10 Years Ago
Week of June 26, 2014
School To Nix Food
Deliveries to Students
Food and beverage deliveries to elementary and middle/high school students by outside vendors and restaurants will be disallowed when the new school year begins if a rule presently out on public comment is adopted by the West Virginia Department of Education.
The new rule is promulgated by the Department of Education’s office of child nutrition, and it is expected to be adopted after the public comment period closes on Friday, July 18, at 4:00 p.m.
The proposed rule clarifies existing procedure and policy by stating that “only a parent, guardian or family member may deliver outside foods and beverages to a child.”
The policy also states that the opening up of schools to local vendor deliveries creates competition with school meals programs and thus negatively affects school meal participation rates while also relaxing school campus security efforts and procedures.
Proponents of the policy furthermore state that allowing food to be delivered by outside sources increases the risk of food borne illnesses and compromises procedures for protecting students with special dietary needs.
30 Years Ago
Week of June 30, 1994
SUGAR GROVE
Older People
Affected by Depression, World War II
It’s been said that for people born prior to 1940, two major events shaped their lives and attitudes: World War II and the Great Depression. Those were the worst of times, and yet there were aspects that proved to be the best of times as well. Certainly, people dug in, worked hard and felt proud of their achievements. Courage, grit and fortitude were brought out. And of course, people had fun too. A sense of humor went a long way in making it through those days. The ability to laugh at one’s problems and enjoy life stayed with them long after things got much better. People often talk about the “good old days.” They didn’t spend much money on entertainment, but then, bellings, rumble seats, card playing, dancing, and listening to Fibber McGee and Molly didn’t cost much!
50 Years Ago
Week of June 13, 1974
Vocational Education Serving Many Students
By Grey Cassell
Superintendent of Schools
In last week’s edition of The Pendleton Times an article appeared whereby the awarding of training certificates being issued to 26 Franklin High School seniors by The Hanover Shoe, Inc. This is an outstanding program for our boys and girls in Pendleton County and we are proud of this work program.
The South Branch Vocational School in Petersburg offers students an opportunity to become involved in skilled training in many occupational fields.
We have had 69 students attending the training program during the past year at the South Branch Vocational School. Hardy County’s enrollment was 68 and Grant County’s enrollment was 67. Our students are to be commended for making the effort to travel from Circleville and Franklin to secure life-time skills at the center.
Week of June 27, 1974
Lightning Is Nature’s Worst Destroyer
According to NSC
Lightning is nature’s worst destroyer. According to the National Safety Council, it causes nearly $500 billion in property losses each year. In rural areas, it is responsible for more than one-third of all destructive fires.
Lightning is also a killer. This year the Lightning Protection Institute predicts that 250 persons will be killed by lightning strikes; 250 more will die in lightning caused fires, and another 1,500 persons will be injured.
Lightning can strike any place—in the home, at work, at the beach, in the hills, or on the level. Lightning arrestor systems can provide protection in buildings, but many buildings do not have these systems. To reduce the danger in an unprotected home, here are some suggestions:
–Avoid using the telephone or television set and keep clear of all metal objects such as pipes and electrical appliances during a lightning storm.
–Don’t go to open doors or windows to watch the storm because you make it easier for lightning to strike you with an indirect, but powerful, blow.
–Don’t run outside to take clothes off the line; you may save your wash but lose your life.
If you must be out side, or are caught in a storm away from a protected building:
–Avoid lone trees. Even if the tree you are standing under is not directly struck by lightning, a nearby strike may follow the tree root system, electrifying a wide ground area. Many cattle huddled under a tree are killed this way each year.
–Stay away from unprotected storm shelters. Those dangerous little buildings are often found on golf courses or at picnic areas and campgrounds. They are prime invitations to direct lightning strikes.
–Stay away from flag poles, towers and metal fences. Any tall, slender object is a prime target in a thunderstorm.
–Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so don’t wade, swim, or go boating in a thunderstorm. If you are caught out in the open water in a boat when a thunderstorm builds up, stay low in the boat. Don’t you become the prime target.
As you see a thunderstorm approaching, you have a choice of shelters in this descending order of safety:
–The safest place is a building protected by a lightning system.
–A closed automobile provides a protective metal shell.
–A large, unprotected building offers a degree of safety if you stay away from plumbing, wiring and appliances.
–If caught in the open, stay low in a ditch or depression.
–If caught in the woods, pick a small tree among several large ones. Lightning has one persistent trait—it always takes the easiest path to the ground. Make sure you’re not it.
The chances that you will be struck by lightning are admittedly slim, but keep one point in mind—those who have been struck by lightning were either out in the open or in an unprotected building.
Thousands
In West Virginia Have Gardens for First Time
MORGANTOWN—Once there was a joke among the cracker barrel set who, when asked how their gardens were growing, would reply: “Fraid I plowed up more than the missus can take care of this year.”
From almost every corner of West Virginia this spring, cooperative extension agents are expressing the same apprehensions about the thousands of gardeners who are “green thumbing” it for the first time. Veteran agents can’t remember when information and garden literature carried in the extension offices have been in such demand.
