BIO & HISTORY: Daniel M. Bare, 1920, Roaring Spring, Blair County, PA - Part 3 Contributed May 2003 by J. Goddard and Judy Banja Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ Looking Eighty Years Backward and A History of Roaring Spring, Pa. D. M. BARE COLLEGE PRESS FINDLAY, OHIO 1920 INTRODUCTION What may be written on the following pages is respectfully dedicated to my worthy grandson, Ivan, at whose suggestion I conceived the idea of writing of some of the things that I was familiar with in my boyhood and early manhood days, believing that the changes of customs and manners of living that have taken place during the past three-fourths of a century might interest the present generation. - D. M. B. Roaring Spring, Pa. 1920. CONTENTS PART I. A COVE FARMER BOY SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO PART II. FROM BOYHOOD TO MIDDLE LIFE, WITH PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF MEN AND EVENTS IN MORRISON'S COVE. PART III. A HISTORY OF ROARING SPRING AND VICINITY <<<:>>> (166) THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF ROARING SPRING BOROUGH The history of the public schools of Roaring Spring is certainly worthy of mention. Being able to give a history dating back to 1872, (when the town was a part of Taylor Township School District), and covering a period of nearly half a century, we find the schools have gradually grown from two in number, with an enrollment of about seventy-two to fifteen in number, with an enrollment of over five hundred. Prior to 1887 school was held in the old building just across the street from where the two present buildings are located. During the October term of court in 1887 the court gave a judicial decision which made the town a borough. This decree became effective March, 1888. There were then four schools, with an enrollment of about one hundred and eighty. About this time the high school was instituted but the first class to graduate was the class of 1892. The good people of the town manifested a great interest in education and with a steadily increasing population the board of education erected a new six-roomed building, built in 1888 and 1889. When the first class graduated in what is to- (167) day known as a third-grad high school it numbered fourteen. In 1892 the total enrollment in the schools was two hundred and one, with twenty-two in the high school. From 1892 to 1904, a period of twelve years, the schools did not increase very much in the number of pupils, and during all this time six teachers cared for them. In 1904 a third story was added to the six roomed building, thus making nine school rooms. The school enrollment then was two hundred and sixty. In 1908 the high school was changed from a third grade to a second grade or a three year's course. In the year 1909 the borough by popular vote decided to float a loan of twenty thousand dollars, and erect a new high school building. This splendid edifice was built in 1910 and is surely a credit to our progressive borough. The building has a large auditorium with a seating capacity of five hundred and sixty, with opera chairs, a splendid stage and a fine orchestra pit, a directors' room and a recitation room all on the second floor; while on the first floor there are four recitation rooms, a library room, a principal's office and in the basement a physical laboratory room, a chemical laboratory room and a commercial room, the laboratory rooms being fully equipped. The present buildings are heated with steam and lighted with electricity. In May, 1919, the board of education, con- (168) sisting of Dr. W. A. Nason, L. B. Stoudnour, F. K. Lorenz, A. D. Mingle and N. F. Clouse unanimously voted to change the High School from a three years' to a four years' course, thus making it a first grade high school and equal to any city high school of the same grade. During this same year a chemical laboratory was installed that is a credit to the splendid thriving borough The students of the Senior Class during the first year (1919 and 1920) of the inauguration of the first grade high school were: Erla Stoudnour, Olive Barnett, Helen Kagarise, Sadie Detwiler, Chas. Cowen, Chas. Hite and Frank Walter and Chalmer Sell. To the best of our knowledge, the following is a complete list of the names of the teachers of the Borough from 1878 to 1920, and also the number of years of service each one rendered: Joseph Sayer, 2 years; D. W. Martin, 2 years; Dr. A. L. Garver, 1 year; Prof. J. T. Whittaker, 1 year; Frank Kyle, 3 years; S. B. Smith, 3 years; E. A Feight, 3 years; J. P. Martin, 2 years; J. S. Williams, 2 years; Amanda Longenecker, 10 years; Prof. Vaughn, 2 years; Prof. J. H. Young, 2 years; Prof W. C. Hanawalt, 4 years; J. H. Swan, 2 years; Clara Garver, 26 years; Julia Wertz, 1 year; Annie Crissman, 16 years; Prof. J. K. Ritchey, 21 years; J. O. Singer, part of 1 year; J. W. Curfman, 30 years; Myrtle Zook, 2 years; Linda Berger, 3 years; (169) Esther Shiffler, 22 years; Mary Baird, 1 year; Prof. H. D. Metzker, 1 year; Hon. H. Atlee Brumbaugh, 3 years; Maude Brumbaugh, 7 years; Prof. G. B. Williams, 1 year; Estella Adams, 2 years; Zerelda Coppersmith, 2 years; Margaret Sullivan, 8 years; Hidessa Mentzer, 1 year; Fannie Graffius, 1 year; Sara Brumbaugh, 9 years; Clara Replogle, 6 years; E. G. Carper, 3 years; Maude Shiffler, 8 years; Ethel Swoope Craig, 8 years; Prof. J. S. Ferry, 2 years; Prof King, 3 years; Lydia Beightel, 1 year; Mary Eslinger, 2 years; Prof. C. R. Fetter, 4 years; Lena Morgart, 6 years; Mrs. Neotta Brenneman, part of 1 year; Ina Crosswhite, 2 years; Lucretia Myers, 3 years; Prof. J. K. Cramer, 1 year; Sara Rhodes, 1 year; Helen Berkhimer, 5 years; Erie Snyder, 2 years; Mabelle Detter, 4 years; Flora Jane Dexter, 3 years; Elta Ziegler, 1 year; Sara Lorenz, 1 year; Alice Fouse, 2 years; Ruth Longnecker, 2 years; Edith Eberle, 1 year; Dorothy Lorenz, 1 year; Elsa Lindquist, 1 year; Ruth Metzker, 1 year; Mary McPherson, 1 year; Dorothy Dandois, 1 year; Elmer Burket, 1 year; Fannie Morgart, 1 year; Emma Bulger, 1 year. It is only fitting that special mention be made of those who served on the teaching force for more than a score of years. First among them all is the aged and venerable Mr. J. W. Curfman, who spent thirty years in the borough and prior to that in Taylor (170) and in Logan Townships. He taught for half a century in the County of Blair Under the new teachers' retirement pension law, effective July 1st, 1919, he is the first teacher in this vicinity eligible to the pension. Second in point of service is that estimable lady, Miss Clara B. Garver, whose smiling face brought joy and comfort to all pupils. She taught in our schools for twenty-six years. Thirdly, comes Miss Esther Shiffler, who was a faithful and painstaking teacher, always commanding the respect of her pupils, who served our schools for twenty- two years. Then comes Prof. J. K. Ritchey, who for twenty-one years was principal of the schools. During his incumbency the high school was changed from a third to a second grade school and the number of rooms increased from six to fifteen. Prof. Ritchey was strong in discipline and the boys and girls who were under his direction have always spoken in complimentary terms of him as one of strong personality and setting a splendid example of life. The aggregate of these four teachers' services is ninety and nine years. We feel sure that God will abundantly bless them in their latter years, because the world has been raised to a higher standard through their unselfish service. Prof. King, the present principal of the schools, who has been with us for 3 years, has proven himself a worthy asset to the (171) community. He has taken quite an active part in outdoor sports, being a prominent leader in baseball, football, etc., and seems to have gained the confidence and respect as well as the companionship of the majority of the young people. Roll of graduates of our high school since its organization: Class of 1892 - J. E. Lynn, Jarius Dise, Albert Evans, Martin Pressel, Homer Kagarise, Calvin E. Feight, Geo. Shaffer, Geo. Sullivan, Edgar Curfman, Evington Martin, Jennie Harker, Fannie Dixon, Ida Snyder, Maria Hayes; class of 1893 - Eliza Garver, May Snyder; class of 1894 - Linda Burger, Mildred Cree, Myrtle Zook, Frank Akers, Arthur Brumbaugh; class of 1896 - John Akers, Ramsey Slick, Melcene Burns, Nellie Crawford; class of 1898 - Sara Brumbaugh, Estella Adams, Jennie Sellers, Maude Brumbaugh, Nannie Spanogle, Georgia McCreary, Merrill Williams, Howard Garver, Martha Zook; Class of 1899 - Jennie Crawford, Anna Stover, Daisy Conrad, Ross Conrad; class of 1900 - Maude Shiffler, Annie Shimer, Robert Dick, Edw. Brumbaugh, Geo. Williams, Frank Bobb, Edw. Bonner; class of 1901 - Zerelda Coppersmith, Wm. Stayer, Jessee Williams, Harry Shimer; class of 1902 - Edna Shires, Hidessa Mentzer, Lena Replogle, Harold Lorenz, Clay Martin, Ralph Bobb, Norman Fox, John Bobb, Ivan Garver; class of 1903 - Pearl Green, Laura Riddle, Elsie Bacon (172) Ella Yingling, Dorothy Lingenfelter, Jennie Benton, Edw. Berkheimer, Clayton Dick, Erastus Garber; class of 1904 - Herbert McAuliffe, Grover Replogle, Clair Denniston, Leslie Green, Gerald Hair, Edw. Feight, Oder Burket, Harry Curfman, Mary Hileman, Mary Martin, Elda Stuckey, Electa Stuckey, Ethel Swoope; class of 1905 - Lucy Gilliland, Nora Herron, Golda Burket, Mary Bobb, Margaret Garber, Margaret Sullivan, Susie Adams, Frostie Gates, Lucretia Myers, John Stern, Don Lorenz, Sherwood Coppersmith, Harrison Blake, Russell Shaw; class of 1906 - Nellie Bacon, Ruth Baker, Frances Mock, Katy McAuliffe, Avis Grove, Mada Swoope, Minnie Gilliland, Elizabeth Dougherty, Charles Ferry, Don Loose; class of 1907 - Loretta Green, Pearl Adams, Laura Myers, Bessie Albright, Mary Hair, Martha Berkhimer, Irma Albright, Mary Liebegott, Webster Mauk, Wm. Replogle, Jos. Wood; class of 1908 - Ruth Brumbaugh, Frostie Burns, Eva Burns, Katy Stern, Cora Smaltz, Russell Garver, Russell Gates, Lewis Riddle, Emery Fox, Chas. Stephens, Claude Mock, Byron Shaw, Abram Replogle; class of 1911 - Homer Benton, Palmer Mock, Geo. Replogle, Anna Ebersole, Estella Garner, Mildred Gill, Alma McKee, Margaret Mock, Leotta Vanderau; class of 1912 - Frank Moore, Paul Martin, Edw. Williams, Chas. Stonerook, Helen Berkhimer, Helen Butler, (173) Erie Snyder, Marie Kauffman, Ruth Gilliland, Mabel Brumbaugh, Clara Williams; class of 1913 - Roy Feathers, Hobart Hair, Earl Metzker, Grace Hengst, Elizabeth Hileman, Mary McKnight, Martha Vissel; class of 1914 - Edgar Hunter, Edgar Yingling, Helen Bertram, Hattie Bulger, Mary Dougherty, Vera Garver, Dorothy Lorenz, Alma McWade, Alice Swoope, Pearl Zeigler; class of 1915 - Edith Shaw, Sara Lorenz, Agnes Lingenfelter, Donald Lingenfelter, Ora Detter, John Rote, Daniel Mock, Alfred Burket, Clair Curtiss, Edw. Garber, Ralph Kauffman, Elvin Liebegott; class of 1916 - Glendora Yoder, Laura Walter, Olive Myers, Mary Myers, Ruth Metzker, Melissa Lingenfelter, Isabel Lingenfelter, Myrtle Hite, Laura Burket, Elmer Ziegler, Merrill Stonerook, Chas. McGee, Chas. Hite, Howard Feather, Sherwood Adams; class of 1917 - Ruth Wilson, Reba Stover, Nellie Shiffler, Fannie Shiffler, Grace Shaw, Olive Scarem, Dorothy McGinnis, Pearl Lower, Ruth Longenecker, Margaret