The "Where The Wild Things Are" Story

Beautiful brass railing welcomes you to the
Lancaster Railroad Station in Lancaster, PA

It was an ordinary day.  Sunny winter day with temperatures in the low 30s as I drove past the Lancaster Train Station.  I have written about the place a few times in the past since I lived half a block from the train station as a youngster.  Had my camera with me so I grabbed the nearest parking space and headed toward the station for a few photographs.  In the front door and there it was in front of me...the shiny brass railing that my friends and I spent many an hour sliding down before we were told to leave.  Up the stairs I went and headed toward the lobby which is above the outdoor tracks that carry the trains.  I was partway down the aisle when I saw it.  A big pink felt head sitting in the display case which usually holds artwork sponsored by "Lancaster Public Art".  

Waiting room lobby above the railroad tracks.

The pink head  immediately brought back memories of the book "Where The Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak which I read many times to my children as they were growing up in the early 70s.  Stopped at the display cases and read about the artist who had made these really interesting felt sculptures.  The pink creature's name was "Jötunn" and was created by Paolo Puck who was born in England, but currently resides in the United States.  

Felt sculpture known as Jötunn by Paolo Puck.

He went to school to be an illustrator, but ended up working as a farmworker in Edinburgh.  It was there that he taught himself wood- working which lead to his making small sculptures.  Five years later, and with a new wife, they came to Lancaster, Pennsylvania which was the hometown of his wife.  

"Vinegar Tom"

He has transitioned from small wood pieces to felt and large sculptures. And, from the look of the children standing with me as I snap a few photographs, they love "Jötunn" and the creature in the next showcase known as "Vinegar Tom."  I "Googled" Paolo's name on my phone and read his artist's statement which tells about the why and how of his creations.  One statement drew my attention.  It read: It is my hope that the work I create challenges the viewer to examine the deeper nature of a subject. By obscuring the boundary between beauty and ugliness, the safe and the dangerous, the inviting and the repelling, the familiar and the foreign, the graceful and the grotesque, we are forced to consider that one might also be the other.  So simple, but yet it applies to so much in life.  For, as you see, as I turned away from the display, there was this innocent, young Amish child, being held at a window of the train station so she could see the trains and it struck me that the boundary here was being obscured between the familiar and the foreign, just as the artwork behind her.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Paolo Puck works on one of his felt sculptures.

One of Paolo's wooden creations.

A young Amish child is waiting for the train. 

Ticket booth at the station.

Getting ready to leave.  Did I slide down the railing?  No comment!

     

The "Is Your Skin Copyrighted?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened Facebook and there it was for all to see.  Steve Lowry's amazing artwork was displayed in full-color on his son's arm.  

Steve's finished creation done on
his son's arm.

Just beautiful!  Steve graduated from high school with my oldest son Derek and has become one of the best tattoo artists in south-eastern Pennsylvania.  While in my graphic arts class for two years in high school, I knew he would keep art in his life for a long time.  My youngest son Tad has been one of his biggest boosters with tattoos covering just about every inch of his body.  I have written a few stories telling of Tad's tattoos including the story of one tattoo that honors his grandmother which I had the chance to put the final "dot" in place on the creation done by Steve.  Tattoos are inked ornamental body art which has been in the news recently.  Seems that video game makers have been under scrutiny recently for producing video games that feature athletes that are covered with tattoos from head to foot.  

Tad's back done by Steve at Transcending Flesh.

And, it is the athlete's tattoos that are in question.  The tattoo artists that draw the ornamental body artwork claim that the video game companies needs their permission before their games can be sold to customers.  The athletes who sign off on having their images in the video games don't own the rights to the tattoos that are displayed on their bodies.  Tattoos have largely been considered as outside the realm of copyright laws for many years, but that may be changing.  Seems it is something similar to the lawsuit brought in 1973 by Hugo Zacchini who claimed that television did not have the right to broadcast his being shot out of a cannon on TV since people will not take the time to come to see him in person.  

Tad and Steve outside his studio in downtown Lancaster, PA

He said it was costing him money.  Case went to the Supreme Court and he won!  Seems the same thing is happening once again with tattoo artists.  Can video game makers display athletes covered with their artwork and not be reimbursed for their use.  Infringement of a copyright occurs when someone displays a copyrighted piece without permission of the author or artist.  

Steve working on Tad's leg with a tattoo to remember his grandmother.

An artist's work, be it written,  drawn or sung and is protected by copyright the instant it is written, draw or sung.  A notice of copyright, or the "c" enclosed in a circle, is not required for that protection.  But, the artist cannot sue someone unless the copyright has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and the artist has five years from the completion of that work to apply for the protection.  Once copyrighted, the artist's protection lasts for 70 years after the death of the artist.  But, there is also a different twist on all of this.  Seems that some tattoo artists may be infringing on others with the artwork they are doing on their customer's body.  

Tad's arm before the color had been added.
This tattoo honors his grandfather and namesake.

