and when the village became a city, the building became the City Hall. While in possession of the municipality it was threatened with many changes and mutilations, which led to a movement, extending over many years, for its preservation as a public monument. This movement culminated in Mrs. Cochran's gift of $50,000 for its purchase. As the property is valued at $100,000, the city of Yonkers may be said to have contributed $50,000 toward the consummation of this patriotic object. In addition to the $50,000 purchase money which was paid directly to the city of Yonkers, Mrs. Cochran and her son, Mr. Alexander Smith Cochran, have given to this Society $17,264.75 for the renovation of the Manor Hall and $865.04 for the publication of the Manor Hall book. In addition to the historical and architectural interest of the building, it contains a collection of colonial furniture and of oil paintings by Benjamin West, Gilbert Stuart, Copley, Peale and other distinguished artists, loaned by Mr. Cochran. The paintings alone are valued at $100,000. Upon the northwestern corner of the surrounding grounds we have erected a detached building of brick for janitor's quarters and the heating apparatus, the steam from which is conducted to the Manor Hall through underground pipes. Both buildings are lighted with electricity and every reasonable precaution for safety against burglars and fire has been taken. On the east side of the Manor Hall stands the Soldiers' Monument. The Committee in charge of the Manor Hall consists of Judge Stephen H. Thayer, Chairman; Miss Mary Marshall Butler, Mr. Alexander Smith Cochran, Miss Helen R. Croes, Mr. Hampton D. Ewing, Mrs. Samuel B. Hawley, Mrs. Alexander Henderson, Mr. William L. Kingman, and Dr. Nathan A. Warren (exMayor), all of Yonkers. The Manor Hall is open from 9 a. m. to 12 m. and from 2 to 5 p. m. on week days; and from 2 to 6 p. m. on Sundays. Admission is free. Maintenance During the year ended December 31, 1916, $4,744.33 of State money was expended in the maintenance of the Manor Hall and grounds. Most of this expense was for the services of the superintendent, who is in attendance during the daytime of every weekday and part of the time on Sundays; the janitor, who lives in the little brick cottage in the northwest corner of the grounds, and who, in addition to his usual duties as janitor, has charge of the steam-heating apparatus in that building which heats the Manor Hall and takes care of the grounds; and the watchman who guards the Manor Hall at night. The other principal expenses have been due to lighting and heating the buildings, planting and care of the grounds and some slight repairs to the buildings. The flower beds were planted and cared for as usual, thus maintaining the park-like aspect of the grounds the same as before the property came into the possession of the State. As the Manor Hall is situated in the heart of the business portion of the city, the continuance of this ornamental planting is highly desirable. Washington's Birthday Celebration The Manor Hall is the patriotic civic center of the town, as distinguished from the political civic center at the City Hall. Around this building the old historical traditions of Yonkers cluster, and here the men, women and children of the city gather for their patriotic celebrations. On Washington's Birthday, in 1916, the Keskeskick Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, as on many previous occasions, had a brilliant commemoration of the national holiday. The object of this program was to arouse patriotic interest in the past and present of our country. The Manor House, in its excellent state of preservation, made a fitting background for the old Dutch and Colonial figures who moved over its thresholds. Simulating the scene as it might have been during Washington's time, a guard in blue and buff and a household attendant in colonial livery were stationed at each entrance. The program was presented in the large assembly room and consisted of groups of living pictures representing different periods of the history of the country. Many of the groups were posed after old paintings and prints; and the costumes, including a number of valuable heirlooms, were very carefully selected. The gentleman who impersonated John Quincy Adams appeared in the court cos tume which Mr. Adams wore when he was ambassador at the Court of St. James; and an Empire gown of Abigail Adams was worn by one of the ladies. One group of pictures represented prominent women of the Revolutionary Period. The types were se lected with care and this section of the program was a feature in itself. A very clever impersonation of Abraham Lincoln added interest to the Civil War group. The climax of the program was the Peace group in which the figure of Peace attended by a soldier and sailor represented "Preparedness." Following the foregoing program, a ball was given. All the guests, over three hundred in number, were costumed. At intervals during the dancing, the center of the ball room was the scene of historical dances an old Dutch dance, the Minuet, the French Gavotte, the Lanciers in costume of the sixties, and a pickaninny dance. A very striking picture met the eye as the guests stood aside and arranged themselves unconsciously in picturesque masses against the Colonial architecture, when a band of Indians straggled into the