Fernbank News: October 1960
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Alma's last (or anyway, the last as far as I know) Fernbank News
1960-10-01: ~TOUR STOPS~---images---audio---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
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1960-10-01: tour stops---~IMAGES~---audio---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
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1960-10-01: tour stops---images---~AUDIO~---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
1960-10-01: tour stops---images---audio---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---links---site navigation
PAGE 1
FERNBANK NEWS
Woods Hole, Mass.
October 1960
Weather. Just at this minute it is fair - very fair - but we have just had a week of cloudy, foggy, rainy and generally disagreeable weather, which is especially trying to anyone concerned with closing a house. How can one sun blankets when there is no sun? And how can one put away things nicely when the air is full of dampness? And how are the inhabitants of this blessed place to maintain their serenity of disposition when there are no blue skies such as we have been led to expect in September. However, October has come in with the traditional "Bright blue weather." Long may it continue!
We might go on to say that in general the weather has not been a success this summer and has not received the approval of those subjected to it. August had two weeks of fair-to-good weather, but the rest of it was not up to the standard; not enough warm weather for summer, too much grayness, and too much fog.
Arrivals. Mrs. Eva Evans arrived from Atlanta on May 24th, via the Bach Festival and Bethlehem, Pa., as well as a few other stops.
Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Fredda Reed arrived on June 7th, weary and worn from the exertions of moving their offices in Clapp Laboratory - a mad scramble, as there had been very little warning of the move, necessitated by some considerable rearranging of Libraries in Clapp Laboratory.
June visitors were Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Johnson of Centralia, Illinois. Edwin Johnson was a neighbor of the Stokeys in Canton, Ohio, when he was a small boy and the Stokeys were growing up. The Fernbank household took a trip down the Cape to demonstrate its charms and the old region of Provincetown.
When the Johnsons arrived at Fernbank they were barely greeted before they were rushed off to one of the many church suppers at the West Falmouth Methodist Church.
Mrs. Hazeltene Parmenter spent a short time in Woods Hole and distributed her time among her many friends there, including the Fernbank Household.
Miss Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin came on July 12th with Miss Fredda Reed. On the rainiest day of their visit they were entertained by attending Mrs. Hemmeter's birthday party (her 89th); having dinner, or rather supper, at the West Falmouth Church; and then going to a performance of "Patience" by the Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan players.
Miss Clara Jones arrived on August 1st with Miss Fredda Reed who had met her in Springfield. Miss Jones plans to stay as long as Miss Alma Stokey, probably Oct. 6th, when Mrs. Roger Stokey is to come for them and their possessions, which are too many for convenience in traveling.
Mr. & Mrs. Roger P. Stokey arrived on August 12, fresh from Europe by plane, coming down from Boston on a bus which got in 15 minutes ahead of schedule - and nobody met them, such is our faith that a bus cannot beat its schedule.
Mr. George R. Proctor, botanist at the Institute of Jamaica, also arrived on August 12th, brought from Cambridge where he was working at the Gray Herbarium, by a friend. He returned Sunday morning with the Roger Stokey contingent, traveling with three children, one dog (Vanya), and the cat, Pat, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stokey.
The Vagabond household, Miss Gladys Green, Mrs. Erna Reichmann, and the black cocker, Gypsy, arrived in Woods Hole about the same time as Mrs. Evans, and will probably outlast the Fernbank household by one or two days. They have had many guests and life has been gay: The Rogel family for a week, Mrs. Grace Hollinger of Miami Beach for two weeks or thereabouts, Miss Lillian Gregory of Vermont and Chicago for several short visits; Dr. Marjorie Wheatly of New York was at Vagabond House for a few days after visiting Dr. Dorothy Marvin on Bar Neck Road.
FERNBANK NEWS
Woods Hole, Mass.
October 1960
Weather. Just at this minute it is fair - very fair - but we have just had a week of cloudy, foggy, rainy and generally disagreeable weather, which is especially trying to anyone concerned with closing a house. How can one sun blankets when there is no sun? And how can one put away things nicely when the air is full of dampness? And how are the inhabitants of this blessed place to maintain their serenity of disposition when there are no blue skies such as we have been led to expect in September. However, October has come in with the traditional "Bright blue weather." Long may it continue!
We might go on to say that in general the weather has not been a success this summer and has not received the approval of those subjected to it. August had two weeks of fair-to-good weather, but the rest of it was not up to the standard; not enough warm weather for summer, too much grayness, and too much fog.
Arrivals. Mrs. Eva Evans arrived from Atlanta on May 24th, via the Bach Festival and Bethlehem, Pa., as well as a few other stops.
Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Fredda Reed arrived on June 7th, weary and worn from the exertions of moving their offices in Clapp Laboratory - a mad scramble, as there had been very little warning of the move, necessitated by some considerable rearranging of Libraries in Clapp Laboratory.
June visitors were Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Johnson of Centralia, Illinois. Edwin Johnson was a neighbor of the Stokeys in Canton, Ohio, when he was a small boy and the Stokeys were growing up. The Fernbank household took a trip down the Cape to demonstrate its charms and the old region of Provincetown.
