#200 JUNE 2017

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Hometown Celebrates Publication of 200th Issue T

On the cover:

Punxsutawney’s Blake Bizousky has a reason to be happy – he holds his letter of acceptance to the United States Naval Academy. (submitted photo)

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The cover of the first issue of Hometown in December 1999 features three young ladies from Van Dyke & Company and Mahoning Valley Ballet – Rachel Switlick, Kailyn Angelo, and Samantha Osikowicz – as they take a backstage break from the performance of “The Nutcracker.”

(Hometown file photo)

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2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

he June 2017 issue of Hometown – which you have in your hands if you are reading these words – is the magazine’s 200th issue. Hometown’s first issue, a Christmas issue, appeared in December 1999, and for the past seventeen and a half years, the magazine’s staff has striven to serve both the businesses and the readers of Punxsutawney and surrounding areas by filling Hometown’s pages with creative advertising and interesting stories.

From the beginning, Hometown’s emphasis has been, in the words of professor Jock Lauterer, “relentlessly local” – the magazine spotlights the people, places, history, and businesses of the Punxsutawney area. The “welcome” note of the first issue states that “Hometown Punxsutawney is for our town” and that “Our theme … is to support your local and area merchants first.”

Through the years – 200 issues and counting – neither the focus nor the theme of the magazine has changed. Hometown exists to serve its community.

Rooted in a mission to celebrate all that is local, Hometown – printed in color from the first issue – is direct-mailed to every home in Punxsutawney and surrounding towns and areas. More than 8,100 issues are distributed each month! In addition, the magazine is the area’s only Punxsutawney-owned media. As Hometown’s mast declares, the magazine is “Punxsy Proud – Boosting our Hometown”!

Hometown expresses its pride in the community by publishing stories detailing the area’s history, profiles offering a glimpse into the lives of friends and neighbors, and columns reminiscing about growing up in the area or about the good old days – written by folks who are committed to sharing their knowledge of and thoughts about Punxsutawney and surrounding communities.

Of course, no magazine – community or otherwise – can exist without its readers and advertisers. Hometown’s staff thanks each reader and every advertiser for their part in making 200 issues possible. It’s been a privilege to bring Hometown to press each month. Keep sending feedback and story ideas – after all, Hometown Punxsutawney is your hometown magazine! Here’s to 200 more issues!

•••

Future Midshipman Blake Bizousky: “Be persistent and get involved”

Blake Bizousky speaks at the Key Club Convention in March 2017. (submitted photo)

A

By Cathy Moore for Hometown magazine Punxsutawney teenager has been accepted into the United States Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Blake Bizousky – son of Dr. Frank and Monika Bizousky – looks forward to seeing the world with the Navy. “I want to travel the world a lot. I want to see it all: New Zealand, Europe, everywhere.”

His father planted the idea of applying to the Naval Academy in Bizousky’s head. “My dad had a friend in college that is now an admiral in the Navy. I heard stories about him and saw pictures of him on a destroyer.” And Bizousky knew he wanted to serve his country in the military.

Bizousky’s life so far has been typical for this area. Growing up in Punxsutawney, he enjoyed playing sports. He began playing as a lineman in football when he was about six years old, and continued through middle and high school on the defense as middle linebacker for the

varsity team.

In eighth grade, he decided to give wresting a try, and it has become one of his favorite sports. He said, “It’s definitely become one of my main sports. It’s just part of my life.” He hopes to wrestle while at the academy.

He served as lieutenant governor in the KEY Club in high school. He held a state position on the district board and oversaw eight different clubs. “I met a lot of cool people from across the state,” he said. An active member in student government in high school, he served as vice president in his junior year and as president in his senior year. “Definitely, I try to get involved in everything. Be a part of everything, really,” he said.

“Getting involved is only part of the equation,” Blake continued. “Challenging yourself only makes you better.”

“Don’t be afraid of taking that hard class or going up against a stronger opponent,” he concluded. “If you lose, you know what you need to do to get better.”

He views himself as a “typical”

Wrestling for the Punxsutawney Area High School Chucks became a big part of Blake Bizousky’s life. In April 2017, he paused to share a Kodak moment with his coaches, Eric Eddy (back left), Buddy Young (front), and Dan Smith, at the school’s wrestling banquet. (submitted photo)

teenager. “Basically all I do is go to school, work out, and hang out with friends.” His hobbies include playing guitar, camping with friends, running, and lifting weights. “I enjoy a simple kind of life,” he said.

Born with a drive to be the best, Bi-

zousky says he’s never struggled with keeping good grades in school. “I’ve always had high grades. I’ve never struggled with keeping grades up. It must come as second nature to me to work hard at keeping my grades up.” Mad at himself - Continued on next page

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Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 3

Future Midshipman

In July 2016, Blake Bizousky visited the Boston Navy Yard at Boston Harbor. (submitted photo)

Continued from previous page following a trigonometry test in which he “only” got a score of 96/100, he continues to be driven to keep moving toward the top. “I was mad when I missed the points on the test. I made ridiculous mistakes.”

“I don’t want to be anything less than perfect. No matter what I do, there’s somebody out there doing it better than I am,” he said. “And that’s what drives me to keep moving.”

Emily Cassidy, school counselor at Punxsutawney High School, thinks Bizousky is a great choice for the Academy.

“Blake is a tremendously well-rounded young man. He will be a great asset to the Naval Academy and the Navy.”

Entrance to the Academy is based on several things, including SAT scores. “My SAT scores were awful,” he said. “I was

Blake Bizousky (at left in front row) and other members of his squad take time for a group picture during their 2016 Summer Session at the United State Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. (submitted photo)

below their (the academy) acceptance rate, I think. But my leadership positions and the clubs I’m in got me into the Naval Academy.”

The application process began for Bizousky during his junior year of high school. When applying for entrance into the Academy, the applicant must obtain a nomination from an official source, which usually includes a U.S. representative and two U.S. senators. Bizousky met with representatives of Congressman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, Senator Robert Casey, and Senator Pat Toomey. Both senators could recommend up to ten people for the academy. Thompson, however, had only one nomination available, and chose another teen over Bizousky, who placed as the first alternate. In a twist of fate, Thompson’s first choice either already entered the academy or chose not to go, said Bizousky, which then gave Bizousky the nod for entrance.

During the interview with representa-

tives of Senator Casey, Bizousky was asked a question pertaining to what part of history he would want to relive. Bizousky told the representatives he’d like to go back to when man first landed on the moon. “I would like to see when the moon landing happened. It was an amazing feat, and the entire United States was celebrating all at once. The cohesiveness of the U.S. to put a man on the moon.”

Entrance into the Academy can be a little confusing, according to Bizousky.

There are two separate applications needed. First is the application into the college portion, which is comparable to submitting an application for any college.

It includes your high school grades and SAT scores.

The second component is the application for the Naval Academy. The applicant must pass a physical fitness test, including a Department of Defense clearance pertaining to general health. The candidate fitness assessment, as the Naval

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Academy’s website reports, consists of a one-mile run; a “shuttle” run; kneeling basketball throw; abdominal crunches; and push-ups, pull-ups, or a flex-arm hang for women. The purpose of test is to evaluate coordination, strength, speed, agility, and endurance.

Also required is the Blue and Gold Officer Interview, in which retired military officers interview the applicant. “I met with Mr. Smith in Indiana, Pa.,” said Bizousky.

“I was nervous at first, but when I sat down, it wasn’t nerve-wracking.”

The hardest part of the interview process, according to Bizousky, was when the interviewer asked him to “tell us about yourself.” Bizousky finds it hard to describe himself as a person. “I never know what to say,” he reported.

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Pay Attention to Your Dreams

By Mary Ellen Pollock-Raneri for Hometown magazine

omehow, it is always a summertime Sunday when I remember my childhood. I especially looked forward to Sundays because my father was home all day; he was my buddy. I delighted in watching him polish our robin-egg-blue Mercury station wagon in the driveway that sloped into our house. Daddy bebopped around his beloved car as his muscular arms polished the big jalopy.

Sometimes, he even let me help him wax the chrome on the car’s bumper or I got to hand him the perfect polishing rag. Dad would wash and wax the car while I read the funnies until it was time for Mom’s spaghetti.

