OUT FROM UNDER THE WEATHER: This great, but rather unusual, photograph of my brother-in-law Terry Diener holding the head of the pig he had just roasted and carved up is how I felt last weekend. I am, of course, referring to the pig.
I really struggled through the weekend and the early part of the week with an Autumn cold - or something that made me feel as though I was wandering around inside an unlit room. As my late father-in-law (Terry's Dad) used to say, "My get up and go got up and left."
This pic was taken in early September (9-08-07) at an annual Pig Roast Terry hosts at the Olympic Outing Club for his friends and relatives. With the exception of the pork it's a pot-luck affair. Interesting.
This event is held outside / inside the OOC clubhouse. I have previously mentioned that the bar / clubhouse is called Sloppy Joe's Place. And in that mentioning have wondered which Sloppy's - the one in the Florida Keys or the OOC's - first took the name. But wonder no more.
The first Sloppy Joe's was at Vermilion's Olympic Outing Club. The place was named after a fellow named Joe Ehrbar - who was both a club member and the bartender of the place back in the 1920's.
Erhbar, I have been told, was an extremely fastidious dresser. His penchant for being so well groomed evidently led club members to tease him if anything was out of order. Consequently they got to kidding him about being "sloppy" and thus was born the name "Sloppy Joe's Place".
Olympic Club's First Bar
Amusing stuff! It makes the weather unimportant.
THE VERMILION NEWS GANG - C. 1951: A few days ago my brother Al gave me 3 discs of family pix. Most would be of little interest to "Viewers" - although they could be conceivably used as historical research teaching tools for dating pix. But in any case there are several that people may find interesting. This is one.
Taken inside the print shop / offices of The Vermilion News building on Grand Street in Vermilion about 1951 these were (the adults) the folks who made the place work. They are:
Top Middle:Nancy Tarrant (Emery).
Row Below L-R: Chuck Thompson, Margie Tomusko (Zelenak), Lois Troxel, W.B. Tarrant
Below the little lady by herself: Helen Elsworth
Next Row L-R: W.R. "Billy" Tarrant, Zella "Butch" Tarrant (on Bill's lap), Ella G. Tarrant, and Rich "Richie" Tarrant (on Ella's lap).
The little boy in front:Billy Thompson
I don't recall the precise scenario surrounding this pic but it is likely that it was celebrating the temporary homecoming of Bill (uniformed) from his Army training in Indiana. In a few weeks he would be leaving again to serve in Korea.
One of the interesting aspects of this particular photograph is that about the only things that have changed since it was taken are the people. If one walked into the print-shop this very moment and looked at this area nearly everything there is the same. Except, of course, the calendar on the wall and the people in the pic. Only about half the folks in the photo are still alive. But everything else in the pic is nearly as it was 56 years ago.
This is a photograph looking for a frame.
The Chestnut Brass Company
BLUE SKIES: The musical piece this week is "Blue Skies" composed, of course, by Irving Berlin. It was composed in 1926 as a last minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical, "Betsy". Although the show only ran for 39 performances, "Blue Skies" was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 28 encores of the piece from star, Belle Baker. During the final repetition, Baker forgot her lyrics, prompting Berlin to sing them from his seat in the front row.
In 1927, the music was published and Ben Selvin's recorded version was a #1 hit. That same year, it became one of the first songs to be featured in a talkie, when Al Jolson performed it in The Jazz Singer. (Coincidently today,October 6th, 1927, "The Jazz Singer" -- the first feature-length movie with talking sequences -- premiered.)
The piece is performed by The Grammy winning Chestnut Brass Company. This group was founded in 1977 to advance the art and skills of musical performance and the knowledge and understanding of musical history with an emphasis on brass instruments. By presenting performances featuring brass music of all eras, the ensemble strives to reflect the tradition and spirit of brass instruments.
The group consists of:
* Bruce Barrie, trumpet
* John Thomas, trumpet
* Marian Hesse, horn
* Larry Zimmerman, trombone
* Jay Krush, horn
The music is available from iTunes on the album "American Classics - Berlin For Brass" on the NAXOS label.
Grand Street C.1900
Grand Street - 2007
WHAT A DIFFERENCE 100 YEARS CAN MAKE: The topmost photo of Grand Street (the west side of the street in between Ohio Street and the railroad tracks) was among the pix contained in the collection me brother Al gave me on disc this week. It was probably taken by my grandfather, Pearl Roscoe, around the turn of the 20th century.
Persons as young - or as old as myself - who came of age in Vermilion, Ohio will recall the two houses seen in the old photo. The house on the left side of the pic was, during my lifetime, used mostly as a rooming house. The house to the right was (again during my lifetime) the home of Yvonne Boyd and her husband.
The Boyds ran the Ann's Lunch restaurant that was located in the Fischer Building on Liberty Avenue for years. I believe there is a picture restoration business now located in that particular shop today (next to Vermilion's Chamber of Commerce).
Looking at this old photo I can only opine that the "good old days" weren't not entirely "good". Can ye imagine trying to cross streets like this?
TABLEROCK 2007: Visiting Main Street Beach yesterday (9-05-07) I could not resist taking yet another photo of Vermilion's famous Tablerock.
For a number of years the waters of Lake Erie were so high the rock wasn't visible. But during the last several years the water has been low enough to see. And here a lone gull found some solace.
The rock holds many a fine memory for / of hundreds of youngsters who learned to swim off this beach in years past.
PODCAST #45: This week the Vermilion Views Podcast #45Vermilion Views Podcast #45 features a continuation of readings of from Betty Trinter's wonderful history of Vermilion - The Way It Was.
And please take note. I have produced a new archive that will allow "Viewers" an easier way to access past podcasts. You will find that link in the links section below.
HAVE YE QUESTIONS (?): Below is another new form that I've added to the site. With this form you will be allowed to preview your comment/question as it will be sent to me. After that just come back to this page and clear the form.
Well, folks I've got to say that this form is working wonderfully for me. I'm receiving good questions and comments on a regular basis. So it's exceeded my initial expectations substantially.
Keep all the questions and comments coming. I really appreciate them.
HAVE YE QUESTIONS ETC. (?):
Well - ENOUGH!!! Some European spammers finally got the best of me by using the email form which used to be available (here) in "VV". They hi-jacked the form for purposes I am unable to fathom (I don't gamble and I'm not in the market for Viagra). Ergo; I dropped the form and ye can simply drop a line to me by tapping on my name below:
RICH TARRANT
LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Looking for the latest information about VHS Class Reunions, The Vermilion Area Archival Society, Eden Valley Enterprises events, and Hope Home in Kenya. Follow the link to the Vermilion Locals page. Something new (mit a few new pix added) for your enjoyment.
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
"Marge, you're as pretty as Princess Leia and as smart as Yoda." -Homer Simpson
Vol.5, Issue 29, October 6, 2007
© 2007 Rich Tarrant