FINDING FRANK'S MARBLES: O.K. Enough - with the puns about finding and / or losing my friend Frank Homitz's marbles. Those pictured (above) are a few (a very few) of those made by him during the past year or so.
Frank became acquainted with some gentlemen in Southern Ohio who were manufacturing marbles - got interested - and before too long was helping them in their endeavor. Frank is now the person responsible for choosing and mixing the colors. And as ye can plainly see they're beautiful.
(The flat - red & black - piece in the middle didn't quite make the cut. But I found it too good to pass up when Frank allowed me to take a few. I just found it to be pretty.)
Prior to this time I really didn't think too much about who made marbles - nor how. But it is an art. Moreover; there are apparently a good many "collectors". If you go to eBay you'll see what I mean.
People may also find it interesting to know that the "making of marbles" is a great deal more labor intensive than one might imagine. And the products are just beautiful.
Rolling-along-ly,
The Cast
PLAYING AT VHS: This is - to the very best of my current knowledge - a photograph of the cast for a play that was performed at the Vermilion High School c.1950. By cast I mean these folks participated in a performance; some as actors, and some as support staff.
I, unfortunately, can't name all the persons pictured. As we many of these old school annuals - the pix were printed sans the names. But I do recognize a few of the faces.
Among them is: Bob Boone, George Radosovich, Bob Rathbun, Bob Kyle, Adele Kavonic (the Adviser), and Pat Sandak (Thayer). I do recognize a few other faces, but I am unable to remember the names that go with them. (I am sure that some "Viewer" can help us out with that.)
The pic appears to have been taken at the back of the South Street School. Take note of the old steel-frame windows.
This is not a great photograph - but it is one worth keeping.
Vermilion "Gunslinger" 1879
THOMPSON AMBROTYPE:
This beautiful ambrotype photo was among those acquired by myself from the Corsino Family of Vermilion's Nichols-Thompson Families.
The ambrotype process (from Greek ambrotos, "immortal") or amphitype is a photographic process that creates a positive photographic image on a sheet of glass using the wet plate collodion process. It was patented in 1854 by James Ambrose Cutting of Boston, in the United States. The wet plate collodion process was invented just a few years before that by Frederick Scott Archer, but Cutting used it as a positive, instead of a negative.
Of and by itself it is an extremely fascinating photo and find even if the person in it has not been identified. But what I found when I prepared to scan the pic proved to be even more astounding.
The ambrotype was contained inside a 3½ x 4½ wooden compact with a fancy leather veneer. The veneer hinge had long been worn away so the cover was separated (and I neglected to photograph it)from the part containing the photo and its frame.
In any case, when I tapped the ambrotype out of the compact I was bowled-over when I found the locks of hair (pictured) tied with the piece of yarn behind the photograph. 'Twere the icing on the proverbial cake.
The (ambrotype) process was popularly used from the 1850's to about the 1880's. While there is currectly no truly accurate way to date this particular photograph from the clothing (etc.) I would guesstimate (at this time) that it is c.1879.
This is a rather young man - 16 to 18 years of age. And I'm thinking (at the moment) that the pistol, hat, and smoke were the "props" of a wannabe outlaw. He was, perhaps, a 19th century version of a 21st century "Gangstah".
The hair was probably his. But whether this could have been a keepsake from him to a young lady; or if he might have passed away and someone kept the hair with the pic as a loving memory is, of course, an unknown.
It would be interesting to see if one could get a DNA match from the hair to compare with Thompson / Nichols Family descendants. For I am certain that this was a relative.
But my-o-my - what a great, great find.
WHAT IS YOUR SIGN?
AQUARIUS You have an inventive mind and are a progressive
thinker. You also lie a lot and are inclined to be careless
and impractical, making the same mistakes over and over.
Everyone thinks you are a jerk.
PISCES You have a vivid imagination and often think you are
being followed by the CIA. You have some influence over your
friends and people resent you for flaunting your power.
Underneath it all you lack confidence and are generally a
coward. Pisces people screw small animals and pick their
noses a lot.
ARIES You are the pioneer type and have strong leadership
tendencies, but you regard others with contempt. You are
quick tempered, impatient and don't take well to advice.
You are a Melvin.
TAURUS You are down to earth and persistent. You are de-
termined and can work like hell. Most people think that
you are a pig headed not the best. You're probably a
communist.
GEMINI You are quick and intelligent - a thinker. People
like you because you are bisexual, You are also a cheap bar
steward, expecting everything for nothing. Gemini's are
notorious for thriving on incest.
CANCER You are extremely sensitive by nature and very
caring. You are a wimp, You are hopeless at making decisions
and that is why you will always be on welfare and you will
never be worth a lot.