Eslinger, Hatite Barnett, Loretta Baker, Harold Morgart, Elmer Burket, Elvin Rhodes; class of 1918 - Emma Bolger, Fay Croft, Lillian Croyle, Helen Hall, May Hartman, Slater Yoder, Lester Showalter, Chalmer Sell, Frank McDermitt, Roscoe Hileman, Dewey Hayes, Howard Hair, Chas. Dick, Harry Bruner, Michael Beightel; class of 1919 - Thelma Ayers, Olive Barnett, Gladys Gates, Helen (174) Hair, Ruth Liebegott, Martha Loose, Mary Mock, Clara Smallwood, Margaret Stephens, Catharine Stonerook, Erla Stoudnour, Lillian Williams, Roy Allison, Warren hair, Arthur Hall, Melville Korb, Chester McKnight, Theo. Morgart, Ray Smith, Elvin Weidenhammer, Frank Walter. We feel justly proud of our schools as well we might, for from our high school the boys and girls have gone to higher institutions of learning or to some profession so that today we find our students in practically every walk of like. We can number them among the ministers, the lawyers, the dentists, the merchants, the bankers, the bookkeepers, the clerks, the doctors, the mechanics, the druggists, the funeral directors, the nurses, the school teachers, etc. What we need is many more of our young people to complete the high school course, thereby receiving on education, which should be the most vital concern of any nation. It is interesting and yet appalling that there are in the United States today eight and one-half million of people who cannot read the newspapers or laws of our country. Seventy per cent of our men in the army camps during our recent war had never passed beyond the sixth grade of our elementary schools. Only a third of our population ever finished the elementary grades, and half never reach the sixth grade. A democracy that rests below a sixth grade (175) education has plenty of room for development to a more intelligent citizenship. The purpose of a true education is to form a nobler race of men and women. The hope of our country's future does not rest in its gold and silver, its stocks and bonds, its houses and lands, its metals and minerals nor e'en in its cattle that graze on ten thousand hills, but upon a thorough education and right training of our boys and girls, inculcating into them a patriotism for America and America's Flag, and instilling a reverence for things that are Divine and Eternal. Let us never forget that great and mighty as we are in our natural resources, powerful as we are in our commercial holdings, blessed as we are with a republican-democratic form of government, yet we may totter and fall as other nations have declined and fallen if we fail to educate aright, and this great work belongs mostly to the public school teacher. Education underlies every great national enterprise. May our teachers come to fully realize that the builders of our nation are not all in the National Capital, but many of the builders are in the humble school house, teaching boys and girls how to live and be useful. Our Common Schools! O let their light Shine through our Country's story; Here lies her wealth, her strength, her Might; Here rests her future glory. (176) THE NASON HOSPITAL The Nason Hospital was opened by Dr. W. Albert Nason, May 1st, 1896, as a private sanitarium. It was chartered April 1st, 1900, as a charitable hospital. The incorporators and trustees were Hon. Martin Bell, Hon. J. L. Hartman, J. H. Stephens, C. E. Yingling, Samuel A. Hamilton, Jas. S. Bobb and Dr. W. Albert Nason. With the charter was included the privilege of conducting a nurses' training school, with the power to grant diplomas. The training school has graduated fifty-seven nurses, many of whom have occupied high positions in other hospitals. In the war it furnished seven, three of whom were on overseas duty. In August, 1900, there was organized the Ladies' Hospital Association with Miss Annie Crissman as president. This organization has been largely responsible for the success of the hospital. It has developed in the community an active support from the people generally, and has promoted a feeling of responsibility for its success. Through it, an annual donation day was established and held each year on Thanksgiving Day. For several years Mrs. E. G. Bobb has been its president, and through her activity and influence a large amount of money has been (177) raised. The association has provided the hospital with a motor ambulance, a high-grade X-Ray machine, and has added to the equipment and furnishings from time to time. A large amount has also been spent by them for repairs, laundry machinery and new furniture. The Hospital had a struggle for its existence for a good many years, being handicapped with a big debt and insufficient funds. Then a campaign was inaugurated and the debts were paid off and money was provided for new additions; at this time D. M. Bare donated funds for the erection of an isolated building for contagious diseases. Three years ago Mr. Bare purchased a house and lot and donated it for a Nurses' Home, which was a greatly needed and appreciated addition. It is impossible to give the names of all who have generously worked and given for the hospital, but in particular we would mention Hon. J. L. Hartman, who has been President of the Board of Trustees for many years and always a staunch supporter. The present Board of Trustees are: Hon. J. L. Hartman, President; Hon. John M. Reynolds, Jas. S. Bobb, Secretary; D. M. Bare, E. G Bobb, Frank McDonald, H. M. Detrick, J. P. Martin, Treasurer, Hon. T. J. Baldridge, Jas. C. Dysart, Dr. A. L. Garver, Edw. Hair, Claude Jones, Dr. W. Albert Nason, Jas. Foust, W. I. Woodcock, Atty. (178) The Medical Staff consists of Dr. W. Albert Nason, Superintendent and Chief of Staff; Dr. C. W. Fox, Dr. W. L. Grounds, Dr. F. R. Shoemaker, Dr. W. E. preston, Dr. W. R. Palmer, Dr. B. B. Levengood, Dr. John B. Nason, Dr. W. H. Robinson, Dr. G. F. Fandois, Dr. Webster Calvin, Dr. J. S. Bonebreak. Superintendent of Nurses, Elizabeth V. Hodgkins, R.N.; Assistant Superintendent of Nurses, Elfie C. Undercuffler, R.N,; Night Superintendent, Jennie Cable, RN. The Nason Hospital has been a great blessing to this community and is becoming appreciated more and more as the years go by. People are realizing now as never before what an ideal place for the sick a first class hospital is. However, hospitals at present are having a very hard time financially to make ends meet, and cannot do so without substantial help from the surrounding community. State appropriations have not yet been increased while the cost of living has increased about one hundred per cent and there has been no increase in the hospital charges to patients. Besides this, more than forty per cent of those taken care of in the Nason Hospital are charity patients. The present capacity of the hospital is fifty patients and the average number of patients during the past year was thirty, but at times the beds have all been taken. A good work has been done by organizations (179) and individuals in furnishing rooms in the hospital. Each of the following have furnished a room; The Lutheran Church of Roaring Spring, the Catholic Church of Newry, Woodbury Lodge No. 539, F. & A. M., Mrs. E. G. Bobb, and a room furnished in memory of Joseph D. Law. There are still other rooms that should be furnished and any person wishing to do so will kindly advise Dr. Nason. The graduate nurses of the hospital have formed an Alumnae Association of which the present membership is fifty-three. They hold a reunion each year at commencement time, thus keeping alive the love for their Alma Mater. Their present officers are: President, Miss Carrie Lee; Vice-President, Miss Margaret Gilliland; Secretary, Mrs. W. Albert Nason; Treasurer, Miss Anna Graffius; Executive Committee, Miss Mary Hair, Mrs. Mabel Coleman Phillips and Mrs. Blanche Hite Glass. The following have graduated as nurses since the organization of the Training School: Mrs. Cora Long, Mrs. Clara Smith Webber, Miss Minnie E. Pfordt, Mrs. Mary Snyder Milleisen, Mrs. Mary Ketring, Miss Agnes Resch, Miss Alice Guyer, Miss Jennie Cable, Miss Phylene Abbott, Mrs. Dessa Triplett Yon, Mrs. Elda Stuckey Roberts, Miss Alice Riddle, Miss Margaret Gilliland, Miss Rhoda Gahagan, Mrs. W. A. Nason, Miss Ethel Burgess, Miss Gertrude Wil- (180) liams, Mrs. Lottie Hollenbauch Blakeslee, Mrs. Jessie Foust Ackley, Mrs. Mabel Coleman Phillips, Mrs. Myrtle Metz Johnston, Mrs. Elizabeth Coleman Hicks, Mrs. Mame Fink Rowe, Miss Clara Hay, Mrs. Lulu Dietz Guilliam, Miss Harriet Stover, Miss Sara Gordon, Mrs. Josephine Henry Getmeider, Miss Flora Miller, Mrs. Ella Russell Hickey, Miss Grace Nicodemus, Mrs. May Plempel Lemare, Miss Mary Hair, Miss Orpha Wilt, Miss Mary Blake, Mrs. Lavina Barefoot Imler, Miss Anna Gill, Miss Bertha Maugle, Miss Regina Bannon, Miss Emma Sager, Miss Olive Bayer, Miss Carrie Lee, Miss Myrtle Crain, Miss Sara Weiser, Miss Anna Graffius, Mrs. Daisy Wheatley Whitney, Miss Helen Baker, Miss Florence Piper, Miss Mary Morrow, Mrs. Rachel Harnish Patterson, Mrs. Harriet Hooker, Patterson, Miss Bertha Williams, Mrs. Anna May Harper, Miss Florence Imler, Miss Florence Riddell, Miss Martha Burket, Mrs. Blanche Hite Glass. Seven of the graduates of the Training School were in the service during the World War. Those who saw overseas duty were Miss Bertha Maugle, who served eight months; Mrs. Mary Snyder Milleisen, one year, and Mrs. Alice Smith Webber, fifteen months. In this country Miss Alice Riddle and Miss Anna Graffius served eight months and Miss Orpha Wilt, nine months, while the length of service of Mrs. May Plemple (181) Lemare is not at present available. Miss Agnes Resch entered the service July 15, 1918, and has not yet been discharged. She went overseas in August, 1919, and since then has made three trips on transports, now being stationed at Fox Hills, Staten Island. (182) THE PARK In 1885 when the Spang Mansion Farm came into my possession it contained a timber tract of eight or nine acres called the "Sugar Grove," located in the heart of what is now Roaring Spring. Soon after I bought it, I laid out and sold the lots on Park Avenue which were soon improved by erecting dwellings which have been the pride of the town. After the lots on Park Avenue were all sold I had another street surveyed running parallel with Park Avenue and staked off some more lots. However, I did not then offer any for sale for the reason that I had become impressed with the idea that the town ought to own this grove. At that time, though, I did not feel like donating it to the town, neither did I think the town would buy it, as least not then. Soon after this Dr. Nason bought several acres off the southwest side of the grove on which he has since erected his splendid residence. Grove street was laid out between Main and Locust streets, some time after Dr. Nason'' purchase of this property. This reduced the original Sugar Grove to about three and one-fourth acres and this remained for some years a sort of "No Man's Land" or in another sense a public (183) commons, free to everybody. However, about three years ago, I decided that the time had come to make some disposition of it, and in order to place it in some organization whose life would be perpetual, I offered to donate it, free of any charge, to the School Board, to be held in trust for the citizens of the town. The purpose