Easter Traditions and Remembrances The Time of Faith and Hope is Upon Us Again
every ingredient she used and writing it down. the recipe was submitted and accepted ith easter upon us, area residents by the editors of the popular recalled their holiday traditions punxsutawney Groundhog cookbook, and memories of their descenGourmets and Groundhogs. i still make dants. this nut roll every easter, altering the immigrants who came to work in the recipe a little. When i make it, i think of kind mrs. Lazorcak who lived in her home in adrian until her death at the age of 101. i spoke with Jeane Lazorcak. Jeane said she could never bake her mother-in-law’s nut roll, as she couldn’t duplicate “a pinch of this and a pinch of that,” as it wasn’t in publication at that time. on easter, the family would gather at peter and elizabeth’s home bringing their baskets of blessed food. the meal to be shared that day would be composed (standing) Mary Lazorcak Hritz, Joe Lazorcak, Elizabeth Lazorcak (mothof the food that made up er), Betty Lazorcak Dubensky; (seated) Peter Lazorcak (father). (Photo these baskets. one courtesy of Jeane Lazorcak) memory Jeane has of Martha (Feliskey) Vitello and Samuel Vitello mines in the area united the towns of easter in adrian is the year they had to (back); Barbara Vitello, Raymond Vitello. (Photo adrian, Crawfordtown and anita in the walk up the hill to her mother-in-law’s courtesy of Ray Vitello) early 1900s. the people who immigrated house. So much snow lay on the road, - Continued on next page to this area had strong faith. the churches in adrian and anita gave the people hope and sustained them throughout their lives. Father Joseph Zubrzyski was the priest who would have the most influence at St. adrian’s Church, while Father Donato Cantelmi was the first priest at St. Joseph’s Church in anita. a lifelong resident of adrian, the late mrs. elizabeth Lazorcak, shared her recipe for her delicious nut roll by having it published in the popular Groundhog cookbook. She and her husband, peter, had two daughters and one son: Betty, who resides in Flint, michigan; mary, who passed away in 2007, and Joe, who died in 1997. SaintS CoSmaS & Damian her daughters did not want their mother’s tradition of making nut rolls for easter St. aDrian † St. anthony † St. JoSeph to be lost, and created the recipe by following her around the kitchen, measuring By Pat Giavedoni of Hometown magazine
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W
HE IS RISEN
Holy We e k Sche dule
Holy THursday, MarcH 20 7:00 p.m. Evening Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper SS.C.D., followed by private adoration until 10:00 p.m., closing with Night Prayer Good Friday, MarcH 21 1:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Lord's Passion - SS.C.D. Holy saTurday, MarcH 22 1:00 p.m. Blessing of Easter Food - SS.C.D. 8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass - SS.C.D. EasTEr sunday, MarcH 23 7:00 a.m. Mass - St. Joseph 8:00 a.m. Mass - SS.C.D. 9:00 a.m. Mass - St. anthony 10:00 a.m. Mass - St. adrian 11:00 a.m. Mass - SS.C.D.
2 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
Easter Traditions Continued from previous page
their car couldn’t make the steep grade. however, i’m sure when they were walking up, the kids in
peter was italian. the traditions of both families were preserved during the holidays. on Christmas, they had the traditional Slovak meal, but at easter, the food was italian. their mother made wonderful baked deserts, but the main dish on easter was veal breast. the
MRS. PETER LAZO RCAK’S
BOHEMIAN NUT RO LL
1 package dry yeast 1/2 cup margarine or but ter (1 stick) 1/4 cup warm water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sug ar 2 eggs 1 cup milk 5 cups all-purpose flou r Egg glaze (optional)
Dissolve yeast in warm wat sugar. Combine milk and er with 1 teaspoon of margarine in a saucepan and heat until margarine is large mixing bowl. Stir melted. pour into a in sugar and salt and let stand until lukewarm. (Ed itor use the recipe add the yea ’s Note: Those who st after adding the sugar and salt, but before add ing the eggs and flour.) Beat in eggs and flour. Knead in the bowl until flour is all absorbed and mix the sides of the bowl. Dou ture comes away from Cover with a damp cloth. gh will be sticky. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. turn out on divide into four parts. Cov a floured board and er with a towel and let
Ray Vitello outside his grandparent's home in Anita. (Photo courtesy of Ray Vitello)
adrian were sled-riding down. Lucille and elaine Scuello, residents of anita, and their sister Barb (Scuello) Gresock and brother Guy, were born in Crawfordtown. Barb resides in punxsutawney with her husband, nick, and they own the popular and longtime nick’s Corner Lunch. Guy resides in anita. their parents were a n n a (plufchan) and peter Scuello. it was a mixed marriage, as it was termed then, as anna was Slovak and
rise 1 hour. roll each part into a 14 x 14-inch rectangle. Spread with nut jelly roll, tucking in end filling. roll as for a s. greased baking sheet and place on a lightly let hour. if desired, brush with rise, covered, 1/2 Bake in a 350 degree ove lightly beaten egg. n 35-40 minutes or until well-browned. yie ld: 4 nut rolls nuT FillinG 4 cups shelled walnuts (Editor ’s Note: 1-lb.), gro und 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 cup milk 4 egg yolks
Combine ground nuts, butt er, sugar, milk and egg yolks in a saucepan. Cook until thickened, about five minutes, stirr ing mixture from scorching. constantly to prevent Coo yield: Filling for 4 nut roll l thoroughly. s. (note: Filling should be prepared in adv ance so it is well cooled before using.)
