Vermilion Views

Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live

_{This week:

"Moonglow and Theme from Picnic"

Morris Stoloff
~1956~}

OUTSTANDING WORK: One day last weekend my friend Frank Homitz stopped at the house and gave me: 1 copy of The Cleveland Press (Tuesday, May 8, 1945) ALLIES PROCLAIM VICTORY IN EUROPE; a copy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Wednesday Morning November 13, 1940) CLEVELAND SHIP SINKS IN LAKE GALE; OTHERS IN PERIL; 70 ARE FEARED DEAD; and another copy of The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Friday, July 25, 1969) SPLASHDOWN - 3 MOON HEROES HEAD FOR U.S.

Neat.

In addition to these he also gave me a bag of brussels sprouts (that my wife loves). And last, but hardly the least, he gave me a copy of the water-color painting you see just above these words.

I like Frank's artwork. This piece is a departure from some of the other things I have from him. Most are historic pieces adapted from the photography of Pearl Roscoe. Several have appeared in "Views" before.

I keep at least two of historic sketches under the glass of one of our coffee tables. Another, a watercolor copy of Tom Ball's VBC boat ("Iona") is in a frame on the wall of Cottage #3 at the Olympic Outing Club. And somewhere about, in this mess of materials that I use to produce "Views" is a very unique mini bust of myself made of clay.

But this particular piece inspired me to do something that I should have been doing about 20 years ago. That is - to learn how to cut mats for photographs/paintings/etc, and to make frames.

I've not gotten to framing just yet, but I am honing my mat-making skills. I acquired a mat-cutting tool called a "Dexter", and made a beveled mat for this particular pic. It turned out quite nicely.

But back to Frank's work. I never ceased to be amazed by it. While this painting is not (I believe) of any existant place it most certainly is an outstanding regional work.

JOHN & CARRIE: There is more of a story here than I know (at this time). This snap came to me from Anita Ollis Mehnert along with several others (that follow). I have all the names of the persons in the pic:

Now ye can plainly see that all the names were writ on the back of the photo. But - I can't read them all. Two that I make out rather easily are (2) Carrie Naegele and (3) John Naegele. But I've just got to guess about the rest: (1)Lawson Rumsey(?), (4)C. Martin(?), (5)Wm. Martin(?), (6)B. Martin(?), (7)Mg Ruth, wife(?), (8)R. Martin(?), (9) Old Man Wagner, Wm. father(?).

Perhaps somone can clear this up.

Thanks to this pic and the others given me by Anita I now know a bit more about John and Carrie Naegele than I did before I saw the pictures - but it still isnt' enough.

John was born in Vermilion in 1878. Carrie Naegele was born in 1884. When they were first married they lived on E. Water Street in Vermilion (U.S. Census 1910). They later lived in a house on Huron Street. While living in this house they kept "lodgers". In 1920 men by the name of Frank H. Carver and Henry Manipare kept rooms in their home.

John was a "Pilot" on a gill-netter called the "Rainbow for the Kishman Fish Company.

Sometime in the late 1930's or early 1940's John and Carrie moved to Erie PA. where they lived at 702 West 9th Street. Eventually they moved back to Vermilion. John died on 19 August 1962. Carrie had passed a few months earlier.

John was an uncle to Dr. Paul Naegele. I don't believe that he and Carrie had any children.

My thought is that they lived in the house where eventually Jeannette Mehnert lived. This would (from my present point-of-view) explain the reason that Anita (Mehnert) now owns these photographs. Anita mentioned that her mother-in-law never threw anything away. I assume that she might have found the photographs in the house when she lived there.

But that is all speculation on my part. I'm sure that there is at least one "Viewer" who knows (as Paul Harvey is wont to say) "The rest of the story."

ROSS HAYES: Here's a fellow I've heard of - but never knew myself. This, as the head says, is Ross Hayes. Ross was one of Nuggie Cook's brothers. I do believe he eventually acquired the nickname of "Tiny". He was, what one might call, a semi-professional musician. He played in the local "Rube Band" that was origianlly an American Legion sponsored group. But he also played in other bands throughout the region.

Nug told me of a time (if I get this right) when he was working for "Big Ed" Lampe on one of his fishing tugs. When he jumped into the boat to help unload the catch he went right through the deck.

I do believe that this had more to do with the condition of Lampe's tug than it actually had to do with Mr. Hayes' size. "Big Ed" was inclined to try to get the most out of his equipment with the least amount of money.

This is a great highschool pic taken when he was in his junior year at VHS. Some of his classmates were; Leo Dickel, Bill "Corky" Harpley, Albert Fischer, Charlie Edge, Jim Friday, Phil Eldridge, Benny Karchin, Ross' sister Maxine, Martha Ford, and Ruth Normando.

If you happen(ed) to know any of those folks it might help put things into perspective.

Tis a wonderful, wonderful photograph of a person who was known to be great local musician.

