December Volume 11, Issue 2

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1 January 11 Meeting Program - History of the Elmwood Park Zoo Learn about this community resource which hosts over 130,000 visitors each year. In 1924 the land and a handful of white tailed deer were donated to the Borough of Norristown. Over the years it has expanded and focused on the appreciation of wildlife and habitat - seeking to inspire active participation in conservation. Join us at the Blue Bell Library at 7:30. *************** December Volume 11, Issue 2 From the President s Desk - by Russ Bellevance Here it is Thanksgiving already, and we have a lot of news - and much to be thankful for. The 1895 Schoolhouse looks so much better now. The new roof looks great and the repainting of large portions of the front, including the words Public School, have really refreshed the exterior. (See photos on page 2) Thanks to the tireless work of our Thursday ladies, the museum is better organized and more inviting than it ever has been before. For those of you aching to help, don t worry, we still have work to do on the interior - especially in the main meeting room. It has been many years since we have painted that room, and it is in dire need of repainting. As you may recall, it rained every Saturday in October. But that did not stop your intrepid Society! We held our annual Market Day on October 10 - despite the rain. We did surprisingly well - considering the foul weather - but not as well as in the past. Thanks to all of you who worked that day. Two weeks after that, Herb Levy organized a visit to his beloved Graeme Park and the Keith House. Only a light rain on that day. We enjoyed the tour and Herb s expert commentary. (See photos on page 3) We have enjoyed excellent programs this year. In September we learned about the Merci Train which was the response of the grateful French people to the American Friendship Train - the tremendous outpouring of food and other necessities sent by the American people to France and Italy at the end of World War II. Our speaker is perhaps the nation s foremost authority on the Merci Train, and gave a captivating presentation.

2 October s program showed us how to get started on researching the genealogies of our families, which was another interesting topic. For November s meeting we traveled to St. John s Lutheran Church on Skippack Pike. The presentation by Pastor Werther was thorough and well-organized. (I loved that he started with the Thirty Years War - a man after my own heart!) A tour of the facility - with its lovely stained glass and magnificent organ - followed. Of course, viewing the stained glass at night does not do it justice, and the organ should be heard as well as seen, so Jeannie and I plan a trip back there some sunny Sunday morning. The next meeting will be the Holiday Party at our house (148 South Bethlehem Pike in Ambler) starting at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 13. Please join us and bring something (side dish or dessert) to share. I hope to see you there. ******************************************************************* What a year for the 1895 Schoolhouse! The new roof, the reinforced chimney, garage repairs, and the paint job are completed, and we have had many compliments. Thanks to John Simon, Bill Missfeldt, Bob Whittock, and Neil Bradley for all of their persistence and hard work. Grant money and donations have paid for these projects. A big thanks to Whitpain Township for a special grant to help complete the painting work. Painting helps seal the windows and wood and preserves the historic treasure for the whole community. *************************************** Archivist Emmy Simons has put in many hours organizing the Society s records. She is missing Membership Booklets from and If you have these booklets, Emmy would gladly make copies. If you would like to receive the Society s newsletter via , please let us know.

3 Schoolhouse Hosts Visitors Third graders from Blue Bell Elementary walked over to the 1895 Schoolhouse on Dec. 3 for a hands-on lesson that complements their social studies curriculum. The students and teachers (Mrs. Macy, Mrs.Shannon, and Mrs. Swanger) role played attending school in 1895, heard about the building s history, and observed why and how we catalogue and preserve artifacts. The Martha Washington Questers met at the schoolhouse on November 9. Emmy Simon shared the history of the building, and Peg Johnston explained how we manage our collection Schoolhouse graduate Theresa Burnett and her husband Robert toured the building on a recent Thursday morning. Theresa shared stories of her two years at the school - 5th and 6th grades in the 1940s. Visitors are always welcome on Thursday mornings when members are working on the collection. Help Wanted There are two openings on the Society s board. We need a recording secretary who could attend board meetings. Board meetings are on the fourth Mondays of each month and usually last a hour. Meetings are currently held at the Bellevance home in Ambler. The position of librarian is also open. Our collection focuses on local history including genealogy of local families. John Simon is looking for someone to help with some simple plumbing work. He ll supply the directions but needs an extra pair of hands to secure existing piping. Thanks, Herb, for the Graeme Park Tour Member Herb Levy gave members a special tour of Graeme Park on Oct. 24. We learned about the historic house as well as its interesting inhabitants. A spring tour of Temple Ambler gardens is planned. Watch for details.

4 P.O. Box 96 Ambler, PA Volume 11, Issue 2 - December 2009 * Check out the society s December display at the Blue Bell library. We will also share a display about WWII in March. If you have items that would complement this display, please let us know. * Plans are developing for the May 16th celebration of the naming of our 1895 Schoolhouse to the National Registry of Historical Buildings. We have committee chairs, but workers are needed. Short term jobs and long term jobs of all types are available. Mark your calendar: Dec Holiday party - 6 p.m. (details inside) Jan Meeting - Program: History of Elmwood Park Zoo - Blue Bell library - 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 - Meeting - Program: George Washington s cook, speaker from Valley Forge National Park - Blue Bell library - 7:30 p.m. Check for news and updates. **************************************************

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