When the Johnsons arrived at Fernbank they were barely greeted before they were rushed off to one of the many church suppers at the West Falmouth Methodist Church.
Mrs. Hazeltene Parmenter spent a short time in Woods Hole and distributed her time among her many friends there, including the Fernbank Household.
Miss Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin came on July 12th with Miss Fredda Reed. On the rainiest day of their visit they were entertained by attending Mrs. Hemmeter's birthday party (her 89th); having dinner, or rather supper, at the West Falmouth Church; and then going to a performance of "Patience" by the Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan players.
Miss Clara Jones arrived on August 1st with Miss Fredda Reed who had met her in Springfield. Miss Jones plans to stay as long as Miss Alma Stokey, probably Oct. 6th, when Mrs. Roger Stokey is to come for them and their possessions, which are too many for convenience in traveling.
Mr. & Mrs. Roger P. Stokey arrived on August 12, fresh from Europe by plane, coming down from Boston on a bus which got in 15 minutes ahead of schedule - and nobody met them, such is our faith that a bus cannot beat its schedule.
Mr. George R. Proctor, botanist at the Institute of Jamaica, also arrived on August 12th, brought from Cambridge where he was working at the Gray Herbarium, by a friend. He returned Sunday morning with the Roger Stokey contingent, traveling with three children, one dog (Vanya), and the cat, Pat, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stokey.
The Vagabond household, Miss Gladys Green, Mrs. Erna Reichmann, and the black cocker, Gypsy, arrived in Woods Hole about the same time as Mrs. Evans, and will probably outlast the Fernbank household by one or two days. They have had many guests and life has been gay: The Rogel family for a week, Mrs. Grace Hollinger of Miami Beach for two weeks or thereabouts, Miss Lillian Gregory of Vermont and Chicago for several short visits; Dr. Marjorie Wheatly of New York was at Vagabond House for a few days after visiting Dr. Dorothy Marvin on Bar Neck Road.
PAGE 2
The Pittsburgh Stokeys arrived August 22nd and managed to hit the best weather of the summer. They left early in the morning of Sept. 4 to drive to Easton, Pa. to stay over Labor Day before going on to Pittsburgh.
Summer Activities. The pleasant custom of Saturday night picnics at Vagabond House was continued, but for the first month it rained every Saturday night and the supper was indoors. Sword Fish was the standard menu, and it continues to be notable for its excellent quality.
The Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan Players were at Highfield Theater, Falmouth, for 7 weeks. Fernbank & Vagabond House went every Thursday night, and often had guests with them. There were four G & S plays and three others: La Perichole, The Merry Widow, and Fledermaus. The productions were even better than the usual standard, and were altogether delightful.
When the Pittsburgh Stokeys were visiting at Fernbank, noon picnics were in order for the Pittsburgh family, Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Clara Jones. Mrs. Evans went on the longest one - the trip to Plymouth, to see Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and Plimoth Plantations. Lunch was eaten at Miles Standish Park. The shorter picnics included the front porch of Fernbank, Vagabond House picnic facilities, Gansett Beach, Sippiwissett Beach, and one near Hyannis.
While Mr. & Mrs. Roger Stokey were in Europe, Betsy, Roger 2, and Lucy were in Falmouth Heights with their grandparents. They all came to Woods Hole to Saturday night picnics, occasionally for a swim at Miss Green's beach, and to a bazaar and sale at the Church of the Messiah.
The largest social function was the Saturday night picnic when the Pittsburgh and Wayland Stokeys were all there - 22 for a supper of sword fish, cole slaw, potato chips, pickles and olives, "picnic drink", coffee and apple pie (made by G.M.G.). Fortunately it was one of the really pleasant nights. After it was dark, there was a showing of the slides of the European trip - beautiful slides which gave all those present a share in the journey from England to Switzerland and Paris. (Lucy and Jean entertained themselves in other ways.)
Notes from our Special Correspondents:
On the way to Woods Hole, the Pittsburgh Stokey family stopped at Mystic, Conn. It is an old whaling town. There are several old whaling ships there. It has many buildings filled with old sails, steering wheels, spears, and many other ship's possessions. There is a room with figure heads and one with models of famous ships. B.A.S.
Saturday night picnic. We had the usual Saturday night picnic and the Wayland Stokeys came for it. Also Fernbank (9), and Vagabond House (3), Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and the Wayland Stokey's baby-sitters - (Bruce Waldman and Joyce Kerr). After filling up with Aunt Erna's delicious swordfish sandwiches we saw pictures of England taken on Aunt Edie and Uncle Roger's recent trip there. There were also pictures of Holland and the dike there and of France. They were very nice pictures. B.A.S.
Picnics. This summer at Woods Hole, Aunt Alma, Clara Jones, Bill, Grace, Barbara, Nancy and Jean ate picnic lunches at several different beaches. We ate at Ganset, Sippewissett, Miss Green's, and near Hyannis when we went to the candle factory. We ate on the front porch at Fernbank. B.A.S.
Ganset picnic beach. Daddy, Barbara and I played duck on a rock. You put a rock on a big rock and everyone picks out five stones of any size or shape they want to. At a signal the players, standing behind a line, start throwing the stones. The first one to knock the stone over is the winner. We had lunch. Everyone ate a lot. We took a walk and I saved a barnicle to look at under my microscope. N.L.S.