Later, when I moved to college, Dad was always there to lend a helping hand. He did the same when I moved into my first apartment.

Even when I was married, Dad would help my husband and me with chores around the house, and, those times, I repaid him with a homemade spaghetti dinner at my house on Sunday. Dressed in his old “Mr. Fixit” clothes and jacket that Mom had threatened to destroy a million times, Dad would always be there on the weekends to help me clean the garage, plant a tree, fix a stopped-up drain or a leaky faucet or oil a hinge.

A couple of years ago, when Dad got sick, it was awful. I can still remember the early signs of his failing mind and body; he would stagger when he got up from the couch or a chair and forgot simple words like “pancakes”; he called them “those round things” and he called syrup “sauce.” It became harder and harder to get him out of the booth at the local restaurant; his legs seemed to turn to gummy worms overnight.

One night, while we were watching television, he stared at me with big vacant eyes and whispered, “Mary, I don’t know where I am.”

I’ll never forget those words, nor will I forget the chill that ran up my body. It scared me to think that my strong dad, the ever-reliable giant and protector of my life, was failing. As I guided him to the front door to show him some familiar landmarks like the stairs on the left, the powder room to the right and the neighbor’s truck that he had always relished, I knew something really bad was wrong with my father.

Falls, hospital stays, nursing homes, and an attempt at rehab all started to pile up for my dad. I always felt that everything was so out of control, like he was on a runaway sled that sped down an icy hill into a bottomless pit. I guess I was correct in my fears because after two years of everything wrong that never went right, Daddy died. I couldn’t believe it.

I refused to believe it at first and pretended that he was on vacation somewhere and he was going to come back. Then, reality set in and I knew he wasn’t going to come back.

How I missed talking to him while he helped me do stuff! Dad always seemed to have the right answer and knew when I should worry about things and when I didn’t have to fret. Anytime I wanted, I could always pick up the phone and call him for advice or to tell him a funny story, but I finally realized I couldn’t do that anymore. Sometimes, right after Daddy died, I dialed his number and pre-

tended that his voice would be on the other end of the line; I know it sounds pretty dumb, but I did it anyway.

Soon after his death, I started to see my dad in my dreams; usually, I dreamed about him on a Sunday night. The dreams always followed the same pattern and he wore the same clothes. He usually told me he was okay and not to worry! It was so real; I felt like he had been there with me!

I was standing by the cooler in a grocery store, gazing at the ham and bacon, trying to decide what to buy and fix for dinner. Remembering that my dad loved bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, I decided to buy a pack of bacon – not the kind in a paper wrapping, but the thick slab bacon that marches

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straight to your arteries. Happy that I let caution (nitrates and fat) to the wind, I reached out my hand to grab the pack.

Suddenly, I heard a cheery voice and I turned my head.

“What are you doing, honey?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was my dad.

There he stood, right there beside me and the bacon! His hair was perfectly combed and he smiled a big Dad smile at me. I looked right into his impish blue eyes.

“Why, Daddy,” I responded. “I’m making you a bacon sandwich tonight. I know you like them!”

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shiny one (but didn’t succeed).

“Why, honey, you don’t have to do anything.

I’m just fine. I’ll be just fine.” He nodded, still grinning.

Then, he turned and strolled away from me – toward the bright lights in a white dairy case.

When I woke up, I felt so happy! It felt like I had spoken with my dad, and I even told the grief counselor about it. Other dreams followed, and I would always write them down and try to talk about them with my mom. That never proved very successful; I think the dreams made her sad. On the other hand, I wanted to dream those dreams! I wanted to talk to my dad, even if it was for a few seconds in deep sleep.

A few months later, I dreamed about Dad again.

I looked out the small smudged window at - Continued on page 8

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Future Midshipman

Fewer than ten percent of applicants receive appointments to the United States Naval Academy.

Punxsutawney’s Blake Bizousky – here with his letter of acceptance to the Academy – is among that select few. (submitted photo)

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PARTIES - TRIPS - FUN Healthy Steps for Older Adults CLASS NOW FORMING MAHONING HILLS SOCIAL CENTER: (724) 286-3099, 19298 Rt. 119 Highway North, (beside Longview Elementary) near Punxsutawney, Class on Wed., June 7 and Wed., June 14, 12 Noon until 2 pm TWO LICK VALLEY SOCIAL CENTER: (724) 254-9820, 450 Franklin St., Clymer, Class on June 12, 9 am - 1 pm This two-part class is FREE and interactive for those persons 50 years of age & older. The class is designed to prevent falls, promote health and ensure that older adults can remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. There will be snacks, fun and guest speakers.You MUST sign up in advance by calling one of the centers listed above or by calling Aging Services at (724) 349-4500 or 1-800442-8016. Call and make your reservation today to take Healthy Steps tomorrow!

Father’s Day Breakfast – Come Celebrate DAD! Monday, June 19 from 9:30 - 11 am On the same morning, at 11 am Attorney Jim Carmella will be at the Center to speak about “Legal Issues.”

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6 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

formation letter as early as July prior to his or her senior year of high school. Last December, Bizousky received his letter of assurance from the Naval Academy.

He is more than ready to meet the challenges of life at the Academy. “One of the things that also motivates me is being challenged,” he said. “I knew that I wanted a different college experience and that the Academy would challenge me mentally and physically.”

During the summer of 2016, Bizousky went to the Naval Academy for a weeklong stay. He attended four classes including organic chemistry, aerospace engineering, and mechanical engineering.

“When I registered, I selected classes including organic chemistry, aerospace engineering class with solar panels, and mechanical engineering,” he said.

Physical fitness was also a part of the week. Bizousky ran sprints, played basketball, and participated in everything.

The time was to simulate what it would be like as a Plebe in the Academy, according to Bizousky. “We had to memorize the mission of the Navy,” he said.

The sophomore class was in charge of the summer seminar. “We did a practice sea trial,” he said. “It was six hours long, full of all different kinds of physical things.” The team went to the bay and dove into the water, rolled in the sand, and then lined up in a pike position. The person on the end had to crawl through underneath every person. “It was rough, but everyone was encouraging each other,” said Bizousky. The mantra Bizousky chants during hard times is, “The harder you go, the faster you’re done.”

Staying in contact with five or six people from his group, he’s already made friends

and looks forward to seeing them this summer.

Following high school graduation, Bizousky will have a few weeks off before heading for the academy June 29. His Plebe Summer will last sixty days and will test his endurance, mental stability, and athleticism.

Following that, his first year as a midshipman will begin, with a major in mechanical engineering. After graduation from the Academy, he will be commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy.

“From there, it’s just how long I want to stay in. the Navy,” said Bizousky. “I have a five-year commitment to serve in Navy.

I’m probably going to stay in the Navy longer than five years. I’m unsure how long I’ll stay in, but at least I have my next nine years planned out.”

Bizousky encourages others to apply to the Naval Academy. “You have to set goals for what’s going to have a greater effect on your future.” he said. “Be persistent and get involved. Find something you love and stick with it. Don’t let anything deter you from doing what you love to do.”

Entrance into the prestigious program is not easy. According to Forbes.com, only about 8 percent of the people who apply are admitted. With 4,511 students admitted from every state in the union, the racial/ethnic breakdown is predominately white.

Almost all of the Plebes participated in varsity athletics, with community service and dramatics/public speaking coming in second and third, respectively, according to the 2020 class portrait at usna.edu. Of that class, there were 17,043 applications, 12,763 which were men and 4,280 were women. Offers of appointment were given to 986 men and 387 women, for a total of 1,355.