“At no time since the famous victory gardens of World War II has interest in growing one’s own vegetables and fruits been so great,” declared Carl Hardin, West Virginia University Extension horticultural specialist, who observes that folks today are calling them “inflation gardens.”
In addition to the backyard types, a new breed of gardener has become a part of the phenomenon. “This is the apartment dweller and the patio-planter who are using space once occupied by flowers and ornamentals to grow vegetables that are adaptable to small spaces,” Hardin pointed out.
The interest in home gardens emerges in the face of a nationwide fertilizer shortage brought about by the energy crisis. Demands for plants and seeds and fertilizer are matched by an enthusiasm for learning how to grow vegetables in the home gardens. Countless numbers of new green thumb buffs are flocking to garden clinics sponsored by the WVU Extension Service throughout the state.
According to Hardin, soil testing is the most critical aspect of good gardening. “It’s important that homeowners know the ingredients of their soils and what nutrients (fertilizers) need to be added to grow the kinds of vegetables and small fruits they need,” he commented.
West Virginians
May Have Ability
To Postpone Death
WVU PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS
MORGANTOWN—West Virginians, like Jews in New York City and Budapest, seem to be able to postpone their natural deaths until an event significant to them has passed, a study by West Virginia University psychologist indicates.
Dwight Harshbarger, associate professor of psychology, and Cindy Marriot, a WVU graduate student in psychology, collected statistical evidence supporting their belief that West Virginians can postpone their deaths until after the Christmas holiday.
The WVU study is similar to a study conducted by David Phillips among Jewish populations in New York City and Budapest. Phillips found a significant decrease in the number of deaths before Yom Kippur, supporting his belief that Jews could postpone dying until after that holiday.
Harshbarger and Ms. Marriot found that of all the West Virginians studied, single women statistically demonstrated a strong tendency to die after Christmas.
According to Dr. Harshbarger, this might confirm the stress theory because these women expected Christmas to be a joyous occasion and when it wasn’t, they became very depressed. It is possible that this state of depression was related to their deaths.
60 Years Ago
Week of June 25, 1964
100 YEARS AGO
By LON K. SAVAGE
Editor’s Note—The following is one of a series of articles on the Civil War. Each weekly installment covers events which occurred exactly 100 years ago.
‘Alabama’ Is Sunk
Off Coast of France
France had a taste of America’s Civil War 100 years ago this week.
The “Kearsarge” and “Alabama,” Federal and Confederate steamers, fought one of the war’s most colorful sea battles off the coast of Cherbourg, France, before the eyes of more than 15,000 Frenchmen. The battle, a grand spectacle from its beginning, ended with the Confederate vessel, the “Alabama,” sinking to the bottom, and for the following week the fight was the talk of Paris.
The “Kearsarge” and “Alabama” were about the same size; each had about 150 crewmen, and each was heavily armed. But the “Alabama” was the more famous; for the past two years it had sailed the high seas and captured 64 Federal merchant ships, burning all but seven of them.
The “Kearsarge,” in a routine post call at Flushing, Holland, heard that the “Alabama” was at Cherbourg and immediately sailed for France in hope of doing battle. Two days later, the “Kearsarge” arrived at Cherbourg and found the “Alabama” floating in the breakwater, her Confederate flag flying high. Unable to attack in French waters, Capt. John A. Winslow of the “Kearsarge” went ashore and spread the word that he was waiting outside the port to do battle with the “Alabama.”
Soon, he received word that the famous Capt. Raphael Semmes, skipper of the “Alabama,” was agreeable to a battle and would come out and fight as soon as arrangements were completed.
For the rest of that week, the two ships prepared for the fight. On Sunday morning, June 19th, the “Alabama” nosed out to sea, and the fight was on.
At 10:57 a.m., the “Alabama” opened fire from 1800 yards with a broadside that cut some of the “Kearsarge’s” rigging. The “Kearsarge” responded with a broadside that knocked down the “Alabama’s” ensign for a few moments.
For 65 minutes, the two ships sailed in circles blasting at each other, as Frenchmen watched through spyglasses from the Cherbourg heights or from the rigging of ships at port. An excursion train of sightseers arrived from Paris just in time to have the unexpected spectacle unfold before them.
The “Alabama” fired a 68-pounder through the Federal ship’s starboard bulwarks, wounding three men, and another shell set off a brief fire in the “Kearsarge.” But the Federals sent shell after shell crashing through the Confederate vessel’s sides.
Finally, the “Alabama” turned and headed for shore. The “Kearsarge” followed and with a few more shells brought her to bay. As the Federals watched, the famous “Alabama” sank stern-first into the water, then slipped backward beneath its surface.
The “Kearsarge” began picking up survivors and then called for help from a nearby British yacht which joined in the rescue effort. Then, to Winslow’s dismay, the British yacht sailed off with the men it had rescued, including Semmes, and the Federals had been deprived of half of their prisoners. The battle cost about 30 Confederate casualties—only three for the Federals.
Next week: Kenesaw Mountain.
DAHMER
Honey bees sixty years ago were an available product to many of the elderly people or citizens of this area, because they were lovers of honey and did not take too much hard work in attending to the honey bees. Many farmers grew large fields of buckwheat and they were favorite haunts for the honey bees to visit, and now buckwheat is not extensively grown in this immediate area.