recipe is complicated, but the end result is delicious. elaine, Lucille or Barb would be happy to share it with you on one condition: you would have to cook it for them, too! Lucille remembers receiving those little colored chicks sold by the G.C. murphy Company and Guy Scuello. (Photo in punx’y. Lucille courtesy of Elaine Scuello) e v e r y easter, her father would go to punx’y and buy one for each of his children. mr. Scuello happened to be an animal lover, so the chicks were well cared for and lived a long life. another lifelong resident of anita wanted to share his memories of easter anonymously. he worked away from this area but came home every weekend. When i spoke with him, he was sitting in his computer room, the room of his birth. every
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Easter Traditions Continued from previous page
easter, he still makes the semi-sweet yeast dough his mother called Calabrese pizza which has layers of capaciola, swiss cheese, sliced hard boiled eggs and pepperoni sealed in a crust and baked. ray Vitello returned to anita in 1978. he was in the fourth grade when his family - father Samuel Vitello, mother, martha (Feliskey) Vitello and sister, Barbara (Vitello) Costanzo, moved to St. mary’s, pa. . his roots are deep in anita as his maternal grandparents, Steve and mary Feliskey, lived there. his sister, Barbara and her husband Jim moved back to the area and now call anita home. one of ray’s favorite memories of easter is coming from St. mary’s to spend
the weekend with his grandparents. he would wear a new suit, shirt and tie, and his sister was lovely in a navy blue dress with hat, gloves, and shoes to match. i’m sure if there had been an easter parade in anita, they would have been at the lead. When the easter celebrations were over, the family returned to St. mary’s where his dad worked, but weekends were spent at his grandparent’s home. he remembers shopping at all the stores in punx’y. Sam Bevak, former resident of adrian and local baseball umpire and basketball referee, remembers the solemn Good Friday Service at St. adrian’s Church. the older residents of the town would cry during this service, according to Sam. When he was a child, he and his buddies would give up going to movies during Lent. on holy Saturday, after Lent ended at noon, you would find them hitchhiking
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St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Anita. (Photo by Heather Giavedoni)
on the road to punx’y to go to the movies finished the blessing, the owner of the basat the Jefferson theatre. ket would offer him a gift of food for his my brother Bill DeSandro married Jean easter Dinner. Ferko, who was raised in anita. they this year, at 1 p.m. on holy Saturday, the moved to Baltimore in the late 1950s. tradition of “the Blessing of Food Jean’s parents were michael and anne Baskets” will be continued at SS.C.D. Schrock. anne was always known as Church in punx’y by monsignor Joseph “Lefty.” riccardo and Jean has Father Justin three brothers, pino. i’m sure Bill, Jerry and both will be tommy. offered food Bill and his from the baswife mary kets. ann (D’anna) mass will be live in punx’y, held this year but she was at 7 a.m. on raised in easter Sunday DuBois. Jerry at St. Joseph’s resides in Church in Falls Creek anita and 10 with his wife a.m. at St. L o u i s e adrian’s (Ferraro), who Church in was an anita adrian and the resident. easter traditommy is tion will conmarried to tinue as it has patty Skarbek, been since the who is from Women of the Scuello family: Lucille, Anna (mother), Barb and churches were eleanora, and Elaine. (Photo courtesy of Elaine Scuello) founded in the they live in early 1900s. reynoldsville. Debbie Barilar, who has been the organWhen the three boys were young and at ist at St. Joseph’s Church for 40 years, is home, their mother Lefty filled easter basthe choir director. the small but mighty kets for them. She filled and hid them so choir will lead the people in the hymns, that they had to hunt to find them. the some which might have been sung by their baskets were never hidden outside the parents and grandparents. house, but Lefty found some ingenious in adrian, Sandy (Smelko) Bevak will places to hide them inside. climb the stairs to play the 100-year-old Jean filled an easter basket every year organ that sits in the choir loft of the for her daughter Cheri, too. and Cheri church. the bell in the Church tower will continues doing this for her two grandtoll, the choir some of whom are descenchildren. this year, she will fill one for dants of the immigrants will begin to sing her great grandchild, hayden. as with and the church will come alive with music. many families, she treasures the tradition easter – a time of faith, remembering and started by her mother and follows it to this hope is with us again. day. ••• During Lent today, people still fast, but years ago, fasting was very strict. the Greek Catholic residents of adrian and 222 W. Mahoning St. Downtown Punx’y anita ate no meat, eggs, dairy products, or FULL SERVICE SALON anything containing dairy products on Good Friday and church services were from noon to 3 p.m. all the stores were closed throughout the town during that HAIR • NAILS • TANNING time. OUR STAFF IS HERE TO SERVE YOU! on holy Saturday, you could eat dairy Mya Hickok, Alicia Burkett, Debbie Long, products, foods containing them, and and (welcome back!) Judie Goulish eggs, but no meat until the fast ended at HOURS: noon. on easter Sunday morning, after Tues.-Fri. 9-7 mass was over, the first food you ate came STUDENTS: Sat. 9 to 3 from the blessed food basket and everyone SHOW YOUR Closed Sun. & Mon. I.D. & GET remembers how good that first bite tasted. the priest on holy Saturday at St. Appointments Preferred Walk-Ins Welcome adrian’s blessed the food. each family had a special basket for this purpose. the MEN’S DAY: priest would draw back the cover to bless Every Wednesday our Website for Specials: the food and a wonderful aroma would CUTS $9 Check www.myashairworks.com drift through the church. after the priest
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Crusader Carrie Nation Visits Our Town The Temperance Movement in Punxsutawney
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By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine
or many years in the infancy of the quiet country village of punxsutawney — before the 1880s with the immigration of many workers from eastern european cultures — the alcoholic beverage was a common drink for the residents. Various writings give hints about the mid-18th century lifestyle set in place by the early German and anglo-Saxon pioneers. one writing described the talented John K. Coxson, who settled in Clayville, now punx’y’s west end section, in 1850. “he was a painter, poet, lawyer, preacher, editor, politician, orator and distiller, in his little day, and was good at all.” that writing of February 1894 highlighted one of his accomplishments with “a few of our old citizens are not afraid to say that they have never since tasted such whiskey as they got at Coxson’s distillery.” another distillery that was popular was that of o. h. nordstrom. Best known for his brick works in the area of old indiana Street and Gaskill avenue, known as punxsutawney’s South Side, his obituary in 1909 made this point about his distillery, “...his corn or rye whiskey the finest and purest to be had in this section of the State, as hundreds of pioneers now long since passed away were wont to testify.” a writer about early punxsutawney in
1905, identifying himself as “old Sox,” and have it filled with whiskey.” described some of the business places he With its German heritage, the punx’y area remembered was introduced to upon his arrival to beer when Chris town in 1858 and haag opened his recalled the old new South Side City hotel locatBrewery in 1882. ed on the east side an advertisement of Barclay Square by mr. haag in on South penn then weekly Spirit Street at the correvealed the sentiner of east ments of women at mahoning Street. the time. haag he wrote, “prime directed his attenwhiskey was sold tion to women at this hotel at locally with these three cents a words, “notice drink and the those ladies of same quality of punxsutawney and old rye could be vicinity who are had at any of the opposed to their stores for twelve husbands drinking and a half cents my beer, and who per quart... if a are in the habit of man decided that annoying me, will he wanted a quart To combat the influence of alcohol on families and soci- hereafter publish and bought it, ety, drunkenness and domestic violence, women the names of those organized with activity to encourage “temperhaving saved by became to whom they wish ance.” A controversial national leader for reform was his day’s labor a Carry A. Nation, who spoke in Punx’y in 1908 on a tour to stop selling beer dollar, he had 87 of the area. in the paper at my 1/2 cents to take expense...” home to his family... in those days men By the 1890s, larger breweries would be would come in to town on Saturday from organized here by others of German anceslog jobs and other work, get a tin bucket - Continued on next page
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Carrie Nation Continued from previous page try. the punxsutawney Brewing Company (1897) and the elk run Brewing Company (1901) distributed their product widely in western pennsylvania where there were many mining districts. nationally, in the 1870s, crusading women combating the influence of alcohol on families and society initiated a temperance movement. inspired by temperance defined as “moderation in all things healthful; total abstinence from all things harmful,” they attempted to rid society of what they saw as the dangers of alcohol. organizations such as the mahoning Valley temperance alliance and the national Women’s Christian temperance Union (WCtU) were organized locally in 1885 to address the social ills stemming from drunkenness and domestic violence. Upon the first anniversary of the punxsutawney WCtU, mrs. mary C. Graffius, president, spoke, “there is a wail of sorrow going up all over our land. From fond mothers whose sons are being ruined for time and eternity. From heartbroken wives whose homes are darkened and who
are dragging out miserable lives with drunken and brutal husbands. From innocent and helpless children who are deprived of bread and clothes, and more of a father’s care and protection all the comforts of a happy home there are helpless sufferers.” the women’s activity had a moral concern, not just religious objections. the strongest period of the temperance movement was in the late 19th and early 20th century as the excessive use of alcohol destroyed the lives of many women who faced drunken husbands. From the abuse of alcohol, and the drunkenness, it was argued, “a woman is stripped of everything... her husband is torn from her; she is robbed of her sons, her home, her food and her virtue.” it was in 1908 that punx’y was visited by a noted crusader of international fame who spoke against the “evils of alcohol.” the town was in the midst of its best times. With the consolidation of Clayville into punxsutawney, a Greater punxsutawney was promoted, its population now nearly 9,000 people. that June, there was a buzz around town that on Friday, June 5, the controversial and militant crusader Carrie nation would visit the area. Carrie nation’s visit to punx’y in
In the mid-18th century, the residents’ taste for corn or rye whiskey as an alcoholic beverage was provided by local distilleries. O. H. Nordstrom operated a distillery in the 1880s from his place where the Mahoning Valley Milling Company is located today off old Indiana Street.
