A Modern Diogenes
Way back about 400 years before the Birth of Christ lived a man in Athens, Greece. His name was Diogenes, and he was famous for being contrary. He lived simply and begged for his food. He slept in a big barrel, and wore ragged clothes. Guess he was just one of those people who went against the grain of life. He argued with the philosophers and teachers…….but that’s not really why he is remembered. He did something that startled people……….walking the city streets with a lantern, holding it up to people’s faces and saying, “Nope, he’s not the one!” He told everyone he was looking for an honest man! And claiming he couldn’t find one! He has come down in history because of that! Why am I telling you about it? Well, I consider myself to be a sort of modern Diogenes……….not looking for an honest man, but instead looking for a younger historian. Someone who will carry on the small town history of Hartford. And you people in Watervliet and Coloma better be doing the same thing! Recently I wrote a column discussing some of the people here who are interested in local History. And almost all of us are getting up there in years. Who will carry this on? And will there be people to take our stories on into the future! Anyone could step up and claim to do it. But it’s not that simple. To be really a local historian, you’ve got to be steeped in local lore and legends. It almost has to be in your bones. And those of us who swap local stories back and forth have been hearing them and living them since we were wee nippers! For instance: Old Hartford’s Ely Park…..summertime and the flower beds bursting with blooms. The marble fountain with colored lights playing on water sprays at night. Wednesday night band concerts with the high school band tootling away. Across the street Bill Smith’s Barber Shop with a real rattlesnake skin in a cabinet. Merri-Lou’s restaurant where the waitresses were hired because they were attractive, and at night the big rigs parked along Main Street while truckers drank coffee and snapped the girls’ garters! Manny Oppenheim’s Clothing store….quiet, a vague smell of moth balls, and racks of beautiful clothes just waiting to be bought and worn. Two drug stores where kids could hang out, playing the pinball machine and just skylarking in general. Think of an ice cold chocolate milkshake made with butter pecan ice cream! Jim’s Hardware and Knight’s 5 & 10 Cent Store. Oh, that candy counter…..and kids could really get candy for just a few cents. All the gas stations and garages in town. I can remember at least 10 counting the car dealerships. I remember them all, because my Dad traded with all of them. They bought floral pieces from him, so in turn he gave all of them his business. And I was with him every time the wheels on the family car turned…..if I was around and knew he was going somewhere! What a dramatic change there! In the city itself, there are two gas stations and convenience stores. And not even one car dealership! Out north of town on the Paw Paw River we had our very own electric generating plant, with a dam. The owner, Marion Anderson, lived right across the street from where we live now. My Grandpa Merrill (my Mom’s Dad) worked at the generating plant, as later did Lloyd Blyly (Larry’s Dad). When the dam went out in a spring flood it was never rebuilt. Where we once had a lagoon and wildlife we now have only river bottoms grown up to trees and undergrowth. In deep winter much of the backwater was great for ice skating and sliding on sleds. Larry Blyly told me about that in an email. He said: Us neighborhood kids would make a pilgrimage back to the river in the winter, particularly to what we called ‘Two Pine Island.’ Excellent secluded area for skating. One time Bill Minshall’s little brother tagged along. While we were there he happened to step on a soft spot and fell through up to his waist. He started screaming, ‘I’m drowning, I’m drowning!!’ We just stood there laughing at him. The more we laughed, the more he hollered. We finally pulled him out, stripped him, dried him and his clothes in front of the fire, and took him home none the worse for wear. Not one us has ever forgotten it.” On the north side of that lagoon lived an old hermit named Dick. He had a crude shack, and according to rumors he was a hopeless alcoholic. Someone told us kids that he had a container on a shelf above his bed with a hose going down to where he could reach it and sip his favorite beverage. He died in the river…….crossing the main channel on the ice. This is something us kids would never do. Someone said he wanted to go for supplies in town. And he wore skis so the thinner ice would support him. One day he just went through with no one around to rescue him. They found him later frozen stiff. Where on earth will we find someone to carry on with all of the stories and local color that makes up the history of our small town America? It has to be a labor of love, because there is not much money in it! We are, all of us, living our lives………ever since Hartford was just a cross roads spot on the Indian trail from Detroit to St. Joseph. It had one tavern and was called “Bloody Corners.” This is our life and our destiny. All of us, our hopes, dreams, and our ambitions are the golden threads, woven into a beautiful tapestry that is our life in this story book town along the Paw Paw River. Someone has to keep on weaving! And here I am……a modern Diogenes, holding up my lantern and looking for someone (an amateur historian?) who will do it!
