Pictures from a Play by the Harlequins in 1948

On November 15 and 16, 1948, the local dramatic group the Harlequins presented the play You Can’t Take it With You. The play was a comedy written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Some of the individuals in the picture above are: Carl Miller, Fran Miller, Eldon Rosswurm, Carroll Post, Lois Meyer, Shirley Carpenter, June Palmer, Ralph Hoffhines, Dorothy Lalond and Jack Mayer. The play was about the fun-loving Sycamore family. In the local production featured June Palmer as Alice Sycamore and Ralph Hoffhines as Tony Kirby. Below is another scene from the play.

Carroll Post and Orson Kniseley built a model boat for the play.

An article in the November 16, 1948 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News reported that “good performances were given by all.” Jack Mayer stole the show as a Russian ballet master, sporting an eagle tattoo and a Russian accent. Someone in the cast created a holiday greeting card with a picture of the set from the play.

These photographs were donated to the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center from the Kniseley family. Orson Kniseley played Grandpa Vanderhoff in the local play.

Local Heroes: The Carnegie Medal Awarded to Sandusky Residents

Between 1904 and 1969, nine Sandusky area residents were awarded the Carnegie Medal for acts of extraordinary civilian heroism. The medal pictured above was awarded to Earl Thomas, who saved Rolland Smith, age 16, from drowning, after Rolland fell into deep water off the railroad bridge at Mills Creek. Though Thomas was not a good swimmer, he swam over thirty feet to bring Smith to safety, where both men were pulled out of the water by another young man. Though young Smith was unconscious, and Thomas suffered from exposure, both recovered. 

By performing a search for Sandusky, Ohio at the website of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, you can read a brief summary of all the awardees who were from Sandusky. In 1904, William C. Brune saved George P. Pfanner from drowning. Another water rescue took place in 1905 when baker Henry Schiller saved Wendell B. Tussing from drowning while at Lakeside, Ohio. When the Mahala Block burned on November 18, 1909, George B. Knopf made his way to the top of the fourth floor building to rescue Emma Keyes from the fire.

  

On October 29, 1920, Harry May saved Martin Maier from being killed by a train. The locomotive was only two feet from the men when Harry pushed Martin to safety. Hilda Hertlein was only twelve years old when she lifted four year old Viola Poock off the track as a streetcar was approaching. In addition to the Carnegie Medal,  Hilda received $1,600.00, which she used towards her studies at Ohio State University. Henry Sherman Potter, Jr., was also quite young when he earned a Carnegie Medal. Henry was age thirteen, when he saved  ten year old Omar E. Meyer, Jr. from drowning, after Omar fell through the ice while skating on Sandusky Bay. Henry broke through the ice, and finally threw his sweater to Omar to help pull him to safety. An article about the heroic act of Henry Sherman Potter, Jr. appeared in the July, 1929 issue of Boys’ Life magazine. Omar E. Meyer, Jr. eventually became the owner and president of the local company O.E. Meyer & Sons. 

While in Lorain in 1932, William G. Lang saved twenty-two month old Leila Smith from being struck by a streetcar. While at the helm of the streetcar, Lang quickly applied the brakes and drastically reduced the speed, after which he grasped the toddler to safety. During a severe rainstorm on July 5, 1969, Larry E. Smith rescued LoRene Limbard from drowning, after she was trapped in a fruit cellar in her home after a basement wall collapsed. Two men outside the home helped Mrs. Limbard out a small basement window, after Smith helped her find her way to the window. As Larry Smith himself exited through the window, the water had risen to the ceiling light of the basement. Sandusky can be proud of the many heroic actions undertaken by these nine ordinary citizens who helped save others’ lives while risking their own life.

Knights of St. John Convention in Sandusky

The Knights of St. John, a Catholic fraternal organization, held their convention in Sandusky, Ohio from June 19-26, 1910. Special services were held at St. Mary’s church, while business sessions took place at Cedar Point. A Grand International Parade was held in downtown Sandusky on June 20 at 3 p.m.

The Knights of St. John wore military style uniforms.

Rev. John Cavanaugh, president of the University of Notre Dame gave an address at the Grand Banquet at Cedar Point on June 23. On Friday night, a grand military ball was held at the Coliseum at Cedar Point, with the Knights of St. John in full uniform.

The field and staff officers for the 1st Battalion, 5th District of Ohio, were all residents of Sandusky. William Busam served as Colonel; Emil Meyer was Senior Major; Joseph Meyer was Junior Major; Lieutenant Colonel was Carl F. Joerger; Anthony Joerger was Commissary; and Adjutant was Benjamin Erney. The Sandusky Commandery of the Knights of St. John, No. 49, had their photograph taken on the steps of the Sandusky Library.

Emma Meyer’s Autograph Book

Autograph books have long been a favorite of graduating students, providing them with a memento that contained verses and signatures written by their friends and classmates. Emma Meyer received this autograph book from her brother Frank about 1883. Emma was living at 323 Tiffin Avenue in Sandusky, Ohio at the time. The booklet was entitled the “Golden Floral Album.” Colorful pictures have been glued to some of the pages of the autograph book.

Below is the verse signed by Eva Bitter:

It reads:

“To Emma”

May you path be strewn with roses.

Fair and flowery to the end;

And when your body in death reposes.

May your Maker be your friend.

                                    Is the wish of your

                                    Friend Eva Bitter

Aug. 24, 1883

The signatures that Emma collected were from people in several  locations, including Catawba Island, Norwalk, Columbus, and Louisville, Kentucky, suggesting that Emma carried the autograph book with her while she traveled. John Miller, from Bellevue, who would later become Emma’s husband, signed her autograph book.

Autograph books can help you learn more about your ancestor and the times in which they lived. Long before cell phones and Facebook, the humorous verses and Victorian illustrations contained in Emma’s autograph book provide us with a brief glimpse of the customs of young adults in days gone by.