The "A Letter Not To Be Missed" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the morning paper telling of the speech that President Trump gave to the nearly 40,000 Boy Scouts that were gathered for their national jamboree in West Virginia.  Seems that one of those Boy Scouts, Benjamin Pontz, 2015 Eagle Scout from Troop 56 in nearby Strasburg, Pennsylvania and who is a 19-year-old sophomore political science and public policy double major at Gettysburg College, was listening to the speech.  Couldn't believe what he was hearing and decided to write a special letter to the Lancaster Newspaper telling his opinion of the speech.  It was published this past Wednesday, July 26, and as of yesterday had garnered way over half a million hits on LancasterOnline website.

Benjamin Pontz, Eagle Scout

This young man who has earned the Bronze Palm, with five additional merit badges as an Eagle Scout,  has remained active in his troop as well as writing for the newspaper as a member of the "Generation Next" staff.  Very rarely do I post anything political, but this young man's letter to the newspaper was so outstanding that I just had to post it.  His letter speaks well for the Boy Scouts as well as for himself and his family.  I'm sure his parents are thrilled with what he has accomplished thus far in his life.  I believe you can see, no matter what political party you are associated with, that our country is in good hands with people like Benjamin waiting in line for their chance to lead.  Speaks well also for the Boy Scouts.  They can be proud that the training and skills taught to Benjamin through Scouting are being showcased to the world.  I am also proud of him for speaking his mind and amazed at the level of maturity this young man possesses.  So, I present the letter titled "An Eagle Scout reflects on Trump's Jamboree speech" to you for reading:

   Profound disappointment barely seems to scratch the surface of my feelings toward both President Donald Trump and the Boy Scouts of America after the presidents' speech at the National Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia on Monday evening.

   Trump, whose meandering address contained nuggets of advice cloaked in shameless self-aggrandizement, redoubled his attacks on both Democrats and civil institutions, derided “Obamacare,” and touted economic indicators that have been on the rise for years.

Trump, whose meandering address contained nuggets of advice cloaked in shameless self-aggrandizement, redoubled his attacks on both Democrats and civil institutions, derided “Obamacare,” and touted economic indicators that have been on the rise for years.

   I am disappointed in the president for expoiting a captive audience of young people to engage in flagrant self-promotion and to widen the chasm of division that pollutes our politics.  I am disappointed in attendees who applauded the president as he demeaned his predecessor President Barack Obama (who, incidentally, was involved in scouting), his former opponent Hillary Clinton and the media.  

   And I am disappointed in commenters on social media who posted horrifying side-by-side images and comparisons of the Jamboree and Hitler Youth rallies.

Each group — presented with a unique opportunity to celebrate values that should guide our nation —displayed an appalling lack of self-control.

   In a time of unyielding rancor, the tenets of the Scout Law were used not as ideals to which we can aspire, but as weapons with which we can bludgeon our political opponents.

   So here I offer an alternate message, one that could have been given by the president to a group that aims to embody so much of what we purport to value as a country.

What Trump could have said

   On a foggy evening in London more than 100 years ago, a disoriented businessman named William Boyce received directions from a young man who expected nothing in return. He was a Scout doing a good turn. Inspired by this simple act of kindness, Boyce brought an organization to America that has been part of its fabric for 107 years.

   In a time when our politics divides us, the Scout Law reminds us of our duty to ourselves, to one another and to our country. It extols the virtues of citizenship; it centers our mind on service; and it reminds us of our fundamental duty to love our neighbors as ourselves.

   We find wisdom in the points of the Scout Law.

   A Scout is trustworthy. He can trust his neighbor; his neighbor can trust him.

   A Scout is loyal — not to any one political party or ideology, but to his peers and to his country.

   A Scout is helpful. He knows that when one of us succeeds, we all succeed. To that end, when he has a hand to lend, he lends it, trusting that the next time he needs a hand, someone will lend him one.