Coloma Library News Summer Reading Club “On Your Mark, Get Set…Read!”
Readers of all ages are welcome to sign up today for Coloma Public Library’s “On Your Mark, Get Set…READ!” Summer Reading program. The 2016 Summer Reading Program is open to young people, infant through young adult, with programs, prize drawings, story hours, a reading club, and more. Keep checking for dates for many fun and interesting programs. For more information, call the library at (269) 468-3431 or visit our website, www.colomapubliclibrary.net. All programs are free of charge.
Village Puppeteers
Come to the Coloma Public Library on Tuesday, June 21 @ 11 a.m. to experience internationally acclaimed puppeteers riff on classic fairy tales in “Lost In Storyland”, a comical romp with puppets for the whole family featuring storybook characters brought to life in the expert hands of The Village Puppeteers. The antics of Puss ‘N Boots, The Three Little Pigs, Rumpelstiltskin, Humpty Dumpty, the not-so Itsy-Bitsy Spider and a host of other characters are a delight to audiences of all ages. No Sign-Up or fee required, please call the library at 468-3431 with any questions!
Book Club
The Coloma Library Book Club is meeting for a book discussion on Thursday, June 23 @ 5:30 p.m. The title to read before the discussion is “I Always Loved You” by Robin Oliveira. Generally, depending on demand there are titles available for check-out at the front desk. The book club regularly meets every other Thursday and is always looking for new members. If you are interested in more information please stop in the library or call 468-3431.
Story Hour
Story Hour meets on Wednesdays, at 10:30 a.m. Join Ms. Amy for a craft, story and song time! Story Hour is for children ages 3 and up. It is asked that all children be accompanied and supervised by an adult. There is no sign-up or fee required.
Watervliet Library News 2016 Reading Challenge
12 reading challenges, one for each month throughout the year. If you finish you will be entered to win a prize. Slips will be due back on Dec 30, 2016. Come in for more info. Looking ahead – Yoga every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Summer Reading Program – On Your Mark, Get Set…Read! The reading portion of the program runs from Jun 20 – July 30. Don’t miss out on our free, fun, exciting and educational summer reading program events.
Jun 21 – 11:00 a.m. – Magic with Bob Wigent
Jun 28 – 10:30 a.m. – Face Painting with Anna
Jul 5 – 11:00 a.m. – Wildlife Safari
Jul 12 – 10:30 a.m. – Steven’s Puppets
Jul 19 – 10:30 a.m. – Extreme Duct Tape
Jul 26 – 11:00 a.m. – Come to the Races
The Great Watervliet Duck Race – July 3, 2016 Sponsored by the Watervliet Business Association You can buy tickets here at the Library. Tickets are $5. Because of the great response to the Adult Coloring Night – we will have the same event the last Tuesday of every month. Come join us! We provide the colors and the pictures, but you are welcome to bring your own also.
new Saturday Hours 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. We have a new website – check it out. www.watervlietlibrary.net
NEWS FROM THE COLOMA COURIER
100 YEARS AGO – 1916
The Pere Marquette railway has completed construction of a new siding leading to the Friday Bros. canning factory. Shipments now can be directly unloaded. President Wilson delivers his proclamation to give special significance to the observation of Flag Day, June 14. Fly your flags proudly. Just received a carload of buggies and spring wagons. Hill’s Hardware On the sicklist: Miss Marjory Furman; Rolla Yund with an attack of quinsy; Arthur Arent, recovering from an operation; Gordon Umphrey, his left hand was caught in a cogwheel.
60 YEARS AGO – 1956
Paw Paw Lake Yacht Club posts its 1956 Star Class Sailboat Racing Schedule. Last rites were held for Mrs. Mamie G. Hirsch by Rev. Stanley Buck of the Methodist Peace Temple. Mrs. Hirsch is survived by sons, Adolph, Robert and Fred and daughters Mrs. George Bizer and Mrs. Ermine Umphrey. Howard Fryman, proprietor of the Home store, will take calls for farm labor. Colomans discharged from the Community hospital are: Mrs. Pete Maniscalco, Claude Higginbottom Jr. and Anthony Gagliardo. Coloma fire department has established a tornado warning system. The fire whistle will blow for three consecutive minutes in case of tornado.
