Wilfred Washington Fry
Wilfred W. Fry
WILFRED WASHINGTON FRY was born on August 14, 1875 in Mt. Vision NY to the Reverend Walter and Eleanor A. (Kemp) Fry. He received his prep education at the Mt. Hermon Boys School in Mt. Hermon MA, and received an LL.D. degree from Colgate University.
In 1896 Wilfred W. Fry began working for the YMCA at the Bedford Branch in Brooklyn NY as the Assistant Secretary. In 1898 he was appointed General Secretary of the YMCA in New Brunswick, where he remained until 1901, when he was transferred to Trenton, where he remained through 1907. During this period he married Anna Gilman Ayer, daughter of advertising executive F. Wayland Ayer. In 1907 Wilfred W. Fry was sent to run the Pittsburgh PA branch of the YMCA.
In 1909 Wilfred Washington Fry left the YMCA and came to Camden NJ, where on April 16 of that year he began work at his father-in-law’s advertising firm, N.W. Ayer and Son, whose offices were at 308 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. He was made a partner in the business in 1911, managing partner in 1916, and headed the firm after the death of F. Wayland Ayer. He also was chairman of the board of the Meridale Dairies Inc. and Meridale Farms, a Jersey cow breeding operation. He also was vice-president of the Camden Horse Railway Co. and the Camden and Suburban Railway Co., a director of the First National Bank in Philadelphia. As of 1920 he also was serving as President of the Religious Press Association in Philadelphia, the YMCA in Camden, a member of the General Board of the National Council of the YMCA and chairman of the foreign division of the national councils of the United States and Canada YMCAs. He also was a trustee of Colgate University, the Rochester Theological Seminary, and the Northfield School.
The Fry family lived at 406 Penn Street in Camden, which had been F. Wayland Ayer’s home. They had two daughters, Deana Ayer Fry and Eleanor Kemp Fry, and a son Wayland Ayer Fry. Wilfred Washington Fry was a member of the Downtown, Art, and Manufacturer’s clubs in Philadelphia, the Union League Club in New York, and the Camden club in Camden. Politically he was a Republican.
Wilfred Washington Fry passed away on July 27, 1936 in Philadelphia PA. In October of that year, a memorial service was held for him at North Baptist Church in Camden, where he had been an active member.
Board of Education Appointments
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Mayor Ellis yesterday named three members of the Board of Education. Howard B. Hemphill, of the Fourth ward; Wilfred W. Fry, Second ward, and George M. Bryson, of the Tenth ward. Hemphill recently was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the late Dr. G. P. Tuttle. The other two succeed Kirby Garwood and Edwin Carson.
North Baptist Church to Have Children's Day
Camden Courier —
NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH TO HAVE CHILDREN’S DAY
Children’s Day will be observed in the period of study and worship beginning at 10 a. m. tomorrow in North Baptist church, Linden street below Fourth. Children of the Junior department will sing, the K. O. T. orchestra will play, and all departments of the Sunday school will take part in an elaborate program. Superintendent Wilfred W. Fry of the Sunday school will have charge assisted by his associates, Charles E. Glendenning and George A. Silver, Jr. Rev. James D. Morrison, the pastor, will preach on “The Lost Vision” in the evening service at 8 o’clock. The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at the close of the service. The Chorus Choir will be directed by Forrest Newmeyer. W. P. Buckwalter, Jr., will speak at the young people’s meeting at 8 p. m. “Paul’s Second Missionary Journey” will be Mr. Morrison’s theme at the midweek prayer meeting next Wednesday night.
Choral Group of Organ Club Has New Name
Camden Courier-Post —
Singers Form ‘Musical Art Society’ According to Plans Made at Founding
The Choral Association of the Camden Chapter, National Association of Organists, has become a separate organization. From now on it will be known as the Musical Art Society.
The group, at its start here, was sponsored by the Camden Chapter with an aim to establish it as a separate group as soon as a successful working basis was reached.