On the way home from Hyannis we stopped at Storyland and Daddy took Jean in it. The rest of us had already been in it. Jean liked it very much. She especially liked the magic show and now wants to be a magician. B.A.S.
The Pittsburgh Stokeys arrived August 22nd and managed to hit the best weather of the summer. They left early in the morning of Sept. 4 to drive to Easton, Pa. to stay over Labor Day before going on to Pittsburgh.
Summer Activities. The pleasant custom of Saturday night picnics at Vagabond House was continued, but for the first month it rained every Saturday night and the supper was indoors. Sword Fish was the standard menu, and it continues to be notable for its excellent quality.
The Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan Players were at Highfield Theater, Falmouth, for 7 weeks. Fernbank & Vagabond House went every Thursday night, and often had guests with them. There were four G & S plays and three others: La Perichole, The Merry Widow, and Fledermaus. The productions were even better than the usual standard, and were altogether delightful.
When the Pittsburgh Stokeys were visiting at Fernbank, noon picnics were in order for the Pittsburgh family, Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Clara Jones. Mrs. Evans went on the longest one - the trip to Plymouth, to see Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and Plimoth Plantations. Lunch was eaten at Miles Standish Park. The shorter picnics included the front porch of Fernbank, Vagabond House picnic facilities, Gansett Beach, Sippiwissett Beach, and one near Hyannis.
While Mr. & Mrs. Roger Stokey were in Europe, Betsy, Roger 2, and Lucy were in Falmouth Heights with their grandparents. They all came to Woods Hole to Saturday night picnics, occasionally for a swim at Miss Green's beach, and to a bazaar and sale at the Church of the Messiah.
The largest social function was the Saturday night picnic when the Pittsburgh and Wayland Stokeys were all there - 22 for a supper of sword fish, cole slaw, potato chips, pickles and olives, "picnic drink", coffee and apple pie (made by G.M.G.). Fortunately it was one of the really pleasant nights. After it was dark, there was a showing of the slides of the European trip - beautiful slides which gave all those present a share in the journey from England to Switzerland and Paris. (Lucy and Jean entertained themselves in other ways.)
Notes from our Special Correspondents:
On the way to Woods Hole, the Pittsburgh Stokey family stopped at Mystic, Conn. It is an old whaling town. There are several old whaling ships there. It has many buildings filled with old sails, steering wheels, spears, and many other ship's possessions. There is a room with figure heads and one with models of famous ships. B.A.S.
Saturday night picnic. We had the usual Saturday night picnic and the Wayland Stokeys came for it. Also Fernbank (9), and Vagabond House (3), Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and the Wayland Stokey's baby-sitters - (Bruce Waldman and Joyce Kerr). After filling up with Aunt Erna's delicious swordfish sandwiches we saw pictures of England taken on Aunt Edie and Uncle Roger's recent trip there. There were also pictures of Holland and the dike there and of France. They were very nice pictures. B.A.S.
Picnics. This summer at Woods Hole, Aunt Alma, Clara Jones, Bill, Grace, Barbara, Nancy and Jean ate picnic lunches at several different beaches. We ate at Ganset, Sippewissett, Miss Green's, and near Hyannis when we went to the candle factory. We ate on the front porch at Fernbank. B.A.S.
Ganset picnic beach. Daddy, Barbara and I played duck on a rock. You put a rock on a big rock and everyone picks out five stones of any size or shape they want to. At a signal the players, standing behind a line, start throwing the stones. The first one to knock the stone over is the winner. We had lunch. Everyone ate a lot. We took a walk and I saved a barnicle to look at under my microscope. N.L.S.
On the way home from Hyannis we stopped at Storyland and Daddy took Jean in it. The rest of us had already been in it. Jean liked it very much. She especially liked the magic show and now wants to be a magician. B.A.S.
PAGE 3
Wednesday, Sept. 2nd all of Fernbank went to Plymouth. We went up to see the Miles Standish Monument first. Daddy, Barbara, Nancy, and Jean climbed the 125 steps, but it was foggy and you could not see all the New England states like you are supposed to. It was very nice anyway. The new Plymouth Plantation was very interesting. It has replicas of all the original houses. The houses had complete furnishings. We saw the MAYFLOWER II and a film of its trip across the ocean. Other things we saw were a saw pit, a fort, and an Indian village. It was very interesting place. B.A.S.
(Jean felt that the sight-seeing party at the Plantations was not sufficiently thorough - there were two houses which she did not have a chance to go into. Ed.)
We went to a Colonial Candle Factory (Hyannis). Jean, Dad and I watched men hand dip candles, spray them, and paint them. Frosting candles looked like fun. We shopped around and I got an imatation birthstone ring. We came home and changed our clothes to go to the church supper. N.S.
We went to a church supper. There were two kinds of beans, three kinds of salid, and about seven kinds of pie. We came home and played "O Fuddy Duddy." Barbara won twice to make up for losing three times the night before. N.S.
This year AG came down (from Boston) for the weekends we were there. One Friday we went to the Cape Cod Canal to get her. Miss Green brought her down the next Friday. B.A.S.
