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Authored by Society president George Meiser IX |
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NINE News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest
========================================= 1- Society’s BCTV program repeats tonight (Fri.) and 2 more times 2- Free YOUTH CONCERT at Society SAT. night at 7:30 will be given 3- Theresa Beard, foremost Berks preservationist, dies at 94 4- Work of Berks artist Schmucker (1879-1921) at U. of Del. 5- Riverboat docked at Shartlesville to become a restaurant 6- West Lawn Borough might go the way of Temple, Wyo. Hills, etc. 7- Conrad Weiser pond to be restored 8- St. Mary’s parochial school struggling to remain open; 77 pupils 9- Laureldale gearing up for commemoration and a book ======================================= 1- A reminder that tonight (Friday) at 10....Saturday at 6 p.m. ... and Sunday morning at 9 will be the repeats of the Historical Society's monthly BCTV program that has as its focus a 90th Anniversary Salute to the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Society member James L. Shulman conducts this presentation using slides, lively commentary, and some musical clips. ======================================== 2- Tomorrow night -- SATURDAY, Feb. 8th, the annual YOUTH CONCERT will take place. Time is 7:30. This is free. YOU are invited. Nice refreshments follow the one-hour program-- including peach, raspberry, and orange tea. A very nice article describing the concert appears in the week’s Reading Eagle’s WEEKEND magazine. All sidewalks around the Society’s headquarters have been cleared of snow, the special walkway right into the auditorium (mainly for use of the disabled) has been cleared, and Centre Ave. (especially on the east side) has been plowed for parking right against the curb. Six highly talented high school students, ages 14 to 18, three males and three females, will be performing....on piano, violin, clarinet, and flute. Come and bring friends! ===================================== 3- Theresa Beard, aged 94, of Lost Tree Drive, Cumru Twp., died Sunday, Feb. 2nd, at the Reading Hospital where she had been a patient three days. Her husband, John A. Beard, a well-known Reading accountant (John A. Beard & Co., 5th and Walnut, in the Beard Building), passed away in 1992. Mrs. Beard was the daughter of the late Domenic and Catherine (Distasio) Rose. In her salad days, Theresa was the county’s leading proponent of historic preservation. She was the spark plug that fired those around her to get actively involved in saving significant structures in Berks. In the 1960s, when an active member and trustee of the Historical Society, it was she who led the movement to save the county’s oldest structure, the 1716 Mouns Jones house at Douglassville. She was relentless in her efforts to save that site. 
She and the late Dr. Arthur D. Graeff, in the company of Raymond Elliot, Dr. John German and some others, all members of the Historical Society of Berks County, formed the Preservation Trust of Berks County so that historically important county buildings could be saved from the ravages of time and irreparable damage by unenlightened residents. This was accomplished by raising funds to acquire endangered sites. If anyone in the county deserves to be remembered for historical preservation activism, it’s Theresa Beard. Among her other accomplishments was restoration and preservation of "Boone Croft," in Exeter Township, a George Boone property of the early 1700's. Regrettably, for the past 20 years or more, Theresa was side-lined by a severe heart condition that removed her from all historical activity. She is survived by two sons, one being Jeremiah who lives in Bernville. The Sanders Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ================================================ 4- Between now and March 28th, the postcard art of Samuel L. Schmucker (1879-1921) is on exhibition at the University Gallery of the University of Delaware, corner of Main St. and North College Ave. in downtown Newark. Hours at 11 to 4, Tues., Thurs., and Friday. And from 11 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays....and from 1 to 4 on Saturday and Sunday. Samuel L. Schmucker was born at 228 N. 5th St., Reading, where his dad, Dr. Francis Schmucker also maintained his medical practice. In 1896 Sam left for Phila. to study art at the PA Academy and the Howard Pyle Institute at Drexel--alongside Maxfield Parrish! Sam had polio as a child which partially paralyzed his right arm, which forced him to hold his brushes in a claw-like grip between his index and middle finger. 
It’s likely that an article will be prepared for the Historical Review with a great deal more detail. It should be known that he is one of the finest of all the postcard artists. Typically, his postcards at auction run $65 to $100+. In 1921 he died unexpectedly from a heart attack. ====================================== 5- The Reading Eagle reported on Feb. 2 that the "Suwanee Belle," a 60-ton ship, was brought from New Jersey to Shartlesville. Here, it will be restored and converted to a restaurant--and placed on a mini-lake for effect. Scott Powell, owner of the Towne Cryer Cafe in Shartlesville, is the owner. More data will follow...... ======================================== 6- For reasons of economy, voters in West Lawn Borough will decide on May 20 whether or not to merge back into Spring Twp. In recent times, Wyomissing Hills merged with Wyomissing and Temple went back to being a town within Muhlenberg Twp. ========================================= 7- The PA Historical and Museum Commission will spend $200,000 to restore the once-beautiful pond at the Conrad Weiser Homestead. The 3/4-acre pond has not help water since its original concrete liner cracked. Three streams, which feed the pond, filled it with great amounts of sentiment. Plans are to remove the damaged concrete liner and hope that existing soil will hold the water in place. Hummmmmm Bet they’ll wind up lining the bottom with clay or treating the soil in some way. ========================================== 8- The Reading Eagle today reported that St. Mary’s parochial school, 250 South 11th St. (12th and Spruce), Reading, is struggling to remain open, a victim of dwindling enrollment. During the 1999-2000 term, there were 120 students; at present, there are about 77. And that number is divided among 8 grades. St. Mary’s, for many years "a Polish school," was founded in 1898. The original schoolhouse was a typical brick school building that stood beside the church (across the street). The old building, of which we have photos, was torn down quite some time ago. (In the late 1970s????) =========================================== 9- Kathleen Sharp of Elizabeth Ave. (19605) apprises us that Laureldale is gearing up for its 75th anniversary and that a book is probably in the offing. According, a committee that has been formed is scouting around for old photographs that might be borrowed for the pending publication. If you and someone you know has old Laureldale pictures, kindly inform Gloria at the Historical Society (610 - 375 - 4375) or Mrs. Sharp (610 - 929 - 3726). Photos will be handled carefully and returned in good time. A BCTV program on Laureldale has been scheduled. More info will follow. ============ gmmix ========= end ======== |
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