Special Events:

FIRST HOLIDAY BAZAAR WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

What good members and workers we have in the Society! Just about everyone stepped up to participate in one-way or another with our Holiday Bazaar on December 12th. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED ITEMS. Angie Hoschouer, our new Ways and Means Committee chair, spear-headed this event, designed to bring in extra monies for the Building Fund which has languished a bit since mid-2009, due to the poor economy.

Angie and Sue Cummings did a superb job in getting the advertising out and into newspapers, websites, and TV and radio ads. The calling crew (Caroline Bergman, Martha Craig, Phyllis Scarbro, and Shirley Whiting) convinced many, many of you to bring items for the white-elephant and/or bake sales. Maureen Aukerman, JoeAnne Conners, and Doris West plus others already mentioned, helped price the crafts and gently used items and box up the homemade candies, cookies, cupcakes, jams, jellies and salad dressings into gift baskets and sample boxes. Bill and Glynn moved items donated by Beth Fuller from her father’s estate.

We ended up with a marvelous selection of “gifts and goodies” which were priced right and sold well from 10-4. Wilma Schroeder sold SERRV handcrafts to support refugees in many impoverished countries and donated 40% of her sales to the Society, and Glynn and Steve Lodge did well with our 2010 photo calendars and history booklets. We did not take a traffic count the day of the bazaar, but it seemed like everyone who came bought something. We took in more than $1500 to benefit the Society. Everyone including Society workers had fun with this event and left feeling good. Of course, we will do this again in 2010, SO START SAVING ITEMS NOW!

HYMN SING A HUGE SUCCESS

The brick building which now houses the RTHS History Center has a long history as a church. The Dunkard Brethren enjoyed the use of this building as their place of worship for more than eighty years. Local historian Earl Heck remarked in his History of Englewood and the Surrounding Areas (1965) that he always enjoyed the evening hymn singings, as the sounds wafted through the open windows of the church, nestled among the large
oak trees, near his old house on Valleyview.

The Stump Family Singers leading the Hymn Sing

On July 26,2009, about ninety people gathered at the RTHS History Center to relive this experience and also celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the RTHS History Center. Members of the Englewood Dunkard Brethren Church, who had owned the building from July 20, 1927 to March 10, 2008, returned to lead us in the old-fashioned hymn sing. Members of the Stump family sang the first three hymns, their a cappella voices filling the building with beautiful harmonies. Then members of the audience were invited to join in with other hymns from the 1901 Brethren Hymnal, as the numbers were called out. The program was tape recorded, so it can be enjoyed later by those who missed the original program.

Part of the crowd enjoying the old-fashioned  Hymn Sing

Rumors circulated that during one of the songs, the ghost of Earl Heck could be seen passing by the windows on the north side of the building!
After the singing, guests adjourned to the lower level where they enjoyed a bountiful display of homemade cookies and beverages, prepared by Doris West, Martha Craig, Phyllis Scarbro, and Maureen Aukerman.
While enjoying the goodies listed above one topic of conversation was prevailing between guest and members. They were asking, with great enthusiasm, when will the next hymn sing be held?

Feast your eyes on the homemade goodies prepared by the RTHS kitchen crew.

“HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE” PROGRAM
- ONE OF THE BEST

West Milton resident, Robert Menker, shared his extensive knowledge about bicycles and bicycling with Society members at a history center program from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Menker, owner and operator of Patterson’s Florists, has had a lifelong interest in collecting, researching and riding antique bicycles. As a member of the national bicycle group known as the “Wheelmen” he has participated in several cross-Ohio bicycle events over the years. His interest in the subject then spread to amassing a large insight of all types of ephemera associated with the sport, including vintage photographs of bicyclists, bicycle advertising, and accessories. The popularity of bicycling in the 1920s led to the paving of many highways, even before the automobile became the preferred mode of transportation.

Bob and his "big" Two Wheeler"	Bob has a modern bike, too

Menker brought six different examples with him, representive of the different eras of bicycle development, and set out displays showing bicycle photographs and advertising on several tables in the front of the main meeting room. His very informative and entertaining talk focused on the changes in bicycle styles and improvements in construction with the
different models. Early models had no pedals. The bicyclist just sat astride the seat and pushed the unit along with his feet. Later the chain drive mechanism was invented and pedals were added to move the bike forward. Members of the audience plied Menker with many different questions about wheel sizes, and especially how riders could get off and on the high wheel bikes safely. Menker illustrated the way you could ride a boneshaker (no springs) down a hill, but braking was another matter!