1908 was one of many public appearances in the immediate area. a week before her stop in punx’y she spoke to a crowd in indiana, and the day before she had presented her talk to a record-breaking crowd in Brookville. in her lecture tour that year, she also had many public appearances in Canada and the British isles. Born Carrie amelia moore, the crusading woman was married twice. her second marriage in 1877 was to David nation, a minister, lawyer and newspaperman nineteen years older than Carrie. She was now mrs. Carrie a. nation. Joining the Women’s Christian temperance Union (WCtU) in 1899, by 1900 she had made a name for herself for her aggressive style in the group’s fight against alcohol and the fight for prohibition. her controversial tactics of using rocks, hammers or hatchets to destroy saloons and their liquor were well publicized. She also spoke out against the use of tobacco and women’s immodest dress. From her tireless “reform” tours across
the country she grew increasingly confident that her efforts would help carry a nation, and she later registered “Carry a. nation” as a trademark for her tours, “Carry” replacing her original spelling of Carrie. her speaking engagements would draw huge crowds, sparked by women caught up in the reform movement to prohibit alcohol. at a time when women could not vote, the movement provided women a voice on issues. her attacks on saloons in the big cities were carried out by smashing wooden liquor barrels with a hatchet, so the hatchet eventually came to symbolize her crusades. to her, it was an instrument of power, just as much as the jawbone was with Samson when he slew the philistines. the antics of Carry a. nation, of course, drew national attention. and she was booked to speak in the “big city” of punxsutawney! the may 1908 announcement of her appearance referred to her as “the famous hatchetologist” or the “Kansas cyclone in skirt.” - Continued on next page
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Carrie Nation Continued from previous page
it was first stated she would lecture in the presbyterian Church, in their new church building at the corner of Union Street and Findley Street, but it was learned that that
arrangement had not been officially authorized by church officials. a new location had to be found with a realization that, by her popularity and fame, “no auditorium in this town would hold one-tenth of those who would want to hear her.” it was suggested her meeting be held out in the open in the public square, perhaps, but the newly landscaped park in town would not have its first bandstand until 1911 to accommodate a speaker, and a concern for the anticipated large crowds overflowing into mahoning Street nixed the suggestion. eventually, everybody who wanted to see or hear Carry a. nation
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would be crowded into the popular new 1200-seat Jefferson theatre on north Findley Street. The Punxsutawney Spirit reported her visit with the sub-heading “Famous Kansas Cyclone Knocks everything in General and Liquor in particular.” after arriving in town, and before her lecture, “mother nation” had gone around town to secure a list of names of punxsutawney men to use in her talk. having learned from others that mrs. nation’s methods were “sensational” and, at times, full of abuses, the theatre management had asked her to be on good behavior, or the “curtain would fall” if she dealt with local personalities. She promised she would be good, but the newspaper account of her visit would indicate she was not. The Spirit writer reported, “Carrie should be arrested for libel... when she stated that punxsutawney had the reputation for maintaining more houses of prostitution than any town in this section...” that was a falsehood, declared the newspaper in defense of the town. “...and then she proceeded to lambaste everything that she could find time to swat,” reported the newspaper. it was also reported that in the afternoon, before her evening lecture, mrs. nation had visited all of the barrooms in town, “growled at the barkeep a bit,” and sold a few hatchets. in the morning she had encountered some local citizens and “took occasion to berate several men whom she saw smoking on the street. She did not, however, do any cigar snatching.” When she spoke in DuBois the next evening, she spoke of her visit in punx’y. The DuBois Courier reported her remarks: “Carrie expressed herself freely concerning the treatment she received at the hands of the punxsutawney church-people, who refused to allow her to speak in the churches. She refused to eat in a hotel where liquor was sold and was conducted to a restaurant where her appetite was appeased.” During her appearance in the area that day of 1908, 61-year old Carry a. nation was described as “a bit frail and delicate... her dress severely plain ... only two pieces, her only luxury being pockets.” Carry nation completed her last speaking tour in 1910 because of failing health. She died in January 1911. her efforts between 1900 and 1910 drew attention to the issue of prohibition that led to the passage of the eighteenth amendment in 1919 that began an era known as prohibition or “the noble experiment” that lasted until 1933. ••• We have a full lin e of monu ments, decorati ve stone s, benches and more!
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hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 7
Well! Well! Well! Thirsting for Spring Water The Story of Punx’y’s Early Water Supplies
By S. Thomas Curry only a slight glance? and little appreciaa spring for a handy drink of water and a that were mostly covered with virgin of Hometown magazine tion? cool storage space for food in the cellar. forests when mr. irvin built his home. n Groundhog Day, our groundhog Consider our pioneer forefathers. Such a history was described in a story right at the kitchen door is a never-failing told us to “think winter.” Shortly Springs were a necessity on their journey announcing the golden anniversary of mr. spring of the finest water to be found in after, the message sign at the over former trails to our “wilderness.” and mrs. John irvin in a 1917 newspaper. this valley.” punxsutawney area high School they looked (and listened) for the sounds the couple settled in punxsutawney in others would follow the first settlers. read Vi l l a g e s “ t h i n k w e r e Spring!” and, formed. here it is, the our in first day of immediate spring is this area there week! w e r e i thought of springs springs, the t h a t springs we became find breaking landmarks out from the for visitors sides of hills and resias the result of dents to melting snow, draw water and rains for their soaking into d a i l y the ground, needs. Gillespie Spring, located along Main Street in Clayville (Punx’y’s West End), can be seen in the lower left corner of a drawing from Caldwell‚ Illustrated History of Jefferson and coming The rated at County (1878). The landmark spring was removed in 1926 to make way for a “modern” gas station. The location of the spot as it is today is seen in the photo at right. (Photo out through by Thomas Curry) the top of r o c k y the list for crevices, to flow into cool, babbling of water along the traveled paths to make 1874. their house was built at the top of a drinking water by old-timers were the streams. thoughts moved back to the stops for a refreshing break or a place to hill on what is now Woodland avenue. Clawson Spring (between Fairview and early settlement of this area with hills and settle down. the new settler would find about their new home the story read, Cloe), the Gillespie Spring in the former valleys. With our adequate supply of the best spring of water on his intended “Located as it is on the beautiful verdure Clayville (punx’y’s west end), and the water available today at the turn of a spigtract, clear the trees around the spring and covered hill, their home overlooks the Graffius Spring in the elk run section of ot, do we pass by springs with maybe settle in. Some would build directly over town and hills beyond dotted with farms - Continued on next page
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Well! Well! Well! Continued from previous page punxsutawney. in 1943, William pratt, a well-known local poet, took a “memory trip” back to a
much of the land that was the center of the town. his residence was on Clayville’s “main Street” at the intersection of what is now Grace Way and Center Street. it was the spot where Jacob hoover first set up his tent as the first settler in 1814. Clayville competed with punxsutawney for businesses and industries during the booming years of the 1890s. Local leaders promoted the town with the claim, “Clayville has one thing that punxsutawney cannot boast of, and that is the excellent spring on hon. J. U. Gillespie’s premises from which thousands annually quench their thirst. it is in such a convenient place, and mr. Gillespie has made it convenient for visitors. the water is pure, sweet and cool...” But the old Gillespie spring was in the way of progress. in 1926, a gas station was built at that intersection. in giving up
the favorite spot to memory, people were reminded of its history, “the spring is one of the oldest institutions in punxsutawney. it was a spring when mahoning Street was a cow path...” From a spot where thirsty travelers once could sip cool, crystal water it would become a place where “the motorist will fill his thirsty car,” lamented the newspaper writer in announcing the change. on Graffius avenue, in the elk run section, is the Graffius Spring, still functioning today with a beautiful sandstone wall and water flowing. the “Graffius addition,” as it was known, was originally the property of John m. Graffius, a lumberman who married mary Clawson. in the 1820s miss Clawson’s father was the first one to settle the area of the east end along the mahoning Creek and east
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As towns grew in population, a “town pump” would draw water from a well to supply water for drinking and household use. The Cooper Well (and pump) was on Front Street in Punx’y in the early 1800s. A 1908 photo illustrates when the well/pump was restored and put to use again for the public.
