The "Past Memories...Long Gone...But Not Forgotten!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Exploring a few Lancaster Facebook pages and enjoying all the posts that people are entering that talk about and show some of the memories they have of Lancaster and it's history.  Old black and white photographs of a few former department stores and big box stores in Lancaster have been recently posted and I emailed a copy of one of them to my friend Jere who now lives in State College, Pennsylvania.  At one time, while going through college at Millersville State Teachers College, he worked at a discount store as a security guard in the nearby Manor Shopping Center known as Arlans.  

At the same time I was working at the Acme Supermarket at the opposite end of the shopping center as a stocker and check-out clerk.  Arlans was an American discount store chain that was founded in 1945 by the Palestine brothers in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  The chain peaked in size at 119 stores in 1970, by which time the company began experiencing heavy operating losses.  In 1971 they sold 16 stores to Target and ended up closing the rest.  Another big box store chain was known as Nichols.

They were a Louisiana owned business that opened their first store in 1914 in DeQuincy, Louisiana.  Nichols took pride in offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices with friendly, hometown customer service.  They had items such as sporting goods, housewares, clothing, gifts and home accessories.  In Lancaster, the Nichols store opened on July 31, 1960 on the corner of Manheim Pike and Dillerville Road.  On June 11, 1987 they announced they were going to expand by moving to the nearby Golden Triangle.  Then on July 31, 1987 they opened their store for shopping on Sundays.  Never did move, but declared bankruptcy in April of 1991.   City Line Business Center now occupies the area where Nichols once prospered.  

On November 14, 1966 Two Guys opened in the Lincoln Plaza Shopping Center which was at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and Rohrerstown Road.  It too was a big box store like Arlans and Nichols.  It closed on January 13, 1980.  

Advertisement in the Lancaster Newspaper.

Now, to get away from these big box stores, I offer you one of my all-time favorite stores in downtown Lancaster.  Place was called Steinfeldt's.  At first it was a tobacco shop but eventually became known as "The Store of 1000 Gifts." They had a large selection of souvenir postcards, mostly from the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

This is the block that was destroyed years ago.  This is
one of the many postcards sold at Steinfeldt's

Today they are a very collectible item.  I loved it most for their novelty items they sold.  I would buy little tins of round silver pieces that look like the silver dragees that are used in cooking.  When you threw them they exploded upon impact!  Boy did they scare you if you didn't know they were being thrown at you.  

Mexican jumping beans.

I would buy them before I went to choir practices on Saturday mornings as a member of the boys choir at St. James Church and throw a few during choir practice.  My little angelic face was never suspected of doing that.  Also loved their Mexican jumping beans which were seed pods that had actual larva of a small moth in them.  It would jump when mildly heated.  Fun to hold in your closed hand to warm them and open your hand to see them jump perhaps a quarter inch in height.  They were non-toxic, but not meant to be eaten.  I'm positive a few of my friends tried to eat them, but I never did!  The store was demolished along with the remainder of two blocks of the downtown area when they began the big mistake of urban renewal.  To this day I believe they wish they had never destroyed the neat stores in the two blocks of North Queen Street.   There are quite a few other stores in Lancaster that are worthy mention, but for today, I have rambled on enough!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Happy Trails To You...Until We Meet Again! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Wondering how many of those reading my story today will recognize where I got the title for today's story.  Came from the wife of one of my favorite cowboys, Roy Rogers.  Roy was a cowboy star while I was growing up in the 40s and 50s. And, a cowboy star very seldom killed anyone but the bad guy.  The cowboy star may fight the bad guy but never take advantage of him.  You gained the victory over your rival by being a "Good Guy."  Now, that was Roy Rogers!  

LDub with my Roy Rogers chaps, gun, rope,
holster and cowboy hat.  Roy was tops!  My
chaps have "Roy Rogers" printed on them.
Mom made me wear a black hat and I hated it.

