Thursday, July 24, 1947
FIELD NOTES
Fred Shinaberry, of Hunt-ersville, brought in a silver half dime, coined in the year 1837. He picked it up in his garden, and it is in a fine state of preservation. At a guess, it has been around eighty years since the coining of half dime pieces was discontinued. It has been a long time since I saw one. By the way, a half-dime is not a half dime – it is five cents.
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Talking about the flying saucers in the air, which have been the topic of wide conversation the past few weeks, Gilbert Doyle recounts a peculiar experience he had about a dozen years ago. He and several members of the family and a hired hand were making hay on his farm on Dry Branch of Elk. He was topping out a stack when his attention was called to what looked like a snake of bright silver flying through the air and approaching at a fair rate of speed from a distance of about two hundred yards. It came around the stack within reach of the pitchforks of the men, but they could not entangle it, nor hold it in their hands. It was about a yard long and thick as a man’s arm. Then the bright silver streak would go as far as the woods, about a couple hundred yards in another direction and then return. Finally it went straight up in a wiggling motion, until it almost disappeared, then it came back to move back and forth about the stack. Finally, after more than an hour, Mr. Doyle and all the rest left, with the silver streak still flying up and down the field around the stack. They have no explanation, and neither do I.
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People are bringing in potato seed balls to inquire how come little green tomatoes are found growing on potato vines. I can only patiently explain that in good potato years such as this, it is not unusual for potatoes to set up seed balls like the small fruit of their cousin, the tomato. The potato has been propagated from tubers for so many, many generations, that while the plants still bloom more or less profusely, it is now the exceptional year that the exceptional plant develops seed. From this seed, the plant specialist develops new strains of potatoes.
County 4-H Camp
This week 4-H Club members are at their annual county camp at Camp Pocahontas near Thornwood. The first county camp was held in Randolph 33 years ago, with Pocahontas coming into line two years later. About such camps, Dr. Maurice Brooks, of the University, writes as follows:
Just what do youngsters do in 4-H camps? It may be well to take a closer look at a typical camp program.
Most county camps open on Monday and close on Friday night. Any 4-H club member who is carrying a project – gardening, corn, potatoes, baby beef, poultry, canning, baking, forestry, home beautification, sewing, etc. – is eligible to attend. A camper may bring his own food, thus cutting down expenses, or he may pay a nominal fee for his board at the camp. Every attempt is made to give the youngsters all the good wholesome food they can eat.
Once in camp, the club members are organized into tribes, these groups taking their names from four Indian tribes – Delaware, Seneca, Mingo and Cherokee – which once hunted in West Virginia. These tribes at once establish a group loyalty, and give a basis for games and other competitions. A club member normally remains within his tribe throughout his 4-H career.
After breakfast, the camp day begins with group activities which, for want of a better name, are called classes. Typical groups study handicrafts; nature study; conservation, under the direction of Soil Conservation men, representatives of the State Conservation Commission, and others; music; leadership; safety and law observance, under the direction of a member of the state police; swimming and life saving under registered instructors; courtesy; and many other subjects. A camper will participate in three or four groups during the morning…
Toward dusk comes the religious service of the day, the vespers program. This is a time of singing, devotions, and short talks, most of them given by the campers themselves. After vespers comes the evening council circle, at which time much Indian ceremonial, dear to youngsters’ hearts, is observed. There is good singing, followed by challenges, contests, stunts and stories…
This is education with a purpose. It is aimed at the rounded development of the individual, the encouragement of leadership, and the fostering of teamwork in group activities…
Every club member aspires to the wearing of the 4-H pin. This pin is awarded to older members who have passed rigid tests, and who, in the judgment of their leaders, have satisfactorily developed head, hand, heart and health – that is, their mental, social, spiritual and physical natures. It is a proud moment in a club member’s life when he is presented with the coveted pin at an evening campfire…
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene McKenny, of Marlinton, a baby girl, on July 21, 1947.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Combs, of Mountain Grove, Virginia, a baby girl, on July 20, 1947.
Julia Blance Price
Julia Blanche Price, little daughter of Herman and Florence Price, was born October 30, 1946, and died at her home at Cass on Monday, July 7, 1947, aged 8 months and 7 days.
Funeral service was held at Bethel Church on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock and the little body was laid to rest in the Bethel Cemetery.
Besides her parents, she leaves to mourn her loss, three sisters, Betty Montrose, Velma Jean and Evelyn Virginia, and two brothers, William Eugene and L. Herman.