time before the trees that shaded Clawson’s Spring were being cleared for timber. he shared: “No child of the future can happily say; Providing tomorrow’s a weather some day, I’ll get me some cookies, both frosted and plain, And other rich goodies that Ginny and Jane, And Martha and Ick and the rest of my bunch Would relish at Clawson’s for picnic lunch. Where spring waters trickle through deep-wooded shade, We’ll feast on hot wieners and cool lemonade; We’ll stay till the moon cast her glow, And lights flicker on in the windows of Cloe.” in the early 1900s, young men would do an early morning sprint from downtown punx’y to the popular Clawson’s Spring, take a drink with the “club cup” and return to town for breakfast. Gillespie Spring was on the property of J. U. Gillespie, who settled in the village of Clayville in the 1840s purchasing
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hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 9
Well! Well! Well!
“We Serve As We Would Be Served. . .
Continued from previous page
of the bridge from the creek out to Cloe. along that road was Clawson’s Spring.
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10 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
A landmark natural spring in the Elk Run section of Punxsutawney is the Graffius Spring along Graffius Avenue. The beautiful native sandstone facing wall for the spring was provided by Frank “Pop” Harl as a memorial to his grandmother. Harl’s grandparents owned the property known as the “Graffius Addition.” (Photo by Thomas Curry)
the Graffius Spring is now identified as the mary C. Graffius memorial Spring. Frank “pop” harl, as a memorial to his grandmother, completed the stonework and the spring’s decorative spigot. When the area was sparsely settled, individual springs on properties were adequate. But as villages grew in population, and springs couldn’t supply enough water, wells were tapped to the underground water tables to supply water to town residents. Later water was piped into homes. the existences of some wells, known as “town pumps,” were discovered through recent research. it was during the earlier years of punxsutawney — in the 1830s — when the “Cooper Well” was dug on property owned by Dr. John W. Jenks. the property was later the residence of thomas and elizabeth Cooper. the spot was on Front Street facing mahoning Creek, where older residents might remember parente’s restaurant was locat-
ed before the 1970s. the Cooper Well was closed to the public and abandoned in the late 1880s when the town’s population grew and the crowds who visited it “became a nuisance,” stated a news story of 1908 when a celebration about its “rehabilitation” was reported. the report described its history when less than 100 people lived in punxsutawney, the village then a part of y o u n g township. “...that well was the social, political, industrial center of the town in the daytime, and the chief trysting place at night. the post office was on the lot adjoining...the post office and well were the nucleus of the town’s activities...although it was put down only about eighteen or twenty feet, the water was then, and always has been, regarded as the acme of the nectar of the gods. For many years it served to furnish the sole supply for drinking and domestic purposes, and even in more recent years people came from all parts of the town to quench their thirst at the Cooper Well.” people of 1908 who had fond memories of the well made an appeal to the community for funds to repair the well and have it reopened. “the old stone cap was removed, the well was thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom, the walls washed, and a brand new pump supplied. a new cement trough has been added, a drinking cup provided and all is now in readiness for resuming business at the old stand.” Whether going to the well in the past as “lovers, idlers, thirsters, plotters, or romancers,” their day of celebration and the reopening was July 12, 1908. regarding old town wells, another day of excitement occurred in 1940 when workmen were tearing up sidewalks in front of the business buildings that faced the “plaza” and Barclay Square along mahoning Street, where the eagles building is. the old buildings were demolished in the 1970s with federal redevelopment funds. redevelopment there resulted in the construction of the former Keystone national Bank, now powell & associates real estate building. - Continued on page 13
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(Editor’s Note: ‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.) March 4, 1869 — Fire. the citizens of our town were aroused from their slumber on last monday night, about 12 o’clock, by the alarming cry of “Fire, fire!” Starting out to see who were the sufferers, the flames were discovered bursting out of the windows and roof of a frame building on the east side of the public Square, the property of mr. isaac Keck, and occupied as a grocery and provision store by mr. i. S. rosenberger. mr. rosenberger lost his entire stock of provisions and groceries, saving only his books and one barrel of syrup. We believe he had $600 insurance on his stock, which will not cover more than half the loss. it is supposed the fire originated from a defective flue. (note: the property in this story, “on the east side of the public Square,” would have been where some readers remember the park apartments.) (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) March 10, 1870 — thanKS. mr. thomas L. templeton of Brookville has our thanks for a copy of the new york Clipper, from which we extract the following item of news: “a horse fair is shortly to be held at punxsutawney, pa. it may be a fair place to hold a fair at, but it’s not fair to call a town - or anything else - by such an outrageous name.” now, “it’s not fair” for our literary friends in Gotham to speak thus contemptuously of the name of our beautiful village just because they can’t spell it. it not only manifests a very uncharitable doubt as to the wisdom of those who adopted this significant name, but is a most unholy slander on the “noble red man.” (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) March 14, 1894 — the average boy is so busy these days that he has very little time to devote to the chores at home. he must make regular visits to the sugar water trees at least three times a day; then he must do some fishing, and early in the morning he plays ball. after dinner he plays marbles. When not otherwise engaged in sports, he goes to school. (Punxsutawney News)
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March 26, 1902 — a brass band consisting of 23 pieces, from Walston, visited town the other day and rendered several selections. the band is under the leadership of enrico Colonna who has been instructing the players for the past eight months. their playing was very good. may they come again. (Punxsutawney News) March 29, 1905 — the anita Coal mining Company, which was organized
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A
By Bill Anderson of Hometown magazine
t the end of may 1862, Confederate General Joseph e. Johnston, who was in command of the army of northern Virginia, and some 41,800 men counter-attacked General George mcClellan's slightly larger army at Fair oaks. Both sides bore heavy losses. While the particulars of the battle are detailed in history, it was a young soldier from nearby Gaskill township, Jefferson County, who played a significant part in the outcome of the war, causing General robert e. Lee to take command of the Confederate army. as the battle at Fair oaks ensued throughout Saturday, may 31, 1862, General Johnston ordered the cessation of his futile advancements on Union soldiers. Late in the afternoon, striving to achieve victory, he rode forward to arrange the dispositions of his rebel troops. as he and his staff came to an edge of a clearing and within range of the boys in blue, his accompanying officer ducked after hearing a projectile whiz by his head. Johnson smiled and said, "Colonel, there is no use of dodging. When you hear them, they have
passed." across the field, on the Union line, the famed pennsylvania 105th “Wild Cat” regiment, made up largely of boys from Jefferson County, was hidden behind a slashing. Colonel Craig of the 105th, keeping a constant eye on the enemy lines, stepped forward and asked, “is there a man here who can shoot that officer at a distance?” the boys of the 105th looked beyond him and saw two men riding out from the Confederate ranks. “tom neel can do it!” half a dozen boys yelled. “he’s a deer hunter and a dead shot.” tom, who hailed from Gaskill township, had earned the reputation among the 105th as an unequaled sharpshooter. Without hesitation, neel stepped to the front of the line, leveled his musket at the officer, and fired. the officer threw up his hands and fell forward on his horse, the bullet striking him in the right shoulder. the Union boys led out a great whoop: neel had just shot General Joseph Johnston. a moment later, a shell fragment hit the general in the chest, throwing him off his horse and knocking him out. Johnston was dragged off the field. By - Continued on Next Page
Well! Well! Well! Continued from page 10
the work to widen the sidewalks uncovered a stone-cased well about 25 feet deep “almost a perfect circle, the casing as solid as the day it was placed...in a fine state of preservation.” an old resident, Joseph hughes, remem-
Hometown Tales Continued from previous page