LEO Leo people are born leaders but most people think they
are just pushy. Most Leo's are bullies. They are assholes
who break down under honest criticism. Your arrogance is
disgusting. Leo People are thieving bullies who kiss mirrors
a lot.
VIRGO You are the logical type and detest disorder. Nit-
picking makes your friends sick. You are cold and
unemotional and often fall asleep while screwing. Virgo's
make good bus drivers and pimps.
LIBRA Librans are lucky in employment and financial matters.
You are the artistic type and have a difficult time with
reality. If you are male then you are probably queer. Most
Libran woman are whores. All Librans die of V. D.
SCORPIO You are shrewd in business and cannot be trusted.
You will reach the pinnacle of success because of your
total lack of ethics. You are a perfect Son of a bitch.
Most Scorpio people are murdered.
SAGITTARIUS You are optimistic and enthusiastic with a
reckless tendency to rely on luck since you have no talent.
Most Sagitarians are drunks or pot heads. People laugh at
you a lot because you are always messing things up.
CAPRICORN you are conservative and afraid of taking risks.
You are basically a chickenshit. There has never been a
Capricorn of any importance, you should kill yourself.
"The elder Rudy Moc was, as most local historians recognize, a very successful professional photographer..."
AN EXTRAORDINARY RECORD OF AN AMERICAN DREAM: 'Twere an odd place in time - June 1949. In a bad dream called the “Red Scare”, set in our nations capital celebrities Helen Keller, Dorothy Parker, Danny Kaye, Fredric March, John Garfield, Paul Muni and Edward G. Robinson were named in an FBI report as being members of the Communist Party. It was big news. But other than that not much was, as the expression goes, shakin’ in our nation. World War Two had been over for four years. Americans had taken time to catch their collective breaths - get some rest - and now the time had come to shake off the affects of that nightmare, as well as some of its residual “unpleasantness”, wipe the sleep from their eyes, and move on.
The photograph accompanying this essay exists as a very extraordinary historical record of those persons who were central to this process in the post-war Village of Vermilion in Ohio. The occasion for the photo was the high school graduation of young Rudy Moc in June of 1949. The place is the Moc Family home, “Snug Harbor Farm”, on West Darrow Road in Vermilion Township. Pictured are:
Back Row L-R (standing): Willis Henry Gebhardt (1896-2000), Rudy Moc Jr., and Robert Braden. Middle Row L-R: Cletus K. DeWitt (1903-1974), Harold Flanders, and Rudy Moc Sr. (1896-1969) Front Row L-R: Thomas D. Utter (1897-1975) and Sarah M. Welker (c.1903-2007).
Six of the eight persons in the photo were educators. Many current Vermilionites may recognize Mr. Gebhardt and Mrs. Welker (PJ 8-16-07). Mr. Gebhardt was a no nonsense math teacher and high school principal with a heart of gold. He was, in later years, recognized as “Good News Gebhardt” forecasting weather for Dick Goddard’s Woolly Bear festivities. And Mrs. Welker was a heart of gold who also happened to be a proficient journalist and business skills educator.
Thomas Utter was at one time or another both an industrial arts and driver education instructor. He also had the distinction of being one of Vermilion’s Mayors, and may have also been a member of the Board of Vermilion’s Ritter Library during its construction. Mr. Utter and his wife Zara lived in a little house on the west side of Main Street three doors north of what is now the Main Street Grill. The "Mrs." operated a beauty parlor from the home.
Cletus K. Dewitt had been a Vermilion teacher, Principal and football coach when the school was still located on State Street. Sometime after VHS moved to the wonderful South Street building (1927-28) he was promoted to Superintendent of the system where he served until his retirement. Always active in his church and community he was, among other things, the local Rotary Club President from 1955 to ‘56. He, along with his wife, Grace, and sons, Jack and Richard, built and lived in an all-steel “Lustron” (PJ 3-6-08) home on Jefferson Street.
Mr. Flanders was likely one of the most influential and highly respected industrial arts teachers ever to have worked in Vermilion’s education system. His knowledge and expertise helped launch more than a few blue-collar careers and businesses over the years.
Mr. Braden was a highly motivated VHS teacher and football coach. His enthusiasm and determination were, at least figuratively speaking, contagious and are extremely palpable in this particular photo. Unlike his contemporaries, his career as a Vermilion educator was relatively brief. Not unlike coaches of today, he moved on to another school and another system.
The elder Rudy Moc was, as most local historians recognize, a very successful professional photographer. His “Snug Harbor Farm” was a real jewel in the midst of what was then rustic wood and farmland southwest of town. The home had an in-ground swimming pool that was, at the time, a rarity in even the most affluent suburbs in Ohio.