With more and more people receiving tattoos, the artist must obtain permission before they ink it onto their customer.  My son has the image of a ice hockey goalie on his chest.  That goalie is wearing an Edmonton Oiler jersey.  That Edmonton logo on that jersey more than likely carries a copyright.  Now what?  I don't know and I'll bet Steve didn't even think of it when he did the artwork.  Now, can Steve obtain a copyright for that artwork that is now on my son's chest?  Under current law, some tattoos could infringe on copyrights, but which tattoos?  Steve's son's tattoo which he just finished is beautiful and carries the images of eagles.  Nothing in the tattoo stands out as having a copyright so Steve is safe.  

A  young man I met in Hawaii had an
arm filled with a design by the artist.

He in turn could obtain a copyright on the artwork that he just finished on his son's arm.  Therefore, since I put it online in this story, am I violating copyright laws?  In my case, I called Steve and asked if he would mind if I posted a picture of it.  His answer you might guess was positive since you have just looked at the artwork.  Seems like a vicious cycle, but it will never end.  Everyone wants credit for what they do and want compensation for it.  Has always been that way and will never change.  I guess it is up to the courts in the United States to decide what is right and what is wrong.  And, how do they decide?  I don't think they have any idea at times!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Amazing, Yet Scary!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking deep beneath me at the two dozen or so sharks that we were told would not hurt us as long as we didn't move to quickly.  Yeah, right!  Easy to say when you aren't the one swimming above them.  

Leaving from Stuart's Cove in the Bahamas.

Carol and I, along with traveling buddies Jere and Sue, were taking a snorkeling tour along the coast of the Bahama Islands.  We were riding on a large boat out of Stuart's Cove, making several stops to look at the life under the surface of the ocean.  After a few stops we were told we would make one more stop to view...sharks.  I was one of about a dozen others on the boat that thought that would be interesting and prepared to enter the water.  

The Nurse shark.  Looks scary to me!

The anchor was dropped and the helpers on the boat dropped a large container of "chum" to try and draw the fish.  Below us we could see the sharks arriving.  They didn't look too big, but then again they were pretty far down underneath us.  "Nothing to worry about, since they are only nurse sharks," we were told.  I guess the one telling us that hadn't read the comment on Wikipedia telling readers that the nurse shark is the fourth ranked shark in documented shark bites on humans.  

That is me with legs spread apart next to the ladder.

Those who were willing to be "surface bait" were told we had to wear our flippers, since our toes would be easy to bite off.  We also had to be as calm in the water as possible.  One by one we entered the water and worked our way along a thick rope that had been strung to a buoy about 50 feet away.  Since my last name started with "W", I was the last one into the water.  At least that's what I told them.  

The sharks swam over the back of the boat.

Looking down at all those sharks fighting for pieces of the last boat load of people began to take its toll.  Being that I was the closest to the boat, I returned first, about two minutes after I entered.  The mate in charge assured the captain we all made it back and the  chum bucket was lifted to the surface...along with the sharks.  HUGE, ABSOLUTELY HUGE, so they were.  I must have taken close to 100 photos of the sharks as they tried to outdo each other going along the back ramp of the boat.  I did survive, as is obvious!  Now, I tell you about my experience, because yesterday I watched a young woman by the name of Kimberly Jeffries swim with a 50-year-old, two and a half ton, 20 foot long shark called Deep Blue.  

Did you go to see this movie?

Not an alleged harmless nurse shark, but a killer fish like the one that appeared in the movie "Jaws" and killed boat captain Quint.  You know, the killer Great White!  This shark can swim at speeds of over 35 mph and to depths of almost 4,000 feet.  The great white has no known natural predators other than, on rare occasions, the killer whale.  The Great White is responsible for more recorded human bites than any other shark.  Deep Blue was feeding on the carcass of a dead sperm whale off the coast of Hawaii.  Diver and photographer Jeffries had hoped to capture images of sharks in the water feeding on the dead carcass when she noticed tiger sharks at the rear of the boat.  Exactly what she had hoped to photograph.  Then, maybe 30 seconds later she, and her crew, saw a massive shark gracefully swimming near the carcass.  

Kimberly Jeffries swims and photographs Deep Blue.

She said she thought her heart was going to explode with excitement.  Deep Blue had last been sighted over a year ago near Guadalupe Island off the west coast of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.  She felt confident, since there was a readily available food source nearby, that she could swim with the shark and photograph it.  The images she posted were amazing.  She reached out and touched the Great White a few times.  And to think I was afraid of an alleged nurse shark!  Wow!  I believe that everyone has a few monumental experiences in their life and for Kimberly, this has to be one of her monumental experiences.  Check online to see some of the videos recorded of her encounter with Deep Blue.  Just Google "Deep Blue".  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS- A few years later Carol and I, along with Jere and Sue, traveled to the Bahamas once again.  And, naturally, took the same snorkeling trip out of Stuart's Cove.  But, this time I chickened out and didn't swim with the sharks.  The only brave one on this trip was Sue who totally enjoyed her experience and didn't have to be the last one in the water.  Good job Sue!

