Happy Birthday Leap Year Babies! February 29, 1924

 

Interlaken Review, Friday, February 22, 1924:

The Review editor [T.P. Hause] is one of the few people in Seneca county who are permitted to have a birthday anniversary only once in four years. Born February 29, 1860, he will celebrate his 15th birthday next Friday by issuing The Review as usual—five of them during this the shortest month of the year. To every person in Seneca county whose birthday falls on February 29^th, he will give The Review one year as a birthday present from the editor. Send in your name and address with year of birth, and you will receive The Review until March 1, 1925, gratis.

       A few columns over that same issue noted, “If there are any persons in this section whose birthday comes on February 29^th, please advise the editor. We wish a list of names. At present, we know of only two –Miss Frances Huson of Ovid and the Review editor.”

The Interlaken Review Friday, February 29, 1924, contained several items celebrating Mr. Hause’s birthday.

       In response to the article on the 22^nd asking for the names of people who celebrated their birthdays on February 29^th was the article entitled Leap-Year Celebraters. [Note: Rd as printed in that time would be Rural delivery, not Post Office pick-up.]

       Among those who have a birthday anniversary today are the following:

Wm K. Grove, Cleveland, 0.

Miss Frances Hughson, Ovid.

Mrs. Dudley Crisfield, Ovid Rd.

Mrs. Augusta Griffith, Montclair, N.J.

Lewis J. Horton, Interlaken, Rd.

Giles T. Scofield, Rochester, N.Y.

Edward Andrews, Waterloo, N.Y.

Erwin Lerch, Fayette (Geneva Rd).

Kenneth Hopkins, Seneca Falls, Rd 4.

Mrs. Anis Davis, Waterloo.

John Mosure, Waterloo.

Thomas P. Hause, Interlaken.

       “Mrs. Anis Davis heads the list, born February 29, 1840. Mrs. Griffith and T. P. Hause were born on the same day in the village of Ovid, and each is the only survivor of their family.”

       With a wide circulation, weekly issues were being sent to many former residents who had moved around the country. Many of whom, having read the call for names in the February 22^nd issue, responded with birthday messages.  

The editor acknowledges receipt of 84 congratulatory letters and postcards up to 3 p.m. February 28th, from Maine on the east to Hawaiian Islands on the west, Honduras on the south and Minnesota and North Dakota on the north—guess most of the States are represented. Also received a box of oranges from Frank W. Grant at Seabreeze, Florida, and a whistle made from a pig's tail (which Ben Franklin said couldn't be done) sent us by our old friend John H. Coryell of Romulus, so we have things ‘all set’ for a good time on our 15th birthday anniversary Feb. 29, 1924.— Thank you.

       Another item from that February 29^th issue noted, “Among the remembrances received by The Review editor, who is celebrating his 15th birthday anniversary today, was the following written by an Interlaken friend who did not wish author's name printed. We thank the author for the sentiment so nicely expressed in the following:

It seems a fitting time to give A tribute that is due

     A certain worthy editor Who prints our fine Review.

 

Because I am not very keen For posies on a bier

     I hope he’ll take this small bouquet I offer now and here.

 

I wonder if we realize How much our little town

     Owes to the efforts of this man For all its wide renown.

 

Coue^* came across the pond To share with us his views

     He couldn’t cause a ripple here To us it wasn’t news.

 

For had not our good editor In most persistent way

     Affirmed that this town “week by week Was better every way”?

 

And just because he said it was We came to think so too

     And so did everyone who read His words in The Review.

 

And each plan to improve the town And each good enterprise

     Has found him ready to assist To boost it to the skies.

 

But there was no one to laud him His merits to confess

     We took for granted all his work, Our thoughts he could not guess.

 

And even as to birthdays, he Has been deprived by fate;

     They only come once in four years And sometimes once in eight.

 

I wonder where they're keeping them— The ones he doesn’t see—

     I think perhaps they’re being saved For one grand jubilee.

 

But like the birthdays hidden so I hope he’ll find some day

     In many hearts the words of praise We thought but did not say.    N

 

       The final item noted in that February 29, 1924, issue of The Review was more tongue in cheek, “Another nice birthday present today is a ton of paper on which to print The Review for weeks to come. (Bill accompanied the shipment).”

 

       The following week, Friday, March 7, 1924, this short article was printed.

When I wrote the original Snippet from the Past items in 2017 it was not a leap year. However, I found that in 1928 T.P. Hause and members of his family along with the community held a celebration in his honor. You can read all about the gentleman and his celebration here: A Sixteenth Birthday Anniversary.

 

Dewitt’s Diary, Friday February 29, 1924, North wind and partly cloudy today the thermometer about 30 degrees. I trimmed in the orchard today; the trees need trimming very bad. I am taking out dead limbs. Edna is baking today.