One day all of Fernbank except the two nappers, Aunt Alma and Bill, went to the movie "The Swan Lake" done by the Bolshoi Theater. It was a film taken in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. It was a very excellently done ballet. The dancers were very graceful and did their parts exceedingly well. B.A.S.
The Highland Theater. Thursday, Aug. 18th, Aunt Eva, Clara Jones and I went to the Gilbert & Sullivan Players in "Die Fledermaus." It was a very good play. Bill, Grace, and Aunt Alma went the following night. There were two people replaced in the last minute (Thursday). They did well and made it very interesting. B.A.S.
Hurricane News.
Hurricane Donna gave a look-in at the Cape. Fernbank was awakened (so far as it was susceptible) not long after midnight, Sept. 10th, by their next door neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, with the news that Donna was expected to arrive by early morning. Mrs. Evans and Miss Reed, who was visiting at Fernbank, took their cars up to Harbor Hill. Fortunately Donna did not arrive until after 1:00 P.M., and then with restrained vigor. In the meantime Miss Reed left for South Hadley. Mr. Mason Wilson offered to take care of the Vagabond House and Fernbank cars at the Rectory, which is on higher ground. Mrs. Evans and Miss Green took their cars to the Rectory and Mr. Wilson brought them both back to Vagabond House. Miss Jones and Miss Stokey brought up to the main floor the vulnerable things which were on the ground floor. Then they packed some clothes to take to Vagabond House. Miss Green took a large lamp and some kerosene to provide for an emergency. There was heavy rain, and a violent south wind, followed by an even more violent west wind, which brought much desirable sand to the Green beach. By 10:00 P.M. the main force of Donna was spent, but the Fernbank household remained at Vagabond House for the night.
The next weekend Miss Alma Grace Stokey came down from Boston and Cambridge with two young men, Raymond Morrison and his younger brother who were concerned about a boat left at Waquoit. Miss Elizabeth Briscoe was one of the party. Fernbank and Vagabond House took a picnic lunch down to Poponesset to join the Morrisons, and there they found a third young man on the boat hunt. The boat was finally located in a pine grove; it had been washed up on the shore and carried about 150 ft. inland, in a spot inaccessible to anything except a bulldozer. However, it was a good picnic with plenty of food even for two more men than were expected.
Wednesday, Sept. 2nd all of Fernbank went to Plymouth. We went up to see the Miles Standish Monument first. Daddy, Barbara, Nancy, and Jean climbed the 125 steps, but it was foggy and you could not see all the New England states like you are supposed to. It was very nice anyway. The new Plymouth Plantation was very interesting. It has replicas of all the original houses. The houses had complete furnishings. We saw the MAYFLOWER II and a film of its trip across the ocean. Other things we saw were a saw pit, a fort, and an Indian village. It was very interesting place. B.A.S.
(Jean felt that the sight-seeing party at the Plantations was not sufficiently thorough - there were two houses which she did not have a chance to go into. Ed.)
We went to a Colonial Candle Factory (Hyannis). Jean, Dad and I watched men hand dip candles, spray them, and paint them. Frosting candles looked like fun. We shopped around and I got an imatation birthstone ring. We came home and changed our clothes to go to the church supper. N.S.
We went to a church supper. There were two kinds of beans, three kinds of salid, and about seven kinds of pie. We came home and played "O Fuddy Duddy." Barbara won twice to make up for losing three times the night before. N.S.
This year AG came down (from Boston) for the weekends we were there. One Friday we went to the Cape Cod Canal to get her. Miss Green brought her down the next Friday. B.A.S.
One day all of Fernbank except the two nappers, Aunt Alma and Bill, went to the movie "The Swan Lake" done by the Bolshoi Theater. It was a film taken in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. It was a very excellently done ballet. The dancers were very graceful and did their parts exceedingly well. B.A.S.
The Highland Theater. Thursday, Aug. 18th, Aunt Eva, Clara Jones and I went to the Gilbert & Sullivan Players in "Die Fledermaus." It was a very good play. Bill, Grace, and Aunt Alma went the following night. There were two people replaced in the last minute (Thursday). They did well and made it very interesting. B.A.S.
Hurricane News.
Hurricane Donna gave a look-in at the Cape. Fernbank was awakened (so far as it was susceptible) not long after midnight, Sept. 10th, by their next door neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, with the news that Donna was expected to arrive by early morning. Mrs. Evans and Miss Reed, who was visiting at Fernbank, took their cars up to Harbor Hill. Fortunately Donna did not arrive until after 1:00 P.M., and then with restrained vigor. In the meantime Miss Reed left for South Hadley. Mr. Mason Wilson offered to take care of the Vagabond House and Fernbank cars at the Rectory, which is on higher ground. Mrs. Evans and Miss Green took their cars to the Rectory and Mr. Wilson brought them both back to Vagabond House. Miss Jones and Miss Stokey brought up to the main floor the vulnerable things which were on the ground floor. Then they packed some clothes to take to Vagabond House. Miss Green took a large lamp and some kerosene to provide for an emergency. There was heavy rain, and a violent south wind, followed by an even more violent west wind, which brought much desirable sand to the Green beach. By 10:00 P.M. the main force of Donna was spent, but the Fernbank household remained at Vagabond House for the night.
