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the voice of the abingtons abingtonsuburban.com | january 5, 2017
Area students helped a University of Scranton toy drive |pagE 4
Judge Thomas Munley received the Mitchell Day award |pagE 6
Abington Heights Jr. High wrestlers win tournament |pagE 8
Updating History
A 30-year-old volume on Clarks Summit has a new edition by Linda Scott
SPEciaL to tHE abinGton SUbURban
When John and Helen Villaume moved to Clarks Summit, they were like many people who are new to an area, they wanted to learn all about the place. But the couple chose an unusual way to do it: they wrote a book about it. They researched the area’s history and landmarks and published their book in 1986. (Helen died in 2001 and John died in 2004.) Now, a second updated edition of the book has been published and is available at the Abington Community Library for $15. All the proceeds of the book benefit the library. “The book is wonderful and is great as a gift,” said Leah Rudolph, director of the Abington Community Library, noting that some who are buying the book are giving it to relatives and friends who used to live in the area. “People grow up and live in the area but then they move away.
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The authors of the updated edition (from left: Warren Watkins, Charles Kumpas, Jim Roland, Dennis Martin and Abington Library trustee Christopher Police) took a walking tour through Clarks Summit during its centennial in 2011.
When they read the book, they think it is really cool reading about a place that they lived in.” “John and Helen Villaume were history people ,” said Warren Watkins a resident of Clarks Summit and an historian. “They were not from this area but became community minded. He was active with the Abington Library and served on the board and as a member of Rotary. They took it upon themselves to write the first book.” Ellen Drake Beechko was the editor and designer for the first book, through her company, Apricot Studio, which was an advertising agency. “I oversaw the printing and distribution of the book,” she said. Beechko said she got many requests for the book 30 years later, during Clarks Summit’s centennial in 2011. “The community showed an interest in the book. A committee was formed and we had historians, writers, proof-
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readers and others. I also obtained grant money, helped with photography and graphic design and oversaw the printing of the book.” She said the book not only has a new look and is easier to read, it has been thoroughly updated. “So much has happened in the last 30 years in this area,” she said. “We first scanned and digitized the first book and then updated information for the second book,” said Clarks Summit resident and historian Dennis Martin. “There were more churches to add and newer companies in the area, such as Everything Natural and Highland Associates. If these companies were in the area when the first book was written, they’d probably be included. Everything in the first book is included in the second book. Anything added to the new book is italicized.” “We wanted to keep as much of the
original book as possible,” said Charles Kumpus, another historian and a Clarks Summit resident. “I worked on trolley cars and railroads, If someone knew the history of, say, shopping centers, better than someone else, they worked on that area. It was a team effort. History continues. You don’t turn it off like a spigot.” “Updating the book was a lot of work but I learned a lot,” said Watkins. “Maybe in 30 years another book will be written. The area will continue to change.” There will be a book signing at the Abington Community Library on Saturday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ryon Room. Books will be available for purchase. The project was made possible through the John and Helen Villaume Foundation on behalf of Jon Villaume, son of John and Helen. Funds were also obtained through a Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Community grant.