this time, darkness had fallen and the serious fighting was over for the day. Jefferson Davis and General robert e. Lee came upon the wounded general as he was regaining consciousness. Davis went to his side and took his hand, asking him if there was anything he could do for him. Johnston shook his head, and then realized he had lost his sword, which his father had carried in the american revolution. he asked, “i would not lose it for ten thousand dollars. Will someone go back and get it for me?” he also requested that his missing pistols be retrieved. an orderly went and fetched them, and Johnston, magnanimous even in pain, gave the man one of his pistols for his trouble. Seriously wounded, Johnston could not take part in the next day’s fighting. General James Longstreet led the attack but made little progress. in the afternoon, General robert e. Lee arrived to replace Johnston. Lee immediately ordered a withdrawal to the original Confederate positions. During the battle, the Union army lost 5,031 men and the Confederate army 6,134, but it was a shot from a punxsutawney-area boy that changed the course of the war. “i am sure of that, for i witnessed the proceedings with my own eyes, and most any member of the 105th regiment will corroborate my statements,” a member of the 105th later said. “Shortly afterwards we learned that General Johnston had been severely wounded while riding out with a colonel of the 8th Louisiana. We knew from the time and the circumstances of the case that it was neel’s bullet that did the work, for there was no other firing on at the time.” •••
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bered it as a boy in the 1860s and told its history. “From that well the wooden ‘town pump’ drew water for many residing in that neighborhood. its excess waters flowed into a watering trough at which the horses that were hitched in the ‘public square’ were watered. From it, thirsty travelers quenched their thirst and water from it served as ‘chasers’ in the nearby bar room of the Washington hotel...near the pump and watering trough were iron pipe hitching rails, running through bored wooden uprights, at which it was not uncommon to see as many as 20 horses hitched,” hughes recalled. an example of water being piped into homes from springs is illustrated in the news note of 1904 in a local newspaper
that read, “h. L. Grube, of Cloe, has a very good spring of water on his place which supplies about 25 houses in the town of Cloe. the spring never runs dry and the consumers are furnished the finest kind of spring water piped into their houses at 75 cents per month. it’s a pity the spring does not furnish enough water to supply punx’y.” as the punx’y area became more populated, the underground wells and springs that people had depended upon became contaminated by the mining activity, discharges from industries and cesspools. punx’y and Clayville had to reorganize their water supply to meet the demands of a city. as the town approached the 20th century, a water company would be organized to provide a larger and more
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hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 13
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lighten and brighten for spring By Mary Carol Garrity for Hometown magazine
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it's still cold outside where i live, and i'm feeling depressed. i think taking on a home-decorating project will help me beat the blues until the weather warms up. any ideas? a: Sounds like you've got a textbook case of spring fever. every year at this time, i get the same symptoms. i scour the garden for bulbs peeking out of the frozen ground and strain to hear the songs of birds returning for the season. But when mother nature isn't cooperating, i do some intensive "decorating therapy." and this time of year, there is no more liberating interior-design project than flipping your house for spring. here's how. PacK uP WinTEr Before you can embrace spring, you have to say a final goodbye to winter. in
the fall and winter, i love to build tabletop tableaus with layer upon layer of interesting accents, use warm and yummy textiles in my bedding and furniture groupings, and bring out my richest accessories. But in the spring, i'm yearning to lighten and brighten my decor, trading the dark and heavy mood that makes me feel snuggly in the winter for a simple, soft look for spring. So i tuck a storage box under my arm and go on a scavenger hunt throughout my home, snatching up the remnants of my winter seasonal decor, like the pinecones i've clustered in a hurricane and the tapestry shawl i use as a tablecloth on my dining room table. i also edit my displays, removing a few of my more formal decorative treasures, like silver platters and crystal vases, to make room for the fresh fare of the coming season. - Continued on page 22
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14 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
Cozy up your home with historic charm By Mary Carol Garrity for Hometown magazine
M
ost of us go to great lengths and spend lots of money to keep the telltale signs of aging at bay. But when it comes to our homes, my philosophy is, the older it looks, the better it is. there's nothing i like better than a home filled with historic charm. if you're in love with the romantic look of yesteryear but live in a house that's newer, take heart. it's easy to fill your home with vintage character. all you need is a few tricks to make your dwelling resemble the historic beauties that make you swoon. sET your coursE Before you try to take your home back in time, make sure you've got the right destination in mind. is your new home built to resemble a craftsman bungalow? a tuscan villa? a French country chateau? an early american colonial? it's key that every historic upgrade you add is in keeping with the established style and time period of your home. But if your home's exterior style doesn't appear to fall into any particular classification, you're free to take it any direction you like, as long as the changes you add harmonize with the home's overall look. EXTrEME MaKEoVEr Don't ever start a home makeover without first determining how major your renovations will be. Do you want to go for it and invest oodles of time, money and patience into a major renovation that will make your home look like it should be on the national historic register? if so, do your research so your changes look historically authentic. Save photos of historic homes that have features you love, like built-in bookcases and window seats, so you can replicate them in your home's final design. Consider hiring an architect who specializes in making new homes look old. rooM rEdo thankfully, you don't have to completely renovate your home to give it a historic feel. you'd be amazed by how much character you can add through a
few Diy projects that take a weekend. how about paneling the walls or ceiling of your main-level powder room with charming bead board? add deep crown molding to your living room. replace your ho-hum dining-room light fixture with one that's been salvaged from a home built in the era you're trying to mimic. install subway tile for your kitchen backsplash. age your master bathroom with a claw-foot tub and a pedestal sink, complete with old-fashioned looking fixtures. a QuicK coZyinG uP if you break out in hives at the thought of home fix-it projects, don't worry. there are lots of ways to cozy up your castle without breaking out the toolbox. First, create the right backdrop. Cover your walls with a wonderful classic paint color or wallpaper pattern that reflects the style popular in the era you're trying to replicate. then, set the stage by choosing antique or reproduction furniture pieces that match the mood you're going for. Be sure to pick textiles that are authentic with the time period. today's fabric makers are beginning to reproduce some of the beautiful patterns of yesteryear, and these textiles are ideal for curtain panels, furniture upholstery and bedding. a friend of mine transformed the look of her contemporary townhouse by using a killer fabric to make lush drapes, which she hung on either side of the hallway leading back to the bedrooms. art is a shockingly easy way to take your home back in time. Scout around at flea markets or antique stores for great finds like old portraits, landscapes and botanicals. Finally, don't forget the accents. Select pieces that reflect the historic charm you love, like old books and boxes, vintage glass vases and compotes, and charming old dishes. Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home furnishings stores in Atchison, Kan., and the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write to Mary Carol at nellhills@mail.lvnworth.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com •••
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Wa T c H F o r s P r i n G H o u r s hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 15
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he Salvation army of punxsutawney has launched its annual red Shield Campaign. “this is our annual sustaining campaign,” said Captain James mahan, Commanding officer of the punxsutawney Worship and Service Center. ”We’ve set a goal this year of $15,000, which we hope to reach with the help of the community.” the fund-raising campaign began earlier in march with a mailing to area businesses
and individuals. Local Salvation army board members and volunteers will be making some contacts around the community. “We’re sorry if someone is missed,” said James mahan. “We are available to provide any information a potential donor may wish to have.” anyone in the community who wants to donate may mail or drop off their donation to 229 West mahoning Street, punxsutawney.
