4 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 4 June '86

^ ^ ^ ^ story

Delaware Bay Museum

(From Page 1) "The last I hear, they said they were sending us a letter," she added. Imler had confirmed the commission's intention of mailing such a letter, outlining it's proposal for a museum, but O'Lone said she hadn't received it by last week. "REALLY," SHE ADDED, "the only thing they were going to the Cultural and Heritage Commission for was 'constructive re-use' of the < magnesite plant i property; that's what they called it." "They wanted help doing a study," O'Lone continued, recalling the township commission's mention of possibly combining museum and recreational uses of, the parcel. "As it stands now." she explained, "the (C&CH) hasn't committed itself. We're waiting to hear a definite proposal." Lower's environmental commissioners are looking for a museum to "bring out the whole" lower Delaware Bay history, Imler said, so the facility wouldn't be competing with the county maritime museum in its Historic Cold Spring Village or the Fishermen's Memorial museum proposed for Cape May. Township commissioners seek help from the county commission, he added, "to see if there's interest in the concept" of a Lower Delaware Bay Museum "because, if there's no interest in the concept, there's no use in us spinning our wheels." EARLY COUNTY SETTLERS were an industrious and inventive bunch — switching from whaling along the bay to farming. shipbuilding, bog iron smelting etc Their descendants and some skillful newcomers grew from those roots, raising cranberries and sugar cane, grinding Horseshoe crabs into fertilizer for their fields. ''Last summer, on the beach at Town Bank, seeing hundreds of these unable to get back in the water, dying and producing nasty odors, had brought to mind the old farmers and their resourcefulness," Marie

Kelly Garretson of Erma observed in The Bicenten/tial Story of Lower Township in 1976. A year earlier, George F. Boyer and J. Pearson Cunningham recorded in the Cape May County Story that "Charles Pitman Robart and James Annely of Dennis Creek provided 25,000 shingles" for the Independence Hall roof in the last century "for which they were paid top price ($13-$15 a thousand in 1850 when 610,000 were sold). "FROM ITS BEGINNING, its leading industries were lumbering, shinglemaking and shipbuilding," those authors wrote of the county. "The thick forests of native cedar were cut for posts and shingles. "Many of the original homes in the county, as well as those of Wilmington and Philadelphia, were covered with these shingles." they added. "There was a revival of this industry when blown down forests of perfectly preserved cedars of great size were discovered under the mud of the (Dennis Creek) swamps. "It was claimed that shingles made from this wood lasted almost 100 years." the writers noted. "By 1900, shingle mining was dying out," they continued. "The logs near the surface had been removed and the demand for such long-lasting shingles had diminished with the availability of newer and cheaper substitutes." That probably came us good news to roofers, but it was another local industry lost like glass blowing and shipbuilding. "A visitor to Dennis ville today would find it hard to believe it was once a flourishing shipbuilding center," wrote the authors. "One list shows 56 (vessels) were built at DennisVille from 1848 to 1901." Shipbuilding, like those other industries and trades in Cape May County's past, became a victim of modern times. But artifacts. or what remains of them, should be preserved for posterity, environmental commissioners maintain.

18th ANNUAL Senior Citizen Arts & Crafts Festival FRIDAY, JUNE 6th - 10 AM - 8 PM. SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH - 10 AM. - 5 PM. Dance Recital ' S4 TURD A Y, JUNE 7TH ■ 7:15 P.M. In The CAPE MAY Convention Hall •ADULTS -82.00 CHILDREN - 8 1 .00

Seven Mile Beach skipCladue flQl - - ^ ^ .368-1556

Herman E. Kapp was recognized for 33 years of • service to the Stone Harbor School Board at the annual dinner meeting of the New Jersey Board Association May 8 at the Flanders Hotel. Ocean City. The presentation was a surprise to both Kapp and his wife Ruth. The plaque was presented in recognition and appreciation of his long service to New Jersey school children and cited that he had served as president. vice-president and committee chairman of the board and was instrumental in the building of the Stone Harbor School. Kapp was appointed to the board Jan. 16, 1953, to fill an unexpired term, and was elected to the board in February of the same year. Among those attending the dinner were current board president Douglas V. Stanford and Joan B. Hutchinson. board secretary. St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Stone Harbor is presenting its annual dessert card party today starting at 12:30 p.m. Emma Connor is chair and among her assistants are Mary Conwell, Thelma Yeager, Mary Bashford, Jane Ford and Addie Young. Also. Sidney Jones, Arma Squassoni, Jean Rollo. Larry Feist and Pauline Murphy. TOMORROW IS the day to view the Avalon Garden Club's 1986 flower show 1 until 6 p.m. at the Community Hall, 30th Street and the Beach. "Flowers in Concert" will be the theme, and browsers may view house plants, roses, perennials and herbs while sipping a complimentary fruit juice. Grace O'Brien and Jack Warren will entertain at the piano. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted and used for the group's plantings throughout Avalon. The entrance garden is being prepared by Bonnie and Peter Atkinson of the Avalon Flower Shop, Route 9. Judges include Mrs Juanita Boardman. master judge; Mrs Elizabeth Young, and Mrs. Emily Aprill. SATURDAY is the day for the "Best Bloomin' Yard Sale" at the Women's Civic Club, 96th Street and the Beach, sponsored by the ladies of the S.H. Garden Club Jean- Christie and Ellie Spitz and a bouquet of volunteers will be on hand from 9 until noon to assist with the purchases of all sorts of treasures. In addition, the beautiful quilt made by Alice Supplee will be raffled off. On Monday. June 9, the S.H Garden Club will have a garden party for all members starting at 10 a.m. in the Firehouse, 96th Street and Second Avenue. Sam and Marilyn Deneka (he's S.H. Land Surveyors & Engineers) had a busy May. moving into their I S.H. home at the corner of 119th Street and Third