30 YEARS AGO – 1986
Audit shows the City is in “Good” financial shape. Treasurer Fred Munchow reports that $23,000 has been received from the state. Coloma Elementary winners of the Michigan Trivial Pursuit enjoy a special lunch at Pizza Hut with principal Dan Stack and counselor John Rincker. Marc Angelo’s invention; “Hat Fan: won top honors in the “Weekly Reader” National Invention Contest. He was presented with a trophy and certificate. The Julienne Dance Academy will hold their 7th annual recital at Coloma High School auditorium. The Academy is under the direction of Julie Zuker. Deer Forest – “The Animal Wonderland.” See the Live Pony, enjoy the Train Ride.
NEWS FROM THE WATERVLIET RECORD
90 YEARS AGO – 1926
A new installation at the McKenney Auto Service station in this city is an automatic free air station that may be set to deliver into the automobile tire the exact pressure desired. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Packard on June 21, 1926, a beautiful daughter. Agnes Sweeney, daughter of Mrs. And Mrs. James Sweeney of Watervliet, arrived home on Jun18, 1926 to spend the summer vacation at the home of her parents, Richard Sweeney, who has been attending
60 YEARS AGO – 1956
Army Pfc. Clark D. Shimer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Shimer, recently made his first parachute jump since arriving in Germany with the 11th Airborne Division. The 20 Year-old soldier is a 1954 graduate of WHS. Mrs. Lahr is the former Ethel VanNutter of Watervliet, whose husband is State Representative of Ohio, Mrs. Randall is a state official of the Townsend Club of Oregon and has been attending a convention in St. Paul, MN. Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Kibler are the proud parents of a six pound, ten ounce son born June 10, 1956.
30 YEARS AGO – 1986
Keith Klann and Kelly Goodrum, seniors who graduated from WHS on June 6, 1986, were named as Outstanding Senior Boy and Outstanding Senior Girl. Selection is made by a vote of the junior/senior high school faculty based on academic performance, citizenship, leadership and all-around qualities. Navy Fireman Recruit Richard M. Hurst, a 1985 graduate of WHS is currently participating in a five-month Western Pacific Deployment aboard the Battleship USS New Jersey, home ported in Long Beach, CA. The New Jersey will lead six other ships on the first battleship battle group to deploy to the Western Pacific since the Korean War. On June 14, 1986, Father Adolph Nadrach. Pastor of St. Joseph Church, Watervliet, was surprised by 350 parishioners and friends in the Parish Center on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
NEWS FROM THE HARTFORD DAY SPRING
100 YEARS AGO – 1916
Home grown strawberries appeared in the market the last of the week, but the supply was limited until Sunday when the first shipment of fourteen cases were sent from Hartford. The Hartford canning factories began the canning of strawberries yesterday. Growers report that the crop will not be a large one, due largely to the cool weather when the berries were forming. Rollo Stockwell, the 14 year old son of Fred Stockwell, residing southeast of town, fractured his right arm this morning while attempting to crank Leo Dade’s automobile. The fracture was reduced by Dr. R.R. Lawrence.
75 YEARS AGO – 1941
The Hartford Art Study group motored to Bangor Monday for an indoor picnic at the home of Mrs. Kate Carney. Fourteen members were present. The picnic was to have been held at Hays park, but those plans were cancelled because of the weather. The Hartford garden club met at the home of Mrs. Kate Day on June 6. The topic for the day was “Garden Friends and Enemies”. The next meeting June 20 will be a trip to the Cascades at Jackson. The club has zinnia plants for sale at the Hartford Greenhouses at 10 cents per dozen.
50 YEARS AGO – 1966
Pfc. Frank Dockter, Jr., an army medic in Vietnam, has been decorated for heroism for helping to save four soldiers from a flaming helicopter. He is the son of Mary Dockter. His wife, the former Sharon Kelly, lives at Watervliet. Pfc. Dockter was awarded the army commendation medal for his life-saving action. The citation from his commanding officer which accompanied the medal read: “Pfc. Dockter was loading equipment on resupply helicopters which were operating in support of combat operations against a hostile force. At 1715 hours a helicopter on a resupply mission crashed on the north end of the 25th infantry division’s airstrip, turned over on its side and burst into flames. There was imminent danger of an explosion. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he ran to the helicopter to assist in the evacuation of the pilot, co-pilot, crew chief and door gunner, helping to free the injured personnel from the burning aircraft. The fact that some survived the crash is a credit to his instantaneous reactions. The outstanding displace of aggressiveness, devotion to duty and personal bravery is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th infantry division and the United States Army.”
Commentaires