 

Editor’s note: I wonder if some of the needed trimming was from the snow storm the week before.

^*Coue was a French psychotherapist, “across the pond” being a reference to crossing the Atlantic.

 1924 Snowstorm February 21, 1924

       Looking for inspiration for a snippet, I opened Dewitt’s 1924 diary to February. He noted on Wednesday, February 20^th that it was snowing and he helped his neighbors Earl and Clara [Bassett] Wilson with the final moving of household goods from their home on Bassette Road. They were moving to the Lewis Wilson farm, “…which [Earl] will work this season. Henry and Thomas Bassett are going to work their father’s farm.” Interlaken Review February 22, 1924.

       Turning the page to Thursday, February 21^st, there is a detailed report of the snowstorm. He began, “Thermometer 20 today. The wind blew hard today and it was some day with the loose snow and also snow flurries. I drove down to town with Ray M. this morning. The roads are drifting bad. Trains are all late and papers say it is the worst storm in nine years. All bus lines into Ithaca stopped yesterday. Hens layed [sic] 36 eggs today.”

 

 Undated photo of Dewitt’s home on Bassette Road.

See also February 4, 1972 Winter Weather snippet.

       Looking for more information about the snowstorm, the Friday, February 22, 1924, Interlaken Review had several items relating to the weather. “The Home Bureau meeting was postponed on account of the storm until Thursday, February 28^th.” A few lines further down, “February is keeping up its record as ‘the snow month.’ Fine sleighing here now. A little more snow added each day.”

       A longer item noted, “Our boasted open winter came to a sudden close on Wednesday. Tuesday autos were running everywhere with about 6 inches of snow on level; mercury around ten above zero. At night a snowstorm set in which is yet coming at noon on Thursday. At least a foot of snow and it is being piled up in drifts, which will effectually block all roads. The storm is general. Last night we heard train orders in Pennsylvania sent out by radio, as telegraph wires were down.”

       Dewitt noted that, “I brought up all the mail on the street today. The mail man did not go.”

       Unlike today where there are town and county plowing crews, in the 1920s the town roads were maintained by individuals who lived on that road. Friday, February 22, Dewitt recorded, “Cold northwest wind today. I helped Ray M. open the road, a big drift along my orchard…the cars are all in the garages now.”

 

Dewitt’s Diary Monday February 21, 1949, Temperature 20 clear. Took some feed to town. Rode to Syracuse with Bunny H. and family. Edna and Catherine bought some clothes. A beautiful day, got home at 7:30.

 New World War II Honor Roll Saturday, February 12, 2022

       On Saturday, February 12, 1944, the Town of Covert unveiled the World War II Honor Roll on the library lawn. Seventy-eight years later, and a half mile down the road, on February 12, 2022, with the help of STEPS* we unveiled the new World War II Honor Roll at the Town of Covert Municipal Building, formerly the Interlaken American Legion Post Home.

       While writing the Snippet “Interlaken to Dedicate New Roll of Honor” I realized Interlaken needed to recreate the Honor Roll. The American Legion Auxiliary had commissioned a reproduction several years earlier, but time and weather had made it very difficult to read or find the name of a family member.

       A small committee was established to work together to accomplish two main objectives, 1) Create a Refurbished Honor Roll, using the framework for the earlier reproduction but with new name boards; and 2) Honor all of the Veterans from the Town of Covert.

       With both approval and backing from the Town of Covert Board we applied for a grant to cover the cost of the new board and some supplies to compile and preserve the biographies of the veterans who had served in the American Revolution through the wars since then, and those who are currently in the military. STEPS approved our grant so we had the needed funds.

       The committee worked with Signarama of Ithaca to have the three panels with names created. Photographs of the original board along with a detailed list in the World War II Veterans’ Scrapbook provided the names. To facilitate locating a name we opted to list the names in alphabetical order.

       When we received the final proof, Signarama had added a detail none of us had even thought possible. They had superimposed the names on a background showing the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima.

       An event was planned for February 12, 2022, for people to gather to see the new boards in place. Being New York in February, earlier that month we had a snowstorm which prevented the boards from being installed. The celebration was moved inside the building and the boards displayed. Friends and family gathered, shared stories of their service or that of a family member.

      Later that Spring the boards were put in place and the header panels identifying the Honor Roll were installed.

 

All the name boards and header boards installed.

       Part two of the project was to gather biographies of the veterans. At the beginning we expected there to be around 800 men and women who were from the Covert/Interlaken area or had moved to this area after serving in the military. That number has since grown to over 1,000 names. We are still seeking biographies from the veterans themselves, family members or volunteer researchers. The biographies are being printed and placed in notebooks. Many of the more recent biographies are accompanied by a photograph. 