of the grant is stated in the deed as follows, "The object and intent of the grantor in making this conveyance being to give the people of the Borough of Roaring Spring a pleasant place for recreation and rest and to provide a place for children to play under proper regulations and oversight; and it being an express condition of this deed as well as a part of the consideration, therefore, that the grantee hold and maintain the above described parcel of land for those purposes; and further it is also an express condition of this deed that the said grantee have the ground prepared for the use intended and make such regulations for the proper conduct of the same and such provisions for financial support as from time to time may become necessary for its proper upkeep and supervision." The School Directors took charge of the property in 1918, and employed a landscape gardener who laid the park out in walks with a main driveway through it and provided also a tennis court and a children's play ground. During the summers of 1918 (184) and 1919 the work could not be done as rapidly as had been expected on account of the scarcity of labor, but by the close of the summer of 1919 the improvements had been practically completed and a fine evergreen hedge planted along the whole southeast side of the park. In the summer of 1919 it was decided to erect a monument in honor of the soldiers of Roaring Spring and Taylor Township, who were engaged in the late World War. A suitable location in the park was agreed on a monument costing twenty-one hundred dollars was erected there. This monument was finally dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on the thirteenth day of December, 1919. Some work on the park will have to be done yet, but as soon as the weather becomes warm, the benches which we now have on hand will be placed and the park opened to the public. The improvements to Jan. 1st, 1920, have cost four thousand, nine hundred and seventy-six dollars and fifty cents, and have all been paid by voluntary subscription, and the additional work will be provided for in the same way. However, the cost of up- keep and supervision should be and no doubt will be paid out of the school tax, which would be the most equitable method. This park will be a most valuable asset to the town and will continue to be more and more appreciated as the years go by. It has been said that the greater park facilities a town or (185) city has the less in size will be its slum quarters. In harmony with this idea, the following clipping from a Sunday School paper has just come to me, "Spokane, Washington, is said to have no slums, and in proportion to its population has the largest park area of any city in the United States." (186) THE ROARING SPRING ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION For a number of years Roaring Spring like most towns of its size, had no permanent organization for the promotion of athletics and outdoor sports, and whatever efforts were made in that direction were not continued from year to year with any fixed program. However, for possibly the last twenty-five years the town has been represented almost yearly by a baseball team, an in fact gained the reputation within the county of generally having an unusually good team for a town of its size. The first ball ground used in Roaring Spring for games played with out-of-town teams was located on what was then known as the "Big Hill," land now occupied by houses located on the eastern parts of Cherry and Maple streets. This was a very hilly and poorly located ground, and the accommodations for spectators consisted of seats on the rail fence along the northern part of the field. About seventeen years ago the playing field was transferred for about two years to a plot near the intersection of Albright and Locust streets, west of the railroad, and then to land owned by the D. S. Brumbaugh estate, northwest of the cemetery. (187) This latter location was an improvement over the "Big Hill" and a small "bleacher" was erected here for the accommodation of the spectators. The field was not level, however, and not much effort was made to improve it, as the ground was usually rented only from year to year, and it was not very often that the same manager had the team in charge two years in succession. Baseball was the only sport played with out-of-town teams until about 1915 when the High School organized a football team and games with other schools were played on this same field. The poor facilities for indulging in sports and the lack of accommodation for spectators had often been a subject of conversation among many of the town's citizens, but no definite move had ever been made toward anything better. Seven or eight years ago, through the generosity of one of her citizens, Hollidaysburg was provided with a fine athletic field, and after it was completed, many people thought that Roaring Spring should make an effort to provide a new field. In the early spring of 1916 the matter was seriously discussed by a number of those interested, and much of the credit for finally starting some action on the project must be given to James S. Williams, always a strong supporter of athletics and outdoor sports. He called a meeting of those who had been actively discussing the sub- (188) ject, which was held in the banquet room of the Odd Fellows Hall on the evening of April 18th, 1916. Among those present were J. S. Williams, L. O. Burket, Donald Lorenz, Ivan E. Garver and George Gill, and it was decided to immediately look for a suitable location for a new field, and it was also planned to raise the necessary funds by popular subscription. A considerable sum of money was soon secured by the solicitors and the first meeting of the subscribers was held in the Odd Fellows' Hall on May 16th, 1916. Two sites were considered; one situated in the eastern part of town on the Samuel S. Garver farm containing three and three-fourths acres and offered for $2600.00 and the other in the southern part of the borough, on the John E. Lower estate, containing four and thirty-one one hundredths acres, and offered for five hundred and fifty dollars per acre or a total of twenty-three hundred and seventy dollars and fifty cents, and this latter site was selected by an overwhelming vote. It was decided to incorporate and secure a charter under the name of the "The Roaring Spring Athletic Association," and C. S. Stephens, L. O. Burket and Ivan E. Garver were elected directors for three years; J. S. Williams, R. D. Lorenz, and L. A. Garber for two years, and E. M. Hite, P. A. Martin and Abram Snyder for one year. Upon organization the directors elected J. S. Williams, (189) President; L. O. Burket, Vice-president; R. D. Lorenz, Secretary, and Ivan E. Garver, Treasurer. As soon as possible work was started on grading and improving the field which continued as workmen were available throughout the year. Early in the spring of 1917, the Planing Mill Company of Roaring Spring was awarded the contract for the construction of a grand stand to cost $1600.00. It was built of heavy lumber, on concrete piers and has comfortable seating capacity for three hundred and twenty-five spectators, although five hundred can be accommodated, if necessary. Beneath this stand are located dressing rooms, toilets, shower baths, ticket office, etc., and it is very well and substantially constructed. Mr. Nicholas Clouse, of Roaring Spring, prepared the plans free of charge and superintended the construction for the Planing Mill Company. The first ball game was played on the new field Saturday afternoon, April 28th, 1917, with Altoona Machine Shop, a five-inning practice game, which Machine Shop won 4-0. There has been expended up to Jan. 1st, 1920, for the purchase of grounds and permanent improvements, including grading of field, erection of grand stand, sowing grass seed, planting trees, etc., about $5,2500.00. There have of course, been additional expenditures for insurance, interest on mort- (190) gage, printing, uniforms for teams, and other annual fixed charges. The sole indebtedness of the association at this writing (January, 1920) is a note for twenty-five hundred dollars held by the Roaring Spring Bank and it is believed that a campaign for funds planned for the spring of 1920 will entirely clear off this debt. Most of the money has been raised by the sale of stock in the Association at $1.00 per share, together with the proceeds of entertainments, suppers, etc. The property owned is admirably situated for the purpose, and is already used for baseball, football and tennis, while plenty of room is available for track and field sports. It is planned to make improvements each year as the finances permit, and it is believed that it will eventually become one of the best equipped athletic fields in the state. The citizens of the town have always been very generous in helping the project financially and it is believed that it will be better appreciated as its value to the community becomes more and more apparent. As an evidence of the interest taken by the people of Roaring Spring and near-by towns in the contests held on the field, there were twenty-two hundred paid admissions to witness the last game of the Blair County Baseball League played on August 23rd, 1919; this large crowd being accommodated without encroaching on the playing field. The directors of the Association for 1920 are: (191) J. S. Williams, C. D. Green, R. D. Lorenz, Paul A. Martin, R. B. Garver, L. A. Garber, E. M. Hite, Melvin C Garber and George Gill, and the officers are, J. S. Williams, President; R. B. Garver, Vice-President; R. D. Lorenz, Secretary, and Melvin C. Garber, Treasurer. (192) THE BOROUGH COUNCIL The first Borough Council of Roaring Spring was organized in the office of J. M. Hite on the first day of March, 1888. D. M. Bare was the first president of council and E. G. Bobb was the first Burgess and the following persons composed the first council: J. M. Hite, W. J. Galbraith, D. M. Bare, H. C Lorenz, D. M. Butler and H. Ga. Hair, David Stern was elected the first secretary. Mr. Stern died the same year and James Bobb was chosen his successor. He continued as secretary till 1902 when he was succeeded by J. W. Curfman, who has filled the office continuously for the past eighteen years. The following persons have served as burgesses during the past thirty-two years: E. G. Bobb, James Detrick, S. A. Hamilton, Dr. Wm. Spanogle, Watson Mock, Thomas Fletcher, Wilson Albright and W. S. Miller. The following persons served as presidents of the council; D. M. Bare, E. G. Bobb, Joseph Spade, Dr Chas. Fox, John Johnson, John I. Cramer and John E. Hoover. In addition to the persons already named who composed the first council the following persons have filled the office of councilman up to the present time, to-wit: John W. Shimer, A. J. Pollard, C. W. Me- (193) Kee, D. R. Wike, Joseph Spade, E. Z. Kegarise, Dr. Chas. Fox, G. E. Harker, Aaron Albright, Jas. W. Smith, A. J. McQuade, J. W. Widenhimer, J. P. Martin, John Johnson, Harry Liebegott, W. H. Carper, Fred Garver, Grant Burns, T. M. Quarry, John I. Cramer, Frank McDonald, John E. Hoover, Dr. W. H. Robinson and Millard Bulger. The terms of all the councilmen expired Dec. 31st, 1919, and the following councilmen