nearly 90 percent of every dollar given goes to client services. those services include emergency food assistance; transient food and lodging; and thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets. project Bundle-Up provides new winter coats and outerwear for children and senior citizens. treasures for Children gave toys and gifts for many area children at Christmas. “We offer character-building and spiritual development programs for children and adults,” added Captain Leandra mahan,
Co-Commanding officer in punxsutawney. “We have Supper Club for children every tuesday evening and also send local children to the Salvation army’s Camp allegheny in the summer.” For more information on Salvation army programs and services, call 938-5530. this campaign funds services and programs from late spring through the fall months. “this is one of our main fund-raisers of the year,” said Leandra mahan. many Salvation army Worship and Service Centers hold the red Shield campaigns to help them during this time of the year. Donations are tax-deductible. this year’s campaign will wrap up at the end of april. “We want the community to know how grateful we are for their donations,” said Leandra mahan. “the donations we receive enable us to help the residents of this area in several different ways.” •••
16 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
Our food safety system puts us at risk
H
By Suzanne Havala Hobbs for Hometown Magazine
ow does bad beef land on your child's school lunch tray? it's not hard to understand when you examine our broken federal food safety system. the latest case example: 143 million pounds of beef were recalled by the federal government in the largest beef recall in U.S. history. What happened? activists at the humane Society of the United States went undercover at California-based Westland/hallmark meat Co. to document extreme violations of federal regulations governing the humane treatment of animals killed for their meat. Despite the presence of a full-time, on-site inspector from the U.S. Department of agriculture, downer cows -- those cows too sick or injured to stand up on their own -- were tortured and forced to stand up long enough to be killed. What's wrong with that -- aside from
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Punx’y Rotary’s Blood Screenings Set for April 19, 26
he punxsutawney rotary Club, along with the punxsutawney area hospital, will again be offering their annual multi-phasic blood screenings on Saturday, april 19, and Saturday, april 26 at the punxsutawney area middle School cafeteria. advance registration is required and blood drawing appointments will be scheduled for each day from 6 to 10 a.m. these screenings provide analysis for over 30 medical factors and can assist your physician in detecting health problems such as anemia, coronary heart disease, kidney or liver disease or diabetes as well as many others. these tests are offered at only a small fraction of the normal costs. the fees for this years testing remain the same: $45 per person (men and women over 18) for the multi-phasic screening, and $15 for the optional prostate Specific antigen (pSa), available to men 40 years of age or older only. the test process takes about 15 minutes. to guarantee accurate results, a 12 to 14 hour fast prior to testing is required. it is also recommended that no alcohol be consumed 24 hours prior to testing. appointments are necessary and walkins will not be accepted. all registrants must have a family physician who has agreed to accept the test results. a list of nearly 200 area doctors that have accepted is on the registration site. on-line registration requires payment in advance by credit card on the secure website by either Visa or master Card. this week, rotary Club members were calling all test participants from the past year, who had not yet registered on-line, to register them in advance over the phone. anyone who has not yet registered can call 938-3477 and leave a voice message with a return phone number and best time to call and a rotary member will return
your call to register you. Do not call punxsutawney area hospital to make an appointment, as they are not administering the registration. all those registering over the phone may pay at the door by cash or check made out to punxsutawney rotary Club. Snacks and drinks will be available at the events. the results of the screening are confidential and sent directly from the lab to your designated physician. this blood screening, however, does not replace the need for regular physical exams. all proceeds from the screenings go into the rotary Club’s general budget and are returned to the community through the almost 40 area organizations and community events supported by rotary. any further questions may be directed to the local club by e-mail at hyperLinK " m a i l t o : i n f o @ p u n x s y r o t a r y. c o m " info@punxsyrotary.com or by leaving a voice message at 938-3477. •••
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Hearing Aids Our food safety Continued from page 17
USDa officials said they believed most of the recalled beef sent to schools had already been eaten. USDa's the assurances that its food protection "interlocking safeguards" are working fall flat, given abundant evidence to the contrary. So do government officials' observations that nobody got sick after eating the meat from the downer cows. Scientists believe it can take years, or even decades, after exposure to prions before vCJD develops. What now? First, we need an independent agency put in charge of protecting the food supply. the USDa has demonstrated it can no longer be trusted with the job. that's because when USDa is supposed to be ensuring the safety of our food, it is also charged with promoting the interests of agriculture. the final link in this broken chain: the USDa also runs the nation's nutrition programs, including the national
T&
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School Lunch program. From the feedlot to the lunch tray, it's a system designed more to serve the interests of an industry than the interests of the public. one lawmaker, rep. rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs the house agriculture, Food and Drug administration appropriations Subcommittee, has called for an investigation into the USDa's ability to properly ensure the safety of food served in schools. But don't expect change any time soon. the public isn't clamoring for a fix. the risk is there, however. and until we set up an independent, federal food safety and inspection service, we can all look forward to the next record-breaking beef recall. (Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian, who directs the doctoral program in health leadership in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••
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hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 19
Do you remember? a few things either extinct or fading away • Personal Income Taxes • Small business accounting • Bookeeping & payroll • In-home consultations
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J
By Monica Haynes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ust like the dodo bird and full-service gas stations, here are a few things that are either extinct or fading away:
8-TracK TaPEs invented by William powell Lear of LearJet fame, they gained notoriety in the 1960s and '70s. in 1966, all Fords offered 8-
track players in the dash. the next year, Chrysler and Gm followed suit. But improvements to the compact cassette tape proved a death blow to the 8-track tape. coMPacT audio cassETTE Cassettes -- the term means "little boxes" in French -- started out as part of a system for dictation. pre-recorded music cassettes were introduced in europe in 1965 and the next year in the United States. But it wasn't until
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the launch of a cassette tape deck by advent Corp. in 1971 with Dolby noise reduction and chromium dioxide tape that cassettes really took off, reaching their zenith in the 1980s with the creation of the Sony Walkman cassette player. FloPPy disKs and disK driVEs alan Shugart of iBm invented the disk drive in 1967. Fourteen years later, iBm produced its first personal computer with a 5.25inch disk, a/k/a floppy disk drive. that disk evolved into a 3.5-inch disk, which had larger capacity and a harder case. these eventually gave way to CD and DVD drives in computers. today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a new computer with a floppy drive. Polaroid PicTurEs Just last month the company that brought us instant memories with its revolutionary cameras and film announced that it is phasing out its line of instant cameras and film to concentrate on digital products, such as instant portable printers. polaroid founder edwin Land unveiled the first modern instant camera for consumers in 1947. With patented technology and the popularity of cameras such as the Swinger in 1967, which sold for less than $20, and the SX 70, polaroid had no equal in the instant-camera market. these cameras were used by everyone from doctors and insurance agents to casting agents and private detectives. VHs invented by JVC (Japanese Victor Co.), it stands for Video home System and is part of a videotape and recording system. in 1976, JVC introduced the first home VhS-format video recorder and eventually won the video-format war with Betamax, developed by Sony. But by 2003, the DVD format had become more popular than VhS, and three years later, most major studios stopped releasing films on VhS.
