Another Anonymous “Then”

Posted on July 20, 2021 by admin

Given the generic label of “House,” this photo from the Kahoe glass plate negative collection shows a house whose most distinctive feature likely to be most helpful in identifying it is the front door.

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Yellow Springs Tourism (1880s-Style)

Posted on July 17, 2021 by admin

The following articles from the Xenia Daily Gazette give an indication of what a lively tourist trade Yellow Springs experienced in the 1880s.

July 10, 1883

The Springfield Bicycle club is in camp at Yellow Springs. In a communication from the camp the Springfield Republic has the following.

“Joe,” the club dog, formerly belonging to the C. C. Bi. Club but now of the Xenia Club, paid the camp a visit with the Xenia boys. “Joe”has a mania for bicycles and will follow one all day. He is a great pet with the boys.

July 7, 1885

Springfield Gazette — Yellow Springs and delightful surroundings were thronged with people from Springfield, Dayton, Xenia and other places. The crowds at the Dayton Soldiers’ Home were probably never before equaled. One of the notables at the Springs was a daughter of ex-Mayor Means, of Cincinnati, who carried a live alligator fasted to her belt by a chain and brass collar. Some people think it a queer affectation of oddity, but she denies the allegation and defies the alligator.

July 15, 1885

The Yellow Springs House is having an unprecedented boom this season, and the place is coming to the front as a health resort. Parties are there from as far south as Atlanta, Ga.

July 18, 1885

Superintendent Ralph Peters, of the Pan-Handle, has made himself more popular than ever by getting up a grand picnic to be given the employees of the road on Saturday, July 25th. It will be held at Yellow Springs and will include all the employees between Cincinnati and Columbus, Xenia and Springfield and Xenia and Richmond, with their families, which will make a crowd numbering thousands. A big programme for the day has been prepared, including music, platform dancing, games, a big dinner and fire-works at night. It is understood each employee will get free tickets and be paid their wages for the day just the same as if they had been at work.

July 20, 1885

The Cincinnati Bicycle Club and the Kenton Wheel Club, twenty-two in number, stopped at the St. George over night, Saturday, on their way to Springfield. They were joined there by some of the Columbus club and accompanied by Messrs Sam and Bob Kingsberry of this city, wheeled their way to Yellow Springs, yesterday morning, where they took dinner at the Yellow Springs House and then passed on to Springfield.

July 25, 1885

The L.M.R.R. gave the first of its series of picnics today. Some 30 or 40 cares loaded with the shop hands and their families, passed through here for Yellow Springs. The engine was tastily decorated with the national colors, and the motto, “Ho for Yellow Springs,” in large bright letters. On one car was the banner “Pendleton car shop hands’ picnic.” A band of music was on board and dancing will be the feature of the day. It will be a day of rejoicing to these people who have been confined in the city to get out into the cool shade of the beautiful Neff grounds.

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Then and Now – Best Guess

Posted on July 13, 2021 by admin

The following photo from the Kahoe glass plate negative collection bears the note “Ellis house Whiteman + Phillips”. Of the four corners, 133 W. Whiteman is the most likely.

Note the damage to the glass plate negative.

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Life in the CCC Camp — July 1937

Posted on July 10, 2021 by admin

Excerpts from the July 1937 issue of The Hooey. Love and bugs as issues of camp life.

THE COVER

In the Civilian Conservation Corps there are more fatalities resulting from the bite of the love bug than from disease bugs, rattlesnakes and black widow spiders combined. While not always fatal, the victim is never the same.

Because love bugs are now prevalent around camp, we picture one, magnified 100 times, on the front cover.

MEASLES BUG BITES ENROLLEE
CAMP QUARANTINED

Lightning, they say, never strikes twice in the same place. Bugs, however, (including CCC Public Enemy No. 1, the FLY) do. If you don’t don’t believe this, ask enrollee Louis Drummond, victim of the Measles Bug.

Last winter, Drummond was nipped by the Meningitis Bug and the camp was quarantined for 21 days. This time it will be only 14 days—from July 17 to July 31—if no other cases of “spots before the eyes” appear.

QUARANTINED

Not so long ago this company was quarantined for twenty-one days on account of a spinal meningitis case in the company. This time it is for measles.

TO keep immune from this disease, it is a good policy to keep clean. Take a shower every day if possible and change clothes at least every other day. Keep clothes laundered: wash them yourself or have them laundered. Keep yourself clean, too, of course, we have the camp surgeon examine us every day but unless we help him his help will not be 100% effective.