The next weekend Miss Alma Grace Stokey came down from Boston and Cambridge with two young men, Raymond Morrison and his younger brother who were concerned about a boat left at Waquoit. Miss Elizabeth Briscoe was one of the party. Fernbank and Vagabond House took a picnic lunch down to Poponesset to join the Morrisons, and there they found a third young man on the boat hunt. The boat was finally located in a pine grove; it had been washed up on the shore and carried about 150 ft. inland, in a spot inaccessible to anything except a bulldozer. However, it was a good picnic with plenty of food even for two more men than were expected.
1960-10-01: tour stops---images---audio---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
1.
Just at this minute it is fair - very fair - but we have just had a week of cloudy, foggy, rainy and generally disagreeable weather, which is especially trying to anyone concerned with closing a house. How can one sun blankets when there is no sun? And how can one put away things nicely when the air is full of dampness?
I like seeing this small glimpse of the process of closing up Fernbank for the winter.
2.
Mrs. Eva Evans arrived from Atlanta on May 24th, via the Bach Festival and Bethlehem, Pa., as well as a few other stops.
Not Eva's first Bach Festival - see:
3.
Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Fredda Reed arrived on June 7th, weary and worn from the exertions of moving their offices in Clapp Laboratory - a mad scramble, as there had been very little warning of the move, necessitated by some considerable rearranging of Libraries in Clapp Laboratory.
Of course Alma still had an office at Mount Holyoke nearly 20 years after her retirement in 1942. I don't know when Fredda retired (seems to me I've seen something in newspapers.com about it but not used it), but she was born around 1895, so if she wasn't retired in 1960, she was very near retirement, but still maintaining her office.
4.
June visitors were Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Johnson of Centralia, Illinois. Edwin Johnson was a neighbor of the Stokeys in Canton, Ohio, when he was a small boy and the Stokeys were growing up.
I think it is quite possible that the Johnsons are the Johnsons on Glady's picnic tablecloth between the squares E-02, E-03, F-02, and F-03. I'm not 100% certain, however.
I haven't come across the Johnsons elsewhere, but I wasn't looking for them, either. I figure Edwin was a neighbor in the 1890s, and I wonder if any of the Stokeys kept in touch with him for 60 years, or if they just happened to reconnect later on.
5.
Mrs. Hazeltene Parmenter spent a short time in Woods Hole and distributed her time among her many friends there, including the Fernbank Household.
I remember Hazel Parmenter, though I have no distinctive memories of her. She's on Glady's picnic tablecloth, but I haven't added her to the Non-Family page for Woods Hole folks because it seems to me that I only saw her at Glady's picnics.
6.
Miss Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin came on July 12th with Miss Fredda Reed. On the rainiest day of their visit they were entertained by attending Mrs. Hemmeter's birthday party (her 89th); having dinner, or rather supper, at the West Falmouth Church; and then going to a performance of "Patience" by the Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan players.
I know nothing about Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin. Fredda Reed has a Non-Family page of her own on this website.
I think I may have visited Mrs. Hemmeter once at her home on Gardiner Road with Aunt Eva, and that Mrs. Hemmeter received us in bed. Aunt Eva said that she was 100 years old, but that would make it in 1971, well after Aunt Eva broke her hip, so I think Aunt Eva had Mrs. Hemmeter's age wrong. Never mind, it made an impression on me, and if it hadn't, I might not remember visiting her.
Later: I mentioned Mrs. Hemmeter to AG, and she remembered going as a child to see Mrs. Hemmeter, and she remembered Mrs. Hemmeter being in her big bed. AG was polite (which basically meant that she was quiet), and then she got to go out to play in Mrs. Hemmeter's beautiful garden. If Mrs. Hemmeter had a beautiful garden, it's no wonder Alma liked her!
She says that Mrs. Hemmeter lived not on Gardiner Road but on Buzzards Bay Ave, which is a cross street between Gardiner Road and Quisset Ave. (Note: AG couldn't remember the name of the cross street, but when I read aloud to her from Google Maps the names of a bunch of roads in the area, she chose Buzzards Bay Ave. So there is room for doubt.)
I mentioned the 100 years old issue, and AG agreed that Aunt Eva must have gotten the age wrong, and she noted that Aunt Eva got a lot of things wrong.
7.
Miss Clara Jones arrived on August 1st with Miss Fredda Reed who had met her in Springfield.
Clara has a Non-Family page on on this website.
8.
Mr. & Mrs. Roger P. Stokey arrived on August 12, fresh from Europe by plane, coming down from Boston on a bus which got in 15 minutes ahead of schedule - and nobody met them, such is our faith that a bus cannot beat its schedule.
The trip to Europe was a big deal. They visited a Farmer cousin - Alice? Lottie? I don't know - while they were in England. As is noted later in this Fernbank News, we kids stayed with my maternal grandparents in Falmouth, except for Ming, who was at camp in Maine. I remember my parents after they came back, sitting in my grandparents' living room with us, giving us what they had brought us from Europe. A Dutch doll for me - either Juliana or Wilhelmina, depending on which name I could remember - and a model sailboat for Roger. Also they brought back a Mah Jongg set from Amsterdam with bamboo and ivory tiles, which is still in the family.
