The Norwegian Singing Society of Chicago was organized Oct. 30th 1870, with sixteen charter members. Since then the society has flourished..., last night seventy active and upwards of three hundred contributing members sat down to an elegant and bounteous anniversary banquet in Baer's Hall, Milwaukee and Chicago avenues. Before the banquet several stirring songs were sung and Dr. A. Doe spoke in Scandinavian giving a brief history of the society, which is the oldest, the wealthiest, and largest of its kind in the United States. The members (were accompanied by their families. During the evening an address in the English language was delivered by Olaf Ray, who spoke of the educational requirements of his mother country and said that all Scandinavians who have come to America are emphatically in favor of compulsory education. He believed that the great majority of his fellow-countrymen are good citizens and are unswerving in their allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. They have no respect for mitre an crown, and are willing at any time to respond to the call of their adopted country to assist in defending the liberty which has made America the proudest of Nations.

A number of the original charter members were present among them being Dr. Bernard Olsen, the first president of the Society.