The Fernbank News: 10/4/1942
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A mid-wartime edition. It's dated October 4, but page 3 tells us that it wasn't finished until October 11.
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1942-10-04: audio---images---~COMMENT~---transcript---notes---pictures---links---site navigation
The Stokeys carry on in wartime. Was this Fernbank News intended for Bill and Roger, currently serving in the Navy?
1942-10-04: audio---images---comment---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---pictures---links---site navigation
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FERNBANK NEWS.
Vol ?, No. 1.
October 4, 1942
Weathers: All sorts except hurricanes and snowstorms. July was warm and muggy, and most of August was the same, but late August was on the good side; October as well as late September has been cool to cold. The Editor accompanied Col. Stokey to the Green Beach where they joined Miss Gladys Green for a swim on Sept. 27, probably the last of the season. It has been so cold this last week that the very thought of a swim chills one. There has been an unusual amount of rain this season.
The Summer began late, as far as the Woods Hole season is concerned, for the Stokey Household. The Editor did not arrive until July 21st, but she found the house running and breakfast ready when she drove up with Dr. Fred Stokey. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson had arrived July 19th in time to receive Monsieur and Madame Fernand Tricot, of the Belgian Congo, but formerly of Brussels. M. and Mme Tricot made a very short stay, but M. Tricot had time to fish and to give the grass at Fernbank the first cut of the season, long overdue. Mr. Atkinson came and went on July 19th, but made a return engagement two weeks later, and was in town again Sept. 4-6.
Mrs. Atkinson stayed in Woods Hole to work at the M.B.L. indulging in an orgy of research. Some mornings she was gone before the Editor was up, and did not return until the Editor had retired (and the Editor seldom retires early). The Editor knew how to trail her to her research room where she sometimes got a cup (or glass) of tea, or even to her lair in the Cold Room, when she was there cutting sections, looking like a swathed mummy, except for her hands.
Col Stokey and Mrs. Evans arrived August 3rd, having stopped in New York for the week-end. Col. Stokey has not ventured farther away from Woods Hole than a bus trip to Hyannis, a boat trip to Nantucket, and several automobile trips to Falmouth, but Mrs. Evans has looked upon Woods Hole as a springboard and has sprung to Ogunquit, Maine, to visit Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Myers, and to Philadelphia and New York to visit friends and relatives, present and prospective. She left for Philadelphia Sept. 24th and is expected to return Oct. 5th.
Mrs. Francesca Thivianadam arrived August 7th and began work at the M.B.L. immediately. She has collected diligently and has added to the list of epiphytic Green Algae found in American waters. Her hours and industry were much like those of Mrs. Atkinson, but she never left before the Editor was up. She has also sprung away for a period, having left on the train with Mrs. Evans, Sept. 15th to work in the Harvard Library and the Farlow Herbarium. She has not yet returned and may be keeping the same kind of hours if the herbarium is not locked up at night.
Dr. Fred Stokey, whose July visit was less than a day, returned Aug. 15th bringing Alma Grace who had spent two months with her grandparents at Rockwood, Ont. Alma Grace brought a kitten, acquired at a pet shop in Boston to "Daddy Will" because the beloved Daniel Boone disappeared from his happy home in Atlanta last spring. Col. Stokey promptly named him Hosea, because he came after Daniel. At the time of his arrival he was small, thin, and weak, with no indication of his latent energy and agility, but his voice was in fine form and was used steadily the first night. He is a cat of unusual conversational powers. He is very socially minded and can be counted upon to be present on all social occasions and contribute his share to the entertainment. He has developed considerable beauty and grace of form.
FERNBANK NEWS.
Vol ?, No. 1.
October 4, 1942
Weathers: All sorts except hurricanes and snowstorms. July was warm and muggy, and most of August was the same, but late August was on the good side; October as well as late September has been cool to cold. The Editor accompanied Col. Stokey to the Green Beach where they joined Miss Gladys Green for a swim on Sept. 27, probably the last of the season. It has been so cold this last week that the very thought of a swim chills one. There has been an unusual amount of rain this season.
The Summer began late, as far as the Woods Hole season is concerned, for the Stokey Household. The Editor did not arrive until July 21st, but she found the house running and breakfast ready when she drove up with Dr. Fred Stokey. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson had arrived July 19th in time to receive Monsieur and Madame Fernand Tricot, of the Belgian Congo, but formerly of Brussels. M. and Mme Tricot made a very short stay, but M. Tricot had time to fish and to give the grass at Fernbank the first cut of the season, long overdue. Mr. Atkinson came and went on July 19th, but made a return engagement two weeks later, and was in town again Sept. 4-6.
Mrs. Atkinson stayed in Woods Hole to work at the M.B.L. indulging in an orgy of research. Some mornings she was gone before the Editor was up, and did not return until the Editor had retired (and the Editor seldom retires early). The Editor knew how to trail her to her research room where she sometimes got a cup (or glass) of tea, or even to her lair in the Cold Room, when she was there cutting sections, looking like a swathed mummy, except for her hands.
Col Stokey and Mrs. Evans arrived August 3rd, having stopped in New York for the week-end. Col. Stokey has not ventured farther away from Woods Hole than a bus trip to Hyannis, a boat trip to Nantucket, and several automobile trips to Falmouth, but Mrs. Evans has looked upon Woods Hole as a springboard and has sprung to Ogunquit, Maine, to visit Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Myers, and to Philadelphia and New York to visit friends and relatives, present and prospective. She left for Philadelphia Sept. 24th and is expected to return Oct. 5th.
Mrs. Francesca Thivianadam arrived August 7th and began work at the M.B.L. immediately. She has collected diligently and has added to the list of epiphytic Green Algae found in American waters. Her hours and industry were much like those of Mrs. Atkinson, but she never left before the Editor was up. She has also sprung away for a period, having left on the train with Mrs. Evans, Sept. 15th to work in the Harvard Library and the Farlow Herbarium. She has not yet returned and may be keeping the same kind of hours if the herbarium is not locked up at night.
Dr. Fred Stokey, whose July visit was less than a day, returned Aug. 15th bringing Alma Grace who had spent two months with her grandparents at Rockwood, Ont. Alma Grace brought a kitten, acquired at a pet shop in Boston to "Daddy Will" because the beloved Daniel Boone disappeared from his happy home in Atlanta last spring. Col. Stokey promptly named him Hosea, because he came after Daniel. At the time of his arrival he was small, thin, and weak, with no indication of his latent energy and agility, but his voice was in fine form and was used steadily the first night. He is a cat of unusual conversational powers. He is very socially minded and can be counted upon to be present on all social occasions and contribute his share to the entertainment. He has developed considerable beauty and grace of form.
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Dr. Fred spent three rainy days in Woods Hole and went swimming every day - such was the weather in August.
Miss Clara Virginia Jones arrived in Woods Hole Aug. 21st late at night her train which was due at 9:45 conforming to the 1942 custom of arriving late by a perceptible margin, so that she arrived at 10:45 and was met by Miss Gladys Bulmer and the Editor. She spent several weeks at Fernbank and could be seen daily at the Green's Beach or sporting in the water. Her visit was the occasion of a delightful supper at the beach residence of Mr. George Green and Miss Gladys Green, at which Mrs. Taylor and Charles of Evanston, Ill. were among those present. After supper we indulged in our favorite evening entertainment of looking at the colored films taken by Mrs. Atkinson and Miss Green.