Kimberly swimming with Deep Blue.  Just amazing.  Notice that Kimberly is not wearing air tanks.  She only has a snorkel mask for breathing.  That's also amazing.

  

The "History Coming Back To Life In A Medal" Story

Drawing by Mike Abel showing
what the medallooked like from 1919.

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a drawing of the 1919 Lancaster, Pennsylvania "Welcome Home Medal" that was awarded to everyone who returned home from overseas during World War I.  The medal was made of bronze and attached to a blue and white ribbon.  It weighed 18.15 grams and measured 1.5 inches at its widest point and 3 inches from bottom to top.  The medal hung from a "V" shaped ribbon which was dark blue on the left side and white on the right side.  Two bronze rings connected the ribbon to the medal.  The medal was shaped like a five-armed cross with the arms being equally spaced around the exterior.  Each arm on the medal looked like the cross-section of a mushroom which when folded looked like a rose petal.  In the center of the medal was a crest of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which looks very much like the crest of Lancaster, England.  The English crest had a ship on the top, a plow in the middle and a sheaf of wheat at the bottom.  The Lancaster, Pennsylvania crest had a few changes with a Conestoga Wagon replacing the ship, three round balls from the Penn family coat of arms instead of the plow and three sheaves of wheat on the bottom.  The crest has a "crown" at the tip with a design that also includes the Penn Family arms.  The House of Lancaster in England had a red rose as its symbol and the new medal features a rose with the new crest in the middle of the rose.  Above the crest are the words "WELCOME HOME" while "LANCASTER PA is below the crest.  On either side is the number 19 for the year 1919.  On the rear is the initials of the manufacturer, JFA (J. Francis Apple) which at one time stood at 336 South West End Avenue.  The medal was made by using a steel die and stamped into the medal.  The medal was produced to give to returning service men and women who resided in Lancaster, PA.  I found a story about the medal in a 1995 Lancaster County Historical Society Journal telling about the medal and saying that the medal was awarded by the city of Lancaster and not the United States Army.  The story was written by Carl J. Tishler and featured a piece of artwork showing the medal which was drawn by Mike Abel.  The medal was given out to all who had earned it without charge.  Mr. Tishler tried to locate a copy of the medal by visiting antique dealers in the Lancaster area, but without luck.  Many other states and cities produced medals to give to returning servicemen and servicewomen.  

The seal of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

It was thought that since the crest of the city of Lancaster, PA was only 12 years old at the time, it would be a good way to show off the crest and to honor the troops.  And, the medal was meant to tell the story of civic pride and patriotism in Lancaster.  I did find the seal of the City of Lancaster on a building in downtown Lancaster which resembles the drawing I found in the Historical Society book.  The interior of the seal resembles the drawing made by Mike Abel.  Mementos such as this bring history back to life.  I only wish I could have found one and perhaps matted and framed it for the owner.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The, "So Why Do We Do It?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to figure our how and why the state of Kansas could or would want to opt out of using daylight saving time. The states of Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states that have done so since Congress standardized the system in 1966.  Being that Hawaii isn't part of the continental United States, it may be easier than it is for Arizona and maybe Kansas.  For those not familiar with the event known as daylight saving time, at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 3, 2019 the majority of the residents of the United States turned the clock back an hour to begin using Standard Time.  In my house, Carol and I had to turn the alarm clocks back, the microwave and oven clocks and the clocks on our cars.  The TV, since we have cable network, automatically goes back an hour, but someone must do that even though I don't have to do it.  Why do we do that?  One reason is so children walking to school or waiting on a school bus in the early morning wouldn't have to do so in the dark.  Granted, it gets darker an hour sooner, but by then the children were home from school.  Since it happens in the Fall every year, it is known as falling back.  

Then, on Sunday, March 10, we in the United States, except for Hawaii and Arizona, will turn the clock ahead an hour and begin Daylight Saving Time once again.  Allegedly, that all began as a way to help farmers have more time in their fields during the summer growing season.  But, that's really not true, since Daylight Saving Time actually began in the U.S. and in many European countries during World War I.  At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October.  Quite a few other countries followed their lead and began saving daylight, thus Daylight Savings Time was begun 100 years ago.  So, how does one state in the Continental United States, and now maybe two, make it work when they stop changing the clock and use Standard Time year 'round.  I don't know.  My wife, Carol, and I have been traveling to the island of St. Martin for almost 20 years now in April.  When we board the plane we do so in Daylight Savings Time.  When we reach the the island of St. Martin we are in another time zone, but since they don't celebrate Daylight Savings Time, our time is the exactly the same time as their time.  But, while we in the U.S. in April have an extra hour of daylight, those in St. Martin are in the dark sooner.  As an example: in April at 6:00 p.m. it is still daylight in Pennsylvania where I reside, while in St. Martin it is dark.  The change in time zone as well as not having Daylight Saving Time is the reason.  No big deal, since St. Martin begins daylight an hour earlier and is a great time for a stroll on the beach.  At least we don't have to change our phones, watches and travel clocks when we get there.  But, how will that work for those living in Kansas when they are the only state to stay on Standard Time?  It will really throw off their schedule!  TV programing will be totally different.  "Jeopardy" will begin for everyone else in their time zone at 7:00 p.m. while for those in Kansas it will begin at 8:00 p.m.   The 11:00 p.m.