   A Scout is friendly, courteous and kind. He doesn’t need a reason to show kindness to someone else, and he doesn’t expect a quid pro quo. He just does what is right.

   A Scout is obedient. Whether or not he agrees with a directive, he upholds it, and then later, if he believes it's unwise, he seeks to change it through proper channels. He respects leaders and authorities, realizing that they must make decisions, and he must respect them.

   A Scout is cheerful. He maintains a positive attitude even when circumstances appear bleak. When the challenges appear insurmountable, he puts a smile on his face and presses forward because he realizes the only permanent failure is a failure to put forth one’s best effort.

   A Scout is thrifty. He uses his time, his energy and his money wisely.

   A Scout is brave. He stands up for what he believes is right even if that means he stands alone. Faced with a moral dilemma, he turns inward to confirm what he knows is right rather than looking outward to see what the crowd is doing.

   A Scout is clean— in thought, word, and deed.

   A Scout is reverent. He puts God ahead of everyone and everything else. He trusts in the divine wisdom of the Lord Almighty to guide him along his path.

   In this age of division and incivility, I call upon all Americans to reflect on the values of the Scout Law.

When we’re willing to work as a team, caring more about the job getting done than who gets the credit, we can overcome so many of the self-imposed barriers before us.

   When we realize that leadership means putting others before ourselves, remembering the words of the scout’s oath of office (I promise to do my best to be worthy of this office for the sake of my fellow scouts and my troop and the World Brotherhood of Scouting) —which never mention self-interest — we can put ourselves on the path to the more perfect union our nation's founders envisioned some 241 years ago.  For it is in the legacy of one simple good turn by a young man done in 1909 that we are gathered today. With that in mind, go forth and serve your communities and your country one good turn, one service project and one smile at a time, knowing that the impact of your actions will be felt for generations to come.

Bravo, Benjamin Pontz.  You said it better than anyone, of any age, could have.  And, I for one am extremely proud of you!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Flanders Hotel: Part II - A Ghostly Adventure" Story

Post card showing The Flanders Hotel in Ocean City, NJ.

It was an ordinary day.  Standing outside the main entrance to The Flanders Hotel at 719 11th Street in Ocean City, New Jersey trying to find a place to leave my grandson's bicycle which I had borrowed for my trip to the hotel.  At the main entrance was a young woman who was greeting people as they entered and left the hotel so I asked if she could watch my bicycle while I took a few photographs inside the hotel.  

Main entrance.

With a big smile, she said, "Certainly."  The reason for my visit today was to take some photos for a story, but also to see if I could find evidence of a young woman named Emily who was said to haunt The Flanders Hotel.  Emily, known also as "The Lady in White", is perhaps the hotel's most famous visitor since she is a ghost.  She is described as being in her early twenties with long brown hair and has been seen around the hotel with the main lobby, second floor, fourth floor and lower catacombs as her favorite places to haunt.  She is said to be a happy soul who dances, laughs and sings as she roams the hotel.  At times she disappears through walls as well as unscrews light bulbs and plays with door knobs.  A portraiture of Emily can be seen on the hotel's second floor inside one of the rooms along what is known as the hall of mirrors.  Well, after entering into the main lobby I began my search for Emily.  Walked through the lobby and found myself in a hallway leading to, of all places, "Emily's Cafe."  She seems to be a legend in this place.  

These door handles have probably seen
people from all over the world; people
of every race and nationality; people of
wealth as well as the homeless.  I will
now be one of those people as I enter.

Found the stairs and headed to the hall of mirrors on the second floor where she has been sighted several times in the past few years.  I found an employee in the hall and asked where I might find the painting of Emily that I have read about.  He ushered me into a large dining area and pointed to the full length painting of a young girl in flowing white gown with long brown hair and bare feet.  Must be her, I reasoned.  I stood in front of the painting and drew my camera to my eye.  For some reason it wouldn't focus.  Placed it on manual focus and still couldn't get it to focus.  Weird!  Really weird!!  Never happened before!  Put the camera back on autofocus and snapped a photo just in case it might have been my eyes that were blurred.  I was mesmerized as I stared at the painting.  She was looking at me!  I just know she was.  Felt as if her eyes were looking right through me.  After about 30 seconds of that, I had to turn and leave the room.  