Avenue, and attending a •couple of college graduations. Daughter Nancy graduated magna cum laude from William Paterson College with a degree in elementary education Daughter Diane graduated with a B.S. degree in physical therapy from Kean College and with a certificate in physical therapy from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Brother Michael, an avid Mets fan. attends S.H. Elementary School. Congratulations to Jimy-i my Bauman, a sophomore at Wildwood Catholic High School. Recently he was inducted into the National Honor Society where membership is based on service, character, loyalty and scholarship. , • • • MEMBERS OF St. , Paul's Catholic Church will , gather for their annual , covered dish supper 3 p.m. \ Sunday, June 8, at the • Women's Civic Club, 96th | Street and the Beach. Special guest of honor will be Father Michael Orsi. who will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of his ordination. Arrangements are under the direction of the Parish Council including members Frank E'EUa. BUI Doke. Sandy Meadowcroft and Len Helbig. Plus, Dolores Celona, Marie Ryan, Peg Grimes, Betty White. Lillian Daugherty, Agnes Ericson. Kathleen Finnegan, Eileen Connor and Dot and Norman McMahon. Thank you, Agnes Robinson. for covering the S.H. Women.'s Civic Club Luncheon recently at the Whitebrier. Eleven new members who were introduced include Mary Basford, Shirley Beck. Ruth Blair, Florence Griffith, Lou Haarde, Jean Halbe, Marie Helbig. Sidney Jones. Emma Kemly, Mary McCormick and Dot Raymond. President Ellie Smith presented M 'Ellen Rowland with a farewell gift and programs for the season were discussed. Winners of door prizes were Jean Althouse. Marie Spence. Ida Aulenbach, Marie Wood. Marie Helbig and Adelaide Young. THE 10 MEMBERS of S.H.'s Keeping in Touch have compiled a list of 25 who will be visited from time to time by one or more of the members. If anyone knows of a sick person or shut-in in Stone Harbor who would appreciate hearing from KIT, please call Grace Sheerin. 368-1 183 or Gracine McMenamy. 368-2551. KIT has a new logo for cards and stationery enscribed with "Visitors Keeping in Touch." Other members include Alexandra Kokonos, president; Jo Ann Macvaugh, Marcelle deLaurentis, Sara Brady. Josephine Levinson. Peg Grimes. Ruth Blair and Mary Conwell. 7* Jim and Marty Conlin hosted a neighborhood sur-

prise party for ferry and M'Ellen Rowland a couple of Sundays ago. The Rowlands have already made plans to return to S.H. on New Year's Eve. Among the well-wishers were Becky and Rus Bailey. Jane and Carey Boss. Elaine and Bob Juni, Harriety and Bud k Zuccatro, Flori Folcher and Tillie Moore. TEN MEMBERS of the Realty Owners Association and some students from grades 3 through 8 of the S.H. Elementary School n met last Saturday to engage in a beach "CleanUp Program" beginning with the dunes on 80th Street, according to Ted Reese. COMING - Tonight, Avalon Environmental Commission, 8 p.m.; Tomorrow, Avalon Council, 10 a.m.; Monday, June 9, S.H. Planning Board, work session, 3pm., S.H. Board of Health, 7 p.m.; June 10, Avalon Planning Board, 8 p.m. Garden Club Will Install * STONE HARBOR - New officers of the Stone Harbor Garden Club, with JoAnn MacVaugh as president, will be installed at the meeting 10 a.m. Monday, June 9, at the firehouse Other officers to be insta lied are : Vickie Christman, first vice president; Nancy Pain, second * vice president ; Alberta Pain, treasurer; Mary Coffee, assistant treasurer; Elsie Snyder, corresponding secretary; Nancy Richie, outgoing president, chairman of board. Luncheon will follow the business meeting. 2 Winners In Pageant CLEMENTON - Two Cape May County contestants were award winners in the second "Spirit of America" preliminary pageant held at the Silver Lake Inn Lodge here recently. They are: Jim Coffey, Avalon. in the teen male division, and Amu Poteat. Wildwood. who won one of three congenialityawards. Part of the entry fees went to the Statue of Liberty fund. The pageant was organized by Miss Georgeann, director of Georgeann's Delaware Valley Modeling Schools of Oaklyn and Ocean City. Trip to Trump A casino bus trip to Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, Wednesday, June 18, will benefit the Newman Association of Lafayette College. For information and reservations, call 884-1651 OT 886-4672.