Miss Kathleen Stokey, our former Society Editor, who is now Assistant to Miss Helen Worden of the World-Telegram arrived from New York August 29th and stayed until the afternoon of Labor Day. A bus party to Hyannis and a day's outing to Nantucket was arranged in her honor. We are happy to announce that she has contributed a column in her own inimitable style to this issue.
Miss Edith Robinson arrived from Cambridge, Sept. 5th for the week-end festivities and added much to the enjoyment of the holiday.
Mr. Atkinson with the Misses Beryl and Joan Atkinson was in town for the Labor Day week-end and was seen in the water enjoying the good opportunities for a swim. The young ladies showed the advantage of their sojourn at Little Sirecho Camp, and swam in a manner to make the Editor writhe with envy.
The Labor Day Week-end was full of activity and guests. A notable event was a picnic at Gansett Beach, given by the Atkinsons and Stokeys for their guests and the family of Mr. Wm. Randolph Taylor. It was held at high noon because of the wartime restriction of the beaches in the evening - closed to the public from half an hour after sunset to ... well, to when? Mrs. Atkinson presided over the campfire and the frankfurters, Mr. Atkinson over the coffee pail, Mrs. Thivy over the curry puffs, while Mrs. Evans and the Editor buzzed ad lib.
On Sunday, Mrs. Thivy prepared an Indian dinner of which the chief event was chicken pilau, but of course there were many other interesting and delectable things.
On Labor Day there was a Sari-Putting-On with Kathleen Stokey, Edith Robinson and Alma Grace as the models. The collection of cameras in the hands of active photographers suggested nothing less than Main Fashion Display of 1942 as demonstrated by the Leading Models.
Fishing Notes: As the Naval Station is occupying the choice fishing spots, Col. Stokey, the prominent local fisherman, has been restricted to the M.B.L. wharf where the fishing enthusiasts meet daily or as often as they can get there. Col. Stokey has had at times as Assistant, Beth Powers of the 8th grade who puts on his bait and takes off his fish. He has had advice from various professionals who take their busman's holiday at the wharf, not to mention active assistance in landing his catch when his fish was too big for his line. His major catch was a flounder (fluke) which was just under 6 lbs, and his minor were the small fry consumed by Hosea. The flounder season is over and now Hosea has to eat cunners and what he can get which is likely to be skate, as Col. Stokey caught one yesterday.
Jungling and Gardening Notes: The Jungle has had more attention than it is accustomed to. The Editor with clippers, a sickle and an axe, went to work cutting out the wild roses (which are not as good as they sound), the grapevines (which yielded almost two quarts of grapes), the elderberries (which were getting out of bounds and producing too many berries), the deadly nightshade, which was running rampant over the elderberries, and the excess of swamp loosestrife. So ruthless was the cutting that it is now possible to see the house from the road without special effort.
Dr. Fred spent three rainy days in Woods Hole and went swimming every day - such was the weather in August.
Miss Clara Virginia Jones arrived in Woods Hole Aug. 21st late at night her train which was due at 9:45 conforming to the 1942 custom of arriving late by a perceptible margin, so that she arrived at 10:45 and was met by Miss Gladys Bulmer and the Editor. She spent several weeks at Fernbank and could be seen daily at the Green's Beach or sporting in the water. Her visit was the occasion of a delightful supper at the beach residence of Mr. George Green and Miss Gladys Green, at which Mrs. Taylor and Charles of Evanston, Ill. were among those present. After supper we indulged in our favorite evening entertainment of looking at the colored films taken by Mrs. Atkinson and Miss Green.
Miss Kathleen Stokey, our former Society Editor, who is now Assistant to Miss Helen Worden of the World-Telegram arrived from New York August 29th and stayed until the afternoon of Labor Day. A bus party to Hyannis and a day's outing to Nantucket was arranged in her honor. We are happy to announce that she has contributed a column in her own inimitable style to this issue.
Miss Edith Robinson arrived from Cambridge, Sept. 5th for the week-end festivities and added much to the enjoyment of the holiday.
Mr. Atkinson with the Misses Beryl and Joan Atkinson was in town for the Labor Day week-end and was seen in the water enjoying the good opportunities for a swim. The young ladies showed the advantage of their sojourn at Little Sirecho Camp, and swam in a manner to make the Editor writhe with envy.
The Labor Day Week-end was full of activity and guests. A notable event was a picnic at Gansett Beach, given by the Atkinsons and Stokeys for their guests and the family of Mr. Wm. Randolph Taylor. It was held at high noon because of the wartime restriction of the beaches in the evening - closed to the public from half an hour after sunset to ... well, to when? Mrs. Atkinson presided over the campfire and the frankfurters, Mr. Atkinson over the coffee pail, Mrs. Thivy over the curry puffs, while Mrs. Evans and the Editor buzzed ad lib.
On Sunday, Mrs. Thivy prepared an Indian dinner of which the chief event was chicken pilau, but of course there were many other interesting and delectable things.
On Labor Day there was a Sari-Putting-On with Kathleen Stokey, Edith Robinson and Alma Grace as the models. The collection of cameras in the hands of active photographers suggested nothing less than Main Fashion Display of 1942 as demonstrated by the Leading Models.
Fishing Notes: As the Naval Station is occupying the choice fishing spots, Col. Stokey, the prominent local fisherman, has been restricted to the M.B.L. wharf where the fishing enthusiasts meet daily or as often as they can get there. Col. Stokey has had at times as Assistant, Beth Powers of the 8th grade who puts on his bait and takes off his fish. He has had advice from various professionals who take their busman's holiday at the wharf, not to mention active assistance in landing his catch when his fish was too big for his line. His major catch was a flounder (fluke) which was just under 6 lbs, and his minor were the small fry consumed by Hosea. The flounder season is over and now Hosea has to eat cunners and what he can get which is likely to be skate, as Col. Stokey caught one yesterday.
Jungling and Gardening Notes: The Jungle has had more attention than it is accustomed to. The Editor with clippers, a sickle and an axe, went to work cutting out the wild roses (which are not as good as they sound), the grapevines (which yielded almost two quarts of grapes), the elderberries (which were getting out of bounds and producing too many berries), the deadly nightshade, which was running rampant over the elderberries, and the excess of swamp loosestrife. So ruthless was the cutting that it is now possible to see the house from the road without special effort.
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She cleared out around the major clumps of ferns, so that the appropriateness of the name of Fernbank would not be called into question, and even transplanted a few to more favorable situations. She set out a few bayberry plants collected chiefly from the Schramm estate (by permission) on the bank hoping that a few out of the 8 would survive the rigors of winter, or spring or summer, or whatever is the rigorest for transplanted bayberry.