I never once saw Roy kiss a girl on TV.  Same goes for marrying a girl on his show.  Heavens...he was married to Dale Evans.  So, when he rode off into the sunset at the end of his shows, he did it alone.  That's what a good cowboy did.  I was considered at the time a member of the cap-pistol set.  Others like myself, as well as the boys who wore brightly checkered shirts hanging down outside their pants, were Roy's followers on his TV show.  As a young boy I never knew Roy to do anything wrong.  He was one of my TV heroes.  He along with Wild Bill Hickok, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, The Cisco Kid and Poncho, Davey Crockett and Hopalong Cassidy filled my afternoons, Saturdays and Sundays with thrill after thrill as they defeated the bad guys and rode off into the sunset.  But, Roy was always my all-time hero when he rode Trigger onto the scene to save the day.  And, he really was a cowboy in real life.  I recently read an article about Roy and his career struggles and real life relationships.  He was born on November 5, 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  

Roy and his brother with their instruments.

His real name was Leonard Slye.  I had a hard time thinking he was anyone other than Roy Rogers in his life.  A year after he was born, his Dad and brother built a houseboat and took the family up the Ohio River to Portsmouth.  The family bought a plot of land on which to build a house, but when the river flooded, they just moved the houseboat onto the property.  Then in 1919 the family moved to Lucasville, Ohio and Roy (just can't call him Leonard) was able to have a horse.  It was at this time in his life that he became an entertainer when he got a mandolin and began singing for the family.  His family was poor so he had to drop out of school to work with his dad at a local shoe factory.  

A very young Roy Rogers.  Always
wore a white hat so you would know
he was a good guy.

Then in 1931 the family moved to California where Roy sang and yodeled with "The Rocky Mountaineres" on local radio.  Two years later he married Lucile Ascolese who was one of his admirers.  The relationship didn't last long and they divorced in 1936.  Later that year he married Grace Wilkins after she baked a pie for him!  Roy then formed a new group called The Pioneers Trio and when they appeared on  a radio broadcast, the announcer decided he liked "The Sons of the Pioneers" better since they all looked so young.  Then in 1935 he began appearing in minor film parts.  Three years later he auditioned to be the next big "singing cowboy" star.  In 1938 he debuted in "Under Western Stars." In 1941 he and Grace adopted a little girl, Cheryl Darlene, when they found they couldn't have one of their own.  Two years later they had one of their own, Linda Lou.  

An early photo of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

And, in 1945 Roy Jr. was born, but complications from the birth killed Grace.  During one of Roy's films he met a young woman by the name of Dale Evans, whom he married in 1947.  For 16 straight years, Roy was one of the top western actors in film.  I remember Roy the best when he made a move from film to TV on "The Roy Rogers Show."  On the show he was a cattle rancher who brought justice to the town where lived.  His wife, Dale Evans was also in the show.  His show was a hit from 1951-1957, while I was in elementary  and Jr. High School.  The other star of the show was his horse Trigger.  After '57 he began to fade into the sunset but that was OK with me, since girls and cars replaced Roy as my main center of interest in life.  Roy made his final ride into the sunset on July 6, 1998.  He brought me many childhood memories as well as a pretty neat western outfit.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Dale Evans and Roy Rogers

A younger Roy with Trigger.

Color film gave people a chance to see Roy and Trigger in full color.

The "A Favorite Artist & Illustrator" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Re-reading an edition of The Saturday Evening Post before throwing it in the trash.  Used to have a subscription, but stopped it when I found I had too many magazines coming each month.  When some of the others ran out, I decided I enjoyed the Post so I once again became a subscriber.  One of my favorite artists, or perhaps I should say illustrators, is Norman Rockwell and I always enjoyed his contributions to The Saturday Evening Post.  Even though he died over 40 years ago, the magazine still publishes some of his work from the past which always brings back great memories of him and his artwork.  Mr. Rockwell was not only a fantastic artist, but a great storyteller in the work that he did.  His illustrations took hours to study before you were able to see everything that he had intended his work to convey to the viewer.  His work was said to have captured the triumphs and foibles of the common man and are as popular today as they were in decades past.  Norman was a master artist who lived during a period referred to as "The Golden Age of Illustration," when the United States enjoyed the brilliance of such illustrators as Winslow Homer and N.C. Wyeth.  He was born in New York City on February 3, 1894 and wanted to be an illustrator all his life.  He entered the Chase Art School at the age of 14 and then on to the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League.  In 1912, he got his first major commission when he was 18 years old.  He illustrated the book "Tell Me Why: Stories about Mother Nature" by Carl H. Claudy.  I first got to know his work when I joined the Cub Scouts in 1952 and began to read some of the old "Boys' Life" magazine which featured his work.  In 1916 he joined the staff of The Saturday Evening Post.  He shared a studio with renowned cartoonist Clyde Forsythe who also worked for the "Post."  