Evening News broadcast will begin at midnight.  Suppose you live on the border between Nebraska and Kansas.  During Daylight Saving Time while in Nebraska you may be getting up when it is just getting light while those in neighboring Kansas will have had breakfast already and be on their way to work.  Can you imagine the problems for someone who lives on the border and works across the border in another state.  There are studies that say changing times twice a year are costly as well as hard on your health.  It was reported that the day after the time changes there are increased hospital admissions for heart attacks.  Maybe Arizona and Hawaii really do know better!  If the entire United States would all go together and agree to use one time zone or another, it might work, but having different states with different time zones would be terrible.  Anxious to see what Kansas decides to do.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "I Don't Think I Could Be A Judge!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my brother Steve about an event that happened about three years ago near the property where he used to live in East Cocalico Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  About 10 years ago Steve's son Matt had taken over his mom and dad's home, which was next to a large farm with quite a bit of woodland.  Then, in February of 2016 the news broke of a group of seven friends who were shooting a rifle at a stump about a quarter mile away from Matt's home.  Seems that somehow a bullet from the rifle traveled through that quarter mile, the wooded area, and pierced a kitchen window of a home near Matt's place.  The accidental shot lodged in the neck of a young girl sitting at her kitchen table.  The bullet remains in her neck today due to the chance of further damage if it would be removed.  She incurred major hospital expenses and is limited in what physical activities she can do today.  It was not determined who fired the shot, since all were shooting the gun.  So, all were charged with reckless endangerment, as well they should have been.  But, that's not the end of the story.  Seems that one of the shooters, a young girl who is 23 at present, has a big problem.  After she was charged, a county judge placed her in a first-time offender program that diverted her from a trial or guilty plea.  In about 10 years her court and police records will be automatically sealed under Pennsylvania's new Clean Slate law which gives low level offenders a second chance, provided they don't break the law again.  She will no longer be part of the criminal justice system.  Now, I know this doesn't sound like a big problem...but, wait.  If you happen to "Google" her name in 10 years you will find it, along with her criminal record.  How can that be since she will no longer have any record of the shooting event?  Seems that search engines on the Internet are not required to wipe all the links to the girl from their site.  Should the news media sites honor the spirit of the Clean Slate law and delete those posts about criminal activity from their site?  The authors of the Clean Slate law realize that they don't have a say about sealing court and police records in the media.  This young girl claims that her chance to get a good job might be diminished if a future employer "Googles" her name and sees that she might have shot someone and had a criminal record.  

The news media association argued that any effort to limit access to criminal records likely will fail because many records live on in private data archives.  A local newspaper managing editor said the newspaper would violate its role of bearing witness to community events if it deleted crime-related articles.  He went on to say that while they understand the interest some have in erasing their criminal records, but the newspaper cannot, and should not, erase history.  They do not approve of censorship when it comes to news.  The newspaper publisher said that perhaps technology companies would be regulated, but not the media.  Would you want to know if someone you were hiring had a criminal record?  Would you want to hire someone convicted of rape or maybe child or sexual abuse?  If a judge thought you should have your record sealed in certain amount of time, should that be taken off the Internet as well as from legal files?  In Spain five years ago a young man was going to have his home repossessed.  That fact, even thought it is not relevant today, had a negative impact on his landing a good job, since employers might think he is not a responsible person.  The courts ruled in his favor and "Google Spain" had to remove the material.  In 2015 in New Zealand the Harmful Digital Communications Act passed and harmful content had to be removed.  New York, Hawaii and Massachusetts are all working on bills to do the same, but have not passed them yet.  I'm not sure how I feel.  If a Judge felt it was safe to exhume your record, why shouldn't it be taken offline as well!  But, doesn't the First Amendment of our Constitution read:  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.  How are the states going to get around that?  And...should they?  I don't think I could be a Judge trying to make that decision!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Are You Ready To Cruise?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Getting ready to go through the Panama Canal on our cruise ship.  Ship is immense and narrowly makes it into the canal.  The majority of the passengers stand with me to observe what we all paid to see.  

Passing through the Panama Canal. The
people in the foreground were standing
on the front of the ship on which I was riding. 

