ODDS ARE...: A million years back - when I mistakenly took up selling life insurance - I had one strategy; play the odds. The more doors you knock on; the more people you talk to; the more you'll sell.
This strategy requires that you get bounced out of a number of places. But in the end you sell. I'm not much for arm-twisting so I was never at the top of the sales game (and that's exactly what it is) - but I did okay.
Today I look at photography much the same way. The more pix you take the more likely it is that (at least) three out of ten will be worth saving. I play the odds. I have always held that one could give a monkey a camera and it is altogether likely that that that monkey will capture a few good pix by pure chance.
Ergo; the monkey in me captured the lead "VV" pic at the Olympic Outing Club in Brownhelm, Ohio Township last week. I took it into PS (Photoshop) CS4, tweeked it with an AKVIS filter, and came up with, essentially, the rather compelling pic you see. I liked it so much that I made a 13"x19" print of it on cotton rag fine art paper that is (as some are wont to say) suitable for framing.
The shadows and the colors are great.
Batting 300-ly,
Sunday School children and teachers of the First Congregational Church c.1955
c.1955 This is another pic from Vermilionite Larry Jeffery. As mentioned last week, Larry is the son of Morey "Bud" Jeffery. Larry's a retired military officer / pilot. He currently works as a consultant for the federal government, and visits numerous embassies all over the planet.
This is a good photograph of what appears to be the entire pre-teen Sunday School children at the old First Congregational Church in Vermilion, O.around 1955. It was a promotional pic intended to show parishioners why their was a great need for them to build a new church (which they did).
I know some of the faces in the group - but hardly all of them. Reverend E.T. English is the only adult male in the group (he is holding a little girl on the right side of the group). But I see Mrs. Jeffery (Doc's wife), Dorothy Hart, Doris (Boone) Stwan, Linda Bogart, Alice (Roscoe) Lindsay, Evelyn "Nuggie" (Hayes) Cook, and (I think) Ella Hayes (Nug's mom). The names of the children are not readily available to me.
The photo was taken on the steps of the Vermilion Township Hall next to the old church (now the Millet Auction House). The doors to the townhall (behind the group) are original. Currently the doors do not have those windows at the top.
This is a very nice photograph and will make a nice addition to those being archived by the Vermilion Area Archival Society. But it's be nice if all the people could be identified.
"A man by the name of William Miller (pictured),
a gentleman farmer from upstate New York,
had begun to read and interpret the Bible."
EDWARD P. BRADSTREET ESQ: Here in is a wonderful story. I will not, here, tell it in full because because it’s way too long. I came across it a long, long time ago, and found it most impressive and amusing. The full story was written by Bradstreet, himself, and appeared in a Lorain (Ohio) paper in 1930. I will try to touch on some of the milestones, and reiterate a few of Mr. Bradstreet anecdotes about Vermilion.
Bradstreet was born in the first brick house, his aunts house, (Mrs. Horatio Perry) ever built in Vermilion. By 1937 this house had long been claimed by Lake Erie. It sat on a farm a bit west of the Ruggles property about 400 yards from the lake. His parents kept their home in Cleveland. His father, Rev. Stephen Ingalls Bradstreet, was a missionary who traveled all over the reserve doing what he could. He helped establish Western Reserve University, and also founded the Old Stone Church in Cleveland in 1822. His mother, Anna Dana Smith, was a twin sister of C. E. Hurlbut but of Vermilion. Rev. Bradstreet passed in the hands of God when he was but 43, and the Mrs. passed a year later.
Young Bradstreet was a member of the 1853 class at Yale University graduating with 111 others who became famous both at home and abroad. He later became one of the founders the Ohio Humane Society.
As a boy he lived with relatives in Russia Township and Milan, Ohio. The Rev. Judson from that town was his guardian. Bradstreet describes him as “a practical joker at all times. His popularity was such that no other church was founded in Milan during his lifetime.” With his jolly old uncle he watched ships go from that farming community to the lake, via the canal, until the railroad came, and the shipping traffic on the canal died.