As you see, Emily has her own eating place.

Asked the employee a few questions about the painting and he said he hears voices at times in the large room and there's nobody there.  Also, at times the lights in the room would flicker and he had no idea why they did.  We talked more about Emily and I asked if I could visit the basement catacombs where Emily has been sighted many times before.  

EMILY!!

He told me to hop on the elevator with him, since he was headed down anyway.  One floor down the door opened and he stepped off.  

Gown that Emily has worn?

Told me to hit "B" and when the door opened to get off.  He didn't seem to want any part of visiting the catacombs with me.  The door opened one more time and I stepped off in a dimly lit area.  Looked around for something I could take a photo of when another worker asked what I was doing in the basement.  Told him I was looking for Emily.  He asked if I was a guest in the hotel and after telling him I wasn't, he told me to get back on the elevator and head to the main lobby.  I snapped a few photos in the lobby area and headed back for my grandson's bicycle.  

Lobby area in The Flanders Hotel.

As I stood in front of the hotel, I wondered what I had just exper- ienced.  Not sure!  Grabbed my camera and began to look at the photographs I had taken when I notice the photo I had taken of the painting of Emily.  It was blurred, just as it was in my viewfinder.  No other photos I had taken were blurred.  It was then that I realized I had encountered something really weird!  Dare I go back inside for another look?  Nah!  There's always next year ... when I bring someone along with me.  Not quite as scary that way.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Hallway where the public can shop.

Partial view of the exterior of the hotel.

The Flanders Hotel sign.  Above it can see the metal scrollwork that is visible on all exterior walls.

The "The Flanders Hotel: Part I - Ocean City Boardwalk Grandeur" Story

Postcard of The Flanders Hotel in Ocean City, New Jersey

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my daughter-in-law's mother, Etta, about her experiences in 1963 when she worked at the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City, New Jersey.  She and her sister Betsy were in college at the time and decided to come to Ocean City to work the summer at the Flanders to make a few dollars to help pay for their college tuition.  

Click to enlarge and you can read the date on the photo.

They both were waitresses in the main restaurant of the hotel that year.  The Flanders Hotel was built by a group of New Jersey entrepre- neurs in 1923 who wanted to build a seaside hotel that would be the talk of the entire United States.  It was to be built by the Ocean Front Hotel Corporation to accommodate businessmen, travellers and families who wanted to spend their vacation at the seashore.  They decided to name the place The Flanders after an American Cemetery in Belgium, Flanders Fields, where U.S. soldiers killed in WWI were buried.  

Could my daughter-in-law's mother be in this photo?

The hotel carried the same  Spanish Mission Revival style as other hotels in the area.  The designer was Vivian Smith and was constructed with steel girders and concrete which would hopefully make it indestructible.   The elegant seaside hotel faced the Atlantic Ocean and was directly on the Ocean City Boardwalk.  

Devastating fire on the Boardwalk in 1927.

The original manager of the hotel was J. Howard Slocum who happened to be in command when a devastating fire broke out on the Boardwalk and destroyed most of the Boardwalk to the north of the hotel.  Twelve blocks of Ocean City's waterfront was wiped out while The Flanders miraculously survived the fire in October of 1927.  

Entrance to the Hotel as it appeared years ago.

When the Boardwalk was rebuilt, it was built a block closer to the sea, thus giving space to the hotel to build a large saltwater swimming pool in front of the hotel.  In 1932 the hotel was purchased by Elwood Kirkman and he maintained the hotel's grandeur and first-class status.  Hotel suites came with private bathrooms and full-service kitchens, central heating as well as air-conditioning.  

This view shows patrons of the hotel sitting in chairs
that are directly along the boardwalk.  This must have
been taken before October of 1927 when the Boardwalk
was moved closer to the water and a pool was added
in front of the hotel.