Makes you wonder just how big they can make a ship today.  Well, the ship I was a passenger on back in 2010 was quite impressive, but much more so now after seeing the new replica of the Titanic sitting in front of a ship of similar size as the one I was on almost ten years ago.  It was back in 2012 that Australian billionaire Clive Palmer decided to make a replica of the original Titanic.  Blue Star Line (BSL), the company behind the Titanic II project, will follow the original journey that the original Titanic took from Southampton to New York.  Passengers on Titanic II will also get to circumnavigate the globe in order to create intrigue and mystery at every port it visits.  The new ship, when finished, will be an exact replica of the original which fell to the bottom of the Atlantic during its maiden voyage.  The new model will have a few different changes with a welded hull, modern navigational technology and a few more lifeboats.  The new Titanic will cost approximately $500 million and carry about 3,000 passengers.  But, it seems that the BSL's website had very little activity since 2014 so why should anyone think the new ship will actually be ready soon?  Seems that on September 27, 2018, BSL announced that the ship is back on schedule once again.  The ship was being built in a Chinese shipyard in Nanjing.  

The Titanic sitting in Southampton waiting to set sail.

Then on October 22nd BSL said it will be moving operations to Paris.  They also said that the maiden voyage, whenever it might occur, will be from Dubai to the United States.  It wants to make its maiden voyage a two-week excursion to simulate the original route the 1912 ship took.  After the maiden voyage it will go around the world embarking on other routes.  The new sail date has now been moved to 2022.  That's 110 years after the original Titanic set sail.  Would you want to be on that new ship?  After seeing the size of Titanic II in front of a modern-day cruise ship such as the one I was on when going through the Panama Canal, I think I'll pass on the chance to make history.  I did find a few reasons for the first accident that I'm sure will be corrected in the new edition.  Also found a few interesting facts to go along with the reasons.
  

Representation of the Titanic in front of a modern day cruise ship.

Here are my findings:

1.  There were supposed to be 48 lifeboats in the original design, but because all those lifeboats made the ship look crowded, it was decided to change it to 16 lifeboats and the lifeboat drill for the passengers was cancelled before they sailed.
2. The ship featured watertight dividing walls (bulkheads) which could be operated by a switch in the bridge.  That is why the ship was said to be "practically unsinkable.  There was one big flaw though; the walls didn't reach the ceiling so water could flow from one room into the next.  It wouldn't have sunk if the walls had reached the top.
3. Titanic's sister ship, The Olympic, happened to be docked for repairs and some of her officers were placed on the Titanic, forcing other officers of the Titanic to leave the ship.  One such officer accidentally took the key to the binocular locker leaving them without the binoculars.
4. The iceberg they struck was four times the size of the Titanic.
5. The ship's baker was so drunk on whiskey, but he managed to tread water for two hours.
6. The last survivor of the disaster was Millivina Dean who died in 2009 at the age of 97.
7. The wreck was found in 1985 about 2 miles below the surface of the water with the bow of the ship buried 18 meters into the sea bed.
8. The musicians on board were required to know a book of 352 songs which were played for the first-class guests. 

Carol and I have taken two cruises since I retired in 1999.  We enjoyed both of them, but we enjoy being able to explore a vacation site without having to get back on the ship before dark.  And, we don't have to worry about sea-sickness.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Oh! The Sweet Smell Of Printer's Ink: Part III - Hail To The Chief" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Posting my third story related to the 225th Anniversary of LPN, Lancaster, Pennsylvania's newspaper provider.  Today's story deals with the many Presidential visits to Lancaster that the newspaper has covered over it's lifetime.  A few of the stories tell of  Presidential arrivals at the Lancaster airport which has limited commercial flights that land and depart due in part to size restrictions, but is still considered the fourth busiest airport in the state.  But, at times large planes do land at the Lancaster Airport.  One such plane was Air Force One which landed at Lancaster Airport in October of 2004 with President George W. Bush aboard.  Read on to see some of the Presidents and Presidential hopefuls who have arrived by plane, train or automobile and made the newspaper the next day.  On August 14, 1849 President  Zachary Taylor made a visit to Lancaster as reported in The Lancaster Intelligencer.  His visit was brief, staying in town for one day at the Swam Hotel which was located at Queen and Vine Streets.  Lancaster did not provide a welcoming attitude for the President, even though he was said to have come down with a digestive ailment due to the local water and the entire visit was labeled as "dull".  It was also reported in the paper that a half-hour after he left town the President and his visit were both forgotten.  According to The Lancaster Intelligencer, on July 5, 1913 President Woodrow Wilson made a visit to Lancaster.  He had made a train stop the day before in Gettysburg to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Upon arrival in downtown Lancaster, to a sparse crowd due to no previous notice of his arrival, President Wilson shook hands with those who climbed onto the train platform to greet him.  

President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrives in downtown, 1934.

The Lancaster New Era reported on May 31, 1934 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke from the caboose of his train which was headed from Gettysburg to New York.  They published his full remarks including the part where he told those in attendance at the Lancaster Train Station that he always thought of Lancaster County as one of the great agriculture counties of the nation.  After his brief speech on the platform of the train's caboose, he gave a wave and went back into the train as they left the station.  

Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy makes a visit.