FORESTRY ITEMS
Col. Stokey has devoted considerable time, and his more or less sturdy axes and saws, to a discriminating pruning and thinning of the Fernbank forest. He began with many live willows, several half dead willows, a three quarters dead cherry, and two wholly dead pines. There are now left four old pines, and four new pines as well as a few seedlings. The fact that he will leave on October 14th makes the rest of the forest relatively safe. His prowess was so great that Mrs. Schramm besought his aid in removing a cherry tree, which, to her surprise, Mr. Schramm had overlooked in clearing out the cherry trees. So the gallant colonel, ready to help a lady in distress, took his axe (tradition will make it a hatchet) and applied it to the tree. When the Editor returned from the laboratory at noon she was called upon to act as a mule and pull over the partly sawed tree - or was it a chopped tree? The trunk of the cherry tree had been offered to the Fernbank household as a reward for the labor, so the whole household fell upon the remains and dragged the branches to the Fernbank precincts. Later in the day when Mrs. Schramm and Col. Stokey were looking around for more firewood they discovered the corner monument and learned that the fallen cherry tree had been on Dr. Wilson's land. We hope that if she ever misses it she will rejoice that it kept the light from one of her pines as well as from the Schramm oak. But did the criminals wire to Dr. Wilson of their crime? Not so. They made great haste to dispose of the corpus dilicti. It was sawed into fireplace lengths instanter, and now its ashes are fertilizing the Fernbank vegetation.
Col. Stokey's activities in forestry aroused the interest of all beholders and he received advice on the condition of his saw from the garbage man, the loan of a saw from Tony Silva, the loan of a rope from the iceman, and notable assistance from Miss Gladys Green who acted in the capacity of Chief-Pusher-Over and came in the final stages to give the fatal shove to the large pines (8-12 in. diam) and cherry tree. The young Hosea, on the contrary, was always in the way and frequently had to be put in the house for safety. After cutting down the trees, the Colonel cut them into fireplace lengths, but he will defer the splitting until next year hoping that Nature will give the first blow.
PAINTING.
Fernbank has not received a proper amount of attention since the hurricane in Sept. 1938 and the need of painting of walls and woodwork was only too evident. The formation of the Fernbank Painting Force began when Mrs. Evans was in Ogunquit, thus giving the house the necessary peace and quiet. Miss Green promptly joined the F.P.F. and gave valiant assistance, and furthered noticeably Fernbank's rejuvenation. The first sessions resulted in painting Mrs. Evans' room light green, and the Editor's colonial ivory, both with white trim. The next session, when Mrs. Evans went to Philadelphia, resulted in the painting of the halls, kitchen, diningroom and bathroom. Col. Stokey displayed his grace and agility by curling himself over, under, and around the bathtub, while the Editor tried the same with the sink and gas stove. When Mrs. Thivy returned she also joined the F.P.F. and began on her room, and when she left for Boston and points west, Mrs. Evans took over her room and has finished it as this last edition (Oct. 11) goes to press. Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Thivy both returned Monday, Oct. 5th, unmet, the former because her card did not arrive until the next day, and the latter because she was not specific about which train . They found the house in a mess - that is the only word for it - but the state of Mrs. Thivy's room was excellent considering that it had been the storage place for all the kitchen things for several days. Now the house is gay and shiny, cream-colored halls, yellow kitchen and bathroom, white trim every where even in our hair.
She cleared out around the major clumps of ferns, so that the appropriateness of the name of Fernbank would not be called into question, and even transplanted a few to more favorable situations. She set out a few bayberry plants collected chiefly from the Schramm estate (by permission) on the bank hoping that a few out of the 8 would survive the rigors of winter, or spring or summer, or whatever is the rigorest for transplanted bayberry.
FORESTRY ITEMS
Col. Stokey has devoted considerable time, and his more or less sturdy axes and saws, to a discriminating pruning and thinning of the Fernbank forest. He began with many live willows, several half dead willows, a three quarters dead cherry, and two wholly dead pines. There are now left four old pines, and four new pines as well as a few seedlings. The fact that he will leave on October 14th makes the rest of the forest relatively safe. His prowess was so great that Mrs. Schramm besought his aid in removing a cherry tree, which, to her surprise, Mr. Schramm had overlooked in clearing out the cherry trees. So the gallant colonel, ready to help a lady in distress, took his axe (tradition will make it a hatchet) and applied it to the tree. When the Editor returned from the laboratory at noon she was called upon to act as a mule and pull over the partly sawed tree - or was it a chopped tree? The trunk of the cherry tree had been offered to the Fernbank household as a reward for the labor, so the whole household fell upon the remains and dragged the branches to the Fernbank precincts. Later in the day when Mrs. Schramm and Col. Stokey were looking around for more firewood they discovered the corner monument and learned that the fallen cherry tree had been on Dr. Wilson's land. We hope that if she ever misses it she will rejoice that it kept the light from one of her pines as well as from the Schramm oak. But did the criminals wire to Dr. Wilson of their crime? Not so. They made great haste to dispose of the corpus dilicti. It was sawed into fireplace lengths instanter, and now its ashes are fertilizing the Fernbank vegetation.
Col. Stokey's activities in forestry aroused the interest of all beholders and he received advice on the condition of his saw from the garbage man, the loan of a saw from Tony Silva, the loan of a rope from the iceman, and notable assistance from Miss Gladys Green who acted in the capacity of Chief-Pusher-Over and came in the final stages to give the fatal shove to the large pines (8-12 in. diam) and cherry tree. The young Hosea, on the contrary, was always in the way and frequently had to be put in the house for safety. After cutting down the trees, the Colonel cut them into fireplace lengths, but he will defer the splitting until next year hoping that Nature will give the first blow.
PAINTING.
Fernbank has not received a proper amount of attention since the hurricane in Sept. 1938 and the need of painting of walls and woodwork was only too evident. The formation of the Fernbank Painting Force began when Mrs. Evans was in Ogunquit, thus giving the house the necessary peace and quiet. Miss Green promptly joined the F.P.F. and gave valiant assistance, and furthered noticeably Fernbank's rejuvenation. The first sessions resulted in painting Mrs. Evans' room light green, and the Editor's colonial ivory, both with white trim. The next session, when Mrs. Evans went to Philadelphia, resulted in the painting of the halls, kitchen, diningroom and bathroom. Col. Stokey displayed his grace and agility by curling himself over, under, and around the bathtub, while the Editor tried the same with the sink and gas stove. When Mrs. Thivy returned she also joined the F.P.F. and began on her room, and when she left for Boston and points west, Mrs. Evans took over her room and has finished it as this last edition (Oct. 11) goes to press. Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Thivy both returned Monday, Oct. 5th, unmet, the former because her card did not arrive until the next day, and the latter because she was not specific about which train . They found the house in a mess - that is the only word for it - but the state of Mrs. Thivy's room was excellent considering that it had been the storage place for all the kitchen things for several days. Now the house is gay and shiny, cream-colored halls, yellow kitchen and bathroom, white trim every where even in our hair.