Mr. Forsythe helped him submit his first cover painting, "Mother's Day Off" in 1916.  47 years later his work had appeared 322 times on the cover of the magazine.  His very last cover in 1963 featured John F. Kennedy a week after the President's assassination.  The last ten years of his career was devoted to painting about civil rights, poverty and space exploration for "Look" magazine.  He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor, in 1977 for "vivid and affectionate portraits of our country.  The following nine covers of  "The Saturday Evening Post" are from my birth year of 1944.  Check out the work he did in just one year for the cover of the magazine.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Click to enlarge the images.

January 1, 1944 - "New Year's Eve"

March 4, 1944 - "Tattoo Artist"

April 29, 1944 - "Armchair General"

May 27, 1944 - "No Smoking"

July 1, 1944 - "War Bond"

August 12, 1944 - "Travel Experience"

September 16, 1944 - "Willie Gillis - Generations"

November 4, 1944 - "Undecided"

December 23, 1944 - "Union Train Station"

The "Memories From Before 1970 That You May Remember" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Gathering old magazines and newspapers to be thrown out when I realized I had never read my latest AARP magazine.  As part of the membership fee to belong to AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) you receive a subscription to the magazine.  The 84-page magazine covers health issues, money issues, news and plenty of stories of and for older or senior Americans.  In return for joining AARP I also get discounts at quite a few stores as well as vacation destinations.  Many car rental agencies give a discount as well as pharmacies, airlines, hotels, insurance companies and  movie theaters to name a few.  Plus I get the magazine and monthly newspaper.  Is it worth it?  I'm not sure, but I do enjoy reading the publications and from time to time do get to use my card at restaurants.  I opened the cover and read an article on driving distractions, fitness devices, Hip-Hop History (which I didn't like), new fiction and non-fiction and an article titled "50 Things Over 50 We Still Love Every Day."  As I read the title I thought to myself...Wow that was in 1970 and I was already 26 years old by then.  I just can't be that old!  But...!  Story was only two pages long with lots of little photos, sketches and artwork of 50 things that began over 50 years or more ago.  And, I remembered every one of them.  How about you?  You may not be anywhere close to me in age, but do you remember the following:

1. Birkenstocks (1964) - snugly, so comfortable with over 25 million pairs sold each year.
2. 10-speed bicycle (1960) - started as a three-speed bike, but is now quite a few more than that.
3. UPS (1953) - Drones will eventually take over, but for now the brown truck still can be seen on the roads of America.
4.  Bikini (1946) - Can you believe that the bikini bathing suit was invented over 70 years ago.
5. Spandex (1959) - Stretches more than 500%!
6. Jeopardy (1964) - Nearly 10 million watch each evening and former student, Brad Rutter, is still the best...to me.
7. Skateboard (1959) - Skateboarding!  It will be an Olympic event in 2020. (Not for now, though)
8. Subway (1965 - the store) - They sell 5,300 subs a minute!
9. Gatorade (1965) - Led the way to the sports drink boom.  I was never a big fan, though.
10. Tupperware (1946) - The success was in the parties that were held.  We still use it.
11. Frozen Pizza (1957) - Did you just assume frozen pizza was around forever?  Almost 200 million people eat it each year.
12. Microwave (1945) - Beeped into homes in the 1960s and never left.
13. Big Mac (1968) - One of my favorite fast-food sandwiches.
14. M&Ms (1941) - Hard to believe they have been around for over 70 years and still taste the same.
15. American Express (1958) - The first boost to our love affair with debt.
16. Ford Mustang (1964) - My Aunt Doris and friend Jere both had a red one. It was the everyman and everywoman muscle car that is still neat.
17. AARP (1958) - 38 million members strong.
18. Ice Cooler (1953) - A landmark in cooling.
19. Harley-Davidson (1903) - Still made a few miles from my home in Lancaster, PA.
20. Mini-skirt (1960) - Just loved them, but they certainly weren't as short as they are today.
21. Clint Eastwood (1930) - Good, Bad, but never Ugly!
22. Color TV (1950) - My Aunt Doris also had a color TV and we would visit every Sunday to watch Bonanza.
23. Mr. Potato Head (1952) - Toy Story has ensured this favorite's longevity.
24. Electric drip coffee maker (1954) - But it wasn't until 1972 that Mr. Coffee made them special.
25. Chapstick (1880) - None of us were born when this was developed.
26. Kraft Mac & Cheese (1937) - Hard to believe I have been eating Mac & Cheese all my life.
27. Lego Toys (1949) - From Danish leg godt which means "play well".  I played with plastic bricks and Lincoln Logs, but never Legos.
28. The pill (1960) - There would never had been a sexual revolution without it.
29. Pop-Tarts (1964) - Named for Andy Warhol's pop art movement.  I have 3 boxes of them in my pantry.
30. Tie-dye (1960s) - I still have a few in my dresser drawer.
31. Ray-Bans (1952) - Tom Cruise and other stars helped bring back retro-cool Wayfarers.
32. Cheetos (1948) - The orange snack was a World War II invention that made your mouth orange.
33. Green Eggs and Ham (1960) - Beloved by boomers and their grandkids. 
34. To Kill A Mockingbird (1960) - We still buy a million copies a year.
35. Cheerios (1941) - Those oat rings remain the top selling cereal, but I never liked them.
36. Motown songs (1960s) - Temptations "My Girl and "I'm losing You" led the way to Detroit's longest-lasting vehicles.
37. Star Trek (1966) - That was 34 years ago and it is still going strong!
38. Spider-Man - (1962) - Big Man on the Web.
39. Chuck Taylor high-tops (1932) - Perennially cool.  Think James Dean, The Ramones and Madonna.
40. Sunscreen (1935) - Slather up and kill deadly rays.  If only my parents had known about it.
41. Handheld hair dryer (1920s) -  The wet head remains dead.
42. Hershey Kisses (1907) - A Valentine's Day mainstay.
43. The Beatles (1962) - Life without them would have been impossible!
44. Warren Buffett (1930) - A $10,000 investment in him in 1962 is worth $298 million now.
45. James Bond (1962) - Sean Connery was the real one and only!
46. Tony Bennett (1926) - No plans to retire at 93!
47. Smiley Face (1963) - Bet you use it most every day.
48. Cabbage Patch Doll (1978) - I stood in line one Christmas to get one for my daughter.
49. A Summer Place (1959) - The Hunter Family's experiences with Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee.
50. Corvette (1953) - I'll never forget my 1987 red coupe.

I'm sure you could probably add a few of your own depending on how long you've lived on this planet, but the 50 above were from the article in my latest AARP Magazine.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Educational Memories Of A Lifetime!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to remember when I began my search for what I wanted to do with my life after graduation from high school.  For years I wanted to be a teacher, following the footsteps of a few of my favorite teachers in high school.  

Entrance to Manheim Township High School

At first I wanted to be history teacher and follow in the footsteps of Mr. Berkheimer, my 10th grade history teacher.  Only problem was I didn't like memorizing dates.  Then I decided I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Hungerford who was my 11th grade swimming teacher.  Only problem was I couldn't swim the length of the pool underwater and only got a "C" in the class.  Then I decided I wanted to be just like my art teacher Mr. Miller who I had for my four years of high school.  That was until I had Mr. Lewis for 12 grade math and decided I wanted to follow in his footsteps, especially after I got an "A" for the class.  But, when I went to nearby Millersville State Teacher's College for an interview with an admission officer, I was told my college test scores weren't good enough for the math curriculum.  They offered me  a chance to be an Industrial Arts teacher, which I wasn't exactly sure what that included, but I agreed to walk in the footsteps of whomever I had for shop in high school.  I enjoyed walking in the footsteps of just about every teacher I ever had at Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, Pennsylvania, since after graduation I ended up teaching Industrial Arts at my high school alma mater and walked the halls of my favorite teachers for the next 35 years.  But, throughout my teaching career, I still wished I would have become a math teacher like Mr. Lewis.  It may have been the cane he yielded, due to his limp, or the slight smile he always gave me when I would come up with the correct answer when many around me couldn't figure out the answer.  Or maybe it was the candy he shared with me when I came in for help with my math.  I'm sure we all have had favorite teachers, but I had quite a few of them, starting in elementary school.  

Milton J. Brecht Elementary School

I guess it all started in first grade when I was in Miss Bochi's class.  She did change her name during the year when she got married and became Mrs. Good, but that's not what I remember most about her.  I remember this caring lady who would take me to the water fountain in the hallway to help make my hands warmer on cold winter days when I would have to walk a mile to school.  

