AND WHEN IT RAINS...: It's a rather pleasant picture, but this is how the grounds of the Olympic Outing Club looked yesterday afternoon (2:30 p.m.) as the flooding began to subside. No summer flooding like this has occured since July 4th, 1969. North Central Ohio - as one might have experience or seen on the news - was subject to a tremedous deluge Thursday into the night causing severe flooding.
Norwalk had more serious problems than most. But a fireman lost his life in Wellington when he tried to rescue to teens whose car became stranded in a flash flood.
Along the Vermilion River several boats were swept away. Some were recovered. They were damaged (of course).
This is another view of the Olympic Club looking southward from the bottom the hill (to the club). The buildings on the right house their casino (actually a kitchen and dining room) and their new Sloppy Joe's barroom. Water did get into these buildings. But partially due to the fact that nearly all the cottages on the club grounds were raised after the 1969 flood no water got into any of them (except for a few that have basements). By the time these photographs were captured the water had gone down about 2 feet. But the river was still running very strong.
This isn't a great pic - but it is the scene beneath the Vermilion River Bridge at 5 a.m. Friday in the parking lot of the Red Clay Restaurant. The water didn't get much higher in this area. The Vermilion Lagoons didn't appear to take any water, and Lake Road on the east side of the bridge was dry. Were I more familiar with my beautiful Nikon DSLR 70 camera I would have been able to give you some better pix of the scene.
There was on sailboat moored just beyond this area - nearer the Red Clay - that was sitting just about even with the top of the parking lot. Just a bit more water and she might have been seriously damaged.
Fortunately no one was hurt beyond losing some property. The clean-up is sure to cause a few headaches. But that's life in a flood plain.
1937: A very nice photograph of one part of the Junior Class of Vermilion's South Street High School in 1937. I didn't know all these people - but I knew a few. They are:
Two that I knew the best (but not intimately) are Harry Hayes and Maury Jeffery.
I knew Harry because...well...who wouldn't know him? Harry had the Sohio Service Station by the Vermilion River Bridge (and W. River). His sister is my friend, "Nug" Evelyn Hayes Cook. His daughter (also a friend) is Barbara Hayes Ruggles. He was a good-humored, good-hearted, person.
Maury "Bud" Jeffery, I knew but didn't know (if that makes any sense.) I knew his brothers, "Doc" and "Ding" quite well. They were very popular, outgoing, gentlemen. So I suppose that I thought "Bud" couldn't be much different.
He was a career military pilot. He began his career during WW2. And while he did leave the service after the war - it was only for a brief time. I believe his love for flying took him back.
I now know his son "Larry" (actually Maury). He's also a career government man. And if he takes after his father I know that "Bud" was a great guy.
The remainder of the group are not unknown to me, but I don't have great knowledge of them.
I would mention that this is (at leat to me) a great photo scan. I've been using a new program called "Silver Fast" for scanning difficult material and it can really work wonders.
MCGUFFEY'S: Louis Bertoni handed me 5 of these last week. They are the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth revised editions of McGuffey's Eclectic Reader publised by the American Book Company (New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago) in 1879.
They aren't for me but are now part of the archival collection of the Vermilion (Ohio) Area Archival Society.
I didn't ask where the books came from because I didn't have time. But I did look at them and this is what I found on the inside of one of the book covers:
Off-hand I'm not entirely sure - but I believe Eva Krapp was Elizabeth Phillip's aunt. I'm sure that I remember my mother talking of her when I was a youngster. And I know that "Liz" was raised by an aunt. [There is a story that goes along with that statement that I might someday be brave enough to give an account. But not at this time]. In any case, (and for reference purposes) I do believe that that is who Eva was.
Here, in 1892, she was a primary school student - probably in a fairly new State Street School. And whilst tis hard to decipher it looks as though her teachers' name was Miss Hume.
One of the very many things I like about these old books are the illustrations. They're not just illustrations - they're works of art. Here's an example:
This is a preface to the Samual Wordsworth poem The Old Oaken Bucket:
It's not only the composition of the illustration which fascinates me - it is the maticulous detail. Look at it closer:
Wow! I could look through books like this for a week each. This is a great aquisition.
THEY HATED ELVIS: This was a phenomenon. Some folks may find this hard to believe, but when Elvis Presley was new to the American music scene more than a few people thought that he was outrageous.
This was so much so that in Vermilion a fellow named John Trinter (Betty's oldest son) started an I Hate Elvis club. And believe it, or else, this became popular all over the United States and beyond. It got a great deal of press. And as is obvious from this photo John received a substantial response to his idea.
From the vantage point of 50 years after he started this club we can see that it seems terribly absurd. But it was nonetheless popular at the time.
Initially, folks didn't know how to take Elvis. Rock and Roll was essentially unheard of - at least this odd mixture of gospel blues that made one want to jump around.
But I do recall that some years later much the same thing happened when 4 young Englishmen with long hair became popular with what sounded like British hillbilly> music.
And all of these folks laughed loudly on their merry ways to the bank.
WHAT'S A FOOT: Today there will be a Community Chicken BBQ and Street Dance at the foot of Main Street from 4p.m. to 8p.m. There will be snow cones and popcorn for the children. (I believe that will be free.) It is sponsored by Historic Vermilion, Inc. If the weather is reasonable this looks to be a great community event for everyone.
In July the Vermilion Archival Society will be visiting the Josiah Pelton Home now owned by Tom and Jean Beach. It is one of (if not the oldest homes in the area. Another significant thing coming up in the near future will be another talk with Vermilion native Hank Fischer - plus many other things. So stay with us.
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 (now featuring the results of their annual USA Bi Continental Run). With all the bad things happening on the "dark continent" 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. Contributions to that home may be made to Larry Hohler in New York.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: Here's some new items: Vermilion Class of l948 Reunion for Friday, August 25, 2006 at Vermilion Fish and Game - 6:00 p.m. For more information contact Carol Bechtel. They are looking for Richard Jenkins, Norma Czarnecki, Bob Thomas, William Judge, Robert Crampton, Rodney Gribble.
Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years. (More on that at a later date).
If something changes you'll see it here.
Some folks use this page as a portal to the Classes of '60 to '62 webpage I'm placing the link back here. But it would be a very wise move if folks involved with that page made a note of its URL and posted it in their notes as well as those contacting their classmates.
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.
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 14, June 24, 2006
© 2005 Rich Tarrant