Some of the men will remember what good times we had during the last quarantine. If things become monotonous, therefore, why not try putting over some shows and stunts to keep up our lagging spirits?

In any event, let’s keep pulling together and make the most of our isolated “camp of the woods.”

HOOEY’S FREE MATRIMONIAL SERVICE by Heck

In response to a request by Mr. George Shambach, this department wishes to correct certain statements appearing in the June HOOEY: Shambach, or “Bookworm”, is 5′ 7” instead of 5′ 6”, is the second-best stonemason in the World, not the best, and does NOT like “Postoffice.”

NUMBER ONE – Only once in every lifetime does a swell guy like me appear. I may not be an Adonis, nor a Hercules, nor even a “Little Sampson,” but I’ve got really what it takes. I’ve played around a long while on this earth and haven’t got stung yet—even by my own bees. And speaking of bees, I know my “honeys.”

So why don’t some of you girls around Yellow Springs, or Xenia, or Wilberforce, realize how short life is and get in touch with me, care of Weber’s Sud Palace. Around the first of each month I could show some sweet damsel some night life around Y.S.

Hopefully, Wilfred “Kay-Why?” Moore

NUMBER TWO – Dear girls and would-be sweethearts EVERYWHERE: I am a very lonesome young man because I know no girls in this vicinity—or, at the most, not over four: Rosalie, “Speed,” “Babe” and Bailey.

I am a native of Cincinnati and reside at 327 Milton Street. I am 18 year old, weigh at least 125 pounds, stand 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and have black, glistening hair and beautiful brown eyes. My skin gets to be pretty olive tan and would look nice by contrast along side of a lovely, light-skinned blond.

I am so lonesome that almost any nice young girl would do. So if ANYONE will please write me, care of Mr. Bidlack, she will make happy

Frank “Dago” Venuto

NUMBER THREE – Girls don’t get discouraged. There is one young man in Camp Bryan who is quite blue because the other guys take no chances on him stealing their girls.

This young man is me—a pleasant mixture of Robert Taylor and Clark Gable. I have Gable’s forehead and chin, Taylor’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Also I am a great third-baseman—only they won’t let me play on the camp team.

Please write to

Jesse “Sailor Boy” Evans

CLASSIFIEDS

Announcements

The Camp Bryan Goldbricking Society will hold its weekly convention at the Car Checker’s Goldbricking Station near the park entrance. Members will please bring their own chairs as there is only one park bench at the Station.

Business Opportunity

Partner with at least $5 capital to share in profits of large honey farm wanted by W. Moore CO., Barracks Two.

Education & Instruction

I will guarantee your graduation as an expert stonemason. Enroll now at low rates in the SHAMBACH SCHOOL, conducted by the world’s second-best stonemason.

A good, slighly-used and worn correspondence course on Crime Detection. Will sacrifice. Box JJ-4, HOOEY.

For Sale

Two sweaters, Cheap, J. Sebring, #2,

Jackknife. Cheap. P. Ferris, Barracks 2

Help Wanted – Male

75 WPA workers every Tuesday and Thursday evenings for work around Camp Bryan. Call at CAMP BRYAN GOLDBRICKING SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS. Barracks 5.

Interpreter. Must be able to interpret sleep talking. GEORGE SHAMBACH, #5.

Sideburn Trimmer, to assist work of camp barber. References desired. Write Robert Walsh, Sideburn Dealer, #1.

NURSEMAIDS—for occasional employment on or about payday. Must know how to use stomach pump. CAMP BRYAN LCOAL EXPERIENCED MEN’S SEWING CIRCLE.

GOOD MAN, with strong back and weak mind to do my work. HOWARD SCOTT, #3

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A Moment of Calm

Posted on July 6, 2021 by admin

This photo from the Kahoe glass plate negative c0llection bore the note “Woman and Baby N side North Hall.”From the way the baby is dressed, it’s possible that the photo commemorates a christening. The location of North Hall might mean that the woman is a faculty wife or faculty herself.

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Yellow Springs Women Seeking Self-Expression

Posted on July 3, 2021 by admin

The last Yellow Springs entry in Women of Greene County highlights women’s creativity.

Women’s Voices & The Feminist Writers’ Guild
Yellow Springs

In January 1979 a regular Women’s Voices column was introduced in the Yellow Springs News. Three women were chiefly responsible—Joan Margaret, Sarah Feinstein (later Sarah Grace), and Jean Barlow Hudson. The column introduced a wide variety of subjects, points of view, and women authors; the idea was to give many local women a space to express themselves and be heard in an otherwise male-dominated medium.