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roTary PHonE Before the rotary telephone, operators had to route or exchange between phones. in 1891, a St. Louis undertaker, almon Strowger, came up with the forerunner to the modern rotary dial. he invented a new way to exchange calls because he believed an operator, whose husband also was an undertaker, was making Strowger's line busy and routing those calls to her husband. he established the automatic electric Co. in Chicago to build and sell the switch. in the 1970s, with the advent of touch-tone dialing, rotary phones began to fade away. rooFToP anTEnnas thirteen million households nationally still rely on analog-tV broadcasts, which get their reception from rooftop antennas or rabbit ears. But come Feb. 17, 2009, those tV screens will go to snow unless the residents purchase a converter box (which will convert digital signals to analog) or subscribe to a cable or satellite package. (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••
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Mr. North was bound fast to the spinning shaft, pummeling him against the mill floor.
Horrific Sawmill Accident By Bill Anderson of Hometown magazine oseph p. north, one of the most substantial and highly respected citizens of mcCalmont township, nearly lost his life on the morning of tuesday, march 20, 1888. north visited the sawmill operated by his son, h. K.north, and sat down on the shaft of the bull wheel that was not in use at the time. the lever that controls the wheel, however, dropped down, and the shaft became engaged and began to revolve rapidly. Losing his balance on the spinning
J
shaft, mr. north threw up his foot to catch himself, but a chain attached to the shaft wrapped around his leg. the chain, used for drawing logs into the mill, bound him fast to the twirling piece of steel, whirling him at the rate of two hundred revolutions per minute. at every turn of the powerful wheel, mr. north was spun and pummeled against the mill floor that was just eighteen inches below the shaft. it was a frightful and shocking scene. the chain, to the other end of which a large log was fastened, kept winding
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814-938-3449 hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 21
Hometown Tales Continued from previous page
around his leg, and before the wheel could be stopped, the log had been drawn clear up into the mill. the log was nearly upon mr. north when one of the workers came to his senses and disengaged the lever. the rapidly spinning shaft came to a stop and ended the horror that was playing out before those in the mill. mr. north’s mangled body was released from its awful predicament. onlookers believed that he was dead, but the battered man was clinging to life. it appeared he would survive for only a few moments longer. Without
delay, a worker was dispatched to punxsutawney to summon Dr. Shields and Dr. hamilton. mr. north’s two sons, James K. and Lincoln, who also resided in punx’y, were called immediately to the mill. When the doctors arrived, they found mr. north unconscious and examined his injuries. they were surprised that he remained alive. his right leg from ankle to the knee was terribly crushed and mangled, his shoulder was mashed, and his head and face were dreadfully cut and bruised. mr. north had lived through a nightmarish whirlwind. the doctors expected him to live, but stated that he would have a serious time recovering from his injuries.
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lighten and brighten Continued from page 14
liGHTEn your linEns once your home is a clean slate, it's time to add the first touches of spring. Since i'm a big fan of fabulous fabrics, one of my favorite ways to welcome the coming season is by filling my home with lighter linens. i like to change out the pillows on my sofas this time of year, packing away those done in darker men's-wear fabrics and replacing them with accent pillows in washable linen floral patterns, soft stripes and toile. another spot i can't wait to get my hands on is my bed. For years, i've dreamed of having a special bedding ensemble just for the warm months. this year, i'm finally going to do it. i'll dress my bed in bright white sheets, a darling floral quilt and a handful of accent pillows in the sweetest colors of spring. Since i'm crazy about monograms right now, i'll have to add a few monogrammed pillows to the assortment. HaVE Fun WiTH FErns this spring, i've lost my heart to ferns. and no matter where you look in my
home, you're going to see these feathery plants used in a variety of ways to bring in the green of spring. my table will be set with creamy white dinner plates, each bearing a unique image of a single fern frond. to layer the look, i'm going to pair them with matching white linen napkins. Since i can't seem to keep from killing real plants, this year i'm going to use darling potted faux ferns in my decor, tucking them in anyplace where i need a splash of green, like a bookcase, a windowsill or a tabletop display. another way to bring the clean look of spring to your room is through simple and inexpensive art prints depicting fern fronds. Create a dramatic grid of fern prints on an empty wall or lean a set of fern prints against the back of an empty shelf in a bookcase or hutch. i guarantee that once you've taken off the layers of winter and added the first few touches of spring color, you'll be cured of spring fever. Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home furnishings stores in Atchison, Kan., and the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write to Mary Carol at nellhills@mail.lvnworth.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com. •••
help Wanted: Advertising hometown punxsutawney publications has a position open for an experienced advertising representative to join our firm. We are a punxsutawney-owned company that offers our businesses and professionals high quality, full distribution products and we are looking to expand. if you have a successful track record in advertising, and are looking for a fresh change, you owe it to yourself to talk to us. We offer an attractive compensation package. We are looking for a local person who will help us move to the next level. Why not talk to us?
Contact us: Hometown Publications, Bill anderson, Publisher: www.billa1@verizon.net Mary roberts: hometown@ mail.com
help Wanted: Graphic Artist
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hometown punxsutawney publications has a part-time position available for an experienced graphic artist. QuarkXpress and adobe photoshop and full-color design experience helpful. Flexible hours/days.
Contact: Hometown Publications,
Mary roberts: hometown@ mail.com
814-938-0312 or
P.o. Box 197, Punxsutawney, Pa 15767
Howtoplana marriageproposal By Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore getbuttonedup.com
A
h spring -- what a beautiful time to be in love and what a beautiful time to get engaged. at first blush, proposing might appear to be a relatively straightforward process: a nice restaurant, a rock in her champagne glass and, voila! right? Well, while every proposal is memorable, a little creativity will go a long way to making your special moment even more so. So if you're thinking of popping the question soon, we have some ideas to help you organize an unforgettable proposal.
sarah on "Getting creative" nicolas Garraeu of apoteoSurprise (www.apoteosurprise.com/indexen.htm ), a company that arranges romantic wedding proposals for tourists in paris, quoted a survey that found 80 percent of women felt their proposal was less romantic than they had hoped for. the same study also revealed that 20 percent of women actually swallowed the ring when their groom-to-be dropped it in a glass of champagne! (that gives a whole new meaning to "choked up," doesn't it?) the best way to get beyond the obvious is to spend a little time thinking about how you might weave a special detail about you as a couple into your proposal. if you're stuck, try to think of ways to link the big moment to how you met or your favorite activity to do together. and if you're just not the creative type, ask other creative types like apoteoSurprise, for a little help. alicia on "ditch Perfection" there is no such thing as the "perfect" proposal. it sounds so obvious, but a lot of people get caught up in trying to create a proposal moment that lives up to some external perfect proposal benchmark. there is no rule that you must get down on bended knee, no optimal time of day to pop the question, no must-have background music, no specific lighting requirements, no specific wardrobe needed... the only thing that matters is that your proposal come from the heart. Stay true to that, and everything else will fall into place.