9.
Mr. George R. Proctor, botanist at the Institute of Jamaica, also arrived on August 12th, brought from Cambridge where he was working at the Gray Herbarium, by a friend. He returned Sunday morning with the Roger Stokey contingent, traveling with three children, one dog (Vanya), and the cat, Pat, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stokey.
Maybe Alma met George R. Proctor when she was in Jamaica for a couple of summers in the 1950s.
I figure Vanya and Pat must have been with us in Falmouth, and I wonder how they got along with the pets of my grandparents: Amos (a cocker spaniel) and the two cats, Pish and Tush.
10.
The Vagabond household, Miss Gladys Green, Mrs. Erna Reichmann, and the black cocker, Gypsy, arrived in Woods Hole about the same time as Mrs. Evans, and will probably outlast the Fernbank household by one or two days. They have had many guests and life has been gay: The Rogel family for a week, Mrs. Grace Hollinger of Miami Beach for two weeks or thereabouts, Miss Lillian Gregory of Vermont and Chicago for several short visits; Dr. Marjorie Wheatly of New York was at Vagabond House for a few days after visiting Dr. Dorothy Marvin on Bar Neck Road.
The Rogels are on Glady's picnic tablecloth. I think they were cousins of Glady, but that's just a vague feeling.
Grace Hollinger is on the tablecloth, but I remember nothing about her.
I remember Lillian Gregory, Dr. Marjorie Wheatly, and Dr. Dorothy Marvin at Saturday night picnics. I have Dr. Marvin in the Non-Family page for Woods Hole folks. Lillian Gregory and Dr. Marvin are on the tablecloth, but I couldn't find Dr. Wheatly on it. She must be there; maybe I couldn't read her handwriting.
11.
The largest social function was the Saturday night picnic when the Pittsburgh and Wayland Stokeys were all there - 22 for a supper of sword fish, cole slaw, potato chips, pickles and olives, "picnic drink", coffee and apple pie (made by G.M.G.). Fortunately it was one of the really pleasant nights.
Here's a nice description of a menu at a Saturday night picnic. I've added it to the Non-Family page for Glady, who was, of course, G.M.G.
12.
Saturday night picnic. We had the usual Saturday night picnic and the Wayland Stokeys came for it. Also Fernbank (9), and Vagabond House (3), Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and the Wayland Stokey's baby-sitters - (Bruce Waldman and Joyce Kerr).
Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were Edie's parents. Bruce Waldman and Joy Kerr were later married, and still later divorced.
13.
You put a rock on a big rock and everyone picks out five stones of any size or shape they want to. At a signal the players, standing behind a line, start throwing the stones. The first one to knock the stone over is the winner.
I need to ask Nan for details on this. It sounds as though all the players throw rocks at once, and if that's the case, how can one be certain who threw the successful stone? Very likely she won't remember, but it's worth a try.
14.
We went up to see the Miles Standish Monument first. Daddy, Barbara, Nancy, and Jean climbed the 125 steps, but it was foggy and you could not see all the New England states like you are supposed to.
There's a statue of Myles Standish at the top of the monument, so the joke about it goes something like this: "The Miles Standish Monument is the tallest structure in New England: 125 steps and Miles above it."
15.
We came home and played "O Fuddy Duddy."
O Fuddy Duddy was usually known as Oh Hell, a card game that was the Stokey family card game. The story is that Aunt Erna once taught it to some relatives of hers, and she didn't want to shock them, so she told them it was called "Oh Fuddy-Duddy." Perhaps Nan thought she need to to be polite when writing for a newspaper. For some reason, I haven't played Oh Hell in years (as of early 2026), but my brother Roger plays it with his family - with interesting changes in the rules, because that's what Roger likes to do.
16.
Miss Green took a large lamp and some kerosene to provide for an emergency.
This item in the story of Hurricane Donna sounds similar to my mother's story of the 1944 Hurricane - see: I don't think my mother was there for Hurricane Donna, so perhaps Glady had learned that she could find a lamp and kerosene at Fernbank.
17.
The next weekend Miss Alma Grace Stokey came down from Boston and Cambridge with two young men, Raymond Morrison and his younger brother who were concerned about a boat left at Waquoit. Miss Elizabeth Briscoe was one of the party. Fernbank and Vagabond House took a picnic lunch down to Poponesset to join the Morrisons, and there they found a third young man on the boat hunt. The boat was finally located in a pine grove; it had been washed up on the shore and carried about 150 ft. inland, in a spot inaccessible to anything except a bulldozer. However, it was a good picnic with plenty of food even for two more men than were expected.
According to what I heard, the boat was stuck up in a tree. I have no idea if that was true or not.
Ray said, years later, that after they determined that there was no way they could rescue the boat that day, Glady said, "Well, let's have lunch!" and popped open the trunk of her car to reveal a HUGE picnic lunch.