Mrs. Good and my first grade class.  I'm top row, far left
while my friend Jere is front row far right. My 1st grade
Sweetheart, Marilyn is in the white dress, center front.

Never knew that cold water could warm your hands, but when they were half frozen, the cold water felt warm.  Also loved Miss Hoover, even thought I was the only one in the class that liked her.  She used to take a ruler and walk around the room and slap it across your hand if you had the wrong answer on your yellow tablet paper.  Not once did I have my hand slapped!   The principal at Brecht Elementary School, my alma mater, was Dr. Bucher.  Always thought he was a real doctor until I got to Jr. High School.  He was a bachelor who lived a few blocks from my home on North Queen Street.  My mom thought it would be nice to invite him for dinner a few times a year so I got to know him as not only my Principal, but as someone like an Uncle.  I'm not sure if that's why I became a Lieutenant in the School Safety Patrol or not.  

Manheim Township Jr.-Sr. HIgh School in Neffsville, PA.

After Elementary School at Brecht, I entered Jr. High in Neffsville.  It was the first time riding on a school bus and the first time to interact with girls a bit more.  As far as my teachers...well they sort of became non-existent to me during that time in my life.  The most influential one though was my music teacher, Mr. Sharr.  The school was so overcrowded that we had to walk across busy Valley Road to the fire house where we had music class twice a week on the second floor of the fire house.  

Jere front left and LDub rear right.
Friends after 75 years.

I was in the boys choir at St. James Episcopal Church in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, so I was in good standing with Mr. Sharr.  My friend Jere...well that's a different story.  He had a hard time holding pitch, so Mr Sharr told him he would pass him if he just made his mouth move when we sang.  Well, after years and years of post-high school education I eventually returned and walked the same halls that I had during the late 1950s and early 1960s.  I've had a great time teaching as well as being a student in the Manheim Township School District.  Don't think I would have done anything different...except not shoot that cute girl in the back of the head with a spit ball and straw in the cafeteria when in 8th grade.  Got paddled by Mr. Miller for that!  Guess that's why I never wanted to be a History teacher like Mr. Miller.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Lost Grave Of Charlotte "Susanna" Hazen Rowe" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Beautiful day in the neighborhood so I parked the car along Orange Street and walked the half block to the St. James Episcopal Church Cemetery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I have written quite often about St. James and it's historical cemetery in the past and I recently read of one more grave site that is supposed to be there, but seems to somehow have been lost.  The grave is supposed to be the final resting place for Charlotte "Susanna" Hazen Rowe, the first female missionary of the 1815 founded Baptist Board of Foreign Missions.  So, what has happened to it?  

I entered through this gate and turned to my right to find
the tombstone of Charlotte's twin daughters. Click to enlarge.

As I entered the cemetery from the Orange Street entrance, I immedia- tely saw the bright white tombstone of Charlotte's twin daughters who are also buried at St. James as well as the monuments of Charlotte' mother and father, Ester Bowes Sayre and Judge William Augustus Atlee, but was not able to find the exact spot where Charlotte was buried.  Her story is extremely interesting and was recently published in the Lancaster Newspaper as told by the Reverend Reid Trulson.  Charlotte was born in Lancaster in 1782 and baptized at St. James Episcopal.  She lived her childhood in the family home on North Duke Street and was orphaned at the age of 11.  She went to Massachusetts to live with her sister Elizabeth.  She married Nathaniel Hazen White in 1803.  Three years later, after the death of her husband and baby, she joined the Baptist Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  In 1815 Charlotte applied to the American Baptist Board of Foreign Missions to service as a missionary.  The year before, the church had appointed their first Missionaries, Adoniram and Ann Judson.  But, it was found that a women could not legally be recognized as a missionary by any religious body, so Ann was no longer deemed a missionary.  Charlotte had wanted to serve alongside the Judson's in Burma. What could she do?  She petitioned the board of the Baptist Church to become a missionary.  After a vote, the majority agreed that the church bylaws did not specify that a missionary had to be a male, so they appointed her to be the first female missionary in history.  But, after a subsequent attempt to nullify her appointment, the board declared it has no money to send her to Burma to be with the Judsons.  At the time she had a modest estate left to her by her recently deceased husband so she self-funded her missionary trip.  She instead sailed to Kolkata, India in 1815 with the Rev. George Henry Hough and his wife on a restricted appointment.  They had plans to buy a printing press in India and present it to the Judsons.  