 The Lancaster New Era also reported that Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy arrived in Lancaster in September of 1960 to over 10,000 where he give a speech from a flatbed truck in front of the Fulton Bank in downtown Lancaster.  Shortly before he gave his nine-minute speech, a 64-year-old women was trampled by the large crowd and was taken inside the bank.  Kennedy demanded that his motorcade stop so he could enter the bank to comfort her.  He apologized before heading back to his motorcade.  Her only request was that Kennedy notify her sister of the accident.  I was in attendance at the rally that day in 1960.  I skipped school to attend the rally that I will never forget.  

Richard Nixon talks with Amish during a visit to Lancaster.

On October 19, 1970 the Intelligencer Journal reported on President Richard Nixon's arrival at the Lancaster Airport to the north of the city of Lancaster.  He arrived to what was said to be anywhere between 5,000 to 40,000 people who listened to Nixon talk about Republican candidates running for re-election.  His speech helped a few candidates, but also did not influence others.  Four years later one of those candidates had to inform the President that he had lost the support of the party.  Calls of "Four more years" filled the air at Millersville University On October 28, 1984 when President Ronald Reagan came to talk to a raucous crowd of 9,000.  103 year-old H. Louise Souder and 19 year-old Julie Templin both attended the rally.  Mrs. Souder sat in front of the President while Ms. Templin presented him with a bouquet of roses.  Julie was a Millersville student who was a leukemia survivor and Louise served as the chaplain of the Women's Republican Club of Lancaster.  Julie asked the Prez for a hug and he complied.  The event was reported in the Lancaster New Era on October 29, 1984.  "Bush's vow to end the U.S. drug epidemic draws cheers at CV" ran across the front of the Lancaster New Era on March 22, 1989.  George H.W. Bush had just won the Presidential election a few months before he arrived in Lancaster to talk at Conestoga Valley High School about drug abuse.   The newspaper stated that after his speech at the school he made a visit to talk with Amish and Mennonite leaders to find how they prevented drug abuse in their communities.  

President George W. Bush arrives at Lancaster Airport.

Finally on October 26 of 2004, the Lancaster New Era said that President George W. Bush arrived at the Lancaster Airport to talk with supporters and detractors.  His Air Force One was the largest plane to ever land at the airport in it's history.  The crowd and airplane drew my attention as I stopped to see the event.  From his platform at the airport he probably could see the 30 protesters who were standing in the "Free Speech Zone" as they were surrounded with 72 American flag-covered coffins who represented the Pennsylvanians who had lost their lives in the Iraq War.  Now, there was one more event that was reported on September 5, 2008 in the Lancaster New Era.  

Barach Obama speaks to the crowd at Buchanan Park.
I'm the one in the blue shirt directly above his head.

About 15,000 Lancastrians arrived at Lancaster's Buchanan Park to see the Democratic Party's newly nominated candidate for President.  I can still remember that evening as if it happened yesterday.  My wife, Carol, and her friend Debbie accompanied me as we parked a few blocks from the park and wound our way into the park.  Obama spoke to the crowd as he stood near the tennis courts in white shirt and black pants.  Just getting to see the three politicians in person was a moving and unforgettable experience in my life.  Perhaps those who live nearby and are reading this story may remember, along with me, the excitement and history that goes with the sighting of a special personality.  It as another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Oh! The Sweet Smell Of Printer's Ink: Part II - The Start Of The Press In Lancaster" Story

It was an ordinary day. Sunday, January 9, 2019 and Lancaster, Pennsylvania's newspaper has just begun a year-long celebraion of LNP's 225th Anniversary with a look back at the history of the press in the city of Lancaster.  Every Sunday during the year a newspaper cover from the past will be featured which will highlight Lancaster's story as seen in ink in the past 225 years.  The newspaper, as well as the newspaper business, has made dramatic changes over those 225 years with the press going from hand-set type and printed one at a time to automated digital from start to finish.  Even though the production side of the paper has changed dramatically over those 225 years, the value of a free and strong press to a sovereign democracy such as ours remains infinite.  At first, the newspaper business was dominated by small-town establishments which didn't last long.  

The cover of the 1795 "The Lancaster Journal.
Click to enlarge, but it may still be hard to read.

But, for Lancaster, with Ben Franklin being an investor in Lancaster's newspaper and with Francis Bailey's downtown print shop being the official printer to both the U.S. Congress as well as the State of Pennsyvania, it flourished.  The paper at first was either a single sheet of paper, printed both sides, or a four-page folio.  And, being that there was very little technology to spread the word quickly, the paper consisted of quite a bit of classified advertising, private real estate, job offerings, Sheriff sales, estate sales and homes for sale of lease.  The top portion of the paper, known as the "flag" or "masthead" has changed a few time over the years.  The first issue of Lancaster's newspaper, known as The Lancaster Journal, was founded by William Hamilton and Henry Willcocks and published it's first edition on June 18, 1794 while George Washington was in his second term as President.  

The cover of the 1799 Lancaster Journal.  This cover changed the "flag"
to Old English font.  Below I have enlarged a few clips so you can see them better.