Bob Menker demo the use of the foot rest

Near the end of the presentation, the talk turned to more modern bicycles from the 1930s-1950s. Members chimed in with stories about favorite bicycles they had owned while growing up, some of which are quite collectible today.

Following the program, the group adjourned to the lower level to feast on homemade goodies prepared by the RTHS kitchen crew.

2009 Winter Lecture Series - View Pictures and Notes
Program 1: The First 100 Years of Randolph Schools
Program 2: Memories of Randolph High. 1939-1959
Program 3: The Northmont Years, 1959-2009

Complete transcript available in book form - Print Order Form

"HISTORY AT THE CENTER"
SERIES BEGINS IN FEBRUARY

RTHS will present three public programs related to local schools in
February, March and April to honor Northmont High School's 50th
anniversary in 2009. The Saturday afternoon programs, will focus on
"200 Years of Randolph Township Schools." Speakers will include:

1. Glynn Marsh, President of the Historical Society, who will talk about the early history of schools from the 1800s up through the first consolidation in the 1920s;

2. A panel of Randolph High School alumni who will discuss the Clayton Junior High and Randolph Junior and Senior High School years from the 1920s to the opening of Northmont in 1959;

3. Dr. Gayle T. Mabry, recently retired Superintendent of Northmont Schools, who will bring the series to a close with a review of educational milestones during the last fifty years.

The Society will offer the programs on February 28, March 28 and April 25. Each program will be held at the RTHS History Center from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm located at 114 Valleyview Drive in Englewood. The public is invited to attend these free events, and attendees are encouraged to bring with them school memorabilia to share and/or donate to the Historical Society. There will be ample opportunities for comments and questions from the audience. The programs will be tape recorded, transcribed, and made into a commemorative booklet which will be available this summer.

"In Praise of Schools and Teachers"
by Sue Commings

Second only to family. schools and teachers mold the development of children as well-rounded individuals more than anything or anyone else. I am sure that each of us can name at least one favorite teacher from our
grade school or high school days. Perhaps a teacher inspired you to follow a certain profession. or helped you learn valuable life lessons through school sponsored activities such as clubs and athletics.

The first school in Randolph Township was started by early Quakers as a subscription school. It was located north of Union. We know very little about the teachers at this school which lasted only a few years. By the
1830s-1850s. one-room log public school buildings were being erected. These buildings frequently were damaged by fires and were replaced with brick structures. By the 1860s. there were ten subdistrict one-room schools in Randolph Township. We have several early photos in
our archives showing students and teachers at these schools. which were scattered across the township.

By the 1880s. Englewood. Union and Salem each had a three-room brick school where the students were divided into primary , intermediate and principal levels. Again, we have photos showing these schools and
teachers. thanks to the work of early local photographer. Edwin Sinks. The subdistrict schools continued in use until the 1920s, when the first consolidation took place. It was durring thIs period that Clayton Grade School, Randolph Grade School, and Phillipsburg Grade School " were buIlt. Students attended these schools through ninth grade (Junior High). before moving on to either Randolph or Phillipsburg High School.

Randolph High School had its beginnings in the 1880s. Classes were held in the three-room schools and moved around between Englewood, Salem, and Union. In 1914, a new Randolph High School was built on the Dayton-Covington Pike (became Tietzman Tool Co. in the 1940s). It was used until 1939 when a new addition was put on Randolph Grade School to accommodate high school students. This building was used from 1940 to 1959. when Randolph and Phillipsburg consolidated
to form Northmont High School and combined school district.

To honor Northmont's 5Oth anniversary in 2009, the Society will offer three Saturday afternoon programs called "200 Years of Randolph Township Schools." The programs, part of a new --History at the Center"
series. are open to the public and will be from 2-4 PM. on February 28, March 28 and April 25, 2009. Selected speakers will begin with the early 1800s and end with the present The Randolph school years will feature a
panel discussion with alumni of Randolph Schools, with additional input from those who began their studies at Randolph and then graduated from Northmont Dr. Gale Mabry. recently retired Superintendent of Northmont School District, will bring the series to a close with a review of educational milestones during the last fifty years. Recordings of these programs will be used as a basis for a Society publication to be out later in 2009.