(PAGE 4)
DINING and Dancing. During the Season the Fernbank household likes to make a trip or two to the Bellows, but during the 1942 season the question of transportation was a serious one. The gift of transportation deserved nothing less than complete prostration from the recipient, but not all of the recipients were agile enough to do the correct thing. In August the household dined once at the Bellows (which still presents the last word in excellence as well as abundance), but since then their dining has been restricted mostly to the opportunities offered by Woods Hole and by their own domicile. Early in the season there was the Twin Door, but it closed about Labor Day. In addition there was the Woods Hole Shoppe, and James's, but Col. Stokey and the Editor found that they had to stop painting early in order to eat at the W.H.S., as for a time it closed at 7:30 and then they had to go on to James's which was open until 8. Then the W.H.S. shortened its hours and closed at 7, but on the evening of Oct. 6, when Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Thivy were fresh from cosmopolitan regions, Col. Stokey took them to the W.H.S. timing their arrival at 6:55. The door was locked, closed, and barred, figuratively speaking. Mrs. Evans, who is not easily stopped when under full sail, remonstrated through the impedimenta, that it was not yet 7, but the Head Waitress, or Proprietess, or What-you-will, replied that it did not matter as there was no food left. The next day the W.H.S. closed for the season on account of the difficulty of getting help, and also food, so we have heard. That left only James's where they had discontinued serving regular meals, but had soups and sandwiches, and pie, if you were early enough. And even That Last Hope closed Saturday, for the week-end, closing before lunch, to the great disappointment (and annoyance? for less good-tempered people) of Mr. Green and Miss Green who had gone there for lunch, but were forced to turn back and prepare their own. Of course there is The Rendezvous, but from what the Editor has seen as she goes by with her eyes turned away, she is sure that it is for Sailors only. (Is that a military secret?) We have seen many of the Armed Forces at James's, in fact so many sometimes that we could barely see anything else.
The only dancing noted by the Editor is that of Hosea who is training for the Ballet Russe. His leaps in the air and his flips and turns give great promise for his future career.
Children's Department. On Alma Grace's arrival, the Doll House, inherited from Beryl and Joan Atkinson once more took its place on the porch. Alma Grace and Nancy Gayle Saunders spent much time there playing with dolls, imaginary cats, and a rubber frog, obtaining food for immediate use and winter supplies from the Elderberries, chiefly. The stains involved so much labor in cleaning the porch as well as Alma Grace's clothes that a change of diet for the Doll Household was necessitated, and they went on to a diet of Sedges, Mallow seeds, and other vegetable products of the estate. The problem of Elderberry stains was one reason for the reduction of the Elderberry bushes which had sprung up and flourished beyond reason.
Alma Grace made several visits to Jimmy Taylor in Gansett, and entertained Jimmy and Nancy Gayle one day at lunch. It was a gay and messy lunch with nothing barred in the way of handling of food.
Among the guests at the final party at the Sprenger Piano Camp was Alma Grace, who distinguished herself in games, winning a War Savings Stamp. In playing the game "Going to Alaska" she was perfect in her memory of the 18 articles taken along, except for the word "juke" as found in "Juke box," as she was unfamiliar with that instrument of torture.
Song, by Alma Grace.
(Inspired by Now at last, winter's past."
Now too soon, summer's past,
And the trees are turning brown,
Leaves fall down from the trees
Over us the gray skies come.
DINING and Dancing. During the Season the Fernbank household likes to make a trip or two to the Bellows, but during the 1942 season the question of transportation was a serious one. The gift of transportation deserved nothing less than complete prostration from the recipient, but not all of the recipients were agile enough to do the correct thing. In August the household dined once at the Bellows (which still presents the last word in excellence as well as abundance), but since then their dining has been restricted mostly to the opportunities offered by Woods Hole and by their own domicile. Early in the season there was the Twin Door, but it closed about Labor Day. In addition there was the Woods Hole Shoppe, and James's, but Col. Stokey and the Editor found that they had to stop painting early in order to eat at the W.H.S., as for a time it closed at 7:30 and then they had to go on to James's which was open until 8. Then the W.H.S. shortened its hours and closed at 7, but on the evening of Oct. 6, when Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Thivy were fresh from cosmopolitan regions, Col. Stokey took them to the W.H.S. timing their arrival at 6:55. The door was locked, closed, and barred, figuratively speaking. Mrs. Evans, who is not easily stopped when under full sail, remonstrated through the impedimenta, that it was not yet 7, but the Head Waitress, or Proprietess, or What-you-will, replied that it did not matter as there was no food left. The next day the W.H.S. closed for the season on account of the difficulty of getting help, and also food, so we have heard. That left only James's where they had discontinued serving regular meals, but had soups and sandwiches, and pie, if you were early enough. And even That Last Hope closed Saturday, for the week-end, closing before lunch, to the great disappointment (and annoyance? for less good-tempered people) of Mr. Green and Miss Green who had gone there for lunch, but were forced to turn back and prepare their own. Of course there is The Rendezvous, but from what the Editor has seen as she goes by with her eyes turned away, she is sure that it is for Sailors only. (Is that a military secret?) We have seen many of the Armed Forces at James's, in fact so many sometimes that we could barely see anything else.
The only dancing noted by the Editor is that of Hosea who is training for the Ballet Russe. His leaps in the air and his flips and turns give great promise for his future career.
Children's Department. On Alma Grace's arrival, the Doll House, inherited from Beryl and Joan Atkinson once more took its place on the porch. Alma Grace and Nancy Gayle Saunders spent much time there playing with dolls, imaginary cats, and a rubber frog, obtaining food for immediate use and winter supplies from the Elderberries, chiefly. The stains involved so much labor in cleaning the porch as well as Alma Grace's clothes that a change of diet for the Doll Household was necessitated, and they went on to a diet of Sedges, Mallow seeds, and other vegetable products of the estate. The problem of Elderberry stains was one reason for the reduction of the Elderberry bushes which had sprung up and flourished beyond reason.
Alma Grace made several visits to Jimmy Taylor in Gansett, and entertained Jimmy and Nancy Gayle one day at lunch. It was a gay and messy lunch with nothing barred in the way of handling of food.
Among the guests at the final party at the Sprenger Piano Camp was Alma Grace, who distinguished herself in games, winning a War Savings Stamp. In playing the game "Going to Alaska" she was perfect in her memory of the 18 articles taken along, except for the word "juke" as found in "Juke box," as she was unfamiliar with that instrument of torture.
Song, by Alma Grace.
(Inspired by Now at last, winter's past."
Now too soon, summer's past,
And the trees are turning brown,
Leaves fall down from the trees
Over us the gray skies come.
(PAGE 5)
Local Notes: Miss Laura and Miss Gladys Bulmer occupied the Schramm cottage for the months of July and August. They are among those who gave transportation to the Car-less Fernbank Household and met guests, and returned them to the station, as well as taking members of the household to Falmouth.
The Tablet to be erected to those generous souls who gave transportation to the Fernbank Household will also bear the names of Mr. and Miss Green in large letters. We shall also inscribe that of Miss Dorothy Stewart, who, among other noble deeds furnished transportation to the Bellows.
Miss Abby Turner and Miss Charlotte Haywood were among the callers at Fernbank this summer, also Miss Fahe Stewart formerly of Kodaikanal, India, and Siam, but now a student at Swarthmore.
We shall not reveal any military secrets by saying that several M.B.L. buildings were taken over by the Navy this summer, among them the Botany Building. The Editor was given a pleasant office in the Brick Building close to the statue of Confucius. Mrs. Thivy worked in the Old Main Building.
There was a surfeit of Algae on the pond this summer.
SOCIETY NOTES
Kathleen Stokey.
SOCIAL SCOOPS. The current social season has proved to be one of the busiest in your society Editor's experience. The Stokeys have been caught in a whirlwind of activity and romance.
High point in the season came on Saturday, Sep. 26th, when the Flower of Fernbank, Miss Margaret Stokey, was married to Mr. Albert S. Bruchas of Chicago. The ceremony took place at Flossmore, Ill. Afterward the couple left on a honeymoon trip through Michigan. Upon their return they will make their home at 1411 East Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago. The bride is a daughter of Col. Wm. P. Stokey, the prominent local fisherman. She is survived by a sister, Miss Kathleen (Scoop) Stokey.
