. The question of purchasing new grounds, to take the place of those now rented from Arthur S. Warner, had been pretty well talked over before the meeting, and many of those present were well determined to favor the action that was taken. In fact, 29 shares of the proposed stock had been taken before the meeting began.

Things Were Not So Smooth

“What brought the matter to a head is the continual disagreement that there has been with Arthur S. Warner of New York, who has principal control of the Warner farm, which is at present the club grounds. There has been for a long time none too good feelings existing between Mr. Warner and the club, it is said, and the cause for the grievance in the treatment they claim they have received from Mr. Warner. ”The present lease which the club holds on the land now used for a golf course expires on March 1, 1910. For nearly a year the club has been trying to reach an agreement with Mr. Warner for the renewal of the lease, but Mr. Warner has, the club claims, evaded any attempt to reach a definite business arrangement, saying that it would be time enough when the present lease expires. The club, however, wished to look into the future and see what they are going to do.

Rumblings of Modernity

“Recently a report was published that a second golf club might be forced which would acquire new grounds where could be Sunday play. After this report was published, the club received a letter from Mr. Warner. Then Mr. Warner informed the club, in a letter read, that he would renew the lease on the present grounds for from two to three years after the expiration of the present lease, provided the club would pay $50 more a year for
rental for the land, beginning immediately. The club now pays a rental of $250, which is $150 more than was paid when the land was first taken.

Making the Rough Ways Plain

“The club has improved the land it is using in various ways. One portion of it which was very hummocky has been leveled, from another portion the surface stones have been taken out and there has been fertilizer used for the ‘greens’, and various other work. The club has spent, it says, several thousand dollars in bettering the land it has leased. In view of all this, and the other grievances, too numerous to detail here, the sentiment was
entirely against submitting to Mr. Warner’s proposition for a very limited renewal of the lease, at an increased rental.
“The way was all paved for the purchase of new land and the incorporation of a club to hold the land. This matter was all covered in the discussion of the meeting, and not a member opposed favorable action on the report of the special committee, which has acquired and now holds options on the land which is recommended for purchase.”