•••

Hometown Community Happenings

F

By the staff of Hometown magazine rom the staff of Hometown magazine and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events coming up in our area: n Applications are being taken for the Community Garden plots, a project of the Punxsy Rotary Club and the Punxsy Presbyterian Church. Cost is $20 for a full plot, $10 for a half-plot. Applications can be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce office or the Weather Discovery Center, or at punxsyrotary.com. Applications are due by May 31. n The annual Summer Library Program will start the week of June 12 at the Punxsy Memorial Library. The program is open to children ages 18 months to 7th graders. For information, visit the library or call Jen at 938-5020. Log sheets are available for children who are unable to come to the summer program. n The Punxsy Weather Discovery Center offers “Toddler Time” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday for children ages 2-5 and their parents, grandparents, babysitters, etc. No registration necessary, just walk in. $6 per person & free admission for children age 2 and under. n May 24: “An Evening of Women’s Wellness,” 6 to 8 p.m., at Punxsy Country Club. $20 per person. Proceeds benefit the Weather Discovery Center. Contact the Weather Center for ticket information. n May 26 – 29: Yard Sale at Punxsy Area Historical & Genealogical Society. n May 26 & 27: Living History Weekend at Cook Forest. n May 27: Bark for Life, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Barclay Square. Benefits the Relay for Life Team Dream Catchers. n May 27: Hogtoberfest Craft Beer Festival, 1 to 5 p.m., at Gobbler’s Knob. Tickets required. Contact the Groundhog Club for more information. n May 27: Monster Truck Show, 2 p.m., at Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Tickets required. n May 28: Fish for Free Day sponsored by the PA Fish Commission. n May 29: Memorial Day. Parade in Punxsy at 10:30 a.m., services follow around 11 a.m. at Barclay Square. Remember & honor those who gave their life while serving the USA. n May 30: Vietnam Veterans Memorial mobile education & information exhibit at Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. n June 2: PAHS Graduation. Congratulations to the Class of 2017! n June 3: Opening Day at the George C. Brown Community Pool at Harmon Field, noon to 6 p.m. n June 3: Beat the Heat Bazaar, 9 to 3 p.m., at The Salvation Army, featuring crafters & vendors. n June 3: Jack Smelko Memorial Golf Tournament, 1:15 p.m., at Punxsy Country Club. Benefits the Punxsy Sports Hall of Fame. n June 3 & 4: Hazen Flea Market open. n June 3: Spring Chicken BBQ, 11 a.m., at Ringgold Area Fire Co. n June 6: Last Day of School for the Punxsutawney Area School District. Watch for children! n June 6: First Tuesday Community Meal, 5 p.m., at Punxsy Presbyterian Church. n June 7: Farmer’s Market vouchers available for those age 60 & older, 8 a.m., at Pine Street Senior Center. Must meet income guidelines. Call 938-8376 for information.

n June 7 & 14: Healthy Steps for Older Adults, noon to 2 p.m., at Mahoning Hills Social Center. Pre-register at (724) 349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016 or call the social center. n June 10: Strawberry Saturday in Smicksburg, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at various locations. Visit www.smicksburg.net for information. n June 10: PA Hunter-Trapper Education course, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Rossiter Sportsmen’s Club. Visit the PA Game Commission website for more information. n June 13: Veterans Program, 7 p.m., at Punxsy Area Historical & Genealogical Society.

n June 14: Healthy Steps for Older Adults, noon to 2 p.m., at Two Lick Valley Social Center in Clymer. Pre-register at (724) 349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016 or call the center. n June 15: Community Classic Golf Outing, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Punxsy Country Club. Benefits the Chamber of Commerce, the Weather Discovery Center, the Community Center, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Contact any of those organizations for more information. n June 17: Craft & Vendor Fair at JCHA Social Hall, hosted by Twisted Peach Candles & More. n June 17: PA Hunter-Trapper Education, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Big Run Firehall. Visit the PA Game Commission website for information. n June 18: Father’s Day. Honor your father in a special way. n June 19-23: 23rd Annual Hot Dog

Days, 11 a.m., at Punxsy Shop ’n Save. Benefits the Punxsy Memorial Library. n June 20: Blood Drive, 12:30 to 6 p.m., at SSCD Church. Benefits the American Red Cross. n June 21: First Day of Summer! n June 22, 23 & 24: “Clue: The Musical,” presented by the Punxsutawney Area Theatre Arts Guild, at the Punxsy Area Middle School. Tickets available at the door. This show will also be performed July 1, 6, 7 & 8 at the Sawmill Theater in Cook Forest. n June 24: Chicken BBQ, 11 a.m., at SSCD parking lot. n June 24: Sloppy Science Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Punxsy Weather Discovery Center. $10 per child, $6 for non-participating adult. For information, visit the center’s website. n June 24 & 25: SS. Peter & Paul Byzantine Catholic Church Festival.

- Continued on next page

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Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 7

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8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

Pay Attention

Continued from page 5 the top of the threadbare stairs in my grandmother’s house and stared at the big grape arbor below. My grandmother’s grape arbor was a wonderful place. The thick, dark green leaves with little curlicue branches and bunches of small, purple grapes gave cool shade for picnics under its protection. I remember my dad setting up two old, beat-up saw horses with a piece of rickety plywood over them: voila, our picnic table. Under that arbor, my cousin and I would fight to see who would get to rock on the rusty, paint-chipped metal swing my grandfather had concocted in his gasoline-scented workshop.

Tottering on the ground below the window, my dad tried to get his balance as he hung on one of the posts that supported the grape arbor. Then, he fell a kind of soft, slow-motion fall, and I saw him try to hold himself up on one hand.

Afraid that he had hurt himself, I rushed down the staircase and dashed out the back door.

“Daddy,” I shouted, feeling a sick fluttering in my stomach for I knew a fall meant more hospitals, and needles, and pudding. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, honey,” he grinned at me, and was just standing there, dressed in his favorite tweed jacket and brown pants.

He had on a familiar yellow polo shirt with a few buttons open at the neck.

“Let me help you,” he held out his hand.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing,” I insisted. “I just want to make sure you’re all right.”

“I’m just fine,” Daddy scratched his head the way he always did – kind of a half-rub and a half-scratch on his forehead. “Here,” he said. “Let me mow the rest of the lawn for you.”

He motioned to an ancient push-mower we used to use to mow the scrubby tufts of grass around the house.

Reluctant, I moved the lawnmower near him and showed him a long strip of untouched tall grass that stretched the length of my grandmother’s lawn.

“Here,” he smiled. “Give me that.” And he grabbed the beat-up push-mower.

I watched him walk away, with the creaky, old-fashioned mower, his old tweed jacket swaying sided to side with his brown pants marching kind of in military unison.

He stopped once and waved his hand, but didn’t turn around. “Don’t worry, old buddy.

I’m okay.”

And Daddy kept on mowing that long strip of grass until he was a little dot in the distance.

“Come back! Daddy, come back,” I shouted to him, but I could only see his silhouette, framed by the silver lighting.

“No, honey,” Daddy answered. He continued to stroll away from me, never slowing down. “I have to go now.”

And he did go. It was months before I saw him again, but he came back in my dreams.

Dad came back. He wore that same jacket; he smiled the same Daddy smile.

There he sat. Right on the corner of our old yellow brick flower box that Mom had built on the corner of the front porch in Fairview.

The rectangular box was about four feet high; it was to the right of the front door of my parents’ house. In the summer, it held geraniums; in the fall, the perimeter of the brick ledge served as a great jack-o’-lantern displayer.

And, in the winter, well, the center where the mounds of dirt lay just filled up with heaps of snow like a big frosted cupcake.

Dad was sitting right there on that brick ledge with his legs crossed in a sort of lazy, thoughtful pose like he was waiting for someone. Of course, I knew him right away because he had on the purple and green windbreaker jacket – the one he wore all the time and the one my mom wanted to toss.

As I opened the old silver aluminum screen door, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was my dad!

“Daddy!” I squealed. “It’s you! Oh my gosh, Daddy! I knew you were here! I knew you didn’t leave me!”

Overcome with such joy that was just unimaginable, I stretched out my arms to him.

“I never left you,” Daddy murmured and kind of half-smiled at me.

Arms extended, I tried to give him a big ol’ hug and he … he evaporated. I mean, it was like someone from Star Trek shot him with a “phaser.”

Poof! He was gone again and I woke up.

But he wasn’t gone and never will be.

You see, now I believe in angels. Not the ones with the big gold halos or the fluffy feathered wings, but the ones who wear the clothes they wore on earth, even if it’s an old purple and green windbreaker or a worn tweed jacket. I’m not so sure about the clouds on which they sit, but I’m pretty confident they can snuggle up to you on a flower box wall or meet you under the grape arbor in the summertime. Angels want the best for you; they help you every time you need it. They whisper in your ear while you slumber and comfort all your fears.

