DSDI convenes in Philadelphia
The DSDI Board of Governors met in the Wyndham Hotel in Philadelphia on July 3. Twelve members were in attendance. The meeting was led by the DSDI President-General Hope Middleton Wood. The board discussed various topics concerning the running of the Society, future meetings, and the acceptance of new members of the Society. There were fifteen new Senior Members admitted to the Society of which four were Junior upgrades and three became life members. Eight Junior memberships were also approved of which three were admitted as life Junior members. Unfortunately, the board had to place five Senior members and four junior members on inactive status due to the fact that we have lost touch with them or they did not respond to Senior upgrade.
After adjournment of the meeting, members of the board met in a cocktail reception in the hotel dining area and made plans to enjoy dinner at various dining establishments located nearby in Philadelphia.
Early on the morning of the Fourth of July, the children who are Descendants of Philip Livingston, Abraham Clark, Arthur Middleton, and William Hooper met in the lobby of the hotel, where Donald C. Ward Sr., Gene Mayhew and Stacy Mayhew Clements escorted them over to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion to rehearse for the ceremonial tapping of the Liberty Bell. The Bell Tappers then returned to the hotel for a brunch with their families and other members of the DSDI. At this time, the Bell Tappers were introduced to all of those in attendance and were presented with the exclusive bell tapper’s Liberty Bell lapel pin. At 2 pm these 11 descendants were also joined by two other children who became Naturalized Citizens of the United States to tap the Liberty Bell in unison with the ringing of the bell in Independence Hall. They tapped the bell 13 times in commemoration of the 13 original states of The United States of America.
Later in the afternoon, the Annual Congress of the DSDI was held in the Long Room on the second floor of Independence Hall. After the reading of the Prayer of the Society and the Pledge of Allegiance, President-General Hope Wood conducted the meeting. Carrington Croft read the names of the 56 Scholarship recipients. Jim Alexander read the names of the newest members. Hope Wood read off the names of the new officers of the board and called for a vote of the general Society to approve the new officers. Hope’s last official act of this meeting was to pass on the badge of President-General to R. Bruce W. Laubach. Former President-General Laurie Croft gave an impassioned reading of the Declaration of Independence. Two Descendants of William Hooper, Cabell Carrington Pasco and Edward Alexander Pasco did a wonderful job of taking the roll call of the Society. Thanks to Laurie and family, William Hooper had the most descendants at the meeting.
After the meeting, we returned to the Wyndham Hotel for an excellent meal and conversation. Thomas Jefferson entered the room and humbly gave a speech about himself and some of his contemporaries, after which he opened the floor to a question and answer session. Steve Edenbo did not want to be introduced as the person playing Thomas Jefferson, he felt it better to walk in and be in character.
Bruce W. Laubach, President-General Elect