opening, pitched camp and performed a pantomime, being interrupted by the appearance of Henry Hudson and his seamen who were received with proper Indian ceremony. The Indians were costumed as nearly as possible with historical accuracy, after the Indians of the Wappinger Confederacy who lived on the eastern side of the Hudson Valley. Mrs. George Arthur Smith, to whom much of the success of the evening was due, writing to us of the Manor Hall, says: "Although there has never been a time when our D. A. R. have been called upon to do more to alleviate human suffering than in the present needs of the world, it is also necessary for us as D. A. R. to keep alive interest and enthusiasm for all that has gone before to make our great nation. Manor Hall has become dearer to us as a chapter both because of the effort we have put forth to arrange this entertainment, and also because of the interest it has aroused in the community." Memorial Day Celebration The fiftieth anniversary year of the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic* was especially observed in the exercises * The G. A. R. was organized in 1866. See our last Annual Report, pages 341-348. held under the auspices of Kitching Post No. 60 on Memorial Day, May 30, 1916. The exercises began at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on the Manor Hall grounds at 9:15 A. M. The children of the public and parochial schools of Yonkers and the New York Orphan Asylum, in charge of their teachers, assembled at the monument at 9:00 o'clock and the usual Memorial Day procession also halted at the monument, and participated in the exercises. Mr. Charles E. Gorton, Superintendent of Public Schools, was in charge of the exercises. He was assisted by Mr. George R. Brown, Mr. R. R. Reeder, and Comrades John C. Shotts, H. C. Weeks, Augustus Kipp, E. J. Mitchell, George Chamberlain and George R. Hendrickson. Mr. George Oscar Bowen conducted the musical exercises with the children. The program was as follows: Assembly Call William J. Styles Salute to the Flag When the flag was brought forward, all the organizations stood at attention, and at command of the Chairman, the military presented arms and the children repeated together slowly and distinctly the following pledge: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands; One nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The children then sang the Star Spangled Banner. Invocation..... General Logan's First Memorial Day Order. Song, "America" Address, "Lincoln's Speech at Gettysburg Song, "Cover Them Over With Beautiful Flowers". Salute: Three Volleys. Taps.... . Rev. Charles F. Mayhew E. J. Mitchell, Secretary . By the Children .Herbert Webster Forster By the Children William J. Styles .By Company G, Tenth Regiment, N. G. N. Y. William J. Styles In the evening an elaborate program was carried out in the Philipsburgh building. Mr. John C. Shotts was Chairman of the Memorial Committee and Mr. Charles E. Gorton was presiding officer. The music was arranged by Mr. George Oscar Brown. The program was as follows: National Airs (Tobani), by the Steadman Family Orchestra. Salute to the Flag. National Anthem, Star Spangled Banner, by chorus and audience. Introductory Remarks by John C. Shotts, presenting Charles E. Gorton as presiding officer. Invocation, by the Rev. William P. Stevenson. Gen. Logan's Order No. 11, designating May 30 as Memorial Day, by E. J. Mitchell. Recitation, "The Man of Sorrows," arranged from Winston Churchill's "Crisis," by Dorothy Mitchell. Chorus, "Memorial Day" (Donald), by eighth grade school children. Music, Anvil Chorus from Verdi's "Il Trovatore," by orchestra. Recitation, "The Blue and Gray" (Frances Miles Finch), by George Arthur Smith. Chorus, "The Soldiers' Farewell" (Kinkel), by eighth grade school children. Illustrated Address, "Gettysburg and Its Great Battlefield," by Rev. Clarence S. McClellan, J5. Song, "America," by audience. Bugle Call, "Lights Out," by William J. Styles. Other Patriotic Exercises and Work On Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, 1916, the Daughters of the American Revolution gave a reception to the members of the Grand Army of the Republic in the Manor Hall. On April 10, 1916, Major Azel Ames gave a lecture on "Preparedness." Throughout the year a great deal of Red Cross work was done in the room assigned to the D. A. R. for that purpose. Cochran Art Collection Since 1915, when we last printed a list of the paintings in the Cochran art collection, there have been several notable additions, and we give herewith a revised list which, besides embodying the recent accessions, contains certain additional data and corrections. This collection of portraits of famous Americans by famous artists is one of the most valuable in the United States, outside of the great art museums. Of its kind, it is almost, if not quite, unique. It has been collected by Mr. Alexander Smith Cochran and occupies the four principal rooms of the southern part of the Manor Hall, two rooms down-stairs and two rooms up-stairs. This collection, which has been a work of years to assemble, represents some important periods of American history, both political and in the art of portrait painting, and brings the Colonial days very close to the present in these appropriate surroundings. The portraits, which were found in America and Europe, were in |