Yes, it’s been five years since my dad passed away but he really isn’t gone. Not totally. I think my father is my nighttime guardian angel who flies in and out of my sleep. He visits me; he comforts me and he still talks to me. He wants me to know that it will be all right.

Dreams are a funny thing. You think they aren’t real, but maybe they are. When an angel can’t communicate with you in a normal way, in the real world, maybe they can talk to you better when you are asleep. To all those who have loved ones who passed on: pay attention to the angels that Heaven sends you at night; they truly care and will never leave.

•••

Community Happenings

Continued from previous page n June 25: Punxsy Alumni Band Concert, 2 p.m., at PAHS auditorium. n June 29: Blood Drive, noon to 5:30 p.m., at First Church of God. Benefits the American Red Cross. n July 1: Old Home Week Firemen’s Parade, 4 p.m., on Mahoning Street. n July 1: 51st Annual Groundhog Festival begins in Barclay Square. n The Jefferson County Farmers Market will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. every Friday through October in the parking lot at 400 North Walnut St., Punxsutawney. n The We Care Pregnancy Center, now located at the Station Square North plaza, will hold its annual Baby Bottle fundraiser from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day. The annual Silent Auction will be in June. For information about these events, call 938-4024. n The Punxsutawney Area Community Center offers indoor cycling, batting cage, Fifty & Fit, SilverSneakers, AM men’s basketball, Pilates/yoga, and gymnastics. Call 938-1008 for more information.

•••

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www. w.cclymer fa amilymed m icine.c ine com Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 9

The Feichts in Punxsutawney

Punxsutawney native Paul Feicht, Sr. graduated from pharmacy school in 1927. He bought the Means and Lauf Drug Store in 1942 (photo left) and changed the name to Feicht’s Drug Store in 1948 (photo center). Photo at right is area as seen today. (1946 photo courtesy Becky (Feicht) Shaw; 1950 photo courtesy Punxsutawney Historical Society; color photo courtesy S. Thomas Curry)

T

By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine

he unveiling of the history of the annual senior class variety shows at the Punxsutawney Area Senior High School revealed a number of facts to weave into local history. That the variety show of 2017 was the sixty-seventh in a long, uninterrupted series of creative productions by talented senior students was clearly documented.

Members of the PHS Class of 1951, entering their senior year in September 1950, were students of Miss Boles before her death in November 1949. Bewildered by the sudden death of the popular teacher, they organized and staged the first variety show to benefit the Margaret C. Boles Scholarship Fund that was established by PHS alumni to remember her. In continuing the effort to perpetuate her name, the variety shows have

unified the future with the past.

Thus, in presenting the history of PHS variety shows, it became known that Paul Feicht, Jr., (Class of 1951) was the first student director of a senior variety show.

Paul A Feicht, Jr., died in August 2016 in Maryland. The obituary that reported his death at age eighty-three gave a few details about his roots in Punxsutawney. Among those are, “He graduated from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1955 and returned home to Punxsutawney to run Feicht’s Drugstore with his father.” His immediate family, his sister living in Punxsutawney, his classmates living today, and other older residents who grew up in the Punxsutawney area in the 1950s will have memories of Mr. Feicht and the Feicht family.

In the yearbook for the Class of 1951, the brief student vignette accompanying his

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10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

As a senior in the Punxsutawney High School Class of 1951, Paul Feicht, Jr. , directed the first senior variety show produced by his classmates to benefit the Margaret C. Boles Fund. He pursued his dream to become a pharmacist and joined his father in 1955 at Punxsutawney’s Feicht’s Drug Store. (photo of Paul Feicht from PHS 1951 yearbook; Drug Store photo from 1949 Punxsutawney Centennial Book)

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The Punxsutawney Fairgrounds, which were leased to the State Constabulary for their headquarters in Punxsutawney, are shown in an excerpt from a map of Punxsutawney published by T.R. Fowler, 1895.

T

By the Coal memorial Committee for Hometown magazine he Great Anthracite Strike, which began May 15 and lasted until October 23, 1902, did more than give mine employees a voice and a vote.

It was the harbinger a new system for law and order in rural Pennsylvania and welcomed benefits to the Punxsutawney area.

At the time of the strike, it was the practice of the Commonwealth to permit coal and iron companies to purchase a commission enabling them to confer police power upon whomever the owners selected in order to provide protection for the company’s property. The persons employed were dubbed the coal and iron police, and in most cases were used to enforce the will of the company owners in confrontations with the workers. Businesses developed to supply manpower for this police service included the Pinkerton Agency.

The heavy-handed approach of the coal and iron police was in evidence during strikes in the coal fields surrounding Punxsutawney. However, it was the brutality of the 1902 strike in the Anthracite Coal Region that caused Pennsylvania officials to determine that peace and order were best maintained by officers employed by the public. Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker proposed an independent, state-operated constabulary, with its purpose being only the enforcement of the laws, as a solution to the use of coal and iron police. This constabulary would be less costly and more efficient than using the militia to quell disorders. After much public debate, Senate Bill 278 was passed and signed into law by the governor on May 2, 1905, establishing the state constabulary.

A Washington Post article, republished in the Punxsutawney Spirit, December 20, 1905, commended Governor Pennypacker on this reform, stating: “At Harrisburg, on the 15th instant, Pennsylvania’s latest, and perhaps best, military organization was mustered in. It is called the State Constabulary, and consists of 250 men, all of whom have seen service in the United States regular army or in the militia. They

have been selected with great care as to physical and moral qualities and proficiency in military drill. An important feature of the duties of this organization will be the preservation of peace and order in the coal fields, in which they will take the place of the coal and iron police, the existence of which has been for years a source of almost continuous irritation. The Philadelphia Telegraph says of them that, being ‘appointed and paid by the coal companies, and thereupon vested with official power by the Governor, the miner has come to regard them not as impartially representing the sovereignty of the State, and to be respected as such, but as typical alone of the interests of the operators.’ There is to be no partnership between the Commonwealth and the mine owners in the constabulary. The State is to pay all the expense and have exclusive control. Of course, this should have been the case from the beginning but ‘better late than never.’”

John C. Groome, chosen as the superintendent of the constabulary, put together a police force of well-trained individuals.

Four companies of fifty men each would be stationed strategically throughout the state to serve rural mining areas. Former guardsmen and veterans of the Spanish American War were recruited to serve.

Each company would be under the command of a captain, a lieutenant, and five sergeants. Members of the force were to be mounted and empowered to make arrests, without warrant, for all violations of the law that they witnessed, and to serve and execute warrants issued by the proper local authorities. They were authorized and empowered to act as forest, fire, game and fish wardens, and in general to have the power and prerogatives conferred by law upon members of the police force of first class cities or upon constables of the Commonwealth.

One area targeted to be served was northcentral Pennsylvania, which had a large number of small mining communities. This prompted a spirited rivalry between Punxsutawney and DuBois for the honor of se- Continued on page 18

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Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 11

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12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 •••

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Catering your special event of any kind, big or small the extra mile to make this year that much more special for first-time fathers.

• Let Dad sleep in. Chances are Dad is enamored with his little bundle of joy, but it’s well-known that being a new father often means sacrificing sleep time — especially for the first several months to a year of that child’s life. Enlist the help of a family member who can be on baby watch while Dad gets to sleep in on the weekend of his big day. With some extra sleep, Dad can enjoy Father’s Day that much more.

• Create a first-year memory book. Take the time to put together a scrapbook of the photos and moments baby and Dad have gotten to spend together. So much focus is often placed on a new baby and his or her mother that Dad may be left playing second fiddle. Make it clear that fathers are key to their children’s development and happiness, too.

• Make a baby keepsake. Use washable ink so that baby can sign a Father’s Day card with a hand or footprint. The tradition can be repeated year after year until the child is old enough to write.

• Go overboard on gifts. The idea isn’t to buy Dad’s love, but Dad’s first Father’s Day is a truly unique time. On behalf of his firstborn, purchase a few different gifts — those items that he has been interested in buying but has resisted in favor of saving money for new onesies and burp cloths. Or invest in one special event gift, such as tickets to a game to see his favorite team or a concert to catch a favorite band.

