The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-05-05
A Landmark Gone.
NETTIE MATLoCK,
Secretary, Board of Examiners
From The Press.

When / saw the old Lutheran Church
take up its line of march today into sub
urban obscurity, it inspired in me some
memories of the venerable structure. 1t
was built in 1888, that is, the front part
comprising more than one half was built
in that year. 1t was thought to be an
eXtravagant outlay of money, far beyond
the then needs of the town or of any
that was likely to occur for many years.
Notwithstanding, it was used for the
school, church, opera house, public hail.
and upon some great occasions justices
courts were held there. There was much
dissatisfaction that it was so far in the
suburbs not q house north of it nearer
than Saginaw, none east of 1T, and only
two or three west.
Incur social and religious meetings,
the females occupied the north side and
the men the south side. 1t would have
been a painful accident if woman had
seated herself upon the wrong side, much
more than it would be now for her TO
preach or ride wheel. Here were held
all sorts of meetings. / remember that
DR.. Barnes gathered the whole village
here one spring evening to form an inn
provement or ornamental society. The
doctor was the only person who had
thought to bring q candle. Nothing
came of it, however, for before the citi-
zens could agree upon the name, the can
die had burned out.
In our religious meetings my venerable
friend, A. B. Chapman, was the leader of
the choir, and Mrs Graham stood at the
head of the soprano, the air we used to
call it in those days-and | want to say
to You it was no mean music either, for
''they shook the hills of our forest homes
with their hymns of lofty cheer" 1t
was rocal music no profane fiddle or
squeaking clarionet was permitted to in
wade the sacred precincts Of our school,
meeting house.
All, me how the memories come
trooping back The winter OF 1928,
the winter of the famine and the fright,
will not soon fade from the memory of
those living, and at that time, in our lit
tie hamlet. Two feet of snow came in
November and was still on the ground
the first Of April. The preceding sum-
mer had been almost failure to crops
There were no railroads and scarcely any
wagon roads by which to supply the de-
ficiency. Space will not permit meet me
to enter into detail of that terrible
winter. Older people will remember
that it was dreary that winter, that the
'.Second Advent" the Millerite excite
ment reached its height. In February,
there came among us an evangelist OF
that faith, and conducted a series of
meetings in the school-house. He was a
veritable John the Baptist, proclaiming
the coming of the Lord. The people
hocked to hear his strange, weird proph-
ecies, and came away trembling with
fright and apprehension.
During the summer of 1913, fifty years
ago, was the Principal don't neglect to
spell that last word with a capital), of the
High School. In fact, also had charge
of all the departments. The average at
tendance was twenty-five. Sometimes,
however, when there was no measles or
whooping cough around, we could point
with pride to thirty In those days no
school of any pretentions could close.
without an Exhibition" We had one
We placed work bench across the east
end and hung up two sheets-that was
our stage. Early in the evening standing
room was at a premium. We had recita-
tons and music, but the grand, astound-
ing attraction of the evening was scene
tween Roderick Dhu and Fitz-James.
When the curtain fell upon the last act,
and Dhu had Fitz.James on his back and
was about to knife him, our feet and, in
deed, large portion of our legs hung out
over the work bench. But it brought
down the house just the same, and we
were brought before the audience amid
thunders of applause.
With one more incident ola sero-comic
nature will close this rambling sketch.
Ny most excellent friend, Mr., afterward
DR.. Grahame, was in 1913 or "A teaching
q select school. 1t was determined to
have an exhibition in connection with
his school, After much consultation we
concluded to "bring out" the play of
William Tell, with my friend in
the title srole-a serious undertaking in
those days. A small Irish boy was Tells
son, from whose head the apple was to
be shot. In our rehearsals he had shot
his arrow wide of the mark, but one
night we insisted that he had sufficient
practice to enable him to hit it. The re-
suit may easily be imagined. He hit the
boys head about two inches below the
apple and with such force as to induce
insensibility. We were greatly alarmed,
thinking him dead. However, he was
not much hurt, but it took pound of
assorted candy to induce him to play the
apple scene again.
And so / have done what could to
rescue the old building with its memo
ries, pleasant and sad, from complete OBJ
livion. In its new relations it will cease
to be relict, but perhaps an unwel-
come old ruin in modern, pleasant
neighborhood c. p PARKILL.
April 20, 1893