This week: "Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht" Ralf Kiwit from: Ich Freue Mich Noch Mehr
CHRISTMAS (c.1915) : This is such a striking photo it's hard not to use it at this time of year.
Taking somewhat of a poetic license I will further say; that these yuletide shadows were captured by my grandfather's camera somewhere around the year 1910 in the family quarters above the Vermilion News printshop on Grand Street (here) in Vermilion.
My mother, Ella Roscoe Tarrant is the little girl on the right, and here little sister, Alice Roscoe Lindsay, is the toddler just to the left. Pushing my proverbial license a tad further I venture to say that the old girl next to my aunt Alice is Clara Houseman - their cousin.
Photographs, such as these, have a way of stealing my breath when I look at the detail therein. This tree, for instance, has candles - lit candles - on it. Wow!!
For "Viewer" edification I took the time to find the following information:
The tradition of using small candles to light up the Christmas tree dates back to at least the middle of the XVIIth century. However, it took two centuries for the tradition to become widely established first in Germany and soon spreading to Eastern Europe. Candles for the tree were glued with melted wax to a tree branch or attached by pins. Around 1890, candleholders were first used for Christmas candles. Between 1902 and 1914, small lanterns and glass balls to hold the candles started to be used. Electricity: In 1882, the first Christmas tree was lit by the use of electricity. Edward Johnson lighted up a Christmas tree in New York City with eighty small electric light bulb. It should be noted that Edward Johnson created the first string of electric Christmas lights that were then mass produced around 1890. Edward Johnson was one of Thomas Edison's muckers, an inventor who worked under the direction of Edison. Johnson became vice-president of Edison's electric company.
I know everyone wanted to know all that stuff.
However; it sets the stage for some further comments about my endless endeavor(s) into this wonderful technology.
I'm working hard on several projects - and - as fate and the Good Lord would have it I'm stumbling across other things.
One of those things is podcasting/audio recording. I never had any idea that editing audio recording(s) requires so much skill - and - I severely underestimated the skills of broadcasters. I am learning that it is best to write dialogue before trying to record it. I will readily admit that I'm not a public speaker. But I really had no idea just how bad I really am.
Another foreign area I'm roaming around loose in is that of editing video/animated footage.
Just the other day my good friend, and electric historian, Dennis Lamont e-mailed me some great (but obviously dated) video footage of an LSE train moving along on a double track just east of Lorain. It's great stuff (as I am wont to say), but I wanted to enlarge it.
I didn't know it but I have the software that will allow me to do just that (among other things). And you will get to see it toward the end of this editon of "Views".
The other thing that I've been involved in is searching around for information on Alta Weiss - Ohio's woman professional baseball player.
Vermilion librarian, Janet Ford, has been of great help to me in this endeavor. And Bette Lou Higgins, Artistic Director of Eden Valley Enterprises, has (as will be seen) supplied me with information that I've been looking for for a long time.
Lastly, I am intensely interested in improving my photograph skills. For some time I've not been impressed by the pix I've captured in places where the lighting was lacking. There's only so much one can do with even the best software. Ergo, I acquired a digital slave fash for my Nikon D70. Now all I have to do is learn how to apply it correctly.
I suppose I should offer some thanks to Thomas Edison and Edward Johnson ("one of Edison's muckers") for their work that set the groundwork for all this technology. What a truly wonderous world we live in.
THE WEISS ALL-STARS: I wondered about the identity of the folk in this 1937 (or so) pic of the Weiss All-Stars last week and Presto! - the question has been answered.
This photograph was copied from an article written by Barbara Gregorich that appeared in the August 1994 editon of the Ohio Historical Society publication called "Timeline". Vermilion Ritter librarian Janet Ford acquired it for me. Eden Valley Enterprise Artistic Director, Bette Lou Higgins, supplied me with a copy of the same pic, with the names of those pictured, which appeared in a book called "THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN: A HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN TUSCARAWAS COUNTY OHIO 1867-1955 by Edward DeGraw.
They are the 1908 Weiss All-Stars:
Back Row (left to right) Roth,c; Grill,1b; Tischer, rf; Miss Irma Weiss (Alta's sister); Meyer, lf; Murphy, c; Hobart, 2b; Front Row: Hoffman, 2b; Lehman, 3b; Chas. Heidloff, Mgr. Miss Alta Weiss, p; Ebner, umpire; Langenhan, cf; Sonnendecker, ss; Absent: Reynolds, p; and Winchester, c.
Now - this affords all of the identies of the folks in the photograph. However; can we then go a bit futher and discover if any of these folks were local to Vermilion, Ohio? Is, for instance, the Tischer in this photograph a member of the well known Tischer family here in Vermilion?
This is a wonderful brain-teaser for local historians.
Alta: Alta Weiss was born on February 9, 1890 in a small town in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Without recounting the legend(s) surrounding her throwing ability it was clear at a very early age that her ability to play and compete in playing the game of baseball was phenomenal. Her skills exceeded those of more than a few male players who considered themselves adept athletes.
During the summer of 1907, while on vacation in Vermilion (probably at Linwood Park) she was playing a game of catch with some local boys when then Vermilion Mayor H.R. "Squire" Williams took note of her abilities. Williams suggested to Charles Heidloff (the manager seen in the photo of the team) who was the manager of he semipro Vermilion Independents that she join the team. While he initially refused the suggestion after he saw her play (striking out 15 men in a game arranged by the good mayor), he wasted no time in signing her. And it didn't take long for her to gain the respect of numerous pro and semipro teams and players throughout the state - not to mention the attention of fans and sportwriters alike.
Dr. George Weiss
During the off-season of 1907-08 Alta's father, George, who was a respected businessman, pharmiscist, and doctor, bought the team. He renamed it the Weiss All-Stars, hired Heidloff as manager - and the rest is history.