• Boost his ego. Get matching T-shirts for baby and Dad with cute memes and sayings, such as “Couch Potato” and “Tater Tot.” Father’s Day comes once a year. However, a father’s very first Father’s Day occurs just once. Use the opportunity to pamper Dad so he can savor this truly special experience.

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Contest rules: 1. No purchase necessary. Clip and complete coupon on this page and mail to: Father’s Day Giveaway, Punxsutawney Hometown magazine, 129 Aspen Road, Punxsutawney, PA 15767.

2. All entries must be received by Thursday, June 8, 2017.

3. One entry will be selected for each participating business through a random drawing from all entries to be held in our Hometown office on Friday, June 9, 2017.

Participants can only win once per contest.

4. By participating in the contest, all entries are subject to contest rules.

5. One entry per envelope please.

No purchase necessary to 6. Winners will be announced on our Facebook page after June 12 enter the contest. Must be 18 years or older to enter. & in July Hometown magazine.

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14 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

The Feichts

The first Feicht’s Drug Store in Punxsutawney opened in 1901. In 1904, the drug store moved to the corner of East Mahoning and N. Jefferson Streets, where it was in business until 1931. (postcard courtesy Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

Continued from page 10 and Science he was president of his senior class, president of his fraternity, and editorin-chief of the school’s yearbook. Returning to Punxsutawney, he joined his father at Feicht’s Drug Store on West Mahoning Street and became active in the community. The father-and-son combination operated the store until late 1970.

The Punxsutawney Area Junior Chamber of Commerce (better known as the Jaycees) was organized in 1956. It grew to fifty members in one year. In 1958, Paul A. Feicht, Jr., the young, twenty-four-year old pharmacist, was named the 1957 Jaycees “Young Man of the Year” for his civic involvement and contributions to the community. At that time, he was also a member of the board of directors of the Red Cross chapter, a member of the Y.M.C.A. board and a member of the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce. Because of his efforts, he is credited for the rapid growth of the Jaycees group at that time.

His sister, Becky (Feicht) Shaw, recalls also that he had played in the high school band and participated in the Black Knights Drum and Bugle Corps. She also shared that during his years in their father’s drug store business Paul “influenced other young adults and encouraged them to get educations in college.”

Gary Bowers and Jim Gigliotti are two of the Punxsutawney young men who benefitted from that personal interest. Gary, a pharmacist at the Hometown Pharmacy in the Groundhog Plaza, worked at the Feicht Drug Store as a stock boy in his youth. He relates that “Paul was the main factor [in why] I became a pharmacist. He took me on visits to the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and also to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, from where his father had graduated.”

Now, the story of the Feicht family – with its long history as pharmacists in Punxsutawney history – can begin.

Paul A. Feicht, Sr., graduated from the Philadelphia pharmacy school in 1927 with the dream that someday he would own a modern drug store. His earlier experiences in managing a pharmacy began in neighboring towns. In 1937 he came back to Punxsutawney to manage a Means and Lauf Drug Store on West Mahoning Street. In 1942, he purchased the store from the Means and Lauf interests and operated it under the Mean and Lauf name.

In November 1946, Mr. Feicht purchased

the building where his drugstore was in business on the first floor. The four-story building with a blue-stone front had already made its mark in Punxsutawney history when it was built in 1902 by Dr. John E. Grube. Dr. Grube had his office on the second floor.

Rooms on other floors were used for a private hospital that became known as “Grube’s Hospital.” In 1948, Mr. Feicht changed the name of the drugstore to Feicht’s Drug Store, bringing back the Feicht name to the drugstore scene in Punxsutawney’s business district after an absence of eighteen years.

Charles M. Feicht, father and grandfather of the Paul Feichts of this story, attended the Western University of Pennsylvania (later to be named the University of Pittsburgh). He took a course in medicine there and went on to complete a course in pharmacy in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. In 1901, he came to Punxsutawney and opened the first Feicht’s Drug Store after purchasing the drug store of M. Rush Means at a bankrupt sale. He was a druggist in Mr. Means’ drug store.

That early Feicht’s Drug Store started in the Rosenberger building on the Plaza opposite the park. In 1904, the drugstore moved into a building on the corner of East Mahoning and North Jefferson Streets. Mr. Feicht died in September 1922, a month short of his forty-seventh birthday. Mrs. Feicht, with her son Paul and two brothers of her husband, continued the business until 1931 when the building was sold to Peter Johnson who started a restaurant known as Johnson’s Grill.

The family name “Feicht” has its origins in southern Germany and Austria. Punxsutawney area residents had little difficulty in pronouncing the name when referring to Feicht’s Drug Store or any of the Feicht family members active in Punxsutawney social life. When sharing family anecdotes for this story, Becky Shaw, reflected on one incident about the family name: “My father was often upset when people would misspell the family name of Feicht as ‘Fight’ or ‘Fite.’ When he complained, mother would reply, ‘It’s only a name!’ But father would reply in a sharp and angry manner, ‘But it’s my name!’”

The twenty-two-year dream of Paul A. Feicht, Sr., to own a modern drugstore came true with an extensive remodeling of the former Means and Lauf store on West Mahoning Street. Following a “pre-tested design for modern super drug stores developed by the Walgreen Company,” a modern prescription department occupied the full width

- Continued on page 16

Honoring Those Who Have Served — June 13, 2017

M

By Marty Armstrong for Hometown magazine emorial Day, a day of remembrance originally known as Decoration Day, was an outgrowth of individuals’ and groups’ desires to honor Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers. Residents of Boalsburg claim that their efforts were the first, but it seems that this might have been an activity that took place throughout the country, particularly in the south, and that became widespread. The old-fashioned name seems more to the point of what those first individuals and groups did.

Now, of course, Memorial Day is a holiday tied to a three-day weekend, and people take time to remember all of their loved ones from the past. Churches hold Memorial Day services, veterans’ groups schedule special ceremonies, and all enjoy the moment with family gatherings and the annual planting of Punxsutawney native son flowers at and World War I aviator Lt. John Jacob Fisher lost his g r a v e s i t e s . life in France on October Cemeteries hav14, 1918. (photo courtesy of ing graves of the Punxsutawney Area are Historical & Genealogical veterans decked out with Society) new flags, placed in the special holders provided by the county denoting eras of service.

The American Legion is one of several veterans’ organizations. It began in February 1919 in Paris with three officers of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) still stationed there and was chartered by Congress on September 16, 1919. According to the Punxsutawney Centennial 1849-1949: 100 Years of Progress, Punxsutawney had already formed Post 62 on June 24, 1919 with thirtyone members’ names appearing on the state charter application. The organization brings together living veterans, honors deceased veterans and supports the community. The American Legion played the leading role in drafting and passing of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, otherwise known as, the “GI Bill.” In addition to organizing commemorative events, volunteer veterans operating through the American Legion support activities and provide assistance at Veterans Administration hospitals and clinics.

The Legion is active in issue-oriented United States politics. Its primary political activity is lobbying on behalf of interests of veterans and service members, including support for veterans benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Health Administration.

In the formative stage of the local post, No. 62, a name was to be selected and as regulations forbade that a post be named after a living veteran, members wanted to choose one from among those veterans who had given their lives in the Great War. A ballot was taken and the group voted to select John Jacob Fisher, an aviator from Punxsutawney whose plane went down in heavy fog near Bar-leDuc south of the Argonne Forest in France on October 14, 1918. He went into the American Ambulance Service in June 1917, transferring to the aviation service in August of that year and was assigned to patrol duty over Paris after having been commissioned as a first lieutenant. Fisher, who had attended Staunton Military Academy and the University of Pennsylvania, was the son of prominent Punxsutawney businessman Jacob Livengood Fisher. A trained pharmacist and then a practicing attorney, Jacob L. was instrumental in making Punxsutawney one of the first - Continued on page 17

Panic Soldier Makes Supreme Sacrifice; Brothers Also Served

Private Harry C. Rhoades (1896-1918) gave his life in service of his country during World War I. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

The Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society’s collections include two newspaper clippings donated in 2004. The first is a heartfelt tribute to Harry C. Rhoades by the Rev. Teagarden. A member of the Zion Presbyterian Church, Harry (1896-1918) was the son of Clark and Minnie Rhoades of Panic. Rhoades left Punxsutawney with a draft contingent in May 1918 and on September 26 was killed in action in the Argonne. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers, of whom 26,277 were lost. It began September 26, 1918, and ended with the Armistice of November 11, 1918. When his body was brought home to his parents in August 1921, funeral services were held at Zion. The John Jacob Fisher Post of the American Legion had charge of the services and was assisted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Chaplain Deitrich of the local Legion Post officiated. The newspaper report states that it was the largest funeral ever held in the vicinity of Panic, with many people from Punxsutawney and the surrounding region attending. Burial was at the Zion Presbyterian Cemetery.

