Mother’s Day lecture and sweets at the Ketcham Inn

An intimate gathering of serious history lovers was entertained and treated to an array of flavorful treats made from period recipes on Saturday, May 9, at the Ketcham Inn on Main Street in Center Moriches.

Ushered to their places inside the inn’s dining room, and under the watchful gaze of Anna Floyd’s portrait, guests were met with a welcoming group of the inn’s volunteers and a lovely presentation of tables set with vintage linens, cut glass serving pieces, flowers and antique oil lamps. Afternoon sunlight set glassware twinkling on a table laden with sweets and libations.

Clearly, great care had been taken to set the scene as docent Loren Christie, clad in her ‘40s best, brought to life the story of Anna Jarvis and her quest to honor mothers.

Among her early experiences during the Civil War, as Gen. McClellan encamped his Union soldiers in and around the Jarvis home in West Virginia in 1861, young Anna watched as her mother worked to extend kindness and aid to both sides of the conflict, offering food and medicine to those in need.

Then, as the country tried to recover at war’s end, Ann Reeves Jarvis continued her efforts to promote peace and friendship, healing the wounds of war. She became the model on which her daughter, Anna, fashioned a day to honor mothers, a celebration of their work to unite, support and befriend others, to be exemplars of peace and kindness. The white carnation, her favorite flower, served as a symbol of her work and was often presented to mothers in early observances of their day.

As told by docent Christie, the story of a mother’s example, and her daughter’s devotion, was a fitting prelude to Mother’s Day this year, a reminder of the spirit of the occasion which has often moved far from its origins. As defined by its founder, the purest expression of appreciation for a mother’s devotion wasn’t to be found in commercial products like cards, flowers, jewelry or extravagant restaurant outings. The best gift, a handwritten letter, was the only gift fitting for mothers on their day.