were elected at the November, 1919, election, their terms to begin Jan. 1st, 1920; Millard Bulger, John E. Hoover, H. Norman Fox and Samuel Gates, who will held their office for four years; Edgar Dick, John S. Tipton and Walter Hite, who will hold their office two years. Edward hair has been treasurer since the organization of the Borough. (194) THE BOARD OF HEALTH On August 11th, 1893, Dr. C. W. Fox, Dr. R. A. Plank, Rev. M. M. Foose and W. L. Hayes met in the study of the Church of God and organized the first Board of Health of Roaring Spring. Dr. C. W. Fox was chosen President, Rev. M. M. Foose, Secretary, and William Hurley, health officer. This Board met weekly alternately in Dr. Fox's and Dr. Plank's office until March, 1894, but owing to the fact that the Borough Council declined to give it financial support and the citizens were not generally interested, the members of the Board all resigned. However, on January 14th, 1897, Dr. A. L. Garver, Dr. C. W. Fox and Rev. W. L. Spanogle met in the Roaring Spring Blank Book Company's office and effected an organization; at this time Dr. A. L. Garver was elected President, Rev. W. L. Spanogle, Secretary, and P. W. France, Health Officer. This Board met once a month and they succeeded in getting an appropriation of sixty-five dollars from the town council. Since this organization the council each year nominates five men to serve on the Board of Health. Dr. A. L. Garver had served continuously as President of the (195) Board, since the second organization, up until the time of his death. Rev. W. L. Spanogle was succeeded as secretary by E. C. Korb, who was elected in 1900, and who held the office until his death. He was succeeded by L. A. Garber, who resigned in 1918, and was followed by the present secretary, Edwin G. Carper. In 1907 the Board was composed of the following gentlemen: Dr. A. L. Garver, Dr. W. Nason, Dr. W. M. Eldon, E. C. Korb, and Albert Albright During this year a set of By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, conforming to the Health Laws of the state were adopted. The following persons have served as health officers: William Hurley, P. W France, and William McGinnis. Mr. McGinnis held the office from 1902 up until the time of his death, March, 1920. During the years from 1893 to 1920, two severe epidemics visited the town, scarlet fever in 1907 and in 1918 and 1919 the Spanish influenza, some twenty-six or thirty people of the town dying of the latter disease. The Board of Health endeavors meet all the requirements of the State Department of Health, and consequently the town has been kept in very good condition as to sanitation. The present Board is constituted as follows: Dr. R. A. Lambert, President; E. G. Carper, Secretary; David K. Loose, and Geo. Eckard, Mr. Carper acting as health officer. The present Board has already arranged to (196) amend their By-Laws and Regulations, so as to fully harmonize with the health laws and regulations of the state. The present town council is co-operating with the Board of Health, endeavoring to make this town a pleasant and healthful town to live in, and for this year's work, the Council has appropriated two hundred dollars. (197) THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Chamber of Commerce of Roaring Spring, Pa., was organized in October, 1915, with the motto, "For a Greater Roaring Spring." The purpose for which this organization was formed was to advance the civic, moral, commercial and industrial interests of Roaring Spring and along this line the organization has always been very active. The following are the officers: President, Dr. W. Albert Nason; First Vice- President, Frank McDonald; Second Vice-President, J. P. Martin; Third Vice- President, E. G. Carper; Fifth Vice-president, E. G. Carper; Fifth Vice- President, J. W. Smith; Secretary, L. A. Garber; Treasurer, R. A. Lambert. With a membership of sixty-two, the Chamber of Commerce was very active during the World War and Under the leadership of Dr. A. L. Garver the town always went over the top in Liberty and Victory loans. Some of the things that this body accomplished are-securing gates at the grad crossing on Main Street, the overhead bridge and the right-of-way through McKee for the State Highway and the monument (198) for the World War soldiers, located in the public park. The Chamber of Commerce has always taken a great interest in good roads, which we now have on all main highways leading from the town. (199) THE ROARING SPRING POST OFFICE The first post office was established at this place in January, 1854, and was called "Spang's Mill Post Office," after the name of the place at that time, and Burgess Willett was the first postmaster. Mr. Willett was succeeded in office by Nelson Farquhar in August of the same year and he in turn by Jacob L. Martin. Mr. Martin was succeeded by Robert Todd in 1856, and J. M. Spang succeeded Mr. Todd in 1862. He continued in office until 1864 when he was succeeded by Alex. Gwin. Mr. Gwin held the office until 1868 when he was succeeded by D. M. Bare. On Dec. 8th, 1868, the name of the office was changed to Roaring Spring. It is worthy of note that during the fourteen years that the office was called Spang's Mill, there were seven different postmasters, and during the fifty-two years that it has been called Roaring Spring, there have been only six. Until April 25th, 1901, the office was fourth class, but for four consecutive quarters prior to that date the receipts from the sale of stamps and stamped papers exceeded one thousand dollars, which qualified it to become a third class office. It is now the largest third class office in Bair County and the postmaster is entitled to re- (200) ceive a salary of eighteen hundred and twenty-five dollars pr year. Mr. Chas. W. Zook was postmaster when the office was changed from fourth to third class. During Mr. Zook's term of office the domestic money order service and also the international money order service were established here. In December, 1901, a government postal savings bank was established which soon met with favor and by June, 1916, there were one hundred and sixty-six depositors and deposits amounting to $26,643.00. The Rural Free Delivery was established June 1st, 1901, and serves about one hundred families on about twenty-two miles of rural roads. The first carrier was Samuel Massic, who had the position about seven months after which Mr. Wm. A. Stephens became the carrier and has continued in the service since. The volume of mail handled now is about four times the amount of first, second and third class handled at the beginning, besides the present large volume of parcel post business. Soon after Mr. Burket became postmaster he was impressed with the idea that the mail facilities should be improved, and he, therefore, made application for an additional mail to leave on the 8:30 A.M. train which was granted. Previous to that time the office had been receiving and dispatching, daily, six mails by railroad, and two by Star Route, operating between this office and (201) New Enterprise. At present, there are eleven mails received, and thirteen dispatched daily. In 1916 Postmaster Burket made application to the department for the establishment of a Village Delivery in Roaring Spring. After numbering the houses and putting up letter boxes at the street corners, the service was started June 1st, 1917, with two carriers, Samuel Kegarise and Frank Snyder, who was succeeded by Clay Price. On July 1st, 1917, a daily Star route service between Hollidaysburg and Roaring Spring was inaugurated, giving the town a 7:00 A.M. mail, the first early morning mail it has ever had, and also an additional evening mail leaving at 5:45 P.M., daily except Sunday. On June 1st, 1917, a double daily Star Route service was established between this office and New Enterprise, Pa., and the morning trip of this service was later extended to include Salemville, Pa. At the same time, Roaring Spring was made a central distributing office for all other offices in the southern end of the Cove which includes Ore Hill, Baker's Summit, Woodbury, Waterside, Loysburg, New Enterprise and Salemville. In 1918 this office sold over $120,000.00 worth of War Savings and Thrift Stamps, and in 1919 the sales amounted to $70,000.00, and so far this year (April 1st, 1920) the sales have been $10,827.00. (202) The names of the postmasters and their terms of service since the name of the office has been changed to Roaring Spring are as follows: D. M. Bare, 1868-1883; C. W. Zook, 1883-1885; Edw. Hair, 1885-1889; Wilson Hair, 1889-1894; T. Z. Replogle, 1894-1899; C. W. Zook, 1899-1914; R. E. Burket, 1914 to date. (203) TELEPHONE SERVICE The first telephone to enter our town was called the Altoona Telephone Company and was under the management of R. M. Bailey and J. Chester Wilson, with an office at 1318 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, Pa. The Morrison, Bare and Cass Paper Company signed an agreement under date of July 24th, 1880, whereby they agreed to pay the Altoona Telephone Company one hundred dollars subsidy towards building the line to Roaring Spring, and four dollars a month for the use of the telephone as soon as it would be installed. The line was completed and put in service a few months later and has been in successful operation ever since. The central office at present is at Hollidaysburg and the number of subscribers twenty-three. After a few years' service the Altoona Telephone Company sold their line to the Bell Telephone System, which has ever since continued its operation. The next company to extend their lines to Roaring Spring was one financed by A. V. Dively, Esq., in the year 1895 and for a time operated by him, after which he sold it to the United Telephone and Telegraph Company. This company connects with the Morrison Cove Tele- (204) phone Company at Roaring Spring and gives the town the benefit of two competing general telephone systems. The last telephone company to extend its lines to Roaring Spring was the Morrison's Cove Telephone Company in the year 1904. The officers of this company are Lee Ferry, President, and J. M. Woodcock, Secretary and Treasurer, with a main office at Waterside, Pa. This company has a large number of farmers as patrons, its lines extending from Loysburg to Roaring Spring and to Williamsburg, and at present there are one hundred and ten subscribers at the Roaring Spring exchange. (205) DR. WILLIAM ALBERT NASON Dr. William Albert Nason was born at Townville, Crawford County, Pa., the son of Dr. William and Catharine Breed Nason. He was educated at the borough schools and Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa., and graduated in 1887 from Cincinnati Eclectic College, and in 1892 from Rush Medical College, Chicago. He is a member of the Blair County, Pennsylvania State and American Medical Associations. He located in Roaring Spring, Pa., May 1st, 1896, and has been at the head of the local hospital from that time until the present date. He has been surgeon-in-chief and chief of staff of the Mercy Hospital, Altoona, Pa., since its opening, and is a consulting member of the Staff of the Altoona Hospital. From Jesse Sell's History of Blair County we glean the following additional facts. Before coming to