More than likely most hotels of that era did not feature some of those features.  The hotel featured room for weddings, meetings, exhibitions and conferences as well as family vacation lodging.  It had an ornate ballroom and banquet facilities for up to 500 guests and featured in-house wedding coordinators, an award-winning chef and trained staff.  In 1996 the hotel was purchased by James M. Dwyer who converted it into luxury condominiums for daily rentals.  

Another photo postcard that shows the hotel directly
next to the Boardwalk.

Mr. Dwyer eventually suffered financial setbacks and he was removed from his involvement in the hotel due to bankruptcy.  In 2005 a board of trustees was installed with Peter Voudouris as President of the Board and General Manager.  He now holds the title of Director of Hotel & Banquet Operations.  Eight years ago The Flanders Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

This photo shows the pool shortly after it was added.

My family has been coming to Ocean City for over ten years now and I always wonder what it would be like to stay in The Flanders Hotel.  It fills the skyline in the middle the Ocean City Boardwalk with its elegant facade.  A few years ago the swimming pool was removed and there is now an amusement area and shops in front of the hotel.  

Another postcard showing the pool in front of the hotel.

I often wondered what the place was like inside, so one day during my recent vacation I borrowed my grandson's bike and rode down the Boardwalk from our rental on 8th Street to The Flanders at 719 11th Street.   My visit was for more than a look at the interior of the hotel, but to see if I could find the mysterious Emily who happens to be the resident "Ghost" of the hotel.  Check back in tomorrow and find out what I discovered and how I made out during my search for elegance and the whimsical spirit known as "Emily."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Technologically Challenged?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to figure out how to send a "tweet" on my iPhone.  You know ... where you first strike the tic-tac-toe button on the phone's keyboard and then type something after it.  You know how long it took be to figure out how to to get to the phone's keyboard?  I've been working on that since yesterday noon.  Well, I got that far, and then I faltered.  Asked my wife and she was just as much at a loss for an answer as I was.  "Why don't you Google it?" she said to me.  "Then we'll both know.  And, it's not called a tic-tac-toe button."  Then I replied, "I know.  I just said tic-tac-toe to make you laugh.  It's really a number sign and someone told me it's also called the pound symbol."  Then she said, "You don't know anything, do you, about your phone?  And, it's called a Hashtag!  

The Tic-tac-toe symbol.

