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Weekly News March 21, 2005Description
According to my aunt, Anna Marshall Mancill (1883-1986) who was just 14 when she moved with her parents and siblings into brand-new Auburn Heights, the following took place the first night they slept in the big house, and I quote her: "Father was away, and since the second-floor rooms were not yet finished, mother and we children slept on the third floor. In the middle of the night we were awakened by a terrible crash. The boys wanted to investigate, but mother told them to go back to sleep, and we would find out in the morning. When morning came, the mystery was solved. The painters had been varnishing the inside shutters and had them standing on edge to dry in one of the second-floor bedrooms. Something started them over, and down they went like dominoes."
This is "meetings week" again, with our first Stanley course session on Wednesday, the 23rd, at 7:30 in the Museum, and a meeting of the Board of Directors on Thursday, the 24th. Foremost on the Directors' agenda is an Insurance review of all our F.A.H.P. coverages. We hope all interested members will want to attend the Stanley course; this week the topics will be Stanley history, Marshall history relating to Stanleys, history of the Steam Team (now F.A.H.P.) by Richard Bernard, and how a Stanley engine works by Mike May, one of our Board members who lives in northern Michigan. Remember sessions 2 and 3 will be on Tuesday nights, 3/29 and 4/5, starting at 7:00 each night.
The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve now owns some new equipment. In addition to the paper cutter donated some weeks ago by Bill Schwoebel and Butch Cannard, we have a new Hewlett-Packard Laser Printer, and a DVD/Video player. The latter will be needed when we show "our" video to the public and use it for training tapes. We have in hand a contract for Alan's video from NFL Films, and it's presently being reviewed by Gary Bryde, Esq. before we sign it. The State, through Lee Jennings, has offered to underwrite the cost of music rights, $2,000. When approved and signed, we can make DVD copies to sell for education and for our financial benefit. In addition there are some new books in our library. Brian Woodcock donated a 1905 automobile manual, and the two Bills and Butch donated a fine book about racing on the beaches of Ormond-Daytona, 1903-1910. These and the many other books, catalogs, and instruction tapes can be borrowed from our library in the Museum by contacting Butch Cannard or Gene Maute.
On May 27, we are planning an evening at Auburn Heights for members of our Advisory Board and our Board members and their spouses. This is a means of acquainting our Advisors with Auburn Heights and what we have to offer. It will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. and about 30 people are expected to accept. There will be more details on this later. On Sunday, June 19, we plan to take our Model 71 Stanley to the Concours d'Elegance on the Lehigh University campus for the benefit of the Burn Foundation. And on Saturday, June 25, members of the Wilmington Rotary Club will be our guests.
We've had two requests not in the mainstream of our activities. One is from a member of the Pennsylvania Live Steamers who would like to bring his little locomotive here and run on our track, and he says it is of 7-1/2" gauge, not 7-1/4", so the gauge problem should be O.K. The decision we make on this one would also determine whether we want to invite Jack Evans and Bob Volkimer with their Atlantics to come again this year. The other request may be influenced by our insurance protection: using one of the Packards for a wedding. We can get an insurance decision first, and then go from there. The date requested is May 21, and it's in Wilmington.