Roaring Spring Dr. Nason had practiced medicine in Pleasantville and Titusville, Pa., and after locating in Roaring Spring in 1896, he opened a private sanitarium and conducted it as such till 1900. It was then incorporated as a hospital and since then has been largely a charitable institution, one that reflects great credit upon its founder and its supporters. Dr. Nason is held in (206) very high regard by his fellow citizens, not only for his professional skill which is recognized all over the state, but for his manly personal qualities. He was married first to Miss Elizabeth Pennell, of Pleasantville, Pa., who, at her death, left two daughters, Marjorie and Alice. His second marriage was to Miss Sara Baughman, of Blairsville, Pa. He is not an aggressive politician, being too busy a man for that, but he casts his vote regularly and is identified with the Republican party. He is a 32nd degree Mason, and a Past Master of Woodbury Lodge, No. 539, F. & A.M. of Roaring Spring. (207) DR. CHARLES FOX At the request of Dr. Fox, I will insert his history as it is given in Jesse Sell's History of Blair County, published in 1911, as follows: "C. W. Fox, M. D., president of the borough council of Roaring Spring and a leading physician and surgeon of this place, which has been his home for twenty- three years, was born at Woodbury, Bedford County, Pa., Sept. 10th, 1859, and is a son of Michael Fox, who lived there into an honorable old age, having reached his eightieth year when death occurred. C. W. Fox was reared in the old home in Woodbury and attended school there and afterward in Taylor Township, Blair County. In 1879 be began the study of medicine with Dr. John Oeillig, then a well-known physician of Woodbury, and from his instruction entered Jefferson Medical College Philadelphia, and was graduated in 1882. His first field of medical practice was at Argentine, Kansas, from which place he moved in a short time back to Woodbury. He located at Buffalo Mills, Bedford County, in 1884 and remained there until March, 1887, when he came to Roaring Spring, where he now enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He is also a (208) member of the hospital staff of the Nason Hospital and is numbered among the successful members of his profession in Blair County. Dr. Fox married Miss Catherine Mohr, daughter of John Mohr, now of Roaring Spring. They have two children, Henry N., who is station agent at Ore Hill for the Penna. Railroad Company, and Emery W., who holds a clerical position in the offices of the Penna. Railroad Company at Hollidaysburg. Dr. Fox and his eldest son are both 32nd degree Masons. He is also identified with Model Lodge, No. 856, Odd Fellows at Roaring Spring and belongs to its different branches and has served in the office of the Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment. He is also a member of the Foresters at Roaring Spring. Dr. Fox was reared a Methodist in faith, but is now a member of the Lutheran Church and has been a church member since youth. In Politics he is a Republican and has always been an active and what may be termed a constructive citizen, his efforts ever having been public spirited and progressive. He was a member of the Borough Council from 1905 to 1915, and for the largest part of that time, its efficient president." (209) DR. W. L. GROUNDS Dr. Grounds is the son of William H. and Mary Henderson Grounds. He was born at Washington, Pa., October second, 1883. He received his primary education in the public schools of Washington County, Pa., after which he entered Westminster College at New Wilmington, Pa. After leaving Westminster College, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore from which institution he graduated in the year 1910. He practiced medicine five years at Emporium, Pa., and has practiced about five years at Roaring Spring, Pa. He also served seven months in the U. S. Military Service from which service he was discharged at Camp Grant, Ill., in February, 1919, after which he resumed his practice at Roaring Spring, where he now enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He has also been a member of the Nason Hospital Staff during the time he has been living in Roaring Spring. (210) DR. W. HERBERT ROBINSON Dr. Robinson is the son of William Hench Robinson and Mary Arbuncle Bowers Robinson. He was born at East Waterford, Juniata County, Pa., March 14th, 1882. He lived on the home farm with his parents till he was sixteen years of age, when he entered Tuscarora Academy at Academia. After finishing the course of study there he completed an advanced course in the Airyview Academy at Port Royal, Pennsylvania. He then taught school two terms in Juniata County, after which he entered the Academy at New Bloomfield to prepare for medical college. In September, 1903, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., taking a four years' course and graduating from that institution in 1907. He served a four months' internship at Adrian Hospital, Punxsutawney, Pa., and served as House Physician at the State Hospital for Insane at Warren, Pa. In May, 1908, he located at Roaring Spring, Pa., where he now and for some years has been enjoying a large and lucrative practice. He has been a member of the Nason Hospital Staff since 1915, and from 1916 to 1920 has been a member of the Borough Council of Roaring Spring. (211) DR. W. L. HAIR Dr. W. L. Hair, with an office at 324 Main Street, is the latest addition to the medical fraternity of our town, having commenced his practice here November 1st, 1919. He gives the following account of his parentage, education and practice. Be is the son of Horace G. and Fannie C. Hair, and was born in Roaring Spring, Pa., December 21st, 1892. He was educated in the Roaring Spring Public and High Schools, and graduated from Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pa., in 1912, and from Jefferson Medical College in 1917. He was in the U. S. Army Medical Corps Service from September 21st, 1917, to March 8th, 1919, during which time he received the following post graduate instruction: Army Medical School, Washington, D. C.; The Neurologic Institute, New York City; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Washington, D. C.; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was also on duty at General Hospital No. 37, Madison Barracks, N. Y., from October 29th, 1918, to March 8th, 1919. Dr. Hair has had quite an extended experience for a man of his age and bids fair to become a prominent physician of this place. (212) ROARING SPRING FRATERNAL ORDERS G.A.R. Lieut. H. N. Lower Post, No. 82, G.A.R. Department of Pennsylvania. Constituted Nov. 17, 1881. The first officers were Daniel Hite, Co. C., 200 Pa. Vol., Commander; W. Frank Kyle, Co. B, 208 Pa. Vol., Adjutant. Entire membership enrolled, one hundred and twenty-six; living at present, March 24th, 1920, twenty-five; deceased, one hundred and one. WOODBURY LODGE, No. 539, F. & A.M. Constituted at Woodbury, Pa., August 19th, 1875. Moved to Roaring Spring, Pa., Dec. 27th, 1887. The present officers are as follows: C. Irvin Kurtz, W. M.; Fred J. Wood, S. W.; H. Norman Fox, J. W.; John E. Stern, Treas.; Lawrence P. Swoope, Secretary: Russell B. Garver, Representative. The present membership is one hundred and forty-four. MODEL LODGE, No. 836, 1.O.O.F. Constituted October 30th, 1873. The present officers are as follows: Noble (213) Grand, John R. Bassler; Vice-Grand, J. E. Guyer; Secretary, J. W. Curfman; Treasurer, Jas. S. Williams; Representative to Grand Lodge, Elvin E. Myers. The present membership is one hundred and fifty-two. JOHN I. NOBLE ENCAMPMENT No. 269, I.O.O.F. Constituted at Roaring Spring, Pa., June 7th, 1886. The present officers are as follows: John R. Bassler, Chief Patriarch; Wm. C. McGee, Sr. Warden; Chas. Mock, Jr. Warden; David McGee, High Priest; E. E. Myers, Scribe; C. W. Fox, Treasurer, E. E. Myers, Secretary. The present membership is fifty-five. WASHINGTON CAMP No. 130, P.O.S. of A. Constituted Nov. 22nd. 1887. The present officers are as follows: Blair Eckard, President; John Maddocks, Vice-President; Elmer E. Hartman, Recording Secretary; Lawrence P. Swoope, Financial Secretary; Jacob P. Martin, Treasurer. The present membership is eighty-one. LIEUT. D. M. BUTLER CAMP No. 254, SONS OF VETERANS U.S.A. Constituted Nov. 4th, 1898. The present officers are as follows: M. L. (214) Krider, Commander; John Nofsker, Treasurer; R. H. Barclay, Secretary. The present membership is forty-nine. MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA Constituted Oct. 8th, 1915, in I.O.O.F. Hall by Deputy Head Counsel, H. H. Walburn, of Millersburg, Pa. The present officers are as follows: John E. Guyer, Counsel; Geo. H. Guyer, Adviser; Harry H. Miller, Banker; John E. Hall, Clerk. The present membership is thirty. WINONA REBEKAH LODGE, No. 174, I.O.O.F. Constituted Sept. 22nd, 1888. The present officers are as follows: Mary Stewart, N. G.; Sara Thomas, Vice- Grand; Annie Samels, Secretary; C. W. Fox, Treasurer; Pearl Adams, P. N. G., District Deputy President of Blair County. The present membership is sixty-five. ROARING SPRING CHAPTER No. 121, O.E.S. Constituted at Roaring Spring, Pa., April 6th, 1912. The present officers are as follows: Worth Matron, Mrs. Melda S. Kauffman; Worth Patron, Roland Smallwood; Associate Matron, Mrs. Marjorie Hite; Con- (215) ductress, Mrs. Loretta Wood; Associate Conductress, Mrs. Mada Garver; Secretary, Miss Anna McAuliffe; Treasurer, Miss Vera Gates. The present membership is one hundred. ROARING SPRING CASTLE No. 208, KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE Constituted June 19th, 1901. The present officers are as follows; E. C. Yingling, N.C.; L. P. Swoope, V.C.; J. F. Himes, P.C.; J. I. Cramer, M. of R.; B. Z. Baker, C. of E.; J. D. Stonerook, K. of E. The present membership is sixty-two. (216) THE SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL MONUMENT After the close of the World War and when the soldiers were returning home, it was suggested that some suitable memorial should be created in honor of the boys of Roaring Spring and Taylor Township, who left their homes to defend their country and in some measure the liberties of the nations of the world. It was soon decided that a permanent monument to their honor should be erected in our town. Suitable committees were appointed of which W. S. Miller was the chairman and the preliminary work was begun. The various committees were constituted as follows: Soliciting Committee - R. H. Barclay, Samuel Blattenberger and E. O. Carper. Purchasing Committee - Dr. A. L. Garver, Dr. W. A. Nason and J. P. Martin. Location Committee - J. S. Williams, Rev. A. S. Williams and Rev. J. A. Detter. After some correspondence and a visit from a representative of The Fischer & Jirouch Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, the committee closed a contract with this firm for a granite and concrete monument to cost twenty-one hundred dollars. The people of the community responded generously (217) and the soliciting committee quickly had the necessary amount of money raised The committee on location soon found that the sentiment was quite largely in favor of placing it in the public park, and as a suitable location was available there, that