Here, give it to me and I'll figure it out for you."  Well, I handed her my iPhone, knowing that in no time she would have it figured out.  Gonna make me feel like a fool once again, just when I thought I knew most of the features on my phone.  Heavens, I got it two years ago.  You'd think I'd know how to use it by now.  I know I can make calls on it; even figured out how to put all my friend's phone numbers into it and how to access the directory when I wanted to make a call.  Know how to take photos with the camera feature and even how to attach my new toy, a clip-on camera lens that will allow me to take close-up photos, wide-angle photos and fish-eye photos.  And, I even know how to send those photos to my MacBook Air that I am currently using to write this blog story.  I know how to use the Messages, Mail, Calculator, Calendar, Clock and Settings buttons, but then there are the other 22 buttons that I haven't had the chance or need to use, or haven't the foggiest idea how to use them.  When I'm stumped, I ask my wife who then tries to show me, or if she doesn't know, since she still has a flip-top phone and uses it maybe once a month, I call my granddaughter, Courtney, who lives in another state.  She can usually talk me through what I want or need to know, but then unless I use it constantly, I forget what she told me and have to call her once again.  Now, I will give my wife credit for the last thing she did for me when I gave her my iPhone and asked her to try and figure out how to type or write the names of a few of the waitstaff at a restaurant in St. Martin where we were eating at the time.  She hit the "Notes" button and then used her fingernail to write the names for me.  Years ago I was the one who knew all the answers to all the tough technological questions.  I knew where all the keys were on the new electric typewriters we had in typing class when I was a senior in high school.  I knew how to use the 8-track radio insert I had placed in my Henry J car in the early 1960s.  My friends were amazed!  When teaching, I taught students how to use the electronic copy camera we had in the darkroom that made negatives. Also managed to teach more than 20 years of photograph students how to use their high tech SLR cameras and light meters.  But, my damn iPhone is a complete mystery to me at times.  How can someone sit and look at that tiny screen for hours on end anyway?  How can they take endless selfies while making all kinds of faces at that tiny screen.  How can they type emails using letters and nomenclature that I have no idea what they mean.  And how ... Hey wait a minute ... my wife just figured out how to open a Twitter account for me so I can "tweet".  "Nah, I don't want you to open an account, I just wanted to know if I could do it by using the tic-tac-toe key," I told her.  "Just wanted to see if I could do something that Donald Trump can do all the time and make an ass of himself."  And, I'll bet his wife had to show him how to "Tweet" using that tic-tac-toe button also.  No way could he figure that out for himself.  Just betcha.  Hey!  Don't throw my iPhone at me!!"  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "LDub Makes It Big" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Worked the morning at Grebinger Gallery in Neffsville, Pennsylvania matting and framing about half a dozen different jobs.  One was a very large diploma job that featured a customer's Master's and undergraduate degrees as well as a photo of the college where he went and a circular logo taken off one of the diploma cases.  Job was 38 inches tall and 16 inches wide and featured a red fabric mat with a gold second mat.  Probably the neatest diploma job I have done in the 18 years that I have worked part-time at the gallery.  Also had to stretch a 38"x38" oil canvas on stretcher bars and frame the result.  The list goes on and on, but I never tire of my job since every one is different and provides me with a new challenge every time I pick up a work sheet given to me by Keith, owner of the gallery and a former student of mine from high school.  If you have been a follower of my blog, you have seen some of my favorites in the past, but it consisted of me taking photos of the jobs as I was working on them.  Today I was reading my emails when I happened to click on a link and up popped a video on You-Tube.  Took me a couple of seconds to realize I was looking at myself about to talk about framing an historical document so you could view both sides of the document.  Naturally had to click on the arrow and watch myself tell how I went about framing the job.  For those of you who have never seen the video before, which I'm sure will include about 99% of my readers today, click on the link below and watch me do what I enjoy doing during my retirement years.  Fascinating what people bring to the gallery to have framed.  Each one produces a challenge and tests my skills in my new profession as a professional framer.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Sinking Of The Sindia: Part II - A Visit To The Ocean City Historical Museum" Story

An artist's rendering of the Ocean City Community Center.

Foreword:  Yesterday's story told of the sinking of the Sindia.  Today's story will show you some of what remained from the ship that disappeared on the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving along the streets of Ocean City, New Jersey, searching for the Ocean City Historical Society Museum.  The Museum is located inside the Ocean City Community Center which also houses the Public Library and the Arts Center.  It is located at 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, NJ.  After I found the building, I parked the car and headed up the steps to the building.  Made an immediate left after entering the building and was standing inside the museum.  Found the "Sindia Room" and began viewing the many books and looking at several notebooks which displayed photos taken over the years by people who lived nearby as well as other photographers.  My story today will be a visual one as I show you what remains of the grand Sindia.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Photo taken a few days after the Sindia ran aground. Clickk on photos to enlarge them.

Here you can see the boardwalk that was constructed on the left side of the photo.  The ship is to the right.  This didn't seem to have any importance in the salvage of the cargo since the ship was sinking too fast.

This is a 1902 newspaper telling of items that have been salvaged from the ship.

Dated the 1930s and shows two young women lounging on what remains of the ship.  By the mid-1980s all was lost to the sand.

A color photo showing bathers swimming near the wreck.

A photo in a newspaper showing a piece of the ship at high tide.

This is an early photo showing removing cargo after the storm.

This photo and the three following show some of the porcelain that has been recovered.

The ship's wheel or what is known as the "helm."