GOING UP: This shadows were captured thursday of some of the changes going on about Vermilion. The 2nd floor addition to the old Post Office building is looking very nice. On the right side (top) is a entirely new building going up where formerly a discount service station was located on the north side of Liberty Avenue just west of Elberta Beach. This substantial structure will be an auto parts store. Since Thursday significant changes have already taken place at the site.

Bottom right is a pic of the addition to what was (back in the 1960's) the "Lake Erie Drive-in". This is really a nice improvement. It seems like just yesterday that one could just pull in in a car and order a fish sandwhich. I don't believe any drive-in restaurants are left in America.

I note that all of these improvements are substantial. The face of Vermilion is rapidly changing.

RUBBERNECKIN': If you grew up in Vermilion you probably spent some time in Exchange Park watching the world pass bye. Ergo; the name "Rubberneck" Park.

It might have been in 1955 that I cab recall being in this park whilst across the street - atop the A&P Store there was a teenage dance going on. I was too young to attend. But it didn't stop me from sitting across the street and listening to the music. I also remember one of the tunes that was playing. It was Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino.

And the world went on bye. And it still does.

I thunk that folks far away from home might like to take a virtual seat in the park and see that it's still there - almost the same as it was 40 years ago. Only the calendar and ourselves have really changed. Enjoy.

How about that?

A CLASSIC: This too, is one of the pix (this was a postcard pic) that Anita Mehnert loaned me. I am just enamoured by it. I scanned it and printed a 13"x19" natural colored copy that I intend to frame.

I have been unable to date the photo, and I don't know the identity of the boy with the big fish. At the moment I'm waiting for some information that will help me date the photo. Male clothing styles seem to experience more subtle changes through time than did women's dress. But I think there is enough there to provide me with some clues that might nail down the date by perhaps 5 years.

It would be helpful if the building behind the boy could be identified. I've been searching through old photographs looking for something similar, but have thus far been unsuccessful. I'm 90% sure this is a Vermilion photograph, and I'm thinking that this is John Naegele at about 11 years of age. But all that is indefinite. It'll just take some time to figure out.

THE NEW VAAS CALENDAR: It's out, and it's a keeper. From the Clubhouse at Vermilion-On-The-Lake to the hotel at Beulah Beach Vermilion's "Vacationland" Communities are there.

If you would like to purchase a calendar you can purchase one from myself or any member of the VAAS. They are $5.00. If they have to be posted an even $7.00 should handle the cost of postage and handling. The address for the VAAS is available below (in the "What's Afoot" section). Please make all checks/money orders, etc. payable to the Vermilion Area Archival Society.

If you want a calendar for Christmas I would suggest ordering/purchasing one soon.

They're great keepsakes.

WHAT'S A FOOT: The next meeting of the Vermilion Area Archival Society will be held in the Annex Room of Vermilion's Ritter Public Library on November 13th at 7 p.m. Brownhelm historian, Bill Cutcher, will be the featured speaker. He will present a powerpoint program re: the fishing industry in Vermilion and Huron.

Cutcher (he and his wife, Bonnie, now life in Pitsfield Township) just sent me this
beauty the other day. Tis a picture of a local task that is really
and truly now relegated to history; cutting ice along the Vermilion River
. It came to him from his cousin, Sharon, whose father, Howard Cutcher,
was a foreman at the Kishman Fish Company when the snap was taken
(c.1940). The ice was cut and stored to be used to cool the fish during winter months.

Everyone is absolutely welcome to attend this meeting and/or to become a member of the VAAS.

Lifetime memberships are $100. Yearly memberships are $10 a person; $18.00 a couple; and $5 for a student.Our address is:

VAAS
P.O. Box 14
Vermilion, Ohio 44089.

Please take the time to visit (or re-visit) the Hope Children's Home site linked below because there are some additions there that you might find interesting. With all the bad things happening on the "dark continent" and elsewhere it's really nice to know that there are some places where the light does shine brightly. Please keep in mind that the needs of Hope Children's Home are on-going. Partially due to the horrors taking place in the Mid-East the continued suffering of the peoples in Africa go virtually unnoticed by both our nation and the United Nations - and that should not be. Contributions to that home may be made to a Vermilion expatriot Larry Hohler in New York.

CLASS REUNION UPDATES: Things are still quiet on this front. But stay tuned.

To reiterate: Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years.

I was unaware of it but more than just a few folks do use this site as a link to their respective class sites - so - here's the VHS Class of 1959's site back for your convenience too: Remember that site is located at: Class of '59 and it'll be updated it as Roger (Boughton) receives enough new pictures and information from classmates to make it worth reading. So send him any information that you would like to share with other classmates and he'll put it up for all to see and view.

It is my understanding that some of these links are not working, or not working well. If so it is a technical problem belonging to the respective parties operating those webpages.

_{Courtesy of my net-met friend
and cartoonist Paul Kinsella
You can visit his site @
Norm And Company}

The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the bookmarks. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.

Links to other sites on the Web