Biggest social surprise was the announcement of the pending marriage of Lieut. Wm. F. Stokey to Miss Florence Elizabeth (Betty) Nennich, a Philadelphia belle (Unrelated to the Liberty of the same name). Your Society Editor regretfully reports that the groom-to-be's father, did not take the news like a man. Instead he slouched down in his chair, threw his feet over the back of another, and announced that he was taking the shock cure. The groom-to-be's aunt, Mrs. Eva Evans, was left to revive herself as best she could. Other reactions to the amazing announcement were equally startling. The groom-to-be's brother, Ensign Roger P. Stokey, straightway wrote to your Society Editor, for the first time in ...... (Out of courtesy to Ensign Stokey, now at sea and unable to defend himself, we will not divulge the extent of time.) The groom-to-be's sisters were struck speechless at the news, because Lieut. Stokey has frequently asserted that he was the confirmed bachelor of the clan.
An equally social, though not so shocking, event was the announcement of the engagement of Ensign Roger P. Stokey to the Pride of Mansfield (Massachusetts), Miss Edith Robinson. According to Ensign Stokey, his father, Col. Stokey and his aunt, Mrs. Evans, took to the news "like ducks to water." We regret that our Art Editor (the former Miss Margaret Stokey) is now on her honeymoon. Otherwise we would beg her to make a sketch of such a ducky scene.
We regret to announcement that the rapid workings of Cupid (who apparently doesn't believe in a forty hour week) have left your Society Editor alone on her social shelf.
FASHION FLASHES
Kathleen Stokey.
Colonel Stokey set the fashion pace this season by wearing a new tan
Local Notes: Miss Laura and Miss Gladys Bulmer occupied the Schramm cottage for the months of July and August. They are among those who gave transportation to the Car-less Fernbank Household and met guests, and returned them to the station, as well as taking members of the household to Falmouth.
The Tablet to be erected to those generous souls who gave transportation to the Fernbank Household will also bear the names of Mr. and Miss Green in large letters. We shall also inscribe that of Miss Dorothy Stewart, who, among other noble deeds furnished transportation to the Bellows.
Miss Abby Turner and Miss Charlotte Haywood were among the callers at Fernbank this summer, also Miss Fahe Stewart formerly of Kodaikanal, India, and Siam, but now a student at Swarthmore.
We shall not reveal any military secrets by saying that several M.B.L. buildings were taken over by the Navy this summer, among them the Botany Building. The Editor was given a pleasant office in the Brick Building close to the statue of Confucius. Mrs. Thivy worked in the Old Main Building.
There was a surfeit of Algae on the pond this summer.
SOCIETY NOTES
Kathleen Stokey.
SOCIAL SCOOPS. The current social season has proved to be one of the busiest in your society Editor's experience. The Stokeys have been caught in a whirlwind of activity and romance.
High point in the season came on Saturday, Sep. 26th, when the Flower of Fernbank, Miss Margaret Stokey, was married to Mr. Albert S. Bruchas of Chicago. The ceremony took place at Flossmore, Ill. Afterward the couple left on a honeymoon trip through Michigan. Upon their return they will make their home at 1411 East Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago. The bride is a daughter of Col. Wm. P. Stokey, the prominent local fisherman. She is survived by a sister, Miss Kathleen (Scoop) Stokey.
Biggest social surprise was the announcement of the pending marriage of Lieut. Wm. F. Stokey to Miss Florence Elizabeth (Betty) Nennich, a Philadelphia belle (Unrelated to the Liberty of the same name). Your Society Editor regretfully reports that the groom-to-be's father, did not take the news like a man. Instead he slouched down in his chair, threw his feet over the back of another, and announced that he was taking the shock cure. The groom-to-be's aunt, Mrs. Eva Evans, was left to revive herself as best she could. Other reactions to the amazing announcement were equally startling. The groom-to-be's brother, Ensign Roger P. Stokey, straightway wrote to your Society Editor, for the first time in ...... (Out of courtesy to Ensign Stokey, now at sea and unable to defend himself, we will not divulge the extent of time.) The groom-to-be's sisters were struck speechless at the news, because Lieut. Stokey has frequently asserted that he was the confirmed bachelor of the clan.
An equally social, though not so shocking, event was the announcement of the engagement of Ensign Roger P. Stokey to the Pride of Mansfield (Massachusetts), Miss Edith Robinson. According to Ensign Stokey, his father, Col. Stokey and his aunt, Mrs. Evans, took to the news "like ducks to water." We regret that our Art Editor (the former Miss Margaret Stokey) is now on her honeymoon. Otherwise we would beg her to make a sketch of such a ducky scene.
We regret to announcement that the rapid workings of Cupid (who apparently doesn't believe in a forty hour week) have left your Society Editor alone on her social shelf.
FASHION FLASHES
Kathleen Stokey.
Colonel Stokey set the fashion pace this season by wearing a new tan
(PAGE 6)
gabardine suit. For fishing he chose a smart ensemble that included a pair of tannish pants and a stunning snug-fitting green sweater. His cap was one of those tricky versons so popular on the golf links. (His costume during the cool days of October introduced a new feature which he referred to as his "slip" not to be confused with the "sissy slips" described in fashion notes. When he wore a three-decker-layer, the layers were designated as "slip, trousers, and overalls," but were so designed as to be interchangeable. Ed.) ........ Mrs. Eva S. Evans, of the Fernbank Social Register, was seen at the Taylor-Atkinson-Stokey picnic, believe it or not, in a pair of swanky navy blue slacks........ Miss Edith Robinson chose a stunning red sari trimmed with gold for the afternoon of camera clicking held recently at Fernbank. Miss Alma Grace Stokey made her first appearance in a sari at the affair...... Mrs. Thivy of India and points west, has a new bathing cap of luscious salmon color...... When last seen Miss Clara Jones, of the New York and New Rochelle Joneses, was on the lookout for a navy blue jacket.
RETIREMENTS. In a year when tires are at a premium, Miss Alma G. Stokey, prominent botanist and journalist, retired from Mount Holyoke College. Not being of a retiring nature, however, she passed a busy summer as tourist (in the West), fern expert (at the M.B.L.), house painter (with Colonel Stokey), and Editor (of the Fernbank News). K.S.
MY HEYDAY...... by Hosea.
I wonder how many of my readers have ever stopped to consider "Why is a Catnip Mouse?" I have spent considerable time studying this problem lately. In my research I have discovered that a Mouse is a Mouse is a Mouse. I am also willing to concede that Catnip is Catnip is Catnip. But I have not yet been able to ascertain why a catnip mouse "Is?" I think I shall have to consult my very dear friend, Gertrude Stein, late of Radcliffe College, about the subject. If she can't answer my question, perhaps the President can. At least I'm sure he'll make a try at it. In closing I might add that the weather is the Clearest Day of.
--------------------
The Editor of Fernbank News wishes to express her appreciation to Miss Kathleen Stokey for her wonderful column and the inspiration which it will bring to all readers of the News. Hosea has just turned three times over her manuscript trying to find the Catnip Mouse which is so vividly described.