here are a few tips on how to get ready to pop the question. 1. a little advance Planning Goes a long Way While you are in the throes of daily life, it can be difficult to find the time to plan. But a few minutes spent mapping out the details a few weeks in advance is likely to make all the difference. if you and your beloved are highly spontaneous people, you might resist the thought of planning. But the fact of the matter is that it's hard to create a truly out of the ordinary proposal experience when you're flying by the seat of your pants. a little planning does indeed go a long way. 2. The ring is the Thing the central feature of any proposal is the ring. there is obviously some legwork required on this front. things to try to plan ahead for as best you can: her exact ring size, preferred metal (platinum, gold, white gold, silver), and favorite cut (princess, marquise, etc.). if you don't have a clue where to start, check out the online diamond experts at www.bluenile.com. they have a wonderful online guide that walks you through ring basics. 3. a Family affair most women want to tell their close family and friends the news right away. So you may want to think twice about popping the question before dinner plates arrive. you might be on the phone for the next hour, or even have to leave to tell her family/friends in person. one idea is to arrange for her family and closest friends (which you will need to plan for -- see above) to meet at a prearranged place, like a restaurant. that way, once you have proposed, you'll have the makings of a ready-to-go engagement party. The writers are co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stressed women get organized. Send ideas and questions to yourlife@getbuttonedup.com. For more columns go to scrippsnews.com.) •••
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PUNxSUTAwNEY’S FAMILY FAvORITE, ALwAYS wAS, ALwAYS wILL BE. hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 23
“
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Dry Cleaners 24 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
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858 Salem road, mayport, pa
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hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 25
Even in the rain, people of all ages came out to support the Run or Walk for Someone Special in 2007.
To our Punx’y & area businesses...
Take the
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COUNT THE NUMBER OF MAILBOXES.’
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www.punxsutawneyhometown.com 26 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008
Sykesville Run/Walk for Someone Special to be Held April 6
T
he 29th annual run or Walk For Someone Special will be held Sunday, april 6. registration for participants in the event begins at 1:30 p.m. in the town hall, Sykesville. the run/Walk starts at 3 p.m. there will be plenty of food, activities, and fun at the hall while waiting for the start of the event. the pittsburgh pirate parrot will be present to greet everyone. there is a 2-mile fun run or walk and a 5-mile race scheduled. trophies and ribbons in a variety of age groups will be awarded, as well as prizes for top money collectors. those collecting $20 or more will receive a t-shirt. Look for posters in the windows of local businesses for information and a registration form. For additional information, contact erin Cameron (814) 938-4416, run_walk@yahoo.com, or pat mowrey (814) 591-0949, patmowrey @yahoo.com or visit our website at www.jcarc.org. We hope to see you there!
Lorenzo & GiAnvito, P.C. Attorneys at Law
410 W. Mahoning St., Punxsutawney
938-6390 • 800-494-9091 www.lgllegal.com
Prices for precious materials in jewelry are going up
By Lou Hirsh for Hometown magazine ewelry retailers already hurting from a slumping economy are being hit from yet another direction. Soaring prices for the precious metals that go into jewelry, including gold and platinum, have pushed up prices at store counters. "We're caught in a tough place," said Jim Sweaney, co-owner of mardon Jewelers in riverside, Calif. "the prices for the materials are going up, and people are buying less often because of the economy." Gold and platinum prices have risen more than 200 percent since 2001 and are hitting historic highs this year. on thursday, according to U.S. commodities exchange figures, gold closed at $973.90 an ounce, while platinum closed at $2,161 an ounce. rhodium, a silvery-white precious metal used as a coloring agent in platinum jewelry, costs more than $9,300 an ounce. the price of gold itself accounts for slightly more than one-quarter of the price of a jewelry item, but the global impact has nonetheless been significant. Sweaney said a pair of gold italian earrings that his store was selling for $960 a year ago is now priced at $1,120. "it's a real squeeze," he said, adding that metal prices and the general economy contributed to a 20 percent drop in his 2007 sales volume compared with that of the previous year. Climbing gold prices did little to slow sales for 2007, but jewelry sellers say they are seeing a big difference in 2008. one merchant says the real problem is the economy, not higher prices. John Calnon, U.S. managing director for the World Gold Council in new york, said gold-price jumps have caused retail prices for gold jewelry to roughly double since 2005. however, he said, higher-end items -priced at $1,000 and more -- are generally holding up well in sales. that's in part because some buyers are now seeing jewelry as an investment as well as an adornment. "We're getting into pricing territory where the intrinsic value is in play," Calnon said. insurance experts say consumers may want to revisit their insurance coverage on high-end jewelry purchased before metal
J
prices skyrocketed. "Checking with your insurance agent might be a good idea," said michael Barry, a vice president with the insurance information institute in new york. most homeowners' insurance policies cover the value of jewelry to as much as $2,000, but some policyholders may want to get pieces reappraised if there's a possibility that the metal content has caused their value to rise significantly. Barry said some insurance carriers offer "floaters" or
addendums to homeowner policies to cover specific valuables such as high-end jewelry. Despite rises in gold prices, Calnon said the average U.S. retail price of gold jewelry, sold across a variety of weight and quality levels, remains around $84 per item. "Gold is a very democratic metal," he said. U.S. jewelry sales generally held up well for most of 2007. according to the U.S. Commerce Department, sales for the full year totaled about $64.8 billion in 2007, up
4.3 percent from the previous year. Before the downturn in the national housing market caused consumers to cut back on spending late in the year, high-end items such as jewelry stayed in demand largely because wealthier buyers were less affected by rising costs for food and gasoline. "if the local economy were in better shape, i think people would be buying even at the higher prices," said Sweaney, the mardon Jewelers co-owner. Luxury retailers of all types have seen sales slow in the early months of 2008. national jewelry chains such as Zale Corp. and Friedman's Jewelers have recently been cutting staff and closing stores in response. (Reach Lou Hirsh at lhirsh@PE.com.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••
hometown punxsutawney – march 2008 – 27
Opportunities for Growth in America! Christ The King Manor in DuBois is sponsoring an essay contest for two age groups; ages six to nine and ages ten to thirteen. Winners will be selected from each group. In seventy-five words or less, describe OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH IN AMERICA. You may use this form as your official entry, or create a reasonable facsimile of your own.
Send your entry to Christ The King Manor, P.O. Box 448, DuBois, PA 15801. Contest entries must be dated no later than Friday, May 5th, 2008. Entries will be judged by an independent group of judges and all entries become the property of Christ The King Manor and none will be returned. The winning entries from both age groups will receive a $300 U. S. Savings Bond for 1st place, a $250 U. S. Savings Bond for 2nd place and a $100 U. S. Savings Bond for 3rd place. Contest is not open to Christ The King Employees or their families. So, join in the fun and tell us about OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH IN AMERICA!
Contestant’s Name
Contestant’s Age
Address State
Zip
Phone
Parent’s email
Christ The King Manor 1100 West Long Avenue, DuBois, Pennsylvania 15801 814-371-3180 28 – hometown punxsutawney – march 2008