Patronage has been forthcoming which has assured the society of a place in the musical activities of the community. The plan is to develop a sound choral group, capable of producing serious choral works in artistic manner.
The society’s membership list is still open. Voices, both male and female, are needed. Singers with ability at reading are especially urged to make themselves known. Applications, under the new society’s plan, should be sent to Edna M. Llewellyn, Fourth Avenue and Kings Highway, Haddon Heights.
Rehearsal will continue at the First Baptist Church here on the first, second and third Mondays of every month.
Present patrons are Wilfred W. Fry, Mrs. Fry, Charles K. Haddon, Mrs. Walter J. Staats, Hon. E.G.C. Bleakly, Mrs. Elwood A. Harrar, Mrs. F. Morse Archer, A. Wilbur Nash, Dr. Edward M. Sullivan, J. Walter Levering, Dr. Joseph E. Roberts, William G. Moore, Mrs. Mary L. Neer, Mrs. J. Harry Knerr, Mrs. Ada M. Eckenhoff, Mrs. Charles A. Reynolds, and Joseph D. Brisby.
The former choral association will retain its officers under the new title of the Musical Art Society, with the exception of the post of secretary. Miss Llewellyn will replace Walter M. Smith temporarily.
The officers are: Henry S. Fry, director; Miss Llewellyn, treasurer; Ada M. Eckenhoff, librarian; Robert M. Haley, president; Marion V. Taylor, Evelyn Lawrence, Stanley Nelson, Harry W. Schwartz, Marjorie Riggins Seybold, F. Marie Wesbroom-Dager and Howard S. Tussey, executive board.
The society will present at least two public concerts in the spring, one in April at the North Baptist Church and the spring concert, which has been tentatively scheduled for May and will probably take place in the First Baptist Church.
W.W. Fry to Receive Diploma From School He Left in 1896 To Care for Widowed Mother
Camden Courier-Post —
Son Also Will Get Sheepskin at the Same Exercises
BECAME HEAD OF BIG AD FIRM
Thirty-eight years ago, Wilfred W. Fry left Mount Hermon School, East Northfield, Mass., to care for his widowed mother.
On Monday, Fry, president of N. W. Ayer & Son, Philadelphia, and of the Camden Y. M. C. A., will receive his diploma at the school’s commencement exercises, the same time as his son, Wayland Fry.
It will be the first time in the school’s history that a non-graduate will have received his sheepskin. The distinguished former student of the school lives here at 406 Penn street. He is chairman of the International Y. M. C. A. Committee.
Dr. Henry F. Cutler, principal, will present the diploma to Mr. Fry, who went to Mount Hermon in 1892 from Livingstone, N. Y.
Mr. Fry entered the school to further his ambition to become a Y. M. C. A. secretary. His father, a minister at Livingstone, died in 1896, just a few weeks before Wilfred Frys’ graduation time. The boy decided to return home at once to care for his mother.
Mr. Fry later obtained a position in the Y. M. C. A. at Trenton, then at Pittsburgh, and finally at Camden. In 1924, he became president of N. W. Ayer & Son, an advertising firm. He has been head of the Camden Y. M. C. A. about eight years.
In 1926, Mr. Fry presented a new organ to Mount Hermon School. Last year he contributed $80,000 for the rebuilding of the chapel interior. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the Northfield Schools, of which Mount Hermon is the boys’ division, for many years.
Wilfred W. Fry, a nephew of Mr. Fry, is a junior at the Mount Hermon School and president of the athletic association there.
Musical Arts Society Will Dine at Oakview
Camden Courier-Post —
The Musical Arts Society will hold its annual dinner and election of officers at the Oakview Country Club, Woodbury, on Monday evening.