Although it appears that Bradstreet’s original intention was to follow it in the footsteps of many of his male family members and join the ministry it was never to be. Aside from his work in establishing the Ohio Humane Society he was also one of the founders of the Cincinnati Vigilance Society, organized to fight “white slave” traffic. Although it is not clearly stated in any of his autobiographical writings, I assume he became a lawyer and businessman. He doesn’t say much about his successes, but he portrays a person who knew important and wealthy business people, and their dealings, rather intimately.
Much of what he wrote about himself concentrated on his life as a youngster in Vermilion, Milan, Oberlin, Elyria. When he lived with with one Deacon Alex Gaston of Russia Township, he lived there because he attended school in Elyria. In the summer he would stay with his Uncle Perry near Lake Erie. The story I close with is one I found particularly amusing.
At this time the “Millerite end of the world was at hand. To set this story up you should know that at the end of the Revolutionary war there came a period of revival known as the “the Second Great Awakening”. New religious groups were popping up all over the nation. They gave rise to some groups that survive to this day; the Mormons, the Seventh-day Adventists, and others. Their words were spread by the proliferation of the written word in newsletters and pamphlets.
Among these new groups was one that became known as the aforementioned “Millerites”. A man by the name of William Miller, a gentleman farmer from upstate New York had begun to read and interpret the Bible. Miller’s interpretations of the book of the of Revelation is that he saw all that was to be in the future. And, in brief, he predicted the end of the world.
Very near the place Young Bradstreet vacationed there lived an old woman who was Millerite believer. Preparing herself for the world's end (that was to take place one day in 1844) she “arrayed herself as an angel and stood on her balcony" and awaited "the trumpet call.”
In the meantime some boys lay hidden nearby with a box they had powdered with amber and a tin horn. And at the appointed hour they blew the horn and ran a scantling (a piece of lumber) across the top of the box, resulting in a horrid noise. The old lady at once started for the railing of the balcony with her hands flapping as wings - her white skirts flowing.
Her immediate disappointment was undoubtedly great when she stepped across the threshold of the upper-deck into thin air. But shortly thereafter, did she take the journey to her final reward in earnest.
Ref: Story published in the Vermilion, Ohio Photojournal in September 19, 2002; Oral transcription / revision made at the Olympic Outing Club, Vermilion July 16, 2009 @3:08 PM
** FAMOUS LAST WORDS **
* I'll get a world record for this..
* It's fireproof.
* He's probably just hibernating.
* What does this button do?
* It's probably just a rash.
* Are you sure the power is off?
* Yeah, I made the deciding vote on the jury, so what of it?
* The odds of that happening have to be a million to one!
* Pull the pin and count to what?
* Which wire was I supposed to cut?
* I wonder where the mother bear is.
* I've seen this done on TV.
* These are the good kind of mushrooms.
* I'll hold it and you light the fuse.
* Let it down slowly.
* Rat poison only kills rats.
* It's strong enough for both of us.
* This doesn't taste right.
* I can make this light before it changes.
* Nice doggie.
* I can do that with my eyes closed.
* I've done this before.
* Well, we've made it this far.
* That's odd.
* You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses on, would you?
* Don't be so superstitious.
* Now watch this.
"...cherish your lives, your relatives, and your friends."
TOMMY DALE: I did not intend to do this article. I intended to do another for this week but was sidetracked. My close friend, Tommy Dale Boone, fell suddenly ill at home and died. Brought me to tears.
Tom and I were forever friends. I hope everybody, everywhere, has a friend like mine.
Here you see us on a bright summer day in front of what then was then the newsstand (now Berks) on liberty Street just west of the old Hart’s Drugstore.
I am the toe-head with a toy airplane in my hand. My friend Tom is next me. What a day. What a place.
And we ran down the street, by the river, by the beach, and by the creek. We hollered, and whooped. We sang, and we sat silent in the shade of the woods watching the creek flow by.
What a very good time.
What a life. Tom and I were steadfast friends. He went his way. I wouldn’t mind. But we were always, always together. We were never too far apart. He help me when he could, and I tried to help him, when I could.
Several weeks ago I fractured my kneecap. Tom had been coming to my house from his home in Rocky River almost every Saturday for the last two years. I told Tom about a big food drive the local post office was doing for our local food pantry. He made a big point of telling me he would be there to help.
He was.
And there he was on that day. Carting and sorting the food. I couldn’t do anything with my bum leg. I just watched.