There have been several changes during the last 225, but the mission statement of the newspaper has never faltered; "Not too rash - yet not fearful - Open to all parties, but not influenced by any."  As of the date of this story, three 1st pages have been reprinted in the paper.  The first, from 1795, shows the flag as "The Lancaster Journal in a serif-style font.  It carries the date WEDNESDAY, July 15, 1795 and is an entire three-column page with a headline of "Treaty, of AMITY, COMMERCE and NAVIGATION, between His Britannie Majesty and the United States of America, by their President, with the advice and consent of their Senate.  Now, I will tell you that I think that is what it says, since the printing is so small since the page was reproduced smaller that the original and 18th century typesetters used the "medial s" which was standard in the eighth century and standard in Britain.  The "s" letter appears as a very ornamented and italic letter "f".  It was later changed to what we envision as the letters of the alphabet.  

Here you can see the Old English letters and notice the
"s" in Lancaster looks to be a letter "f".

Even with the use of my high-power reading glass, it was hard to read.  The second 1st page was from SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1799.  The "flag" features the second version of The Lancaster Journal.  This example is very ornate and Fraktur-esque with calligraphic flourishes and is said to be the most ornate and elaborate.  

"Houses for Lease"

Some of the front-page features were a job-wanted ad for Gun-Lock Smiths, a house for lease in the first block of West King Street near the market, a Proclamation from the Sheriff, a 150 acre farm for sale and Elegant Family Bibles which sold for $10 each (that would be $205.60 by today's standards).  There were a few national and world news items, but they had happened weeks before and took some time to reach Lancaster for publication.  

Ad for a family Bible.  Cost today would be $205.60.

Eventually the printing process became more mechanized and allowed for a larger newspaper.  Eventually working for the newspaper became a profession and the newspapers became affiliated with a political party.  That happened in Lancaster when in 1866 A.J. Steinman became involved with the paper and supported the Democratic Party.  In 1909 The Lancaster Morning Journal was founded by Steinman and his nephew Charles Foltz as an independent or non-political voice for the community.  Shortly the paper became an independent, non-political voice for the community.  Eventually J.F. and J.H. Steinman, sons of A.J. Steinman treated the newspaper as a manufacturing enterprise rather than a political tool.  They strived to make the newspaper the best in "the garden spot of America."  The initiated profit-sharing between shareholders and their foundations.  As of today the Steinman Foundation has given more than $90 million to philanthropic endeavors across Lancaster County.  Tomorrow I will post a numerical guideline showing the progress that has taken place over the past 225 years.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Oh! The Sweet Smell Of Printer's Ink: Part I - It's In My Blood" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting at my desk wondering how to begin a story about something that has been a part of my life for almost 70 years.  Came to the conclusion that I would, and should, start at the beginning.  929 North Queen Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is where I spent the majority of my childhood.  Next to our semi-detached home sat a large printing company that used Linotype machines to create the lines of type they used to print magazines and books.  I sat by their open back door many an hour watching the pressmen run the presses.  At times they would drop a line or two or three of type by the door and I would retrieve it.  I eventually used these lines of type in my small back yard army pup tent my Aunt Doris bought me for Christmas one year.  I fastened the lines of type together with a rubber band, pushed them onto an ink pad and then pushed them onto a paper tablet.  I was a printer!  Nothing made sense that I printed, but only I would see what I was printing.  I eventually was given a printing set with real small wooden letters, paper, water-based ink and a small press.  I wrote short stories and notes about my neighborhood, set the type and printed it onto paper which I would fold in half like a small booklet.  The neighbors actually gave me a nickel or dime for these pieces of paper a few times a summer.  

A metal job stick, which in this case is holding pieces of hand-set
metal type, sits on top of what is known as the California Job
Case.  The case has compartments for every letter of the alphabet
as well as numbers and punctuation.  The typesetter must memorize
the entire case to facilitate setting type.  This is what I taught when
I first began teaching Graphic Arts. Click on images to enlarge.

When I graduated from Millersville State Teachers College in the mid-1960s I began a career in teaching ...the graphic arts.  You know ...printing!  I loved it!  I taught at Manheim Township High School from where I had graduated five years before.  The wood shop where I taught had a small room with a couple of table-top platen presses, two floor model platen presses and an ATF Chief offset press.  I talked my department head into letting me start a course in graphic arts.  I had the best time teaching my students the basics of backyard printing.  

Here I am helping a student make changes to his job stick.
I am the one with the glasses since I looked like a student
when I first started teaching.

Quite a few of my students eventually became printers, including my two sons who are now pressmen for local printing companies.  My youngest, Tad, works for LNP which is in the midst of a yearlong process to celebrate their 225 Anniversary.  That, dear readers, is the reason for my story today.  In 1794 the first Lancaster Journal was published in a tavern on West King Street in the center of the small town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Here I am running a platen press at a print shop in Lititz, PA.

Not long before Thomas Jefferson made the statement ..."Were it left up to me to decide whether we should have government without newspapers or newspapers without govern- ment, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."  So it was in Lancaster that the newspaper began and to this day survives.  What at one time was known as the Lancaster Journal is now known as LNP.  This morning, on a half-page attachment to the LNP newspaper, it read "Our Big Year."  