site was unanimously chosen. The erection of the monument was completed early in December and suitable dedicatory services were held Dec. 13th, 1919, the following program being carried out. A military parade in charge of Chief Marshal R. H. Barclay and led by the Roaring Spring and Frankstown bands proceeded to the M. E. Church, where a fervent prayer was offered by Rev. A. S. Williams. After the singing of America Dr. A. L. Garver delivered an able presentation address, followed by an appropriate address of acceptance by Dr. W. A. Nason for the community, and a further address of acceptance by Mr. Leslie W. Green for the soldiers. Following some closing remarks by the chairman, W. S. Miller, the procession moved to the park and the monument was then unveiled and there flashed to public view the tablet bearing the names of one hundred and forty veterans. After the benediction by Rev. A. A. Hartman the festivities were shifted to the Methodist Church social rooms where a splendid chicken and waffle supper, which had been prepared by the ladies of the different churches of the (218) town, was enjoyed by the World War Veterans and their friends. The monument is a splendid piece of workmanship and is a credit to the liberality of the community and a suitable and permanent memorial to the veterans of the World War. (219) DR. A. L. GARVER Since writing the foregoing pages of this book a great loss has come to our family and to this community in the death of my son-in-law, Dr. A. L. Garver who died at Altoona on the afternoon of March 2nd, 1920. He had attended the monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Trust Company of which institution he was the Vice- President. He took an active part in the meeting and after the adjournment boarded a car for Altoona; after alighting from the car, he went into Jones' meat market on Eleventh Avenue to make some purchases, but before this bad been accomplished he dropped over and expired in a few minutes. His sudden and unexpected death came as a great shock not only to his family but to the community and to the surrounding country in which he was so well known. Dr. Garver was a born leader and upon him was placed the responsibility for many of the important movements that the town and community were called to undertake for the general good, outside the local interests, and also for the good of our town whose welfare lay near his heart. Abraham Lincoln Garver was the son of Benjamin and Barbara Garver and was born in Germany Valley, Huntingdon (220) County, June 17th, 1859. He received his education at Kishacoquillas Academy and Juniata College. After teaching school for six terms he entered Dr. A. S. Stayer's office as a medical student and later went to Jefferson Medical College from which institution he graduated in the class of 1883. He practiced medicine in Roaring Spring for four years, after which he accepted a position in the office of the D. M. Bare Paper Company, where he continued until 1891, when he became general manager of the Roaring Spring Blank Book Company, which position he retained until his death The Altoona Times-Tribune and the Altoona Mirror each gave extended front page accounts of his death and also of his life; from the Mirror I have clipped the following: "Dr. Garter, a man of state-wide reputation and many business connections, will be sorely missed in business, church and political circles, in all of which he was a leader. Closely identified with the growth of his home town, Roaring Spring, he was a power for good in the community and any project that had for its purpose the betterment of the town had his hearty co-operation and support. During the World War he served as chairman of the Liberty Loan Committee of the Seventh Federal District, including Roaring Spring and Taylor Township and largely due to his efforts the district went (221) over the top in every loan or war drive made. Dr. Garver's success in the business world was largely due to his ability and efforts. From a poor boy he grew to be one of the wealthiest men in the county. Taking hold of the Roaring Spring Blank Book Company as general manager when the plant was still in its infancy, having been established only a few years previously, he developed it until it attained its present size and rank, as the fourth largest plant of its kind in existence. Products of the Roaring Spring plant are marketed in all parts of the world. Dr. Garver continued as general manager and treasurer of this corporation until his death. He also took an active part in the management of other Roaring Spring industries and business establishments. He was a director in the D. M. Bare Paper Company and part owner of the Roaring Spring Department Store and of the Planing Mill Company of Roaring Spring. He was also Vice-President and a director in the Hollidaysburg Trust Company. Politically, he was a staunch Republican and at the time of his death was a member of the State Industrial Board, Department of Labor and Industry, having been appointed by Gov. Brumbaugh and continued in office by Gov. Sproul. In Roaring Spring, he took a deep interest in the success of the public schools and was a member of the Board of Education for a (222) period of twenty-three consecutive years. In religious circles he was a leading figure in the Methodist Church and had served many years as a trustee of the church. He was also a member of the Model Lodge No. 856, I.O.O.F. As a director of the Nason Hospital, he contributed freely toward the support of that institution." The Times-Tribune after giving an extended account of Dr. Garver's life and of his death, gave the following editorial testimony of his worth as a citizen: "The sudden death of Dr. A. L. Garver, of Roaring Spring, one of the county's most prominent citizens, was a great shock to a large company of men and women who were glad to call him a friend. He was a public spirited citizen of both the county and the state. His influence was always exerted on the side of righteous government. He will be missed in his home town and throughout the state as he was a positive citizen and was always interested in the political, the religious and the social problems of the day." From an extended Resolution of Respect passed by the local Methodist Church and Sunday School, of which he was an active and loyal member, I clip the following: "More than one young man of today accredits some portion of his success to the advice, the encouragement or the substantial aid of Abraham Lincoln Garver. He was a living example of a true Christian. He (223) illustrated the wholesome influence which true adherence to the principles of Jesus Christ, whom he loved and whom he served, can exercise in a church and community. He was a man of exceptionally pure habits. He lived in an atmosphere of moral cleanliness, a thorough gentleman everywhere and under all circumstances. His bearing was always modest and unassuming; he never pushed to the fore, yet he never hesitated in asserting his opinion of right or wrong. The same quality of honorable success he carried into the business life of the community went with him into the church. By his death the church has lost one of its most active and faithful members, one of its most helpful officials. His presence at all services, his willingness to assume responsibility in both the spiritual and business work of the church was phenomenal. Throughout the life of the church there was no legitimate work of any kind that did not feel the impetus and benefit of Dr. Garver's purse and personality, and his place will be difficult to fill." (224) PRODUCTION STATISTICS OF OUR COUNTY The United States covers only six per cent of the earth's area and contains only five per cent of the earth's population, but the United States produces: 75 per cent of the corn of the world. 70 per cent of the cotton. 60 per cent of the copper. 37 per cent of the coal. 26 per cent of the silver 21 per cent of the wheat. 62 per cent of the oil. 43 per cent of the pig iron. 31 per cent of the tobacco. 21 per cent of the gold, and contains 33 per cent of all the wealth in the civilized world. (225) LIFE ONLY A CENTURY AGO (From the "Watchword") One hundred years ago a man could not send a telegram. He could not ride a bicycle. He had never struck a match. He had never ridden on an elevator. He had never crossed an iron bridge. He had never taken a ride in a steamboat. He had never seen his wife use a sewing machine. He had never used anything but a wooden plow. He had never received a typewritten communication. He had never seen a reaper or a self-binding harvester. He could not call in a stenographer and dictate a letter. He couldn't take an anaesthetic and have his leg cut off without feeling it. He never looked pleased before the photographer, or had his picture taken. (226) THEN AND NOW Martha Washington complained of the high cost of living before you did. This was her price list in 1776: Meat - $1 to $2 per pound. Corn - $25 per bushel. Rye - $30 per bushel. Potatoes - $10 per bushel. Molasses - $12 per gallon Flour - $5 per hundredweight. Cider - $40 per barrel. Cheese - $2 per pound. Butterine - $3 per pound. Sugar - $3 per pound. In 1779 sugar rose to $4 per pound and tea the same. In 1789 butter sold for $12 a pound and tea $40. (227) A CENTURY AGO IN AMERICA Merchants wrote their letters with quill pens. Sand was used to dry the ink as there was no blotting paper. There were no street letter boxes; letters had to be carried to the post office. It cost eighteen and one-half cents to send a letter from Boston to New York, and twenty-five cents to send a letter from Boston to Philadelphia. Less than a century ago rum was furnished at ministers' ordinations, also pipes and tobacco, as Lyman Beecher tells. Every gentleman - Washington for example - wore a queue, and many powdered their hair. Imprisonment for debt was a common practice. Virginia contained one-fifth of the whole population of the country. The Mississippi Valley was not so well known as the heart of Africa now is. Two stage coaches carried all the travelers between New York and Boston; six days were required for the journey. The was not a public library in the United States. A day-laborer received two shillings a day. (228) Stoves were unknown; all cooking was done at an open fire-place. Many of the streets were unnamed and houses were not numbered. Three-fourths of the books in every library came from beyond the Atlantic. "Who reads an American book?" was an Englishman's sneer in the early part of the century. When a Virginian started on a journey to New York, he made his will, and bade farewell to his friends, as if he never expected to see them again. Beef, pork, salt fish, potatoes, and hominy were staple articles of diet all the year round. - From the "Presbyterian." (229) HOW WE GREW Following is the population of the United States at each census since 1800: 1800, 5,308,400; 1810, 7,239,800; 1820, 9,633,800; 1830, 12,866,000; 1840, 17,069,400; 1850, 23,191,800; 1860, 31,443,300; 1870, 38,558,300; 1880, 50, 155,700; 1890, 62,622,200; 1900, 75,994,500; 1910, 91,972,200, and our present estimated population is considerably over 101,000,000. (230) HOW A LANGUAGE GROWS A language, like a human being, grows year by year. New