Just at this minute it is fair - very fair - but we have just had a week of cloudy, foggy, rainy and generally disagreeable weather, which is especially trying to anyone concerned with closing a house. How can one sun blankets when there is no sun? And how can one put away things nicely when the air is full of dampness?
I like seeing this small glimpse of the process of closing up Fernbank for the winter.
2.
Mrs. Eva Evans arrived from Atlanta on May 24th, via the Bach Festival and Bethlehem, Pa., as well as a few other stops.
Not Eva's first Bach Festival - see:
3.
Miss Alma Stokey and Miss Fredda Reed arrived on June 7th, weary and worn from the exertions of moving their offices in Clapp Laboratory - a mad scramble, as there had been very little warning of the move, necessitated by some considerable rearranging of Libraries in Clapp Laboratory.
Of course Alma still had an office at Mount Holyoke nearly 20 years after her retirement in 1942. I don't know when Fredda retired (seems to me I've seen something in newspapers.com about it but not used it), but she was born around 1895, so if she wasn't retired in 1960, she was very near retirement, but still maintaining her office.
4.
June visitors were Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Johnson of Centralia, Illinois. Edwin Johnson was a neighbor of the Stokeys in Canton, Ohio, when he was a small boy and the Stokeys were growing up.
I think it is quite possible that the Johnsons are the Johnsons on Glady's picnic tablecloth between the squares E-02, E-03, F-02, and F-03. I'm not 100% certain, however.
I haven't come across the Johnsons elsewhere, but I wasn't looking for them, either. I figure Edwin was a neighbor in the 1890s, and I wonder if any of the Stokeys kept in touch with him for 60 years, or if they just happened to reconnect later on.
5.
Mrs. Hazeltene Parmenter spent a short time in Woods Hole and distributed her time among her many friends there, including the Fernbank Household.
I remember Hazel Parmenter, though I have no distinctive memories of her. She's on Glady's picnic tablecloth, but I haven't added her to the Non-Family page for Woods Hole folks because it seems to me that I only saw her at Glady's picnics.
6.
Miss Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin came on July 12th with Miss Fredda Reed. On the rainiest day of their visit they were entertained by attending Mrs. Hemmeter's birthday party (her 89th); having dinner, or rather supper, at the West Falmouth Church; and then going to a performance of "Patience" by the Oberlin Gilbert & Sullivan players.
I know nothing about Marie-Jeanne Bourgoin. Fredda Reed has a Non-Family page of her own on this website.
I think I may have visited Mrs. Hemmeter once at her home on Gardiner Road with Aunt Eva, and that Mrs. Hemmeter received us in bed. Aunt Eva said that she was 100 years old, but that would make it in 1971, well after Aunt Eva broke her hip, so I think Aunt Eva had Mrs. Hemmeter's age wrong. Never mind, it made an impression on me, and if it hadn't, I might not remember visiting her.
Later: I mentioned Mrs. Hemmeter to AG, and she remembered going as a child to see Mrs. Hemmeter, and she remembered Mrs. Hemmeter being in her big bed. AG was polite (which basically meant that she was quiet), and then she got to go out to play in Mrs. Hemmeter's beautiful garden. If Mrs. Hemmeter had a beautiful garden, it's no wonder Alma liked her!
She says that Mrs. Hemmeter lived not on Gardiner Road but on Buzzards Bay Ave, which is a cross street between Gardiner Road and Quisset Ave. (Note: AG couldn't remember the name of the cross street, but when I read aloud to her from Google Maps the names of a bunch of roads in the area, she chose Buzzards Bay Ave. So there is room for doubt.)
I mentioned the 100 years old issue, and AG agreed that Aunt Eva must have gotten the age wrong, and she noted that Aunt Eva got a lot of things wrong.
7.
Miss Clara Jones arrived on August 1st with Miss Fredda Reed who had met her in Springfield.
Clara has a Non-Family page on on this website.
8.
Mr. & Mrs. Roger P. Stokey arrived on August 12, fresh from Europe by plane, coming down from Boston on a bus which got in 15 minutes ahead of schedule - and nobody met them, such is our faith that a bus cannot beat its schedule.
The trip to Europe was a big deal. They visited a Farmer cousin - Alice? Lottie? I don't know - while they were in England. As is noted later in this Fernbank News, we kids stayed with my maternal grandparents in Falmouth, except for Ming, who was at camp in Maine. I remember my parents after they came back, sitting in my grandparents' living room with us, giving us what they had brought us from Europe. A Dutch doll for me - either Juliana or Wilhelmina, depending on which name I could remember - and a model sailboat for Roger. Also they brought back a Mah Jongg set from Amsterdam with bamboo and ivory tiles, which is still in the family.
9.
Mr. George R. Proctor, botanist at the Institute of Jamaica, also arrived on August 12th, brought from Cambridge where he was working at the Gray Herbarium, by a friend. He returned Sunday morning with the Roger Stokey contingent, traveling with three children, one dog (Vanya), and the cat, Pat, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stokey.
Maybe Alma met George R. Proctor when she was in Jamaica for a couple of summers in the 1950s.
I figure Vanya and Pat must have been with us in Falmouth, and I wonder how they got along with the pets of my grandparents: Amos (a cocker spaniel) and the two cats, Pish and Tush.