An old photograph of St. James Episcopal's Churchyard.
The tombstone of Charlotte's daughters would be to the left.

A few months later though she met British Baptist missionary Joshua Rowe, a widower with three sons, and married him.  She ended up going with him to Digah, India.  She and her new husband had three children of their own, twin daughters Charlotte Elizabeth and Ester Anna as well as a son Judson Ward Rowe.   But, because she had married a British Baptist Missionary, the American Board said she was no longer a missionary and removed her name from their rolls.  But, Rev. Reid Trulson, whom I mentioned talked with the Lancaster Newspaper, found that was not the case.  As he was looking through archives at Regents College at Oxford University, he found she had written to the British Baptist Missionary Society stating her desire to be once again recognized as a missionary by both the American and British groups.  Her request was denied.  So, she worked side by side with her husband until he died in 1823.  Even though she wasn't a recognized missionary, she continued her duties as if she was.  Three years later she and just her birth son and twin daughters moved to London where she asked the British Baptist Missionary Society to once appoint her a missionary so she could return to India.  They refused, so she and her family moved to Philadelphia where she started a school for girls in Philadelphia.  The following year she moved to Lowndesboro, Alabama where she taught English and drawing at a girls academy.  By 1850 she had moved back to Lancaster County where she served as the Principal of Strasburg Female Seminary.  Her two daughters died within 18 months of each other in 1851-1852.  She had them buried at St. James Episcopal in downtown Lancaster.  She then moved to Philadelphia where she lived until her death on Christmas Day, 1863 as reported in the Lancaster Newspaper.  Now is when the cloak of mystery begins.  

My photo of the tombstone of Charlotte's twin daughters.

Church leaders knew of her daughter's deaths and burial in the churchyard, but no one knew she had been buried there. But, a card file kept by the church was found and it indicated she had been buried in the cemetery.  A current member at our church, Ann Atlee Webber, who is a direct descendent of Charlotte Rowe didn't even know she was buried there.   Rev. Trulson came upon a short death notice in the Lancaster Examiner and Herald newspaper and called St. James to inquire about her burial.  According to the death posting in the newspaper, it is assumed she is truly buried in the St. James Cemetery.  So, St. James now awaits a marker that will be placed near her daughter's tombstone and we will be able to lay claim to having the first female missionary in the world buried in our cemetery.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Few Facts About Lancaster's Amish You May Not Know" Story

Over the life of my blog I have shared many stories about my life amongst the Amish community.  Every thing from taking you with me when I visited a shop where buggies are made to buying food at Lancaster's Central Market from an Amish stand holder.  From time to time I am asked questions that seem like they should have a simple answer, but I may not know the answer.  So, today's story will give you a more in-depth look at The Amish with hopes your questions will be answered.  You may have tuned in the Discovery Channel's show, The Amish Mafia that debuted the end of 2012.  At first it was portrayed as a documentary, but it featured very little that was true.  The series was said to have been bigoted toward and defaming the Amish culture.  That is a pretty good summation of the show.  I hope you realize that just about every feature of the show was meant to sell products during the commercials and not a bit of truth about the Amish.  During my lifetime, which is a bit over 3/4 of a century, the Amish have made a few changes such as inside flush toilets and one telephone for the community.  But, that's about it!  Yeah, you may find a few that have a cell phone or hide a car somewhere that they will drive, but that may be it.  The Amish still speak their own dialect of German which is known as Pennsylvania Dutch.  There are a few other customs that are part of their culture which I will attempt to address at this time.