The younger Moc had distinguished himself as a VHS student, and was Class President at the time of his graduation. He graduated, Pre-med, from Ohio University, and in 1958 graduated from Medical School at the University of Cincinnati. After his residency in Internal Medicine at St. Vincent’s Charity Hospital in Cleveland and the Cleveland Clinic, he set up practice in Elyria and North Ridgeville until his retirement in 2003.
The folks in the photo from June of 1949 were on the verge of helping build a productive future for a nation. W.W.II, along with the “Red Scare”, took their rightful places in the pages of history books. America did wake up and move on - and continues to move on - toward another dream - and another yesteryear.
Ref: Ancestry.com; Spiritus-Temporis.com; Special Thanks to Vermilionites Dr. Rudy and Emily Moc and Bob Kyle. Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 3/20/08.
3/16/08
12:36 PM
An advertisement in The Vermilion News...
Vermilion Woman Tintype
Vermilion Tintypes: These tintypes (above and below) were also among the Nichols-Thompson photographs contributed by Vermilion's Corsino Family. These particular pieces measure about 1¾ by 2¾ inches and are, like most tintypes I've seen very dark to the naked eye. They do, as is obvious, scan very well. The color tinting in the "Woman" t-type is just a wonderful surprise.
Vermilion Boy Tintype
A Tintype, also melainotype and ferrotype, is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a sheet of metal, usually iron or steel that is blackened by painting, laquering or enamelling and is used as a support for a collodion photographic emulsion.
Photographers usually worked outside at fairs, carnivals etc. and as the support of the tintype (there is no actual tin used) is resilient and does not need drying, instant photographs can be produced only a few minutes after taking the photograph.
Other than brightening these pix up some they appear as they were scanned. And, again, I am unable to identify either person. But I'd date them at about the same time as the ambrotype - c.1879 or so.
I have read (in some past histories of Vermilion) about the times when travelling photographers stopped in town and people would go to get their portraits taken. It was exciting.
The process reminds me of the old amusement park booths where people would pay a few bucks to have their pictures taken and developed in a matter of minutes. But that was all done automatically.
These were just wonderful finds that will eventually go the Vermilion Area Archival Society for safe-keeping.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE WITH A MOUSE IN YOUR HAND! HELP THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY!: Take a cyber visit through my on-line store.
I am working on designing some new things. However: If you've not purchased something yet you're missing both the proverbial and literal boat. But, if nothing else, take a stroll through my shop. I keep the floor swept, the windows clean, and my dog don't bite.
And for those who might wonder - this is my shop - and I do make a few bucks selling the items therein...
VERMILION VIEWS GIFT SHOP
Podcasts - "forever under construction..."
PODCAST #129: This week Vermilion Views Podcast #129 the cast is a mesmerizing video of Ohio's Chippewa Lake Park - then and now. Even if you're not familiar with the park I think you'll find this piece very interesting...
Also note that all the video (MP4) podcasts (where used) are done in the "Quicktime MP4" format.
NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are not available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting me and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.
LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: After giving it much thought this link has been "put-down". During the last year most of the folks who used to use this page as a bulletin board have acquired their own and, consequently, no longer need this forum from "Views". I have, however, kept links (in the links section) to Larry Hohler's "Hope Homes" in Kenya - and to Bette Lou Higgins' Eden Valley Enterprises sites. They are historically and socially relevant projects. I urge you to visit these sites on a regular basis to see "what's shakin'".
Pay particular note to the "Hope Homes" page during the next few months. They've recently received a significant grant from the Dolan Foundation and are constructing a Manual Training Center for their children and for other young people in that community. This is an exciting project.
Vermilion High School Classes of 1963, 1964 and 1965 may be interested in knowing that a reunion is planned for the weekend of June 27, 2009. Those interested can contact Ruth Bauman Tanner.
The Vermilion High School Class of 1959 may be interested in knowing that a reunion is planned for the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. Registration can be made through Roger Boughton 2205 SW 10th Ave. Austin, MN. 55912 or you can just emailRoger.
Where's Alice? I found this link interesting. You just never know what Vermilion expatriots are up to - or where their up to doing it. Alice Wakefield is one of those people. So check out his link. Methinks you'll be surprised: Talking Turkey.
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 links. 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.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.
How the old links menu looked
For Persons who would like to donate to the cause (to keep these "Views" on-line you can send whatever you would like to me at the following address. And THANKS to everybody who has already donated to the cause. I doth certainly appreciate it):
Rich Tarrant
1041 Oakwood Drive
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-4459
or you can use PayPal:
"If God lived on earth, people would break his windows."
-Jewish Proverb
Vol.7, Issue 10, May 23, 2009
Archive Issue #323
© 2009 Rich Tarrant