inventions, new discoveries and new ideas demand new words to fit them. The English language produces nearly five thousand words every year. In the year 1615 a complete English dictionary was published. It contained 5,018 words, and would not be reckoned very complete today. Johnson's dictionary was published in 1755, and contained 50,000 words. The first edition of Webster's dictionary was issued in 1830, and contained 160,000 words. But in 1894 the Standard dictionary had grown to 318,000 words. The next edition, it is said, will contain 450,000 words. A big spelling book that. - Exchange. (231) SUPERLATIVES The largest library is the National, in Paris, which contains three million books. The tallest monument is in Washington, D.C. It is 550 feet high. The highest chimney is in Glasgow, Scotland, and is 447 feet. The deepest coal mine is near Lambert, Belgium, and is $3,500 feet deep. The strongest electric light is at Sydney lighthouse, Australia. The biggest dock is at Cardiff, Wales. The greatest bank is the Bank of England, London. The oldest college is University College, Oxford. It was established in the year 1050. The largest college is in Cairo, Egypt. It has on its register each year over 10,000 students and 310 teachers. The largest bronze statue is that of Peter the Great, in Petrograd, Russia. It weighs some 1,100 tons. Damascus is claimed to be the oldest city in the world. The most costly book is a Hebrew Bible, which is owned by the German Government, and which the Pope offered $125,000 for. Until recently the most costly medicine was supposed to be metallic gallium, $150,000 a pound. But radium brings about $200,000 an ounce. From the "Chicago Tribune." (232) OLD TIME POSTAL RATES The first law of congress fixing rates of postage was passed February 20, 1792, and went into effect June 1st, 1792. The charge established for transmitting letters was as follows: Not exceeding 30 miles, 6 cents. Over 30 and not exceeding 50 miles, 8 cents. Over 60 and not exceeding 100 miles, 10 cents. Over 100 and not exceeding 150 miles, 12 1/2 cents. Over 150 and not exceeding 250 miles, 17 cents. Over 250 and not exceeding 350 miles, 20 cents. Over 350 and not exceeding 450 miles, 22 cents. Over 250 miles, 25 cents. (233) RELIGIOUS BELIEF OF OUR PRESIDENTS It will be of interest to know the religious beliefs of our nation's chief executives - present and past - Washington, Episcopalian; J. Adams, Congregationalist; Jefferson, Liberal; Madison, Episcopalian; Monroe, Episcopalian; J. Q. Adams, Congregationalist; Jackson, Presbyterian; Van Buren, Reformed Dutch; Harrison, Episcopalian; Tyler, Episcopalian; Polk, Presbyterian; Taylor, Episcopalian; Buchanan, Presbyterian; Lincoln, Presbyterian; Johnson, Methodist; Grant, Methodist; Hayes, Methodist; Garfield, Disciples; Arthur, Episcopalian; Cleveland, Presbyterian; B. Harrison, Presbyterian; McKinley, Methodist; Roosevelt, Reformed Dutch; Taft, Unitarian; Wilson, Presbyterian. (234) POTATOES A MODERN FOOD Only within the last century has the potato become a staple of our dinner tables, says the Journal of Heredity. It was first discovered by the Spaniards in Ecuador and first mentioned in 1550. By 1585 it had been brought to North America, whence Sir Walter Raleigh took it to England a year later. Until about 100 years ago it was despised as a food for human beings, except as an emergency ration in times of famine, but was widely used as food for animals. (235) A DAY IN NEW YORK CITY Every second four visitors arrive in New York. Every forty-two seconds an immigrant arrives. Every forty-two seconds a passenger train arrives. Every three minutes some one is arrested. Every six minutes a child is born. Every seven minutes there is a funeral. Every thirteen minutes there is a wedding. Every forty-two minutes a new business firm starts up. Every forty-eight minutes a building catches fire. Every forty-eight minutes a ship leaves the harbor. Every fifty-one minutes a building is erected. Every one and three-fourths hour some one is killed by accident. Every eight and one-half hours some pair is divorced. Every ten hours some one commits suicide. Every night $1,250,000 is spent is restaurants for dinner. Every day three hundred and fifty new citizens go to New York to live. (236) DEFINITIONS OF BIBLE TERMS A day's journey was thirty-three and one-fifth miles. A Sabbath Day's journey was about an English mile. Ezekiel's reed was eleven feet, nearly. A cut is twenty-two inches, nearly. A hand's breadth is equal to three and five-eight inches. A finger's breadth is equal to one inch. A shekel of silver was about fifty cents. A shekel of gold was $8.09. A talent of silver was $538.32. A talent of gold was $13,809.00. A piece of silver or a penny was thirteen cents. A farthing was three cents. A gerah was one cent. A mite was one cent. A homer contains seventy-five gallons and five pints. An epha or bath contains seven gallons and five pints. A bin was one gallon and two pints. A firkin was seven pints. An omer was six pints. A cab was three pints. (237) PRICES AND VALUES One of the results of the changed cost of living in the past few years has been a confusion in prices with values by those who try to measure the values of commodities today with those of a decade or so ago. An anecdote illustrative of the point is told in a recent circular letter by a lumber industry. A Missouri farmer, as the story runs, kicked because his dealer offered him for $90 the same kind of a buggy that his father bought twenty years ago for $50. The merchant, upon investigation, found that the father paid for his vehicle with 300 bushels of corn. Whereupon he offered to give his customer in exchange for 300 bushels of corn the following articles: One $90 buggy. One $75 wagon. One $20 suit of clothes. One $20 dress for his wife. One $2 dress for his baby. One $5 crib for his baby. One $3 box of cigars. $10 worth of sugar. $100 worth of gasoline. $15 worth of lubricating oil. The farmer refused the offer, paid the $90 for his buggy and departed satisfied. - Ex. (238) ONLY THIRTY YEARS AGO Ladies wore bustles. Operations were rare. Nobody swatted the fly. Nobody had seen a silo. Nobody had appendicitis. Nobody wore white shoes. Nobody sprayed orchards. Cream was five cents a pint. Cantaloupes were muskmelons. Milk shake was a favorite drink. Most young men had "livery bills." You never heard of a "Tin Lizzie." Advertisers did not tell the truth. The hired girl drew one fifty a week. Nobody "listened in" on a telephone. Folks said pneumatic tires were a joke. Doctors wanted to see your tongue. The butcher "threw in" a piece of liver. Nobody cared for the price of gasoline. Farmers came to town for their mail. Straw stacks were burned instead of baled. There were no sane Fourths or electric meters. People thought English sparrows were "birds." Jules Verne was the only convert to the submarine. Publishing a country newspaper was not a business. You stuck tubes in your ears to hear a phonograph, and it cost a dime. - Selected. (239) CHRONOLOGY OF INVENTIONS Barometers were first made by Toricelli in 1643. The first pipe organ was made by Archimedes, in 220 B.C. Buckles were first made in 1680. The first torpedo was made in 1777. The first horse railroad was built in 1826. The folding envelope was used first in 1839. The velocipede was invented by Drais in 1817. Roller skates were invented by Plympton in 1863. Iron pavements were first paid in London in 1817. The first plaster cast was made by Verochio in 1470. Covered carriages were first used in England in 1580. The first iron wire was drawn at Nuremberg in 1351. Advertisements first appeared in newspapers in 1652. Stem-winding watches were the invention of Noel in 1851. (240) IN CONCLUSION I have now come to the concluding chapter of my book and before closing it I wish to express my indebtedness to the following persons for their valuable assistance in its preparation. The six ministers of the town prepared the history of their churches and the Sunday Schools connected with them, as they are given in this book. Mr. L. B. Stoudnour furnished the excellent history given of our public schools, and Mr. J. C. Curfman the history of the Borough Water Plant and a description of the more than one thousand acres of timber land connected with it, and also a history of the Borough Council and the persons who have composed it. Dr. A. L. Garver supplied the history of the Roaring Spring Blank Book Factory, and Mr. Lewis Garber the description and history of the ice plant. The history of the Roaring Spring Bank was furnished by Mr. S. H. Cree and that of the Nason Hospital by Dr. W. Albert Nason. The physicians of the town gave information as to the institutions from which they had graduated and of their work since leaving college. Postmaster Ranson Burket supplied material for a history of the local post office and the present mail service (241) which it now affords. Mr. Ivan E. Garver prepared an account of the athletic activities of the town and a description of the athletic field. Mr. Leo Garber furnished information regarding the Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Melvin Garber arranged a list of the business houses of the town and Mr. Clarence Hair a list of the Lodges and their officers. Mr. W. s. Miller supplied a history of the Soldiers' Monument and an account of its dedication, and E. G. Carper a history of the Board of Health. Hon. Jesse Hartman, Dr. Frank Berkhimer, Mr. Wm. Heuston, Mr. Eli Lower and Mr. Horace Shoenfelt furnished valuable historical information, and Mrs. Frank Berkhimer prepared the typewritten copy of the manuscript. I am especially indebted to Mr. Ivan E. Garver in correcting the original copy and arranging it for the printer and he is now reading the printer's proof as it is being submitted to him. Perhaps the question may occur to the reader as to why I am publishing this book. One reason is, I am interested in history, especially local history, and consequently I like this kind of employment. Another reason is, that I thought I had some friends who would enjoy reading it. However, the first suggestion for such a book came from my grandson, Ivan E. Garver, who has greatly assisted me and who has made the work easy and pleasant in its preparation. (242) Besides these reasons, I think every community should have a local history of its own in addition to the larger and more general history of the locality. With this idea in view I decided to publish this history of Roaring Spring and of its immediate vicinity. When the books have been printed and bound I will be pleased to donate a copy to any of our citizens who may desire one, and I will be amply repaid if they find pleasure in the perusal of its pages. I am now writing the last lines of the last chapter of my book, on this fourteenth day of April, 1920. I am now well along in my eighty-sixth year and my health is still good and my faculties fairly so, for one of my age. My life has been a pleasant one, made so largely by pleasant family and church relations and by environments that were congenial. I try to render thanks to our kind Heavenly Father both for the measure of health I now enjoy and for the innumerable blessings that have come to me. While I have suffered some