The second clipping refers to a James B. Rhodes [as printed], formerly of Reynoldsville, who, had enlisted in the Air Corps. The clipping is worded in such a way as to be a recruitment tool, listing all the training and skills to be learned by enlistees. No dates ware included. Society records show that James (1905-1967) was a son of Clark and Minnie Rhoades, and the Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards collection held by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission notes that he was a WWI veteran. Yet another son of Clark and Minnie, William B. Rhoades (1897-1990) served with the U.S. Army from 1919 to 1922. Not surprisingly, the Rhoades folder reveals that a number of individuals in the next generation served in the military.

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Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 15

The Feichts

The Feicht’s Drug Stores in Punxsutawney history had soda fountain counters that provided popular hangout spots for people of all ages to enjoy carbonated soft drinks, ice cream sodas, and sundaes. Photo at left circa 1910; photo at right from 1948. (photos courtesy of Becky (Feicht) Shaw)

Continued from page 14 of the rear of the building in full view of the shopper who entered the new store front with its all-glass door and large display windows.

A full-page news account appeared in the Punxsutawney Spirit on March 2, 1949, to announce the completion of the remodeling.

It gave detailed descriptions of the changes to be seen. The plan was “to make shopping an exciting adventure rather than a tiresome ordeal.” In addition to the extensive prescription section, many specialty departments, all under one roof, included tobacco products, cosmetics, candy, electrical appliances, veterinary supplies, and camera and photography items.

Improvements in plumbing made possible “a modernized soda fountain, capable of serving 40 at the fountain and in the booths

at a single sitting.” The new fountain area followed the latest developments for “fast, sanitary food preparation ... to handle peak loads with efficiency and speed.”

To older young people who grew up in Punxsutawney in the 1950s, the fountain area was the most outstanding aspect of the newly remodeled drug store. It was the section with the most memories. “[It was] the place to go as a high school student,” said Becky Shaw, recalling the years surrounded by many people of all ages while “hanging out” at her father’s drug store.

“Feicht’s,” as the drug store would be called, was one of a few places to gather with friends. The soda fountain counter, with its carbonated soft drinks, flavored ice cream sodas and sundaes, was a popular treat for years in town pharmacies. The traditional soda fountains were popular from the latter part of the nineteenth century through the 1950s. That popularity took a downward turn with the rise of shopping centers and

malls, drive-in movies, and drive-thru restaurants.

Many of the brief “senior vignettes” appearing in the school yearbooks for the PHS classes of the 1950s capture the flavor of life in the days of Feicht’s Drug Store. They include personal comments such as “usually seen at Feicht’s after school,” “haunts Feicht’s,” “employed part-time at Feicht’s Drug Store,” and “favorite hangout is Feichts.”

In October 1970, Feicht’s Drug Store closed its doors on West Mahoning Street, having been in business there for more than thirty years. As recorded earlier in the writing, Paul Feicht, Jr., joined his father in 1955, continuing in business together until the store closed. In 1970, father and son became associated with a new Thrift Drug Store that opened in the Punx’y Plaza in 1970. Paul, Jr., became the assistant manager, and Paul, Sr., was on the pharmacy staff for one year and retired. He died in Sep-

tember 1972.

Feicht’s Drug Store, between the McCrory five-and-ten store and Jaynell’s women’s fashion store, was later occupied by the Clinton Discount Store. In late 1975, the buildings that housed the businesses in downtown Punxsutawney were destroyed by a fire. That section was rebuilt as the Arcade shops.

Paul Feicht, Jr., moved to Maryland and managed a Treasury Drugstore until his retirement in 1992, but stayed active as a “relief pharmacist” for CVS for nearly twenty years.

Paul A. Feicht, Jr. – PHS Class of 1951, first student director of a PHS Variety Show, in 1955 began a partnership with his father as a pharmacist in Feicht’s Drug Store, Jaycee’s 1957 “Young Man of the Year” in Punxsutawney, active in Punxsutawney community events, more than forty years a pharmacist in Maryland – died on Sunday, August 28, 2016.

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Continued from page 15 electrically lighted towns of the state. His castle-like home on West Mahoning Street boasted twenty-eight opulently decorated rooms and hosted former President William H. Taft during his speaking tour of the U.S. in support of world peace. That home passed to the Legion post and was eventually donated for use as Punxsutawney’s public library, a purpose it served until the opening of the Punxsutawney Memorial Library in the Civic Complex. Shortly after formation, the post began to plan for a special cemetery plot for WWI veterans and, in 1921, ground adjacent to Circle Hill Cemetery was acquired. In the plan, which was developed over time, gravesites are marked out in three circles, with each plot radiating outward from the center like a ray of sunlight. The first circle was designated for WWI veterans. A second circle was designated for WWII veterans, and the third circle was for veterans of subsequent times. Matthew Renwick Tibby, himself a veteran of WWI, designed the central crosses, which are copyrighted and may not be replicated without permission of the local Legion.

Remains of many WWI veterans were relocated to the Legion plot and, eventually, the cross markers were replaced with groundlevel flat markers. The post has gone on to become active in the community with the Legion baseball program and many commemorative events around Memorial Day and Veterans Day and throughout the year as appropriate. Many communities have American Legion posts, including the Seger-Baun Post No. 582 in Rossiter, also named in honor of veterans.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars is another national veterans organization active locally. It was formed nationally in 1899 following the 1898 Spanish-American War. Membership is available to soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who have served the U.S. in wars, campaigns, and expeditions on foreign soil or hostile waters. The purpose of the VFW is to speed rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans, assist veterans’ widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and promote education in patriotism and by constructive service to local communities. The organization maintains both its legislative service and central office of its national rehabilitation service in Washington, D.C., and serves disabled veterans of all wars, members and nonmembers alike, in matters of U.S. government compensation and pension claims, hospitalization, and civilservice employment preference. The VFW was reorganized in 1913 as the result of a series of mergers of previous veterans organizations, which consisted of veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection The VFW modeled its organization, terminology, and ritual on the Grand Army of the Republic.

Punxsutawney’s first VFW post, called the Problys-Brennan Post was organized in 1928.

A successor post, called the Robinson-Morrison Post No. 2076, was organized in 1935.

The post conducts Veterans Day and Memorial Day services, assists in veteran funerals, and helps veterans find jobs. In recent years, the Big Run and Punxsutawney posts have consolidated to form the Mahoning Valley Post 2076. Currently, the Mahoning Valley Post constructed a new building (opening soon) just off Indiana Street, near the former building, which is slated for demolition. The VFW actively supports youth programs, managing the VFW Teener League and the Rich Kuntz field, named in memory of Viet-

nam casualty, Richard F. Kuntz, a former Teener League player.

There have been veterans organizations in the past as well. The Grand Army of the Republic was formed by Civil War veterans.

Many think that GAR was the name of the Union Army in the same way that during the Civil War, there was the Army of the Potomac and other smaller army units. Lending credence to this belief is the fact that Civil War cemetery markers say GAR on them. In reality, the GAR was a voluntary organization made up of individual members just as the American Legion and VFW. GAR survivors of the Civil War often marched in Decoration Day/Memorial Day parades and at other patriotic parades and events. The GAR also staged encampments. As Civil War veterans no longer survive, a great interest in such events has developed with the formation of various reenactment groups that now stage encampments themselves, representing those past veterans in events and in historical documentaries. It is another way to honor past service. This is much like the reenactment that is popular west of the Alleghenies of the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Cook Forest has become a prime spot for encampments of French, Indians, British, and Colonials each June, where cannon and firearm demonstrations and related activities are held.

