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Weekly News March 13, 2006Description
Anna Marshall, Esther Shallcross, and the 5 Jays: Swarthmore Prep School was a Quaker-oriented co-ed boarding school adjacent to Swarthmore College, but with no official connection to it. About 1902, Israel and Lizzie Marshall (of Auburn Heights) and James and Mary Shallcross of Belleview Farm northwest of Odessa decided to send their daughters to Swarthmore Prep. At the same time Maude Kemmerer of the Philadelphia area, Elma Laura "Bok" (pronounced Boke) Haines of Swarthmore, and Helen Ridgway of nearby New Jersey were also enrolled. The five girls struck it off immediately, became life-long friends, and named themselves the Five Jays. Their ages seemed to vary by as much as five years, from oldest to youngest, but that made no difference; the bond was a strong one.
Anna invited the Jays to visit Auburn Heights, which they did more than once. They met her two brothers, Warren and Clarence, whom they called "Tad". Esther found Tad disinterested in the girls, more satisfied to listen to his scratchy Victrola records, with songs like "Let me off at Buffalo", "Everybody Works but Father", and "The Wearin' of the Green". On the other hand, she found his cousin, Henry Marshall, a lot of fun, as he would apparently sneak away from his shift at the paper mill down the hill to visit with the girls on the kitchen steps of Auburn Heights. In 1910, Anna became engaged to Norman B. Mancill, and the Jays were on hand to celebrate her engagement, and have their picture taken with Anna's mother, Lizzie, on the lawn of Auburn Heights. Since there was a special bond between Israel and his only daughter, and he soon became terminally ill, she postponed her wedding until after her father's death. She and Norman were married in the front hall at Auburn Heights on January 25, 1912, again with the Jays in attendance. Clarence (my father) finally must have shown some interest in Esther (my mother), as he invited her to go with him on at least three trips in his new Stanley in the summer of 1912, to Rehoboth, to Atlantic City, and to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, all chaperoned, of course.
Although the romance cooled for several years, it was revived when my mother was in nursing school in Baltimore during World War I. My father courted her in a Model 735 Stanley, and in at least two Twin Six Packards, before they were married on June 4, 1921.
Maude Kemmerer taught school for many years in Jersey City before retiring to Essex, CT. The oldest of the five, she never married. Bok Haines had a top secretarial job in Philadelphia, and lived in Jenkintown in her later years, also remaining single. Helen Ridgway, the youngest of the five, married Dwight Cooley of Swarthmore and they had two sons. Anna and Norman Mancill had three sons, Norman Clarence born in 1914 (the only birth at Auburn Heights), and twins Robert and Alan, born in 1924. As mentioned above Esther Shallcross married Clarence Marshall; I am their sole descendant. In 1940, when I was 16, the Jays had another reunion at Auburn Heights. They partied and reminisced for two days, and I drove them around. Maude still called my father "Tad". Some time in the 1950's, they had another. We seemed to see Bok Haines more than Maude Kemmerer and Helen Cooley- one had family responsibilities and the other did not live close-by. These were friendships of several lifetimes.
We are still needing to fill some seats on the bus going to the B & O Museum on Saturday, April 1. Rob Robison's deadline is still a week away, and he'd like to hear from you. We hope some more of you can go- the bus will leave from Auburn Heights at 9:00 and return about 4:00. $22.50 for members; $32.50 for non-members; less for children. The fee includes admission to the Museum and round trip fare.
Our Executive Director has worked 7 days a week since arriving here on February 8, but plans to be home in Colorado from March 15-22. He plans to attend 3 State Park meetings in two days, March 23-24. Last week, he, Ruth and I spent a pleasant and productive time with Greg Landrey at Winterthur. We are planning to have Bob's office and living quarters above the garage ready for occupancy by the end of March or very shortly thereafter. We have 6 new members in 2006 so far and about 20 from last year have not renewed. Those of you in this category will be receiving letters encouraging you to join again, which we hope you will.
Last week, work progressed on the 735 with the installation of the tool box, the removal of brake backing plates, the pressure-washing of areas under the hood, the installation of rear wheels and painting of locking rings, and the fabrication of the burner liner. Walter Higgins, Emil Christofano, Dale and Ted Simpkins, Chuck Erikson, and Rob Robison all worked on this car. The boiler wrapping was completed, the boiler was hydrostatically tested, the new wire thoroughly oiled, and the dry FibreFrax insulation affixed to the circumference, so it's ready to go in when the under-the-hood work is completed. Jim Personti and Anne Cleary worked on this, and Jim worked on the door latch spring for the '37 Packard- he reports that he found a spring from a Toyota window-winder that will work perfectly. Rose Ann and Walter worked on the brake light on this car- so far, it's not 100%, but they'll make it. It was good to see Lou Mandich, a new member a few months ago. Willard Robinson rebuilt 3 Stanley needle valves. This week, we'll continue on the 735 plus begin the boiler-changing project in the 725.
Bill Schwoebel called a few minutes ago from North Carolina, enroute home from Amelia Island. They had a big day at the Concours event yesterday. The weather was perfect and something like 700 cars were on the field (golf course). He said more than 50,000 spectators had paid $40(?) each to witness the event. Bob Wilhelm won a prize with his beautiful 1918 Model 735. Our cars did well, but they did not win. Jerry Novak, Emil, and the two Bills expect to arrive at Yorklyn late tomorrow. Butch is in southern Florida, preparing for the Cannards' cruise on the Amazon. Best wishes to all. Tom