With Lewis A. Shearer as chairman, the committee in charge includes the following officers: Wilfred W. Fry, LL.D., president; Raymond B. Heston and George H. Ostermayer, vice presidents; Mildred E. Hudson, secretary; Mrs. Maude G. Benson, treasurer; Charles E. Sylvester, financial secretary of Organ Club; Ethel Thegler, financial secretary of Choral Club; Howard Tussey, chairman of executive committee; Howard C. Eagin, editor of “Cypher”; Ada M. Eckenhoff, librarian; Dr. Henry S. Fry, conductor, and the following members of the executive committee: Mrs. Marjorie Riggins Seybold, C. Alfred Rowand, Forrest H. Newmayer, H. A. Dudley, Mrs. Marion S. Nelson, Mrs. Gertrude D. Bowman, Mrs. Marion H. Owrld, Mrs. F. H. Halligan, Miss Mildred E. Huntsinger and J. H. Senior.
Students Return To Spend Summer Vacation Home
Camden Courier-Post —
The younger set is occupied with homecomings these days with the college men and women and the boarding school students returning to the fold. Mrs. William T. Haddon will return early this week to her home, 336 Hinchman Avenue, Haddonfield, with her daughter, Miss Aileen Elizabeth Haddon, who is a student at Bradford Junior College, Boston, Massachusetts. Mrs. Haddon made the trip by motor and was accompanied by her son, William K. Haddon, II, and Everett A. Tyler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett A. Tyler, also of Haddonfield.
Leon F. Rittenhouse of 1557 Bradley Avenue, is leaving today for California, where he will continue his study of medicine. Mr. Rittenhouse was a graduate from Washington Missionary College, in the national capital on Monday.
Two of the Wilfred W. Frys’ children were graduated at schools in New York and Massachusetts, this past weekend and today. Tonight Miss Eleanor Fry will be graduated from the Emma Willard School at Troy, New York. Last week Wilfred W. Fry, II, was graduated from Mt. Hermon School, Mt. Hermon, Massachusetts.
Henry J. Bowes Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Bowes of Merchantville, spent last week in Annapolis, Maryland, where he took entrance examinations for the United States Naval Academy. He was graduated last week from Valley Forge Military Academy, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Miss Helen Pratt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Pratt of 213 North Fourth Street, has returned from Bucknell University for the Summer.
Miss Betty McCausland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William McCausland of Salem, was graduated at the Birmingham School, Birmingham, Pennsylvania last week. Mrs. McCausland, with her daughter, Miss Frances McCausland attended the Commencement exercises as did Miss Elsie McCausland, who is a student at the school.
Miss Eleanor Holman of 108 North Fourth Street and Miss Betty Dickinson of 931 Cooper Street, have returned to their respective homes for the Summer. They are attending Syracuse University.
Miss Frances Snyder of 331 North Forty-first street, was graduated at Syracuse this month.
Salvation Army Names Lippincott
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Unit Makes Real Estate Broker Chairman of Advisory Board
Earl R. Lippincott, real estate broker, has been named chairman of the advisory board of the Camden unit of the Salvation Army, succeeding William D. Sayrs.
Elections of officers for the group were held yesterday following a luncheon meeting at Hotel Walt Whitman. Vice chairmen of the organization include John J. Robinson and Mrs. Arthur J. Casselman.
Other officers include Mrs. Charles A. Wolverton, treasurer, and Miss Elizabeth Magill, secretary.
Members of the executive committee selected the following committees: Woman’s committee, Mrs. Arthur H. Holl and Mrs. Wilfred W. Fry; finance committee, Dr. F. William Shafer, William D. Sayrs, Frank C. Propert, Mrs. Wolverton and Mrs. Holl; property committee, Howard Hemphill, John J. Robinson, Herman E. Hensgen, Arthur J. Casselman and George C. Baker; public relations and publicity, Rev. John Pemberton, Joseph G. Tweedy, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus, Dr. Albert B. Pancoast and Patrick H. Harding; program committee, Dr. James Rodger, Propert, Robinson, Tweedy and John L. Shannon.
Fry Will Leaves Estate to Widow
Camden Courier-Post —
Document to Be Admitted to Probate Tomorrow in Surrogate’s Office
Leaving his entire estate to his widow, the will of the late Wilfred W. Fry, president of N. W. Ayer & Son, Inc., will be admitted to probate tomorrow at the office of Surrogate Frank B. Hanna.