With Best Wishes to all our subscribers for the Coming Year.
gabardine suit. For fishing he chose a smart ensemble that included a pair of tannish pants and a stunning snug-fitting green sweater. His cap was one of those tricky versons so popular on the golf links. (His costume during the cool days of October introduced a new feature which he referred to as his "slip" not to be confused with the "sissy slips" described in fashion notes. When he wore a three-decker-layer, the layers were designated as "slip, trousers, and overalls," but were so designed as to be interchangeable. Ed.) ........ Mrs. Eva S. Evans, of the Fernbank Social Register, was seen at the Taylor-Atkinson-Stokey picnic, believe it or not, in a pair of swanky navy blue slacks........ Miss Edith Robinson chose a stunning red sari trimmed with gold for the afternoon of camera clicking held recently at Fernbank. Miss Alma Grace Stokey made her first appearance in a sari at the affair...... Mrs. Thivy of India and points west, has a new bathing cap of luscious salmon color...... When last seen Miss Clara Jones, of the New York and New Rochelle Joneses, was on the lookout for a navy blue jacket.
RETIREMENTS. In a year when tires are at a premium, Miss Alma G. Stokey, prominent botanist and journalist, retired from Mount Holyoke College. Not being of a retiring nature, however, she passed a busy summer as tourist (in the West), fern expert (at the M.B.L.), house painter (with Colonel Stokey), and Editor (of the Fernbank News). K.S.
MY HEYDAY...... by Hosea.
I wonder how many of my readers have ever stopped to consider "Why is a Catnip Mouse?" I have spent considerable time studying this problem lately. In my research I have discovered that a Mouse is a Mouse is a Mouse. I am also willing to concede that Catnip is Catnip is Catnip. But I have not yet been able to ascertain why a catnip mouse "Is?" I think I shall have to consult my very dear friend, Gertrude Stein, late of Radcliffe College, about the subject. If she can't answer my question, perhaps the President can. At least I'm sure he'll make a try at it. In closing I might add that the weather is the Clearest Day of.
--------------------
The Editor of Fernbank News wishes to express her appreciation to Miss Kathleen Stokey for her wonderful column and the inspiration which it will bring to all readers of the News. Hosea has just turned three times over her manuscript trying to find the Catnip Mouse which is so vividly described.
With Best Wishes to all our subscribers for the Coming Year.
1942-10-04: audio---images---comment---transcript---~NOTES~---pictures---links---site navigation
1.
This is one of the nineteen editions of The Fernbank News that were published over the course of 39 years.
There are links to all of the editions of The Fernbank News in:
2.
People:
There are pages (family or non-family) for:
Will, a.k.a. Colonel Stokey
Alma, a.k.a. Ed. for Editor
Fred, a.k.a. Dr. Fred Stokey
Eva, a.k.a. Eva Stokey Evans
Maggie, a.k.a. Margaret Stokey Bruchas, is in Next Generation
Bill, a.k.a. Lt. William F. Stokey is in Next Generation
Kay, a.k.a. K.S., Society Editor, is in Next Generation
Roger, a.k.a. Ensign Roger P. Stokey is in Next Generation
Alma Grace Stokey is in Next Generation
Clara, a.k.a. Clara Virginia Jones, has a Non-family page of her own.
Atkinsons - Geoffroy, Lenette, and their daughters Beryl and Joan, are in South Hadley Folks
Mrs. Thivy, a.k.a. Francesa Thivy, is in India Folks
Meyers are in Woods Hole Folks
Gladys Green and her father, George Green, are in the Gladys Green and Erna Reichmann page.
Here are people who aren't in any people pages:
The cats: Hosea, and his predecessor who disappeared, Daniel Boone
Edith Robinson: She and Roger were married in May 1943.
Sgt. Albert Bruchas, Maggie's bridegroom.
Mrs. Taylor and her young son Charles Taylor - their names are on Glady's tablecloth, but I never knew them. Also Wm. Randolph Taylor. I should add them to the Woods Hole Folks page.
Charlotte Haywood: I think I've seen her name in another Fernbank News, so I guess I should start paying attention to her.
For any other names, either I know nothing about them or I just neglected to notice them.
3.
Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson had arrived July 19th in time to receive Monsieur and Madame Fernand Tricot, of the Belgian Congo, but formerly of Brussels.
In a Fernbank News from several years previously, which is not yet uploaded (which means I'll have to update this News when that News gets uploaded - we'll see if that happens) it was noted that Lenette Atkinson, who was Lenette Rogers at the time, had spent some time studying in Brussels, so it seems plausible that the Tricots were friends from that time. [That Fernbank News is now uploaded, but, as you can see, I haven't exactly updated this News with a link. Eventually. Probably.]
4.
Mrs. Francesca Thivianadam arrived August 7th and began work at the M.B.L. immediately. She has collected diligently and has added to the list of epiphytic Green Algae found in American waters. Her hours and industry were much like those of Mrs. Atkinson, but she never left before the Editor was up. She has also sprung away for a period, having left on the train with Mrs. Evans, Sept. 15th to work in the Harvard Library and the Farlow Herbarium.
The News is not clear on the spelling of Mrs. Thivy's full surname. I don't think I've ever seen it that way anywhere else, and I didn't go looking for an explanation.
As for the Farlow Herbarium, Wikipedia says:
The Farlow Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany is an herbarium and library at Harvard University with about 1,400,000 specimens, including approximately 75,000 types, of lichens, fungi, bryophytes, diatoms, and algae. It grew from the 1919 bequest of William Gilson Farlow of his personal herbarium and library to Harvard.
5.
Alma Grace brought a kitten, acquired at a pet shop in Boston to "Daddy Will" because the beloved Daniel Boone disappeared from his happy home in Atlanta last spring.
Alas for Daniel! I fear his curiosity may have led him to a sad end. Will wrote about him very entertainingly in a letter the previous fall:
6.
Mr. Atkinson with the Misses Beryl and Joan Atkinson was in town for the Labor Day week-end and was seen in the water enjoying the good opportunities for a swim. The young ladies showed the advantage of their sojourn at Little Sirecho Camp, and swam in a manner to make the Editor writhe with envy.
Because Beryl and Joan liked Little Sirecho Camp, AG was later sent there. She didn't like it nearly as much as Beryl and Joan did.
7.
On Labor Day there was a Sari-Putting-On with Kathleen Stokey, Edith Robinson and Alma Grace as the models. The collection of cameras in the hands of active photographers suggested nothing less than Main Fashion Display of 1942 as demonstrated by the Leading Models.
We have several of the pictures that were taken on this day. I've put them further down, in a section of their own.
8.
There are now left four old pines, and four new pines as well as a few seedlings.
Very few of these pines survived the Hurricane of 1944. See: All the young pines are dead since the Sept. 1944 hurricane, and the old ones are dead or nearly so.
9.
During the Season the Fernbank household likes to make a trip or two to the Bellows, but during the 1942 season the question of transportation was a serious one.
The internet tells me that the Bellows was in the building where the Red Horse Inn is now located, at 28 Falmouth Heights Road in Falmouth.
10.
Mrs. Evans, who is not easily stopped when under full sail, remonstrated through the impedimenta, that it was not yet 7, but the Head Waitress, or Proprietess, or What-you-will, replied that it did not matter as there was no food left.
That description of Aunt Eva rings true.