• The word Amish is a derivative of the name of Jakob Ammann who was a Swiss Anabaptist in the Mennonite church who stressed a literal interpretation of the Bible.  His followers became known as Amish.
• Anabaptists refuse to baptize infants and believe baptism should be done once an individual is able to willingly confess their faith.  Thus, baptism most often happens between 18 and 22 years of age.  Amish may only marry after they are a member of the church.
• The Amish reject any form of violence, thus they never enter the military.  
• Amish dolls are faceless to deter against pride and vanity.
• When a Amish youth turns 16 they enter a period known as Rumspringa.  During this period of time they are allowed to do something that they have been forbidden to do in the past.  Go to a movie, drive a car or even consume alcohol or drugs might be an option for some.
• Today there are over 300,000 Amish in over 28 U.S. states and Canada.
• Musical instruments are verboten since they are said to be a method of self-expression which might encourage feelings of superiority and that's not permitted.
• The woman in the family is to be a homemaker.  In public she is expected to follow her husband's lead.
• An Amish person who doesn't follow the rules may be shunned by members of the community limiting contact with that person to shame them back into the church or by excommunication which will banish them from the community.  If a child is excommunicated, their parents must cut contact with them.  In the "English" world, we would be prosecuted for child abuse!
• The Amish horse and buggy must be the only means of communication that is used.  But, community members who are not Amish may be used for transportation if absolutely necessary.  My wife's cousin drove the Amish for many years in his van.
• Church services are held in members homes.  A different member usually hosts the community each week.  It is not unusual to drive around Lancaster County on a Sunday and see many buggies in the yard.  Means they are hosting the service that week.
• Barn raising are a common sight in Lancaster County.  It is both an economic and social event where the community comes together to build a new or destroyed barn for an Amish neighbor.
  
• If you look at an Amish man, it they have a beard it means they are married.  
• An Amish woman is expected to wear her hand-sewn wedding outfit to church every Sunday after she is married.
  
• The Word of God is above government, but they do separate church from state.
• Amish go to school in a one-room schoolhouse taught by Amish teachers.  They go only until the 8th grade, but might go to a vocational school with family members of the community to learn skills in farming and carpentry.
• You may be excommunicated for owning a computer, drinking alcohol or refusing to kneel in church.
• Amish do not engage in missionary work or evangelism.
• Outsiders are referred to as "English" and Amish are normally not comfortable around them.  The Amish aim for a peaceful existence with the outside world.
• Since Amish have no insurance, they generally do not use modern medicine, but in a serious case they will pool together funds to help one another.
• The Amish do not care to be photographed because they feel the photo is a fixed or graven image which is forbidden in the Bible.
• 80-90% of Amish children stay within The Amish Church.  This fact, plus a high birth rate means that The Amish population doubles every 20 years.
• Finally, if you would care to become Amish, you must learn German and leave behind modern luxuries which are in contrast to Amish society.  You will be put with an Amish family and the church has the final say as to if you would be a member.

There are many other things that you may want to know about The Amish, but I hope I have covered most of them today.  My question to you might be, why would you want to be Amish?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Stadiums Of The Past & Present In Lancaster" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving past Franklin & Marshall College's new stadium that was recently finished.  Beautiful stadium that sits on the north side of the campus in land that at one time belonged to Armstrong Cork Company.  For years F&M played most of their football games and track events on the Sponaugle-Williamson Field which was built in 1894.  At first, the field carried no name until finally in 1899 it was christened Williamson Field.  Henry S. Williamson was a former trustee at the school.  Within the past 25 years S. Woodrow "Woody" Sponaugle, a former football coach, had his name added to the field.  The original wooden bleacher stadium burned to the ground in 1916 due to a victory bonfire that got out of control.  The new stadium was built out of concrete.  The most recent stadium, known as Shadek Stadium, is now being used for a variety of sports.  These stadiums are just a few of Lancaster County's sports venues that has numerous, venerable stadiums that have served the sports community for years and years.  Follow along and I will give you a glimpse of local stadiums as well as a few closeby that have influenced amateur as well as professional sports in the past.

The original Sponaugle-Williamson Field at Franklin & Marshall College.

Entrance to the new Shadek Stadium.

The playing field at Shadek Stadium.

Biemsderfer Stadium is the home of Millersville University's sports teams.  It was built in 1958 is hold events in football, field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field.  Nearby Penn Manor High School also uses the field for their athletic teams.  Dr. Daniel Luke Biemesderfer was the ninth president of the University.

This is the stadium of Millersville University.

Nearby Ephrata, Pennsylvania has a stadium that is known at Ephrata War Memorial Field and is home to the Ephrata High School Mountaineers athletic teams.  It has been used for football as well as baseball.  The American Legion uses the field for their baseball league and is one of just a few stadiums with lights.  And, they have the best chicken corn soup at their refreshment stand!

This is the Ephrata War Memorial Field.

In Lancaster City is J.P. McCaskey High School Stadium.  It sits directly behind the high school and saw its first game on September 24, 1938.  I can remember taking my children to the stadium many times to watch fireworks on July 4th.  Many excellent high school sporting events have been held on the field.