At one point in time time got hit leg by a runaway Can and got bruised. I told him to sit for a while. He did.
I was winding up what I was doing the church kitchen and decided I had to go home because my leg was killing me. Tom came to me and said he was going home because of his leg.
I agreed, and told him I didn’t want him to end up like me - pointing at the cast on my leg.
As he left, he turned to me and waved goodbye.
That’s a last time I saw him alive. I’m so very damn sorry. My very best friend is gone - but for a picture on a wonderful sunny day in Vermillion when we were boys. Ladies and gentlemen cherish your lives, your relatives, and your friends. Life is fleeting.
Ref: Published in the Vermilion (Ohio) Photojournal 3/23/02; Oral transciption / adaptation made at the Oympic Outing Club - Vermilion 7/8/09 @ 2:19 PM.
"Go West, Young Man."
View from Morris Isle
CHARLESTON HARBOR FROM MORRIS ISLAND: The years fly by, and it's hard to remember if I ever used this scan of a small sketch made by my great-grandfather Caselton Roscoe in "VV" before. But methinks I did. But in any case this is a new scan of that article which, hopefully, will allow "Viewers" a better view of it.
Caselton served with K Company, 67th Regiment of the Ohio Infantry Volunteers from the 29th of October, 1861 until he was honorbly discharged from the service on the 17th of January, 1865.
By trade Milan, Ohio native, Caselton, was a carpenter. In Vermilion he was responsible for designing and building the place that housed (and still houese) The Vermilion News on Grand Street. Consequently, he was probably well accustomed to sketching things.
This is a sketch he made when stationed on Morris Island in South Carolina:
Morris Island is an 840 acre (3.4 km²) uninhabited island in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, accessible only by boat. The island lies in the outer reaches of the harbor, and was thus a strategic location in the American Civil War.
It was heavily fortified to defend the harbor, with the fortifications centered on Fort Wagner. It was the scene of heavy fighting during the Union Army's campaign to capture Charleston, and is perhaps best known today as the scene of the ill-fated assault by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an African-American regiment. The regiment and this assault, where it suffered over 50% casualties, was immortalized in the film Glory.
After the Confederates abandoned Morris Island in 1863, the Union occupied it and transferred 520 Confederate officers from Fort Delaware to Morris Island. They were used as Human Shields in an attempt to silence the Confederate artillery at Fort Sumter and soon became known in the South as the Immortal Six Hundred. This was done by the Union when it was learned that the Confederacy had a similar number of human shields in Charleston to deter Union ships from firing on the city.
Among the fleet blockading the harbor are the: "Ironsides", "Weehawkin", and the (USS) "Paul Jones". The infantry is biovouaced on the beach with tents, bales of hay and barrels of oats for the horses, salt, and boxes of hard tack. Caselton also included the image of "The Colonel's Best Horse" in his 1863 sketch.
I came across this jewel 9 or 10 years ago while going through some old documents I found at the Vermilion News printshop.
Lacking a camera a piece of paper and a pencil did suffice.
"THE BIKE" MOUSEPAD"
DON'T JUST SIT THERE WITH A MOUSE IN YOUR HAND! HELP THE (MY) ECONOMIC RECOVERY!: Take a cyber visit through my on-line store.
This week I designed a mousepad. I was looking at pads at Staples last week and found them to be both boring and rather expensive (for boring). So I went home and designed my own. For the money - it beats the heck out of what I've seen.
The pad is a "Wyeth-type" photo-painting I fashioned from some of my "stuff" taken at the Olympic Outing Club in Brownhelm Township, Ohio. I'm prejudice - but I think it's nice.
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 #137: This weeks the Vermilion Views Podcast #137 is, in essence, a video introduction to Bette Lou Higgins of Eden Valley Enterprises. I took the clip from a larger / longer video because it affords one a fairly good idea of just who Ms. Higgins is, and what she does. Persons interested in history will undoubtedly find her to be an interesting individual.
Also, please 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 suggest that you 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.
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.
"New Ohio Speed Trap" courtesy "Buffalo" Bill Hlavin.
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:
"Mommy, you look tired. Come and watch the clouds with me."
-Kirsten's three-year-old son James
Vol.7, Issue 18, July 18, 2009
Archive Issue #331
© 2009 Rich Tarrant