Alta paid her way through medical school at the Starling-Ohio Medical College with her earnings as a ballplayer. But as time wore on her appearances became fewer. Her sister, Irma (also pictured), passed on. She took up practice for a time in Norwalk, Ohio and then returned home to Ragersville, Ohio in 1946 and took over her father's practice for a time. She died in 1964.
Alta Weiss was an eccentric personality (she owned 10 cats, drove a 1940 Buick for decades, and read no less than 3 newspapers daily). But she was also a very intelligent individual, and, of course, a gifted, gifted athlete.
FRANK'S ARTWORK: My friend Frank Homitz dropped a couple of new pieces off for me last week.
Unusual stuff.
The ballpoint pen sketch (above) is reality and humour working together. (When ya' gotta go you gotta go.) But pay attention to the fact that this was done with (as mentioned) a ballpoint pen. One does not make mistakes with that medium without them being noted. It's like trying to do a crossword puzzle in ink. It's precarious business.
This next piece is a watercolor, and is also unusual. Keep in mind that Frank doesn't own any penquins (at least I don't believe he does.) and that this is probably not a reproduction from an existing photo/painting.
Last week I had one person tell me that they didn't know that Frank did such work. Their impression of him (Frank was a gifted football player) was not that of an artist. Another person asked me what Frank does for a living. It's hard for them to believe that he's a construction worker.
I don't know why his also being an artist would be much of a surprise because it does, after all, take some artistic ability to work in those trades. On the other hand, I've known Frank for a long time.
Great stuff!
THE ELECTRICS: This is one of the old Lake Shore Electric frieght cars (#38) now being used as a storage shed at the Vermilion Fish & Game. I, obviously, was playing with some Adobe software whereupon I eliminated a door and window replacing them with some weathered lettering. But this is the fate of many of those old cars.
I've got this hope that one day I'll be able to ride on one of these electrics when and if Dennis Lamont succeeds in establishing a transit line in the City of Lorain, Ohio.
Dennis knows this. And in the meantime forwarded me the aforementioned video footage of a car running of the double tracks just west of Lorain:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!! And thanks, Dennis.
ANOTHER PODCAST: Stop, listen, and download my Vermilion Views Podcast #3. This week is the Christmas edition with a little good news for the Vermilion area, a Christmas story, and, last but not least, my friend Larry E. Howell make his New Year Resolutions. It's fun stuff - folks. And tis going to get even funner.
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.
Although these made great stocking stuffers they are also collectors items. So get them whilst they last. A limited number were printed.
WHAT'S A FOOT: There will be no meeting of the Vermilion Area Archival Society until the 2nd Monday in January of 2007. But in the mean folks should understand that everyone is absolutely welcome to attend meetings 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:
And I keep on forgetting to mention the projects of my friend Bette Lou Higgins, Artistic Director, of Eden Valley Enterprises. For those unfamiliar with her work - they stage historical people/events from (and) around the State of Ohio.
A great deal of research and practice goes into these productions to make them as accurate as possible. To arrange for this or any of their programs for your group, contact Eden Valley directly with your request (and/or to view a complete schedule of Eden Valley Events) visit their web page at www.edenvalleyenterprises.org.
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.
A few weeks back I received the following communique from Larry:
"We're thinking about organizing an "Eco Cultural" Safari to Meru Kenya next February, that will include tours of our Home and the schools our kids attend, an SOS World Children's Village, an AIDS treatment Center, Meru Methodist University, and even a visit to nearby Game Park to view some wildlife. We think the cost for a 9 day visit will be about $3,000. (we can keep the cost low because we won't be viewed as typical tourists and will have the support of the Merian Community) Let me know if you know of anyone intersted in making such a trip."
So there you are folks. If you'd like to take the Safari let me know and I'll put you in touch with Larry. It's an opportunity of a lifetime.
Larry Hohler Hope Children's Fund, Ltd.
In relation to Larry's work with the Hope Children's Home I have recently received some very interesting biographies of some of the children who have come to benefit by participating in this project. I'd like to share one of them with you each week. The following is #7:
CLASS REUNION UPDATES:This just in from Shirley Williams Gleason: The CLASS of '58 is planning on hosting the reunion on the weekend of July 17, 18, 19, 2008....The Committee will be sending out information this spring in regard to the plans.
The VHS Class of 1957 are planning their Class Reunion for September 15, 2007. They cannot find addresses for the following classmates: William A. Brown, Carol L. Burkle, Eddie L. Davis, Robert W. DeLong, Jim B. Henry, Alexander J. Lutz, or Neil M. Marcussen. If anyone has that information please forward it to
Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years. Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years. Hither is their website: Class of 1987
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. And, incidently, I received the following communique from Roger this week. I think some will appreciate it:
Merry Christmas! I have received several Christmas letters within the past few days from our classmates and they are fun to read. I am passing on "clips" from several and sharing unfortunate news about others in our class. Much happiness is being shared this holiday season along with concerns about health. I hope that when you visit our web site (all four pages) that you'll drop a note to those who are either recovering from surgery and/or illness or are very ill and not expected to see another Christmas. Another snow storm is on its' way to Minnesota. It will be our second snow fall of the winter. For those of you who are living in the South.......don't you miss all of the ice, cold and blowing snow? JUST A REMINDER: You'll also want to place on your calendar the dates for our reunion in 2009. It will be held the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. It seems like a long way off but you'll find it will be here sooner than you anticipated.
JUST A REMINDER: You'll also want to place on your calendar the dates for our reunion in 2009. It will be held the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. It seems like a long way off but you'll find it will be here sooner than you anticipated.
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.
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
Vol.4, Issue 40, December 23, 2006
© 2006 Rich Tarrant