That was announced yesterday by D. Trueman Stackhouse, proctor of the estate. Stackhouse refused to comment further on the will, other than to say all the estate had been left to Mrs. Fry. He said he was not at liberty to discuss the will until it is probated. Stackhouse issued the following statement:
“The will of the late Wilfred W. Fry, which was made by him on Feb. 19, 1925, has been filed for probate with Frank B. Hanna, surrogate of the county of Camden. It is very simple in form, giving all of his property to his widow, Anna Ayer Fry, and appointing her and Adam Kessler, Jr., a long-time business associate, to administer his estate under the will.”
Mr. Fry, who was 61, died on July 27 in Jefferson Hospital. He was a member of many national organizations. Besides Mrs. Fry, he is survived by a son, Wayland Ayer Fry, and two daughters, Mrs. Dena Fry Bree and Eleanor Kemp Fry. He resided at 406 Penn street.
Kessler is a resident of Margate. He is in the publishing business.
Services for Fry Scheduled Tonight
Camden Courier-Post —
Music Dedicated to Memory of Philanthropist Will Be Played in Church
Memorial services for Wilfred W. Fry, president of N. W. Ayer & Son and prominent South Jersey philanthropist, will be conducted tonight at North Baptist Church.
Dr. Walter S. Dunlop, pastor of the church, will officiate at the exercises, scheduled to begin at 8 o’clock. The services for Mr. Fry will be attended principally by friends and representatives of organizations with which he was associated during a long career of public, religious and educational service.
Among those listed to speak are David R. Porter, D.D., principal of the Mt. Hermon School, Mt. Hermon, Mass., and Charles L. Goodell, D.D., representing the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America.
Music will be provided by the Camden Choral Art Society, with Rollo Maitland at the console of the organ. A special selection dedicated to Mr. Fry and composed by Dr. Henry Fry, director of the society, will be presented.
At the time of his death Mr. Fry was chairman of the International Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States and Canada; president of the board of trustees of Jefferson Medical School and Hospital, Philadelphia; a trustee of Brown and Colgate universities; president of the board of trustees of the Northfield School, Northfield, Mass.; vice president of the Crozer Theological Seminary; president of the board of trustees of North Baptist Church, and member of the board of managers of Franklin Institute, Philadelphia.
North Baptist Church
North Baptist Church — 317 Linden Street
Decker-Fry Rites Fashionable Event
Camden Courier-Post —
Ceremony Will Be Performed at ‘Ayer House’ This Afternoon, at Five
Miss Eleanor K. Fry, daughter of Mrs. Wilfred W. Fry, of “Ayer House,” this city, and the late Mr. Fry, will be married today at five o’clock to Randall H. Decker, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Randall H. Decker, of 159 Park street, Montclair. The ceremony will be performed at “Ayer House” by the Rev. Dr. Eugene C. Carder, assistant pastor of the Riverside Church, New York City, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Walter S. Dunlop, pastor of North Baptist Church, of this city. A small reception will follow.
The bride, who will be given in marriage by her brother, Wayland Ayer Fry, will wear a gown of ivory satin, made with a yoke of duchess and rose point lace from her mother’s wedding gown. Her ivory tulle veil is attached to a coronet of the same lace and she will carry lilies of the valley and white orchids.
Mrs. Ronald Bree, of Woodbury, will be her sister’s matron of honor and will wear a gown of turquoise blue satin with a headdress comprising a short veil to match with topknot of roses. She will carry pale pink roses.
Mr. Decker will be his son’s best man and Robert Bush, of Montclair, and Hugh Sampson, of Carborough, N. Y., will be ushers.
The bride’s mother has selected a gown of gray crepe with net and a bishop’s hat of purple. Mrs. Decker, the bridegroom’s mother, will wear black crepe with a bolero embroidered in gold, and a large black hat.
Following their wedding journey, Mr. Decker and his bride will reside in Leominster, Mass.
The bride is a graduate of Vassar College, class of ’37, and the bridegroom is a graduate of Yale University.