11.
Song, by Alma Grace.
(Inspired by Now at last, winter's past."
I found surprisingly little about "Now at last, winter's past" on the internet, but there was enough. The tune is a German folk tune, and for some reason when I read that, I thought, "Yup, sounds like a German folk tune," even though I couldn't tell you why. Here it is:
12.
We shall not reveal any military secrets by saying that several M.B.L. buildings were taken over by the Navy this summer, among them the Botany Building. The Editor was given a pleasant office in the Brick Building close to the statue of Confucius.
There isn't much about the Confucius statue on the internet. I found something about it here: I thought about calling the MBL to see if it still was there, but decided I would prefer to go see if I can find it if I ever happen to be in Woods Hole again.
13.
High point in the season came on Saturday, Sep. 26th, when the Flower of Fernbank, Miss Margaret Stokey, was married to Mr. Albert S. Bruchas of Chicago.
I thought that with this information I could surely find something in newspapers.com about the wedding. No such luck.
14.
Biggest social surprise was the announcement of the pending marriage of Lieut. Wm. F. Stokey to Miss Florence Elizabeth (Betty) Nennich, a Philadelphia belle (Unrelated to the Liberty of the same name).
This engagement was later broken.
15.
An equally social, though not so shocking, event was the announcement of the engagement of Ensign Roger P. Stokey to the Pride of Mansfield (Massachusetts), Miss Edith Robinson. According to Ensign Stokey, his father, Col. Stokey and his aunt, Mrs. Evans, took to the news "like ducks to water."
This engagement was not broken; Roger and Edie were my parents. This Fernbank News suggests that Roger told his father personally of the engagement, but I don't see how that could be. The engagement announcement was in the papers in the fall. (Thanks, newspapers.com!) At that point Roger was in the navy, probably somewhere in the North Atlantic. Maybe someday I'll find out more.
16.
In a year when tires are at a premium, Miss Alma G. Stokey, prominent botanist and journalist, retired from Mount Holyoke College. Not being of a retiring nature, however, she passed a busy summer as tourist (in the West), fern expert (at the M.B.L.), house painter (with Colonel Stokey), and Editor (of the Fernbank News).
This is the only indication that I have seen that Alma traveled west in 1942, so I don't know where she went. Aunt Rebecca Provines Taggart (Mama Margaret's sister), who lived around Pittsburgh, had died the previous year, so Alma probably didn't go there, but that's all I can say, right now.
17.
MY HEYDAY...... by Hosea.
This looks like a reference to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's newspaper column, "My Day", which ran from 1935 to 1962.
18.
If she can't answer my question, perhaps the President can.
Yup, it's got to be a My Day thing.
19.
Here's a sequence of events, with no guarantee of perfection:
This is one of the nineteen editions of The Fernbank News that were published over the course of 39 years.
- The previous News in the series is: 1936-12-15 FERNBANK NEWS
- The next News in the series is: 1945-08-23 FERNBANK NEWS
There are links to all of the editions of The Fernbank News in:
2.
People:
There are pages (family or non-family) for:
Will, a.k.a. Colonel Stokey
Alma, a.k.a. Ed. for Editor
Fred, a.k.a. Dr. Fred Stokey
Eva, a.k.a. Eva Stokey Evans
Maggie, a.k.a. Margaret Stokey Bruchas, is in Next Generation
Bill, a.k.a. Lt. William F. Stokey is in Next Generation
Kay, a.k.a. K.S., Society Editor, is in Next Generation
Roger, a.k.a. Ensign Roger P. Stokey is in Next Generation
Alma Grace Stokey is in Next Generation
Clara, a.k.a. Clara Virginia Jones, has a Non-family page of her own.
Atkinsons - Geoffroy, Lenette, and their daughters Beryl and Joan, are in South Hadley Folks
Mrs. Thivy, a.k.a. Francesa Thivy, is in India Folks
Meyers are in Woods Hole Folks
Gladys Green and her father, George Green, are in the Gladys Green and Erna Reichmann page.
Here are people who aren't in any people pages:
The cats: Hosea, and his predecessor who disappeared, Daniel Boone
Edith Robinson: She and Roger were married in May 1943.
Sgt. Albert Bruchas, Maggie's bridegroom.
Mrs. Taylor and her young son Charles Taylor - their names are on Glady's tablecloth, but I never knew them. Also Wm. Randolph Taylor. I should add them to the Woods Hole Folks page.
Charlotte Haywood: I think I've seen her name in another Fernbank News, so I guess I should start paying attention to her.
For any other names, either I know nothing about them or I just neglected to notice them.
3.
Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson had arrived July 19th in time to receive Monsieur and Madame Fernand Tricot, of the Belgian Congo, but formerly of Brussels.
In a Fernbank News from several years previously, which is not yet uploaded (which means I'll have to update this News when that News gets uploaded - we'll see if that happens) it was noted that Lenette Atkinson, who was Lenette Rogers at the time, had spent some time studying in Brussels, so it seems plausible that the Tricots were friends from that time. [That Fernbank News is now uploaded, but, as you can see, I haven't exactly updated this News with a link. Eventually. Probably.]
4.
Mrs. Francesca Thivianadam arrived August 7th and began work at the M.B.L. immediately. She has collected diligently and has added to the list of epiphytic Green Algae found in American waters. Her hours and industry were much like those of Mrs. Atkinson, but she never left before the Editor was up. She has also sprung away for a period, having left on the train with Mrs. Evans, Sept. 15th to work in the Harvard Library and the Farlow Herbarium.
The News is not clear on the spelling of Mrs. Thivy's full surname. I don't think I've ever seen it that way anywhere else, and I didn't go looking for an explanation.
As for the Farlow Herbarium, Wikipedia says:
The Farlow Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany is an herbarium and library at Harvard University with about 1,400,000 specimens, including approximately 75,000 types, of lichens, fungi, bryophytes, diatoms, and algae. It grew from the 1919 bequest of William Gilson Farlow of his personal herbarium and library to Harvard.
5.
Alma Grace brought a kitten, acquired at a pet shop in Boston to "Daddy Will" because the beloved Daniel Boone disappeared from his happy home in Atlanta last spring.
Alas for Daniel! I fear his curiosity may have led him to a sad end. Will wrote about him very entertainingly in a letter the previous fall:
6.
Mr. Atkinson with the Misses Beryl and Joan Atkinson was in town for the Labor Day week-end and was seen in the water enjoying the good opportunities for a swim. The young ladies showed the advantage of their sojourn at Little Sirecho Camp, and swam in a manner to make the Editor writhe with envy.
Because Beryl and Joan liked Little Sirecho Camp, AG was later sent there. She didn't like it nearly as much as Beryl and Joan did.
7.
On Labor Day there was a Sari-Putting-On with Kathleen Stokey, Edith Robinson and Alma Grace as the models. The collection of cameras in the hands of active photographers suggested nothing less than Main Fashion Display of 1942 as demonstrated by the Leading Models.
We have several of the pictures that were taken on this day. I've put them further down, in a section of their own.
8.
There are now left four old pines, and four new pines as well as a few seedlings.
Very few of these pines survived the Hurricane of 1944. See: All the young pines are dead since the Sept. 1944 hurricane, and the old ones are dead or nearly so.
9.