Going back to the American Revolution of 1776 and beyond, there is plenty of reenactment activity as well. But there is another offshoot of those times that honors those who served – the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) together with the Sons and Children of the American Revolution (SAR and CAR). These groups limit membership to descendants of Revolutionary War patriots.

Documenting one’s ancestry back to a Patriot has become a genealogical phenonemen.

In the south, there are the Sons of the Confederacy, and that group, according to the Jefferson County Veterans’ Affairs office, must be contacted if a gravesite should happen to be found of a Civil War Confederate soldier, so that an appropriate marker can be placed.

One sees that organizations such as the American Legion and the VFW often select veterans’ names for their posts, ensuring that those names live on. John Jacob Fisher’s name lived on in another way. His brother Frederick chose to name his son John Jacob Fisher. Was this younger Fisher inspired by the uncle he never knew? According to an account reported in 1926 when the boy was only three, that alone for a moment in his grandpa’s Cadillac, he manipulated the controls, glided into traffic, damaged a Ford that was in his path, and ran into the plate glass window of the Nickerson butcher shop across from the Fisher home without injury to himself or the Cadillac. In addition, it is known that in 1942, young Fisher married a young lady in West Virginia while serving as an aviation cadet in the United States Naval Reserve.

Across the country, many organizations honor and/or serve veterans. The Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogy Society has scheduled a special event for the evening of June 13, 2017, at 7 p.m. in the Reschini Room of the Lattimer House, 400 W. Mahoning Street. Appropriately timed for the eve of Flag Day, the event will pay respect to local veterans and veterans organizations.

A special invitation goes out to veterans from all eras to be part of the evening. Anyone who would like to bring a uniform to wear or display is encouraged to do so. Other items to be described or shown are welcome, too.

Marty Armstrong is a member of the Collections Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. •••

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Troop D, State Police Force, at their first barracks on the Fairground in Punxsutawney. Their uniform, devised by Capt. John C. Groome, superintendent of the state constabulary, was a blending of military and police uniform styles. Made of dark grey whipcord that would not lose its shape under the roughest usage, it consisted of a jacket and riding trousers of the same cloth, black pigskin puttees, black boots, nickel strap spurs, and a black cap, with black leather chin strap. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

Founding State Police

Continued from page 11 curing one of the companies. The boards of trade and influential citizens of both places were quick to present the benefits of locating in their town. Punxsutawney offered the fairgrounds and to provide $20,000 for building suitable quarters for the men because the Legislation had not included monies to do so. After reviewing the Punxsutawney proposal and making a site visit, Captain Groome officially announced the decision to locate Troop D, Pennsylvania State Police Force, at Punxsutawney on November 21, 1905.

The fairgrounds were leased from the Fair Association and the main exhibition building was to be remodeled to serve as temporary quarters. Captain J.F. Robinson, formerly city editor of the Bradford Star, and an officer in the Sixteenth Regiment, National Guard Pennsylvania, was selected to be in charge of the Punxsutawney station. During the first week of December 1905, Captain Robinson was in Punxsutawney arranging for the remodeling of the main exhibition building at the fairgrounds and locating temporary quarters in town until the building could be occupied.

He also arranged stabling of the horses.

The men of Troop D, who reported for service in Punxsutawney on Saturday, December 16, 1905, were: Lt. H.F. Egle; First Sgt. George F. Lumb; Sergeants Matthew T.E. Ward, William Marsh, Charles C. Hoddy, Joseph P. Logan, and Sgt. William J. Mullen; Privates: James R. McIlvain, Edward J. Baker, F.A. Zebringer; Tyson C. Heller, Frances S. Strawser, Eugene V. Calvert, George S. Scholenberger, Charles T. Smith, Clark Reed, Charles F. Ohlinger, Roy Nevius, John L. Keogh, Harry E. Carroll, Thomas Casey, George Wagner, Warren J. Reed, William Lyter, Robert Lindsay, George H. Koons, Nathan Kohut, John F. Henry, William E. Hess, Emery Edwards, John Devlin, Wilbert Brooks, Charles S. Everett, Homer A. Chambers, Joseph M. Curts, Frank Kettle, George W. Haas, and Claud R. Masters. W.M. Duffield reported sick by telegraph on Saturday.

Punxsutawney benefited economically, as the men of Troop D needed housing. Captain Robinson and Lieutenant, H. F. Egle, took private rooms in the home of G.A. Weiss, at the corner of Union and South Penn Streets, and took their meals at the

Pantall Hotel. Their office was in the new National Hotel as was their meeting room.

A number of the men secured rooms at the National Hotel, others at the St. Emo Hotel and the rest in private homes. The five married men found housing for their families in the community. Punxsutawney would continue to benefit, economically when the men of Troop D, would receive their pay.

The horses for Troop D were slated to arrive December 18; however they did not arrive until December 24. Their arrival was reported in the December 27, 1905 issue of the Punxsutawney Spirit: Many Sick Horses Three Car Loads for Troop D Arrived Last Friday.

“On Friday Morning, December 24, three car loads of horses for the state police force arrive in Punxsutawney from Texas over the PRR. The 57 animals had been shipped from San Antonio on Friday December 15, and were nine days in transit. The shipments were made in ordinary coke cars, and when the horses, which had been packed in like sardines in a can, arrived here, they showed unmistakable evidence of the long journey and the poorest kind of treatment. All of them were suffering from severe colds and since arriving in Punxsutawney, 14 have developed severe cases of pulmonary trouble. The entire consignment was transferred to the stables in the fairgrounds as quickly as possible and placed under the care of Dr. J.G. Bethune, veterinary surgeon. The stables had been remodeled and made quite comfortable and blankets were improvised for the sick animals, awaiting the arrival of new blankets, which should reach here today from Harrisburg. The horses are a cross between the Texas Broncho and Colorado type and will average about 1,000 pounds in weight.

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“When the men are ready to go on duty the horses will all be numbered and the selections will be made by drawing corresponding numbers from a hat. This is Captain Robinson’s plan and without doubt will give entire satisfaction.”

The horses needed feed, oats and hay, and straw, supplied by local farmers, in order to become fit for service and to maintain their health. As soon as the horses were in

- Continued on page 22

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• 11am - 9pm - Food Court - Pickering St. • 9:30am - 7pm - Used Book Sale - Rebecca M. Arthurs Library - Valley St. • 11:30am - 1pm - Annual Authors Luncheon - Pine Crest Country Club 849-5512 for tickets - Annette Dashofy - Author • 10am - 5pm - Laurel Festival Art & Photo Show • **7:30pm - Western Pennsylvania Laurel Queen Pageant - Brookville High School Auditorium. $1.00 at the door • 10am - 11pm - Food Court - Pickering St. • 9:30am - 7pm - Used Book Sale - The Library - Valley St. • 10am - 8pm - Art & Photo Show • 5pm - 8pm - Health Source Chiropractic - Massages for anyone 18 & over - (Free) - Main St. • 5pm - Registration for Kid's Pet Parade - Main St. • 6pm - 6:30pm - Kid's Pet Parade Kid's 12 & Under - Main St. • 6pm - 9pm - Family Fun Night Games & Activities - Main St.

*June 22nd

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• 8:30am - 4pm - Craft Sale - Main St. • 8:30am - 8pm - Sidewalk Sale - Main St. • 8am - 5pm - Jefferson County History Center Sidewalk Sale - Main St. • 9am - 11pm - Food Court - Pickering St. • 10am - 3pm - Berry Plastic Factory Tour - Maplevale Road - NO CHIL-

*June 23rd

20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

DREN UNDER 12 YEARS OLD - NO OPEN TOE SHOES - NO SANDLES • 11am - ? Pine Creek Firemen's Chicken BBQ - Main St. • 11:30am - 7pm - Used Book Sale - Library - Valley St. • Noon - 6pm - Art & Photo Show Methodist Church - Jefferson St. • 5pm to 8pm - Taste of the World & Wine Tasting - Main St. • 6pm - 8pm - Karaoke - (Registration for Karaoke; 5pm - 6pm) Main St. (NO PROFESSIONALS PLEASE) - Main St. • 8pm - 10pm -Band - Semi - Supervillains - Main St. Featured on Friday Night Rocks, during Pirate Games

• 10am - 11pm - Food Court - Pickering St. • 1pm - ? - Pine Creek Firemen's Chicken BBQ - Main St.?