The column required the development of new women columnists. Margaret, Feinstein and Hudson called the first meeting of the Feminist Writers’ Guild on October 30, 1979. The group met twice monthly for several years thereafter, meeting in members’ homes and later in the Friends Care Center. Some of the regular attendees (and contributors to the column) were Mary Ann Bebko, Marsha Bush, Susan Streeter Carpenter, Sue Griswold (now Wolf), Pat Jeanchild, Tess Little, Mary Pinard, GeorgeAnn Thompson, Linda Troy, Caroline Van Ausdal (now Aescleppia), and Margaret Zoernig. Sometime in 1980 the group became a chapter of the National Feminist Writers’ Guild. Its members varied in their interpretation of feminist thinking. They wrote with varying degrees of skill and experience and had in common a sense that women needed nurturing and encouragement to find their written voices and raise them openly.

To that end, a public reading was held. Women’s Voices Out Load took place December 1, 1980 with fifteen area women reading poetry and prose, performing music, and displaying artwork (quilts and a dollhouse as well as paintings and sculpture) in the meeting room of the Yellow Springs Library.

In 1982 Margaret, Grace, and Hudson syndicated the Women’s Voices column, forming an editorial board and offering it to many area newspapers. It was published in the Xenia Daily Gazette and elsewhere for several years.

When Joan Margaret and Sarah Grace left the area in the mid-1980s the Yellow Springs chapter of the Feminist Writers’ Guild disbanded. Women’s Voices Out Load, however, has continued as an annual event (with a couple of exceptions) ever since.

Leadership in Women’s Voices rotates and the call to participate is placed in the Yellow Springs News. A small group of women make the arrangements. There is no membership and no dues. Refreshments are donated by the participants and sometimes local caterers and restaurants.

Some recent readers have included: Susan Streeter Carpenter, Diane Chiddister, Marsha Bush, Hellen O’Neal McCray, Susan Stiles, Samantha Williams, Beryl Schicker, Kathy and Rachel Moulton and others. Music makers include Mitzi Manny, Amy Harper, Caroline Aescleppia, Jane Blakelock, and more. Some of the graphic artists include Barbara Walker, Anna Arbor, Debbie Henderson, Gerry Fogarty, Kathleen McMillan, Migiwa Orimo, and Grace Valey.

Over the years the quality, variety and confidence of the participants has grown, as has the audience.

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In the 1950s Summer Was for Shakespeare

Posted on June 29, 2021 by admin

The Folger Shakespeare Library as part of their “Shakespeare Unlimited” digital library shared a fascinating podcast and transcript of a discussion with the children of the founders of the Antioch Shakespeare Festival in the 1950s (and noted theater professionals in their own right).

Antioch Shakespeare Festival: John Lithgow, Robin Lithgow, and Tony Dallas

Another discussion of the Festival by John Lithgow made for an Antioch fundraiser can be f0und here.

The following previous posts on this blog also deal with the Festival:

Shakespeare and Yellow Springs

The Torch Is Passed…

The Torch Is Passed…Followup

Not Just a Local Big Deal

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J. Peery Miller Memoirs — Part 33

Posted on June 26, 2021 by admin

The photo showing the Star meeting room in Antioch College’s Main Building is from the Kahoe glass plate negative collection.

Curiously, no mention is made of the Adelphian literary society in the Wikipedia entry on college literary societies, but the third society associated with Antioch is listed as “Alethezethian Society.”

All posts in this series are indexed on the “Blog Multi-Part Series” tab above.

My regular class work was after the order required in all colleges of that day. When a student was called on to recite he was expected to rise and stand while doing so. This was very embarrassing to the timid student, especially if his lesson was poorly prepared, but a splendid training in self-reliance.

Literary societies, organized and directed by the students, supplemented the regular college curriculum, giving practical work in composition and oratory which was great benefit to the earnest student. They also served as social centers of incalculable value, taking the place of fraternities and sororities, which organizations Antioch never encouraged.

Three literary societies were in operation during the 60’s and 70’s, viz.—the Star, the Crescent and the Adelphian. The Crescent was for ladies only. They joined the Stars in all public meetings, had joint ownership of the same room and its furnishings, but their regular weekly meetings were held in the afternoons and those of their co-partner, the Stars, at night. It was not yet thought proper for the young gentlemen and ladies to hold literary meetings together unless in the presence of the open public. Later in the 70’s this rule was abrogated by the faculty and the societies were reorganized. The Adelphians and the Crescents united, and under the name of the “Antioch Union Literary Society”, soon proved the wisdom of the mixed organization. The Stars also admitted ladies to membership and entered the field as a strong competitor of the Antioch Union. I joined the “Stars” in my Senior Preparatory year. Preps of lower ranking were not eligible.

