The following excerpts from The Millerton News were com- piled by Kathleen Spahn, Vivian Sukenik, Nancy Vialpando and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.
June 1, 1933
‘School Was Hard Hit by the Measles’:… last month was a record month in many respects. First, the Millerton school had the lowest monthly average that it has had in three years. Second, the yearly average is the lowest it has been in three years. Third, the first and second grades hit the lowest point that has been reached by any room in the past three years….The figures for the past month show how Old Man Measles laid the school low, and had it not been that it was closed for a week by the board of health, there is no telling where the monthly percentage would have been…
‘Goetchius to Make Double Appearance’: Ray Goetchius, of Millerton, national champion parachute jumper, will appear next Sunday at both Millerton and the Columbia County Airport near Hudson. At 2 o’clock he will give the performance postponed from Memorial Day at Spencer’s Corners near Millerton and at 5:30 will make a leap at the Columbia County Airport.
June 6, 1974
‘Canevari Cited as Top Player’: Dan Canevari, the son of Mr. Mrs. Charles Canevari of Millerton, has been a top ballplayer this season for the Webutuck Warriors.
On the mound he has compiled an impressive 1.86 E.R.A., posting a 4-2 record. In 56-one-third innings he struck out 75 batters and walked seven.
Dan has often played right field when not pitching, since his solid .400 bat has been quite an asset to the offense.
‘Her Highness’: Jane Crawford was crowned Junior Prom Queen at Webutuck High School by last year’s queen.
‘His Majesty’: Dave Runge, Webutuck High School’s Junior Prom King, is crowned by last year’s king, Jay Kain.
‘Merwin Chairs Bicentennial School Group’: Lori Merwin of Millerton, a sophomore at Webutuck High School, Amenia, has been chosen as chairman of high school activities throughout the county for the American Revolution bicentennial parades, fireworks and festivities committee.
Miss Merwin, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Merwin, Airport Rd, has an interest in history, but is majoring in mathematics at Webutuck in preparation for being a special education teacher…
June 3, 1999
‘It’s Bears, Bears Everywhere – Millerton’: A wandering bear was spotted last week off Rudd Pond Road in the town of North East, just at the edge of the village.
Todd Kitchen, his wife Martha and their children Hannah and Jacob were heading south on Rudd Pond Road May 24 around 7:45 p.m. The black bear darted in front of their car in a westerly direction somewhere between Belgo and Gay roads….
After about 15 minutes from the original sighting, the bear was seen by passersby walking down Stone Avenue, off Beilke Road. The bear trotted into a field and into someone’s backyard, before disappearing.
He said a friend who also saw the bear estimated it weighed about 250 pounds: “It was a big bear.”
But he was not afraid of the wild animal.
“He looked harmless,” Mr. Kitchen recalled.
Bear sightings in our area are becoming more commonplace. According to Dick Henry a big game biologist with the state Department of environmental Conservation…. “It’s not uncommon to have them show up in Dutchess County,” he said….
“People react out of fear, because they don’t know bears. They are vegetarians by and large,” he explained. “They are not a threat to people.”
‘Circus Will Be In Millerton Saturday’: The Russia Cossack Riders will be among those performers featured by the 1999 edition of Vidbel’s Olde Tyme Circus, which is coming to Millerton, Saturday, June 5. There will be performances at 2 pm. And 4:15 p.m. The red and white striped big top will be set up for the day at Eddie Collins Field, Route 22 in Millerton. The circus is one of the major fund-raisers of the year for the Millerton Lions Club….
Other feature acts with Vidbel’s Circus include hilarious clowns, trained goats, aerialists, horses, jugglers, a comedy dog review, and much more during the nearly two-hour performance.
‘Fund-raiser to Benefit Boston School Trip’: The fourth-grade class is having a Tupperware fund-raiser to build funds for next year’s trip to Boston. The students all look forward to this trip and need your help to get there. If anyone is interesting [sic] in buying Tupperware products or booking a Tupperware party, please call the Webutuck Elementary School.
"They had this in mind from last year," girls varsity head coach Les Funk of Pine Plains said. Funk said the young team wanted the sectional title and "never gave up," until they won it Wednesday, March 5, at Mount Saint Mary College.Photo by Nathan Miller
Naveah Rennie, no 34 of Pine Plains, was the Bombers' dominant scorer, racking up 20 points by the end of the matchup against S.S. Seward Institute during the Section IX Class C finals at Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, March 5.Photo by Nathan Miller
Lent: Time to consider social gospel movement
We are entering the annual Christian season of Lent this week.With its 40 days of contemplation and “little Easter” Sundays, it is a time to remember the healing ministry and the sacrifice of Jesus.During this season, we are invited to think deeply about our role as agents of grace and love in our hurting world.
There is a long history of making sacrifices and commitments for Lent, modeling our discipleship and hopes for a more heavenly world. It is through this lens that I invite you to join us in considering what gifts and services the community needs that we can commit to bringing forth in the weeks leading up to Easter.While many lean into solitary introspection during Lent, it may be particularly advantageous to use our meditations and sacrifices for the greater good this year.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, advised his followers centuries ago that “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness. Faith working by love is the length and depth and breadth and height of Christian perfection.”These words are connected to the firm belief of Wesley that a Methodist was fundamentally one who loved God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul, along with loving one’s neighbor as oneself.He believed that being in love with God naturally also required loving other people, as every person was a beloved soul coming from the same source of life that we are.
Consequently, Wesley stood against slavery long before it was a popular view, prioritized caring for those who were poor and imprisoned, and made a point to do good to as many as he could for as long as he was physically able.
Indeed, the Methodists are not the only Christians who believe such things.These thoughts are primary messages of the Christian faith.In more recent history, we can note that during the time of the Golden Age, at the end of the late 19th century, the Christians mobilized to counteract the abject poverty, child labor, dangerous working conditions, and lack of education of the time.Famous theologians such as Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch, and W.E.B. DuBois began the Social Gospel movement, enacting with new verve the passion of Christ that empowers the community toward building the Kingdom of God.As Christians, they believed in uplifting the downtrodden and creating a community where all had a chance to thrive.Child labor laws were enacted, better working conditions were secured, Sunday School helped provide education, settlement houses were created, and the Salvation Army was born.
The social gospel movement continued in another wave of reforms and empowerment through the Civil Rights era.Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his intellect, energy, and life to help secure the reforms that enabled persons of color to vote, go to non-segregated schools, and have the right to share public spaces without discrimination.Like Christ, he paid the ultimate price for his prophetic vision.However, his impact on our society was formidable, lasting far beyond his short lifetime.
As Christians, it is very clear what to do in times of hardship, crisis, or challenge.Throughout the centuries, our call has been to help heal the world, doing whatever we can to uplift and transform loneliness into community, reminding each one how precious they are and how important it is to unite for the sake of the whole.Individually, the challenges can be overwhelming, even too much to bear.Collectively, we can do all things through the One who strengthens us.As they say, “We have the receipts!” We can do it again.
This Lent, let us give up our pessimism and fear, replacing it with a commitment to community and hope.Yes, things can seem dreadful, but our souls are not served by allowing ourselves to descend into the dark.We are keepers of the light.Let us do all within our power to create brightness so that its warmth may strengthen all as we live into the Social Gospel movement for our time.Chin up, friends, we can do this.We simply must be willing to get serious about doing it together.
Rev. Dr. Anna Crews Camphouse is pastor of Canaan, Lakeville, Millerton, and Sharon United Methodist Churches
Lead Pastor of the Northwestern Hills Cooperative
Parish UMC