       Thank you to the Town of Covert, STEPS, and all those who have helped and continue to help: Martha Morrow, Millie Messmer, Nancy Thompson Staples, and especially Christopher and Danielle Nelson for their work on installing the boards. It has been my privilege to work with all of you. 

Trial fitting the boards into the frame. Note the older boards in the background.

Dewitt’s Diary Tuesday, February 12, 1924: Cloudy and snowing a little this morning. North wind but not very cold. I helped Edna wash this morning. If we could only get a little snow we would have sleighing now. There is sleighing now in spots. Father came up and I helped him take down a load of sweet corn fodder for his cow. Eggs 28 [Dewitt often noted how many eggs the hens laid each day].

February 12, 1944

We are still looking for biographies of our veterans. Please consider submitting information on your service or that of family members.

*Seneca Towns Engaging People for Solutions

 Celebrating Boy Scouts of America February 6, 1949

       "Boys will be boys, they say. But we’re sure you'll agree they’ll be better, friendlier, happier boys if they’re in the ranks of the Boy Scouts of America. For 39 years, the Boy Scouts have made an increasing contribution to a better America through a well-planned, up-to-date program to meet boys’ interests.” Interlaken Review editorial February 4, 1949.

       The editorial continued, “Many a boy of 12 or over still needs to be informed of the exciting activities of Scouting. Many a parent needs to discover the values of Scouting for his boy. Many an adult needs to find out the enjoyment to be derived from helping boys find themselves through Scouting...”

       Highlighting the role of newspapers he concluded, “For these reasons we’re taking the opportunity—during Boy Scout Week—to fulfill our obligation as an information-medium, by reminding you of your responsibility to the boys of America—the Man of Tomorrow!

       Also, on the front page, one picture proclaims the 39^th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The caption notes, “In every part of the nation more than 2,200,000 boys and their adult leaders will observe Boy Scout Week, Feb. 6^th to 12^th, marking the 39^th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.”

       Under the heading of Boy Scout News several events for the local scouts and their families were noted. “Sunday, the sixth, the Scouts are having special church services. The Scouts are having a Parents and Alumni Dinner, on February 10, 1949.” Another article details the dinner plans, including, “one feature of the arrangements: the Scouts get their dinner free if one or both of their parents attends. Tickets for the dinner are 85 cents for one and $1.50 for two, where both parents attend.”

       One feature of the weekly newspaper was a report submitted by a Scout, normally the Troop Scribe, about events and activities. Interlaken Review, Friday, February 18, 1949: in an article written by Bernie Stout, Scribe for the Troop noted, “The Scouts’ banquet was a success…the dinner was excellent and was enjoyed by everyone who attended. The main speaker was Eldred Tunison.” Mr. Tunison is noted as being the first Scout Master of the Interlaken troop, which was also the first troop in Seneca County. Bernie Stout concluded his report, “His speech was very interesting…[there was also] a display of documents of the first Scout Troop.”

       That first troop was sponsored by Rev. E.B. VanArsdale of the Interlaken Reformed Church. He was assisted by Eldred Tunison and James Grant.

       May 1911, the members of the troop were part of the Memorial Day parade and afterward posed for the above photo. Through the efforts of others, we have the names of these young men.

       Back row, left to right: Fred Stout, Ken Farlen, Seward Case, John Bogart, Bob Edington, Royal VanArsdale, Bob Manning.

       Front row, left to right: Leon DeMont, Guy Torbert, Basil Melville, Lyle VanArsdale, Harry Peterson, John Chadwick, Orin Severn.

       Additional members of that first troop who were not present for the picture are Guy Fowler, Ray Allen, John Quinn, Joe Kellogg, Henry Bassett, Geo. Kellogg, Merrill Swick and George Stout. These names are contained in an undated newspaper article in the Interlaken Historical Society collection. The photo has been preserved as a photo post card of the era.

       Over the years the Interlaken Scouts have served and assisted the community in many ways. In April 1928, after training by the Fire Chief the Scouts arrived at the fire scene with a coil of rope. They proceeded to rope off streets and direct traffic. [1928 Fire on Main Street]

       Boy Scouts have changed throughout the 114 years since its beginning. One of the most significant changes is the admission of young ladies several years ago.

       To all those who have been part of Scouting in the past, to those working within Scouting today, we say Happy Birthday. Thank you for all you have done for so many, and best wishes for the future.

 

Dewitt’s Diary, Sunday, February 6, 1949: Temperature 10 degrees, clear. A fine sunny day. Went fox hunting, plenty of tracks but no foxes. I saw a deer in Covert apple orchard. Strong south wind and warmer. Went to movie in town tonight.