Great photo showing the ship with crew before the storm.

This is the Octant which was used for navigation on the open seas.

The Sindia's sextant which was used to determine the angle between the horizon and celestial bodies (usually the Sun).

This map charts the route that the Sindia took on it's fateful journey. 

This is a reproduction of the figurehead on the ship.  It portrays the Maharajah Jaihi Rao Sindia who ruled from 1846 to 1886 in Gwalier, India.  

The final photograph shows the signature of Captain Allan MacKensie when he signed for 971 rolls of matting on July 29, 1901.  The ship went aground on the beach at Ocean City, New Jersey on December 15, 1901.

The "The Sinking Of The Sindia: Part I - The Tragedy" Story

This is the location along the Ocean City boardwalk where
the sailing ship, Sindia, is buried 150 yards from the beach.

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on my grandson's bike on the boardwalk of Ocean City, New Jersey (formerly called Peck's Beach) between 16th and 17th streets reading the historical sign telling of the sinking of the 329-foot, four-masted sailing ship called the Sindia on December 15, 1901.  

The sign which tells the fate of the Sindia.
Click to enlarge photographs. 

The ship was just about at the end of a five month, 10,000 mile voyage from Kobe, Japan to New York City when it was caught in a violent winter gale off the coast of Cape May, NJ and was driven aground by fifty-mile-an-hour winds in Ocean City.  The steel hull was cracked and eventually completely buried in the sifting sand no more than 150 yards from the beach.  It now lies broadside to the shore and buried with the ship and most of the ship's cargo of silk, porcelain, camphor, bamboo matting, wax, fine china and 1,200 tons of manganese stone ballast.  Since the ship was carrying an estimated 1,300 cases of Christmas cargo from the far east, the Sindia was considered a treasure wreck and numerous attempts were made to recover the cargo.  

A photo taken of the Sindia after running aground.

A wooden boardwalk was built from the shore to help in the recovery, but the constantly shifting sand caused all attempts to end in failure.  The Sindia was launched in 1887 at Belfast, Ireland and was classified as a barque because of the configuration of the sails.  John D. Rockfeller's Anglo-American Oil Company had purchased the ship a year before the ship ran aground.  The Sindia was one of the last of the great commercial sailing ships to travel the high seas.  The Captain of the ill-fated ship was Allan MacKenzie.  There were rumors that the ship's crew of 33 was drunk when it ran ashore.  Theory was that they were celebrating the Christmas season a bit early.  Tough to believe since they had been battling the winter storm for four days before it ran aground.  

People gathered to view the wreck.

Luckily the Ocean City life saving crew, under the direction of Captain J.M. Corson of the Ocean City Lifesaving Station and Captain A.C. Townsend of the Middle Lifesaving Station, saved all on board.  Corson and and Townsend with their crew of 15 men braved the hurricane force winds and torrential winds in their boat and finally reached the ship.  They made three more trips to ferry all the crew to safety that day.  A British naval court conducted six days of hearings and found Captain MacKenzie guilty of failing to exercise proper and seamanlike care and precaution and suspended his license for six months.  

An old postcard showing the Sindia.

He never mastered a vessel again, since he died in his native Scotland before his suspension ended.  The last surviving member of the crew, David Jackson, died in 1970 in Philadelphia.  Treasure hunters attempted to salvage the cargo since there was a rumor that the ship's hold contained rare and valuable items looted from Buddhist Temples during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, but they evidently weren't successful.  

This view of the ship before it totally disappeared under the sand.

The wreck didn't disappear overnight.  It took years and many more storms before the hull became buried under 20 feet of sand in the mid-1980s.  The area in front of me today, where the ship ran aground, was designated an official historical site by the State of New Jersey in 1969.  Some of the items that were reclaimed from the ship before it went to rest under the sand are now housed in the Ocean City Historical Museum.  Tomorrow I will take you with me as I take a tour of the Sindia room.   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - A few more photos of the Sindia follow.