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Distinctive Porch

Posted on June 22, 2021 by admin

Although this photo from the Kahoe glass plate negative collection has the generic label of “House,” it it hardly a generic house. The unusual stonework of the front porch would make it stand out.

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Before Juneteenth

Posted on June 18, 2021 by admin

Yellow Springs will have even more reason to celebrate Juneteenth (11:00 am until 3:00 pm at Gaunt Park and a mural dedication to Virginia Hamilton* from 2:00 until 4:00 pm at Beatty Hughes Park, Saturday June 19) in 2021 with the passage of the bill authorizing it as a federal holiday.

  • Mural dedication postponed until July 17

For many years emancipation was honored on September 22, the day the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, instead of the day when word of it finally reached Texas.

Articles from local newspapers give a sense of 19th-century observations of Emancipation Day.

Springfield Daily Republic – September 19, 1885

The Colored People’s Demonstration

There will be no demonstration by colored people of the city in celebration of the anniversary of the emancipation proclamation which falls on next Tuesday, Sept. 22 Most of them, however, will go to Dayton where the day is to be celebrated in appropriate style. Graham Denwell, of this city, will be one of the prominent orators of the occasion.

Emancipation Day

Hon. Thos. J. Pringle, of this city, will deliver the address at the celebration of the emancipation proclamation at Mechanicsburg on Tuesday, Sept. 22. This will be one of the grand meetings held by the colored people in this state.

Xenia Daily Gazette – September 23, 1897

EMANCIPATION DAY

Lieutenant Gov. Jones, Hon. Seth Brown and Others Speak

The 35th annual celebration of the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, held in Eavey’s woods yesterday under the auspices of the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Knights of Tabor and G. A. R. was a grand success. The weather lent a hand to the occasion and everything worked like a charm. Up until last year, it had been so long since Xenia had had a celebration of the kind that she had all but lost the art of celebrating, but yesterday’s effort placed her on record again.

Notwithstanding the fact that celebrations were going on in other nearby cities, quite a number of persons came from other places, especially from Dayton. After the parade, which was very creditable, the procession moved to the woods. A short distance beyond the entrance to the grounds was suspended a large flag, in one corner of which was a lithograph of President McKinley, and in the other was a picture of the immortal Abraham Lincoln, standing in deep meditation, suggesting his attitude just before signing one of the greatest documents in the world’s history. The exercises proper, which began at 2 o’clock, were presided over by Prof. T. D. Scott, principal of the East Main street high school. After music by the Jenkins band, Helm’s drum corps and a select choir under the direction of Mr. Geo. Washington, Dr. Phillip Tolliver led in prayer.

The first speaker introduced was Lieu. Gov. Asa Jones, who made a short, but telling speech, then came Rev. J. M. Riddle with a grand speech, full of facts and figures. Following him came Congressman Seth Brown with a comprehendsive history of the proclamation. Dr. Tolliver Hon. C. L. Maxwell and Senator Morris made short, spicy addresses. Mayor Linkhart and Mr. T. H. Scroggy were introduced but did not speak.

The festivities of the occasion were closed at the rink in the evening, where about 800 people gathered. The committee of arrangements who carried out everything so successfully, was composed of the following named persons: W. H. Tibbs, chairman, Jnc. Bass, Morris Taylor, J. J. Lane, L. Andrews, J. N. Dotch, Ranson Chatman, Geo. Granville, Moses Swisher, Rev. R. Meredith, G. V. Scott, John Speaks. Mr. John Simpson was grand marshal of the day, with Robert Williams, John Ervin, Horace Hawkins and Jas. Smith as aids.

************************

Governor Bushnell spoke to his 0ld friends and neighbors at Springfield yesterday. The men and women with whom he has lived and moved for 40 years, and who have seen his comings and goings and marked his progress in the world of business and of politics. He spoke to them not only as the chief executive of Ohio, but more as their fellow-townsman and their life-long associate. It was at the celebration of Emancipation day, held in the fair grounds. No more fitting man to speak to the many colored people gathered there could have been found, for Governor Bushnell was the first of the Springfield manufacturers to offer employment to the colored race. To them his shop was open at equal wages and with equal opportunities.

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