The front page of the Lancaster Newspaper
telling of the celebration of 225 years.

Directly inside were the numbers "225" in perhaps 100 point reverse letters with the small letters "YEARS" in 30 point.  It is the start of a year of celebration for the press in Lancaster, PA.  The historic pub where the paper was first published still stands with a sign out front that tells the story of Bailey's Printshop which was both the official printer to the U.S. Congress as well as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Thomas Paine's "Crisis No. 4" was also printed on this spot.  It is amazing to know that I have been a part of the history of this country with my backyard printing press years ago.  During the beginning of the newspaper much of the front page, of a four-page paper,  was devoted to classified advertising, since at the time there was no Internet, television, radio or even telegraph to bring up-to-date news to its readers.  

Sign in front of the building where the
newspaper was first printed and where
the offices are today of LNP.

The Lancaster Journal was founded by William Hamilton and Henry Willcocks and published for the first time on June 18, 1794.  The mission statement of the newspaper still rings true today with, "Not too rash - yet not fearful - Open to all parties, but not influenced by any."  The newspaper was published once a week and it should be noted that one of the founders, William Hamilton, began as an apprentice in the Philadelphia print shop of Benjamin Franklin's grandson, Benjamin Franklin Bache.  Lancaster can be pleased that this gentleman journeyed to our small town and opened what has been my reading material for as long as I could read.  There have been a few changes over the years to the physical appearance of the newspaper with the the medial "s" being used until almost 1800.  

The same building can be seen on the right. There is a
banner telling the age of the Lancaster Intelligencer
above the building.

In this case the letter "s" looked as if it were an "f".  Also, the top portion of the front page, known as the "flag" or "nameplate" was changed from time to time.  Everything from clean, simple typefaces to Gothic script were used.  Today the stylized three letters "LNP" tell the name of the publication.  Today's story is the first of three that will appear with more to come as the newspaper will  publish a weekly page from the past.  Should be interesting to see the news as it appeared in Lancaster 225 years ago to present.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

PS - My story title holds true for me, since there are very few publications that I do not pick up, open and smell the ink.  Very intoxicating to a really old printer.

A pen and ink drawing of the front of the newspaper office.

The newspaper office as it appeared in the 1940s.

The "The 60's: A Memorable Decade In The Life Of LDub" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with a few of my high school classmates about our next class reunion.  I became a member of the reunion committee about a dozen years ago.  My main task as part of the committee was to print the reunion booklet that was given to everyone who attended the reunion.  My high school years were memorable, as I assume they were for many who are reading today's story.  Being part of a group of classmates who plan reunions every five years has revived many of those fabulous memories.  I graduated from both high school and college in the 60's which featured some of the best years of my life.  

1967 - Getting married to my sweetheart

I met and married my wife in the 60's as well as bought our first home in the 60's.  As far as local, national and inter- national events of the 60's, there were plenty of them.  Hey, it was in the 60's that girls started wearing bikinis and the same decade that girls began to burn their bras.  When they did wear something, culottes, go-go boots and the ever popular mini skirt were fashionable.  

The start of the bikini bathing suit

Jackie Kennedy introduced the pillbox hat which I hated, but evidently I was in the minority.  Bell-bottoms, tie-dye, batik fabrics and paisley prints were popular in the 60's.  My wife and I covered the walls of our dining room with colorful paisley print wallpaper.  As I look back, it was awful!  In downtown Lancaster John Wayne was playing at the Capitol Theatre while "Tiger Bay" was playing across the street at the Grand.  Both theaters closed in the mid-60's for the redevelopment project in center city Lancaster which forever spoiled a few blocks of historic Lancaster.  In 1960 John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon and the U.S. decided to send 3,500 troops to Vietnam.  

Our first home in Grandview Heights, Lancaster, PA

The following year Alan Shepard became the first American in space and the Berlin Wall became reality.  In 1962 Spider-Man made his debut, the Beatles released their first single "Love Me Do", and the world was on edge during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Oh yeah, LDub managed to graduate from high school and begin college.  I was the first one in my extended family to go to college.  1963 saw the deaths of U.S. President John F. Kennedy as well as U.S. Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King.  

The wallpaper was spectacular!

The Ford Mustang came on the market in '64 and my Aunt Doris had one in her garage.  Then Mary Quant came along the following year with the mini-skirt.  The TV version of Star Trek began to air in '66 and I got my first teaching job in York County, PA even though I had not graduated from college as of the date.  Teachers were in such demand that you could get a temporary certificate.   The Rolling Stone published its first magazine the following year.  Now 1967 just happened to be the year that the Woods Family began when I married my sweetheart Carol; the most memorable year in my life.  Richard Nixon won the White House and Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in '68 while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men on the Moon in 1969.  The 1960s hold many memories as well as some of the best times in my life as they surely must have for anyone who lived in that decade.  Memories have filled my life for over seven decades now, but the 60s are still the most memorable.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.