• 4pm - GRAND PARADE - Main St. • 8pm - 10pm - (Band) • 2pm - 4pm - Used Book Sale - Library - Valley St.

*June 24th

• 10am - 3pm - Food Court - Pickering St. • 10am - ( REGISTRATION FOR THE CAR & TRUCK SHOW - Main St. • Noon - 3pm - Car & Truck Show Extravaganza - Main St. • 1pm - 3pm - Ice Cream Social - Heritage House - Sylvania St. • 2pm - 4pm - Used Book Sale - Library - Valley St. • 3pm - Car Cruise - TO KIM'S KRUISE - IN - RT. 36 North • 3pm - 4pm - Cruise on over to Kim's Kruise - In & HAVE A SWEET TREAT WHILE YOU CHECK OUT ALL THE SWEET RIDES IN Celebration of The Laurel Festival; Kim will be offering make your own SUNDAE BAR, AT A SPECIAL PRICING; & LOTS OF TOPPINGS; NOW HOW COOL IS THAT! • 4pm - 6pm - Open House - Dr. Steve Greenberg will be hosting an open house; featuring his collection of Antique & Classic Cadillac's at the South White St. Complex, Rt. 36 South Cadillac owners are welcome to show their Cadillac's (if your are showing, you should arrive at 3pm, contact Steve Greenberg at: 814-952-1616. Public Welcome.

Schedule subject to change; check for changes. Bring a Lawn Chair to sit & enjoy the events •••

*June 25th

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Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 21

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22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200

Founding State Police

The three platoons of Troup D, State Police, stationed at Punxsutawney, perform a drill for the public on March 4, 1906. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

Continued from page 18

decent shape, the men began a rigorous schedule of training. The daily schedule was: stable police report (6 a.m.), roll call (8 a.m.), stable and water (8:15 a.m.), horse exercise (9 a.m.), recall (11:30 a.m.), feeding (11:30 a.m.), assembly at headquarters (1:30 p.m.), horse exercise (1:45 p.m.), recall (2:30 p.m.), stable and water (4:30 p.m.), recall (5 p.m.), stable police report (5:30 p.m.), tattoo (9:30 p.m.), and taps (10 p.m.).

The members of Troop D, as one of their first visible community activities, attend the New Year’s Eve services, en masse, at the First Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m. December 31, 1905.

January 5, 1905, the members of Troop D received their first month’s pay. It was noted that their payday, unlike the payday of miners, passed without celebration, reflecting the discipline of the men who were chosen as guardians of the peace.

During January and February 1906, equipment for the horses and uniforms for the men arrived piece-meal. Finally, on February 28, with the arrival of the men’s puttees, or leggings, the troop was fully equipped. The troopers had spent January and February breaking and training their horses and familiarizing themselves with drills, both mounted and unmounted. The Texas horses which had arrived as tough looking animals had, with two or three exceptions, become sleek-looking, well-fed, well-drilled animals.

On Thursday, March 1, 1906, Troop D performed its first mounted drill in full uniform, for the public at the fairgrounds. The drills and various formations were recorded by local photographers.

The first official law enforcement duty performed by the members of Troop D, began about 12:00 a.m. Monday, March 12, 1906. Citizens from Walston had come to Punxsutawney during a blinding snow storm to request help with a riot that had begun about 10:30 p.m. March 11. The fray began when a group of suspected looters were caught in the act and shooting took place between the home owner, his friends and the looters. Punxsutawney’s night policeman Gray notified Constable Baughman, who stated he was unable to make an arrest without a warrant. Chief of Police Palmer confirmed the he was also unable to take action without a warrant.

The State Constabulary was then called.

Lieutenant H.F. Egle requested a detail of two sergeants and six privates to go to Walston to quell the riot. Three sergeants and ten men volunteered and were quickly mounted and ready for duty. The troopers left Punxsutawney about 12:15 a.m. Monday morning making their way to Walston over a road that was almost impassable due to the heavy snow. They arrested one man for shooting and killing one of the looters and brought him to Punxsutawney where they placed him in jail. They secured six other men who participated in the fight under state police guard, to await the outcome of an investigation into the affair.

The men on the detail were back at the barracks and in bed by 4:30 a.m.

On Monday, March 11, county coroner E.V. Kyle and District Attorney James V. Murray came to Punxsutawney to conduct an investigation and on Tuesday a jury was empaneled. All of those present at the shooting were called as witnesses. After viewing the body at Walston, examining building where the shooting occurred and hearing additional testimony, the jury’s verdict was to hold Frank Marigliano responsible for the shooting. The other men were discharged. Marigliano was taken to Brookville Tuesday afternoon by Sergeant Joe Logan, Pennsylvania State Police Force.

The rural communities surrounding Punxsutawney had gained an efficient police force capable of handling any emergency.

Resources used in the preparation of this article are available at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, the U.S. Census online, and the Library of Congress. This article has been prepared by the Coal Memorial Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc., which seeks to document and preserve the history and impact of coal in the Punxsutawney area.

The last day to purchase a tile for the 2017 installation is July 31, 2017. Forms for purchasing a Coal Memorial tile to honor any person who worked in any aspect of the coal industry may be found online at www.punxsyhistory.org or may be picked up at the Lattimer House, 400 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney. Forms may also be requested by e-mailing: punxsyhistory@outlook.com, or calling (814) 938-2555. Comments on this article may be directed to PAHGS, P.O. Box 286, Punxsutawney, PA 15767.

•••

Family Dentistry 203 CLEARFIELD AVE., PUNXSY

938-8554 938-5800 (“From Our Past,” researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)

May 4, 1904 — Among the Punxyites who went to Indiana Monday to be “pioneer” passengers on the first B.R.& P. passenger train to enter that town, were the members of town Council who went as a body. The ovation tendered Punxs’y people at Indiana was similar to that given Hon. John P. Elkin a few weeks ago.

Punxs’y is glad to extend the neighborly hand to our fair friends “across the border” and trust she may profit by her additional RR. facilities. By another year Punxs’y expects to be still one railroad ahead of Indiana. (Punxsutawney Spirit)

May 17, 1905 — The new park is to Punxsutawney what a painting by one of the masters is to your parlor, with the salutiferous [healthy] aroma from the shrubbery added. (Punxsutawney Spirit) [Note: The “new park” was the town square that is now called Barclay Square.

In 1901, the public square was transformed into a beautiful park by noted American landscape artist Shelby Noyes and opened in 1902 for public use.]

May 19, 1886 — The property known as Rose Cottage has been sold to Reuben F. Young for a consideration of $2200. Mr. Young expects to reside on this property which contains 19 acres of land. The sale was effected through John St. Clair, Esq. (Valley News) [Note: The VFW hall is now located on the property, and a new VFW hall is being built on land formerly known as Young’s Bottom.]

June 2, 1881 — DECORATION DAY. The exercises on Decoration day in Punxsutawney passed off very pleasantly. The procession was formed on the public square according to the published programme, and proceeded to the cemetery, where, after strewing the graves with wreaths and flowers, the people assembled near the centre of the plot, near the grave of Capt. E. H. Little, where prayer was offered by Rev. Day of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The glee club then sang “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground.” An address was then delivered by Rev. D. W. C. Hervey from the First Baptist Church, after which the band played the anthem, “Hail Columbia.” (Punxsutawney Spirit) [Note: The cemetery mentioned is the old cemetery on North Findley Street, which, in 1881, was outside the borough limits of Punxsutawney.]

June 5, 1895 — A petition is being circulated among some of the property holders in the East End asking the Town Council to place a fire plug in a certain

vicinity where there is none. In connection with this they would suggest that the East Enders should have a hose and carriage somewhere in that end of town. The distance from the fire department to that end of town is so great that a building would be almost totally destroyed before the department could reach it, especially in muddy roads and if the fire were on the hill. (Punxsutawney News) •••

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200 – 23

24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – June 2017 - Issue #200