 This is an aerial view of a football game from November 26, 1970.  The teams featured were J.P. McCaskey High School and Lancaster Catholic High School.  The Thanksgiving Day game was played before a crowd of more than 11,000 fans.  

About 25 miles to the west of Lancaster is Hershey, Pennsylvania.  It has a brand-new arena known as the Giant Center, but for us old-timers, Hersheypark Arena was one of the greatest places to take in a hockey game or basketball game.  The arena opened on December 19, 1936 and was the Hershey Bears home rink.  It was also the site of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point basketball game on March 2, 1962.  Somewhere in my collection of sports memorabilia is the program from that evening.  What a thrill it was to witness the game.  

This is what the Hershey Stadium looked like when it was first built.

And, the final stadium that is perhaps my favorite was at Stumpf Field which was on the Fruitville Pike about two blocks from my childhood home on North Queen Street in Lancaster.  It was the home of the Lancaster Red Roses minor league baseball team from 1940 through 1961.  Both baseball and football were played at the stadium.  I was fortunate enough to see both Willie Mays and Brooks Robinson play ball at the ballpark.  I have told you before, I'm sure, that I would get to the game early and retrieve balls hit over the fence during batting practice.  I would take them to the nearby scoreboard keeper who would give me a ticket to get in the game when I returned a few balls to him.  Found out when I started high school and entered one of my classes that my teacher was the same guy who gave me the free passes. Guy by the name of Gene Kris.  Stumpf Field also hosted the Lancaster Newspaper's New Era Baseball Tournament.  My oldest son got to play in one of those game in the ballpark.  I also remember watching a softball game played at the park between a local softball all-star men's team and "The King and his Court" which featured a guy by the name of Eddie Feigner and his team which consisted of Eddie as pitcher and four other players.  They really put on a show and played five guys against a full all-star team and still beat them. 

This is about all that is left of the stadium today.  There is still a couple of softball fields where the original stadium stood, but that's about all I have left of my memories of the place. 

Lancaster, Pennsylvania loves it's sports teams.  Some come and go while others have been around forever. Some of the stadiums have also followed the same trend.  Here's hoping the newest stadiums will last for the rest of my lifetime.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "A Visit With Barbara In Sint Maarten" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my wife about the trip we had planned for the beginning of June.  It was to be a few weeks on the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten, but the island is now closed to flights from the USA as well as other parts of the world.  Our flight has not officially been cancelled, but with no place to land, I can't imagine it not being canceled.  

Aerial photograph showing the island known as
St. Martin/Sint Maarten

We will surely miss our beach visits, culinary visits and old friends visits if we can't make the trip.  We have now begun to check our calendar to see what we can do, but there is little that can be done until the pandemic we are in the midst up eases its grip on the world.  Perhaps this fall, or maybe we will have to wait until this time next year before we can get in our beach time.  One friend we will surely miss is Barbara Cannegieter whom we have gotten to know over the past two decades of travel to her home in Sint Maarten.  We got to know her while I was searching for a fellow known as her gardener.  Found out that her gardener, Dee, was really her husband who happened to own a liquor store on Front Street in Philipsburg, the capitol city of Sint Maarten.  They had a beautiful garden at their home.  When we final had a chance to visit with them, she revealed that she grew up less than 90 miles from our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  She was a native of Williamsport, PA and happened to meet her husband while visiting the island of Sint Maarten after high school.  After a few visits to the island, she got married and never returned to the states.  Our yearly, and sometimes bi-yearly, visits to her home high above the city of Philipsburg are always the highlight of our trip to the island.  So, when I began to search one of her Facebook pages (WE ARE ST.MAARTEN ST.MARTIN) and saw part of her immense collection of postcards from the island she now calls home, I spent more than an hour scouring the collection.  Just so much to see of the history of the island through a post card collection.   Loved the images on the post cards, so I emailed her asking if she would mind if I share some of them on my blog.  As you see below, she didn't mind at all.  Check out Sint Maarten, her home, and the second home of Carol and myself.  If you care to see more, pull up the Facebook page above.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Passanggrahan Guest House, 1968

The beach at Le Galion

Grand Case pier and Grand Case Beach Club

Salt pans in the Great Salt Pond 

Market at Marigot

Front Street, Philipsburg