10.
The Vagabond household, Miss Gladys Green, Mrs. Erna Reichmann, and the black cocker, Gypsy, arrived in Woods Hole about the same time as Mrs. Evans, and will probably outlast the Fernbank household by one or two days. They have had many guests and life has been gay: The Rogel family for a week, Mrs. Grace Hollinger of Miami Beach for two weeks or thereabouts, Miss Lillian Gregory of Vermont and Chicago for several short visits; Dr. Marjorie Wheatly of New York was at Vagabond House for a few days after visiting Dr. Dorothy Marvin on Bar Neck Road.
The Rogels are on Glady's picnic tablecloth. I think they were cousins of Glady, but that's just a vague feeling.
Grace Hollinger is on the tablecloth, but I remember nothing about her.
I remember Lillian Gregory, Dr. Marjorie Wheatly, and Dr. Dorothy Marvin at Saturday night picnics. I have Dr. Marvin in the Non-Family page for Woods Hole folks. Lillian Gregory and Dr. Marvin are on the tablecloth, but I couldn't find Dr. Wheatly on it. She must be there; maybe I couldn't read her handwriting.
11.
The largest social function was the Saturday night picnic when the Pittsburgh and Wayland Stokeys were all there - 22 for a supper of sword fish, cole slaw, potato chips, pickles and olives, "picnic drink", coffee and apple pie (made by G.M.G.). Fortunately it was one of the really pleasant nights.
Here's a nice description of a menu at a Saturday night picnic. I've added it to the Non-Family page for Glady, who was, of course, G.M.G.
12.
Saturday night picnic. We had the usual Saturday night picnic and the Wayland Stokeys came for it. Also Fernbank (9), and Vagabond House (3), Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and the Wayland Stokey's baby-sitters - (Bruce Waldman and Joyce Kerr).
Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were Edie's parents. Bruce Waldman and Joy Kerr were later married, and still later divorced.
13.
You put a rock on a big rock and everyone picks out five stones of any size or shape they want to. At a signal the players, standing behind a line, start throwing the stones. The first one to knock the stone over is the winner.
I need to ask Nan for details on this. It sounds as though all the players throw rocks at once, and if that's the case, how can one be certain who threw the successful stone? Very likely she won't remember, but it's worth a try.
14.
We went up to see the Miles Standish Monument first. Daddy, Barbara, Nancy, and Jean climbed the 125 steps, but it was foggy and you could not see all the New England states like you are supposed to.
There's a statue of Myles Standish at the top of the monument, so the joke about it goes something like this: "The Miles Standish Monument is the tallest structure in New England: 125 steps and Miles above it."
15.
We came home and played "O Fuddy Duddy."
O Fuddy Duddy was usually known as Oh Hell, a card game that was the Stokey family card game. The story is that Aunt Erna once taught it to some relatives of hers, and she didn't want to shock them, so she told them it was called "Oh Fuddy-Duddy." Perhaps Nan thought she need to to be polite when writing for a newspaper. For some reason, I haven't played Oh Hell in years (as of early 2026), but my brother Roger plays it with his family - with interesting changes in the rules, because that's what Roger likes to do.
16.
Miss Green took a large lamp and some kerosene to provide for an emergency.
This item in the story of Hurricane Donna sounds similar to my mother's story of the 1944 Hurricane - see: I don't think my mother was there for Hurricane Donna, so perhaps Glady had learned that she could find a lamp and kerosene at Fernbank.
17.
The next weekend Miss Alma Grace Stokey came down from Boston and Cambridge with two young men, Raymond Morrison and his younger brother who were concerned about a boat left at Waquoit. Miss Elizabeth Briscoe was one of the party. Fernbank and Vagabond House took a picnic lunch down to Poponesset to join the Morrisons, and there they found a third young man on the boat hunt. The boat was finally located in a pine grove; it had been washed up on the shore and carried about 150 ft. inland, in a spot inaccessible to anything except a bulldozer. However, it was a good picnic with plenty of food even for two more men than were expected.
According to what I heard, the boat was stuck up in a tree. I have no idea if that was true or not.
Ray said, years later, that after they determined that there was no way they could rescue the boat that day, Glady said, "Well, let's have lunch!" and popped open the trunk of her car to reveal a HUGE picnic lunch.
1960-10-01: tour stops---images---audio---transcript---notes---~LINKS~---site navigation
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- THE NEXT GENERATION: DOCUMENTS ----- Bill, Roger, AG
- NON-FAMILY: CLARA JONES ----- Related
- NON-FAMILY: FREDDA REED ----- Related
- NON-FAMILY: WOODS HOLE FOLKS ----- Dr. Marvin
- NON-FAMILY: GLADYS GREEN AND ERNA REICHMANN ----- Glady, Aunt Erna, Gypsy
OTHER DOCUMENT LISTS:
- DOCUMENTS SORTED BY WHERE THEY WERE WRITTEN ----- Eastern Massachusetts
- DOCUMENTS SORTED BY SOURCE ----- Barbara
- AUDIO READINGS OF THE DOCUMENTS: 1960-1969
OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
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