bereavements which are the common lot of all, and have had my days of testing, yet I have never allowed skepticism to disturb me. I have always, and do now, believe the Bible to be the Word of God, and that God is the Creator and Preserver of all things and that his Son, Jesus Christ, through the love of God, came into the world to save sinners. I believe (243) that we receive salvation through faith and repentance, to be followed by obedience to His will, and by a consistent Christian life. This is my faith, and for more than fifty years I have endeavored to exemplify this faith in my life, although it must be admitted in much weakness. THE END. (244) Page Blank (245) INDEX Introduction Frontispiece Part I. A cove Farmer Boy Seventy-Five Years Ago 7 Part II. From Boyhood to Middle Life With Personal Reminiscences 57 of Men and Events in Morrison's Cove Part III. A History of Roaring Spring and Vicinity 81 The Water System 97 The Grist Mill 101 The Paper Mill 103 Roaring Spring Blank Book Company 111 The Planing Mill 115 The Ice Plant 117 The Eldon Inn 118 The Roaring Spring Bank 120 Roaring Spring Light, Heat and Power Co. 124 The Roaring Spring News 126 Retail Business Houses 127 The Church of God 131 The Methodist Episcopal Church 136 St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church 145 The Reformed Church 153 The Roaring Spring Church of the Brethren 158 The Mennonite Church 162 (246) The Public Schools of Roaring Spring 166 The Nason Hospital 176 The Park 182 The Roaring Spring Athletic Association 186 The Borough Council 192 The Board of Health 194 The Chamber of Commerce 197 The Roaring Spring Post office 199 Telephone Service 203 Dr. William Albert Nason 205 Dr. Charles Fox 207 Dr. W. L. Grounds 209 Dr. W. Herbert Robinson 210 Dr. W. L. Hair 211 Roaring Spring Fraternal Orders 212 The Soldiers' Memorial Monument 216 Dr. A. L. Garver 219 Production Statistics of Our Country 224 Life Only a Century Ago 225 Then and Now 226 A Century Ago in America 227 How We Grew 229 How the Language Grows 230 Superlatives 231 Old Time Postal Rates 232 (247) Religious Belief of Our Presidents 233 Potatoes a Modern Food 234 A Day in New York City 235 Definitions of Bible Terms 236 Prices and Values 237 Only Thirty Years Ago 238 Chronology of Inventions 239 In Conclusion 240 (248) Page Blank An Explanation The following chapter was written in April 1920, and was intended to be inserted in my book, entitled "Looking Eighty Years Backward," as the last chapter before the conclusion. However, by some unfortunate mishap, it was omitted and these pages will supply that omission. D. M. BARE January 1, 1921. (250) A Few General Comments On Roaring Spring My book has already grown considerably larger than I had intended but item after item has come to me until the present volume has been attained. It now remains for me to add a few closing pages to what has been written and then my self-imposed task will have been completed. Roaring Spring was no doubt the original name of this locality; the name was taken from the roar of the water as it came out of the hill. The original purchase or perhaps the application for the land was made in 1756. That was twelve years after Penn had bought Morrison's Cove for which it is said he paid less than two thousand dollars. The name continued to be Roaring Spring until Mr. Spang bought the property which was in 1821; from that date until 1868 it was called Spang's Mill. At the last named date the post office and the village (then but a few houses) again took the name of Roaring Spring. It is now thirty-two years since the town became a Borough. Since that time it has continued to increase in population from twenty-five to forty-five per cent. each census-taking decade, and from the official figures of the census of 1920, published just yesterday, it contains 2379 inhabitants. The location of the town is very good. It has two well-built brick school houses, one of them an unusually fine building, with an auditorium that will seat about six hundred persons. The High School now has a four years' course and is, therefore, the same grade as the best in the state. The town also contains six church buildings and (251) six organized and prosperous churches. There are four thousand feet of brick paved streets and the state road, (Sproul Route No. 286) from Altoona to Everett, passes through it. As to the class of dwellings in the town, I think they are much above the average for towns of the same size. For the first twenty years or more the houses were mostly built of wood but for the last twenty years they have nearly all been built of brick, as the following list will show, which was obtained from the local Planing Mill. Of the ninety-seven buildings that were erected within the Borough limits, from 1910 to 1920, fourteen were frame and eighty-three were brick. One of the brick buildings was a large five-story addition to the Blank Book Factory; another one was the new large public school building, and another, the fine church building of the Church of the Brethren. There are probably not many small towns that have as large a proportion of fine brick buildings in them, or of persons who own their own homes, as in this town, which certainly speaks well for the character and thrift of our people. This, of course, is not saying that there are not other towns quite as good as Roaring Spring, for any town or community is just as good as the people who compose it, no better and no worse. It is, however, apparent to the unbiased observer that there are yet many things that should be much better than they are. But this one thing can be said of the citizens of the town, that their aim has been to make it easy for her people to do (252) right and hard for them to do wrong. There were a number of citizens in the early history of the town that believed that the open saloon was a curse to any community and with that in mind they decided to undertake to rid our community of this curse, for a saloon had already been in active operation here for a dozen or more years. It meant a hard fight but the good people won out and the effect of this victory as that for the past thirty-six years not a gill of liquor has been lawfully sold in this town except for sacramental or medical purposes. Of course, liquor has been sold and liquor has been drunk here but not a spoonful of it legally. Needless to say attempts have frequently been made during the past thirty-six years to secure licenses for the sale of liquor, but through the persistent efforts of the temperance people, with the aid of the Anti-Saloon League, all their endeavors have failed. Now that prohibition has become the law of the land with it has come a wonderful change in the sentiment of the people on the liquor question. Where is the man now that would say that Roaring Spring is not a better town because it has been legally dry for the past thirty-six years? We have read much of late in regard to the great need there is yet of better church and Sunday School facilities even in our own favored land. This need can hardly apply to our town as the following figures would show. According to the statistics recorded on the previous pages of this book, the six churches of the town have a membership of 2195, a Sunday School enrollment of (253) 1715, with an additional enrollment in the Home Department and Cradle Roll of 328, making a membership of 2043, connected with the Sunday Schools of the town. In round numbers the town contains a population of 2400 and we estimate that there may be as many as 300 outside the Borough limits that attend a different Sunday Schools and churches; this would indicate a church membership of over eight per cent. of the population attending and connected with the Sunday Schools. After providing church and schools for a community, probably the next institution for importance is a well conducted hospital. This, I am pleased to say we have in our town. In that respect we are favored above most of the towns of the size of Roaring Spring. It was very fortunate for the town when Dr. W. Albert Nason, whose reputation as a skilled surgeon is state-wide, decided to settle here and open up the Nason Hospital. This has been a great blessing to our town and community. Another valuable asset of the town is the new Park which will be thrown open to the public as soon as the trees and shrubbery which have been ordered, have been planted. This Park is of easy access as it is located in the central part of the town. Many other things might be mentioned but I will close by adding a few extracts from impressions of our town recorded by traveling man, who have been here. (254) The following is taken from the Jonesboro News, published at Jonesboro, Georgia. It was written by Ben. F. Perry, editor of the above publication, who recently spent a week in Roaring Spring. Mr. Perry had spent the previous week in Johnsonburg, Pa., which place he called the most cosmopolitan town that he had ever visited on account of the many nationalities of its citizens. He says, "I am now pleasantly located at Roaring Spring, which is emphatically an American town, with but one foreigner and two colored people living in it. It is a clean, sober, industrious law-abiding, prosperous town of good citizens who are united and take a great interest in all that tends to the uplift of the town, religiously, morally, and materially and who have an abiding faith and loyalty for the state and nation. As before stated the homes are mainly owned by their occupants and it is the rule too rather than the exception that the residences, churches, business and factory improvements are brick and stone, and this is more noticeable here than elsewhere. Today (Sunday) the lid was on tight, and it seemed that everybody went to church, represented here in congregations of the Church of the Brethren, Christ Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Church of God, and Mennonite. There is not, however, a Presbyterian, Baptist or Catholic Church here, which distinguishes Roaring Spring from other towns and cities that I have visited. But the most gratifying feature of the town is the absence of the bar-room and drunkenness. No whisky has been legally sold here in thirty years, hence no (255) loafers or idlers." Mr. Perry also makes very favorable mention of the Eldon Inn; this will be found in the article on the Eldon Inn in the previous pages of this book. Rev. Daniel H. Longnecker was a Cove boy about the age of the writer. He was born and raised in South Woodbury Township, Bedford county, but for many years he has been living in the West. When we were young men, we attended the same debating societies in the country school houses. His brother, Jacob, was president judge of the Bedford county Courts for a term of ten years. In the year 1912, Rev. Longnecker in company with his daughter, Miss Florence, a teacher in the public schools of Kansas City, visited his old home and stopped a day or two in our town. He was favorably impressed with it and wrote to his home paper, the Paoli Republican, as follows: - "Roaring Spring is a comparatively new place and is one of the finest towns I have seen, east or west; there are more fine homes than at any place I ever saw of its size in the United States. <<<:>>>