10 Years Ago
Week of April 21, 2016
Potomac Headwaters Chapter NWTF Sponsors JAKES Day
Approximately 66 area youth braved the frigid temperatures and gusty winds on April 9 to attend the annual JAKES day sponsored by the Potomac Headwaters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The event was held at the Killbuck Rifleman Shooting Range at Fort Seybert.
This year marked the 13th year for the program, hosted by the NWTF chapter. The program encourages youth to explore the outdoor world and learn about natural resources.
Participants rotate through a series of stations including archery, hunting and gun safety, turkey calling techniques, trap and snare setting and tomahawk throwing, just to name a few.
20 Years Ago
Week of April 20, 2006
SUGAR GROVE
Common Gestures Differ in Other Cultures
Gestures may seem unimportant and trivial to one’s every day life; however, their symbolism can take on a whole new manner in another country. They can even sometimes be extremely rude.
The little gesture “Ok” is a sign for money in Japan, and in some Arab countries, it is interpreted as putting a curse on someone.
In America, folks look directly into the eyes when speaking. To look away sends a clear message that one lacks confidence. In Japan and Korea, it is best to avoid direct eye contact.
By rotating the finger around the ear means a phone call in Argentina. In the United States, that same gesture indicates someone is nutty.
Tapping the nose in England means “keep this between us.” In Italy, it means “watch out.” When visiting a Maori tribe in New Zealand, if someone tries to rub their nose against one’s nose, they are only trying to greet one.
A cheek stroke in Yugoslavia could signal success; however, in some countries, it could mean a person is ill. Don’t whistle in India as it is considered rude.
Japanese consider it rude to show teeth; hence, they cover their mouth when they smile. When someone from Tibet sticks out his tongue at one, he is saying, “hello.”
When Americans snap their fingers, it means “I need you” or “attention,” but in France it is considered to be very vulgar.
Avoid showing the soles of one’s shoes in some Middle Eastern areas. It is considered to be the lowest and dirtiest portion of the body. Apparently, this gesture is more than a rule; it is deadly since some people have been killed for baring the soles of their shoes.
Avoid flicking one’s chin in the northern section of Italy since this gesture means “to get lost.” What a tragedy it would be if one were innocently waving “hello” to someone from another culture when one actually told them to spend eternity in a very hot place! With so many different cultures entering the great nation, one can do themselves a favor and be very careful with body language. It could go a long way to help to develop a relationship both professionally and personally.
50 Years Ago
Week of April 15, 1976
Boggs Explains Changes Leading Up To Present Boundary Of Pendleton
Dr. Charles H. Boggs, Jr. of Salem, Va., and formerly of Franklin, described the manner in which the boundary lines of the present County of Pendleton came into existence in an illustrated talk delivered Saturday afternoon at a meeting of the Pendleton County Historical Society in the Pendleton County Bank community room.
Approximately 45 persons were present to hear the well researched report of Dr. Boggs who showed slides which he had taken of a number of boundary line markers which appear in historic documents.
Dr. Boggs traced the various changes in boundaries of governmental units beginning with the first description of Virginia which extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans down through the organizations of various counties to the present description of Pendleton County.
The first interest in the area which now includes Pendleton County, Dr. Boggs said, was exhibited by John VanMeter who came to the South Branch Valley in 1731, and by Lord Fairfax and Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson, who surveyed the Fairfax Line in 1746. Roger Dyer came to the South Fork Valley in 1743.
Dr. Boggs described boundaries of counties which were forerunners to Pendleton, including Orange, Augusta, Rockingham, Hampshire and Hardy counties.
Pendleton County was chartered by an act passed by the Virginia General Assembly December 4, 1787, which reads, in part as follows:
“Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That from and after the first day of May next, all those parts of the counties of Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham with the following bounds, to wit: Beginning on the line of Rockingham County on the North Mountain, opposite to Charles Wilson’s on the South Fork, thence a straight line to the Clay Lick on the North Fork, thence to the top of the Allegana, and along the same and the east side of the Greenbrier waters to the southwest fountain of the South Branch, and thence between the same and the waters of James River, along the dividing ridge to the said North Mountain, and with the top of the same to the beginning, shall form one distinct county, and be called and known by the name of Pendleton.”
The county was organized at a meeting of commissioners at the house of Seraiah Stratton at what is now Ruddle on June 2, 1788.
The boundary of Pendleton County was later changed several times by acts of the General Assembly in 1790 creating Bath County, 1976, adding part of Bath County to Pendleton County, 1821, creating Pocahontas County and 1847 creating Highland County.
60 Years Ago
Week of April 21, 1966
Club Women Make Gowns for Haiti Hospital
The Pendleton County Home Demonstration Clubs made garments and articles to use in the hospital at Haiti during the month of February. The clubs were impressed last year when Janet Cowger who had nursed at Haiti told of the needs of her hospital at their annual Spring Tea. Miss Cowger had nursed in Haiti for a number of years and this year is home nursing her parents.
