MHS Newsletter 0124

History Quiz:

1. How many "Notable People" are listed on the Wikipedia Montgomery, Vermont page?

a. 1 b. 2

c. 3 d. 4

2. Homer Wheeler was one. What was Homer Wheeler noteworthy for?

YOUNG WRITERS

Pratt Hall hosted the Friends of the Library's "Young Writers Contest and Pizza Party" in late October. The theme was "Everything was going so well today until..." Each young writer read their creations to the audience and judges. The 6-8th grade winner's was a chilling Halloween Cabbage Night adventure with a surprise ending. Congratulations to all.

MEMBERSHIP

Our numbers have partially rebounded, and new members are up. You can renew / join online anytime. THANK YOU!

If you have questions or concerns please drop us a line. As always, thank you for your support,

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

The Society sponsored a festive weekend in December consisting of "Holiday Happiness" and "Candles and Carols"

"Holiday Happiness" included a puppet show and puppet making, horse drawn wagon rides, and Santa arriving on the Montgomery Fire Department's pumper truck. Candy canes, cookies, and cocoa abounded. Our thanks to Sue Wilson and all involved.

Percherons Apollo and Minor wait as riders load up.

Our singing during "Candles and Carols" was led masterfully by Steve Hays once again. The "Twelve Days of Christmas" was a tour de force! Click the photo below.

Marlene Hambleton read "The Night Before Christmas" (below). The jury is still out on the jokes. Again our thanks to all involved, including Master Elf, Noela McGroarty for the wonderful decorations.

REGIONAL MEETINGS

We attended a regional societies meeting in Fairfield in October. Beside the exchange of items and networking we were treated to a presentation on "Breeding Radicals in Early Vermont". The next meeting will be hosted by the Georgia Historical Society in October.

BITS AND PIECES...

The clock is acting up again. We are working on it!

Board member Dale Matthews set up a holder for our Covered Bridge Pamphlets and a donation box at the Comstock Bridge. It's been popular!

A crew from VT Public Media (VT PBS and VPR) did drone filming this fall and included Pratt Hall and some of our neighboring communities. Click here to view.

THIS QUARTER IN MONTGOMERY HISTORY

January 1866: Montgomery votes to join Bakersfield Poor Farm.

February 1979: Montgomery Historical Society granted federal tax exempt status.

March 1909: Independent Phone Company organized serving Montgomery, Richford and East Berkshire.

HISTORY QUIZ ANSWERS

1. d. 4. Homer W. Wheeler, Dana Reed Bailey, Percival L. Shangraw, Elle Purrier St. Pierre

2. Homer Wheeler was born in Montgomery and moved out west where he was commissioned an officer in the Army. He was known as an Indian fighter and wrote two books on living on the Western frontier. We have a copy of "Buffalo Days" signed and inscribed to his sister who lived in Montgomery, in our archives. He died while living in California.

DONATIONS / ACQUISITIONS

We've received three wonderful donations since the last newsletter.

Randy Colomb, a descendant of William and Roseanne Ariel, donated diaries, photos and ephemera. William, his grandfather, was Montgomery's Town Clerk from 1948 to 1956, and Roseanne took over after his death, becoming Montgomery's first woman Town Clerk serving for two years. They lived on Main Street in the Center.

William and Roseanne Ariel

The Colomb donation also included two hand colored photo enlargements made by Clayton Fuller. Pictured below is a black and white Fuller photo postcard from our archives of Montgomery looking east toward Hazen's Notch, and the colored version of the same photograph donated by Mr. Colomb.

Louise Celentano donated this rare collage of Montgomery Covered Bridges painted by Bobby Anderson.

Carolyn Babcock donated a painting by her husband, the Reverend Harold Babcock, titled "Nunc Dimittis". The painting shows the pastor and altar boys posing for a photograph after evening prayers.

“Nunc Dimittis” is sometimes called the "Song of Simeon", a prayer often recited as part of evening prayers, and refers to Simeon’s recognition of the baby Jesus as the Savior, and son of god. This story of Simeon is depicted in one of the Hall’s stained glass windows (below) and was familiar to Harold and his ancestors, one of whom served here.

Our thanks to Randy, Louise, and Carolyn for these treasures!