During the Season the Fernbank household likes to make a trip or two to the Bellows, but during the 1942 season the question of transportation was a serious one.
The internet tells me that the Bellows was in the building where the Red Horse Inn is now located, at 28 Falmouth Heights Road in Falmouth.
10.
Mrs. Evans, who is not easily stopped when under full sail, remonstrated through the impedimenta, that it was not yet 7, but the Head Waitress, or Proprietess, or What-you-will, replied that it did not matter as there was no food left.
That description of Aunt Eva rings true.
11.
Song, by Alma Grace.
(Inspired by Now at last, winter's past."
I found surprisingly little about "Now at last, winter's past" on the internet, but there was enough. The tune is a German folk tune, and for some reason when I read that, I thought, "Yup, sounds like a German folk tune," even though I couldn't tell you why. Here it is:
12.
We shall not reveal any military secrets by saying that several M.B.L. buildings were taken over by the Navy this summer, among them the Botany Building. The Editor was given a pleasant office in the Brick Building close to the statue of Confucius.
There isn't much about the Confucius statue on the internet. I found something about it here: I thought about calling the MBL to see if it still was there, but decided I would prefer to go see if I can find it if I ever happen to be in Woods Hole again.
13.
High point in the season came on Saturday, Sep. 26th, when the Flower of Fernbank, Miss Margaret Stokey, was married to Mr. Albert S. Bruchas of Chicago.
I thought that with this information I could surely find something in newspapers.com about the wedding. No such luck.
14.
Biggest social surprise was the announcement of the pending marriage of Lieut. Wm. F. Stokey to Miss Florence Elizabeth (Betty) Nennich, a Philadelphia belle (Unrelated to the Liberty of the same name).
This engagement was later broken.
15.
An equally social, though not so shocking, event was the announcement of the engagement of Ensign Roger P. Stokey to the Pride of Mansfield (Massachusetts), Miss Edith Robinson. According to Ensign Stokey, his father, Col. Stokey and his aunt, Mrs. Evans, took to the news "like ducks to water."
This engagement was not broken; Roger and Edie were my parents. This Fernbank News suggests that Roger told his father personally of the engagement, but I don't see how that could be. The engagement announcement was in the papers in the fall. (Thanks, newspapers.com!) At that point Roger was in the navy, probably somewhere in the North Atlantic. Maybe someday I'll find out more.
16.
In a year when tires are at a premium, Miss Alma G. Stokey, prominent botanist and journalist, retired from Mount Holyoke College. Not being of a retiring nature, however, she passed a busy summer as tourist (in the West), fern expert (at the M.B.L.), house painter (with Colonel Stokey), and Editor (of the Fernbank News).
This is the only indication that I have seen that Alma traveled west in 1942, so I don't know where she went. Aunt Rebecca Provines Taggart (Mama Margaret's sister), who lived around Pittsburgh, had died the previous year, so Alma probably didn't go there, but that's all I can say, right now.
17.
MY HEYDAY...... by Hosea.
This looks like a reference to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's newspaper column, "My Day", which ran from 1935 to 1962.
18.
If she can't answer my question, perhaps the President can.
Yup, it's got to be a My Day thing.
19.
Here's a sequence of events, with no guarantee of perfection:
- June-July 1945: Alma retires from Mount Holyoke College, and travels west.
- June-August 1945: AG stays with her Hosking grandparents in Ontario.
- July 19: Geoffroy and Lenette Atkinson arrive at Fernbank. Geoffroy goes back to South Hadley the same day. Somewhere around this time M and Mme Tricot come for a short visit.
- July 21: Alma and Fred arrive at Fernbank. Fred goes back to South Hadley either this day or the next.
- August 2, roughly: Geoffroy Atkinson comes back to Fernbank.
- August 3: Will and Eva arrive at Fernbank, after a weekend in New York.
- August 7: Mrs. Thivy arrives at Fernbank.
- August 15: Fred comes to Fernbank with AG. Fred stays 3 days.
- August 21: Clara Jones arrives at Fernbank.
- August 29: Kay arrives at Fernbank. Group Hyannis trip and Nantucket trip during her visit.
- September 4-6: Geoffroy Atkinson is at Fernbank with the Atkinson daughters, Beryl and Joan.
- September 5: Edie Robinson arrives for the weekend. Saturday night picnic at Gansett Beach.
- September 6: Mrs. Thivy does an Indian dinner.
- September 7: Sari-Putting-On for Kay, AG, and Edie, and then Kay goes back to New York.
- September 15: Mrs. Thivy goes up to Cambridge to do work. This may also be the day that Eva went up to Ogunquit, Maine, to visit Dr. and Mrs. Meyers.
- September 24: Eva goes to Philadelphia and New York.
- September 26: Maggie is married to Al Bruchas, in Flossmore, Illinois.
- September 27: Will, Alma, and Glady enjoy what is probably their last swim of the season.
- October 5: Eva comes back from Philadelphia and New York I think Mrs. Thivy comes back this day, too.
- October 6: Will tries to take Eva and Mrs. Thivy out to dinner at the Woods Hole Shop, but it's closed because it's out of food.
- October 14: Will is planning to leave Fernbank to go back to Atlanta from the winter. Presumably Eva will go with him.
1942-10-04: audio---images---comment---transcript---notes---~PICTURES~---links---site navigation
Here are pictures from the Sari-Putting-On, on Monday September 7, 1942. I think that the last two are from the same day, but I can't say for sure.
I wonder if this picture of AG and Edie was taken while they were waiting for Kay (with help from Mrs. Thivy) to put her sari on. Note: AG's smile looks very AG-like to me.
AG, Kay, and Edie, posing with Mrs. Thivy in their saris. The cat that AG is holding must be Hosea.
No longer posing, which suggests to me that Glady took this picture. It looks as though Hosea had squirmed out of AG's arms, so now she's holding some sort of a doll instead.
This picture might have been taken the same day, since Mrs. Thivy is wearing the same sari. AG is in a dress, so this might be after she changed out of her sari.
Here's AG in what looks like the same dress, so maybe this picture was taken during the same session: Will holding Hosea (recaptured, maybe), AG, Eva, and Alma.
1942-10-04: audio---images---comment---transcript---notes---pictures---~LINKS~---site navigation
LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- FRED: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- THE NEXT GENERATION: DOCUMENTS ----- Maggie, Billy, Kay, Roger, AG
- NON-FAMILY: CLARA JONES ----- Related
- NON-FAMILY: SOUTH HADLEY FOLKS ----- Atkinsons
- NON-FAMILY: INDIA FOLKS ETCETERA ----- Mrs. Thivy
- NON-FAMILY: WOODS HOLE FOLKS ----- Meyers
- NON-FAMILY: GLADYS GREEN AND ERNA REICHMANN ----- Glady and her father
OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
1942-10-04: audio---images---comment---transcript---notes---pictures---links---~SITE NAVIGATION~-
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WHERE CAN I FIND THIS DOCUMENT IN OTHER LISTS?
- COMPLETE DOCUMENT LIST BY DATE
- DOCUMENTS SORTED BY WHERE THEY WERE WRITTEN ----- Eastern Massachusetts
- DOCUMENTS SORTED BY SOURCE ----- Barbara
- AUDIO READINGS OF THE DOCUMENTS: 1940-1949
- DOCUMENT SEQUENCE: FERNBANK NEWS