Water Fowl Stop Over in Franklin
April brings gentle breezes, daffodils and showers. April also brings cold winds, snow flurries, sleet and the rarity of several species of water fowl.
Such was the phenomenon last week when over a thousand migrating birds, “forced down” by the sleet storm, stopped over Franklin for a few days.
En route from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, and far from southern states, where they had sheltered, the fowl gathered en route April 13 on the town sewage disposal pond.
Carolyn and Mary Lee Ruddle, and Chuck Byers, who watched the birds, reported that the pond at dusk was well covered with the lesser scaups, red breasted mergansers and ruddy ducks.
Carolyn Ruddle also identified the common loon by its eerie cry. Resplendent in plumage, there were seven of these black and white checkered birds which would suddenly plunge underwater and rise later to give their lonesome call.
Overhead in the mist and fog soared herring gulls and Bonaparte’s gulls—long-winged grey and white birds—hundreds of them. Suddenly startled, the ducks would also take flight, passing in body overhead with a whir like a miniature jet.
Another bird was the American Coot, a striking black and slate fowl with red fronted shield and white bill. The Coot had wintered in Panama. That the Coot was traveling alone was unusual for this gregarious bird.
By Thursday noon all the gulls and loons were airborne for the north as far as Alaska. But several hundred ducks lingered until Friday, when April’s warmth drew them back to the Canadian wilds.
70 Years Ago
Week of April 19, 1956
Rexrode Reveals Plans For Converting Star Hotel Into Local Medical Clinic
A clinic for Pendleton County became a virtual certainty this week as Dr. Luther E. Rexrode announced plans for remodeling the Star Hotel and converting it into a clinic.
At the same time Dr. Rexrode revealed that Dr. Luke Eye, son of Mrs. Harry Eye and the late Mr. Eye, will be associated with him in the operation of the clinic upon its completion next spring.
The Star Restaurant which has been a popular eating place for local residents and travelers for many years, was closed Monday and carpenters began the extensive job of repairing and remodeling the structure.
In disclosing the place for the clinic Dr. Rexrode said the present structure would be enlarged by adding an addition to it which would extend a distance of 20 feet back from the rear of the building.
The basement portion of the building will be completely remodeled including the installation of windows on the sides and a new entrance at the rear. It will be used for offices, consultation and treatment rooms. An elevator will be installed which will extend from the basement to the second floor.
The new section which will be constructed at the rear of the building will house facilities for minor surgery on the lower floor and obstetrics on the second floor. In addition to the obstetrics ward a number of rooms will be available for bed patients on the second floor.
Present plans call for using the third floor of the building for living quarters for nurses and clinic assistants.
Dr. Rexrode said that the restaurant portion of the building on the first floor will be completely remodeled and will continue to be used as a restaurant. This, he said, would be a convenience to resident patients and clinic personnel as well as the general public.
Osborn Bowers, Sugar Grove, builder, is in charge of the construction work. He predicted that the restaurant portion of the job would be completed by the last of May or early in June and present plans call for putting it into use immediately upon completion.
Dr. Eye, who holds the rank of Lieutenant JG, is presently stationed at the Naval Air Station at Brunswick, Maine.
Editorials
The Neighborly Thing
The County Health Officer and local law enforcement officers have been much concerned lately over the increasing amount of trash and refuse that is being dumped along the highways and waterways of the county.
Dr. Charles Sites, the County Health Officer, remarked recently that he is getting a lot of complaints from all over the county about increasing amounts of trash that is being dumped in places where it is both an eyesore and a threat to health.
The most serious complaints that Dr. Sites is receiving concern the dumping of dead animals along the roads and rivers, or just leaving them on one’s own land in such places that they become offensive to neighbors. The dumping of dead chickens is becoming a particularly serious problem as they are often left in places where disease germs can be spread to flocks of adjoining landowners or poultry being raised down stream.
Dead animals should always be burned or buried, and those who follow this safe practice will be doing themselves a favor as well as their neighbor.
Corporal French Armstrong reminded us that the West Virginia law makes it a misdemeanor to dump any trash or garbage within 300 feet of the public highway and that anyone who violates that law can be fined from $5 to $50.
But let’s don’t make it necessary for the strong arm of the law to prohibit us from marring and spreading infection over the countryside. Let’s stop it voluntarily, just because we know it’s the neighborly thing to do.
Dahmer: Origin of Smith Creek
We will try to answer through the medium of the pen.
This region was named in honor of the pioneer settlers or Smiths who first inhabited this area, and now the name is extinct there, but you would have to go back to four generations older than myself to get this information.
Miss Deliah Smith, who was married to Mr. Levi Moyers seems to be the third offspring of the pioneer Smiths.
Where the first Smith settlement was made is not definitely known, but supposed to be not too far from the Levi Moyers blacksmith shop.
