Milford chronicle., 1949-10-28
MOUNTAINS AND MOLE HILLS


There is something particularly comfort
ing about perusing the files of old newspa-
pers back over period of so or go years, as
we have the files of the Milford Chronicle
and other old Milford newspapers, seeking
data on Milfords early history. The COM
pOsite picture of the joys and sorrows of
past generations seems to throw into proper
perspective our own troubled age. Obvious
ly it is not the first time that the Nation has
emerged from a great war or the first time
that mems minds were filled with apprehen-
sion over the future. Yet, America lived
through those periods to achieve greater ac-
complishmentS.
The present Founders Day celebration
In Milford, through which Milford residents
honor the founding of our City in 1887 is
worth while. The writer well remembers the
almost open strife between North Milford"
and South Milford" We remember how this
feeling of antagonism gradually disappeared
after the consolidation of the two school
systems and how finally a working team
spirit emerged to make Milford one of Della
wares outstanding civic and business COM
munities. In reading over some Of the old
Milford newspapers of Civil War times we
find reflected the concern of mems minds
over the aftermaths of that great struggle
between the States. In discussing the need
of universal education, the editor of one old
paper said, "The safety, strength and prog
ress of a republic depend on the intelligence
and morality of its members. The schools
should teach morality as we'll as impart in
tellectual knowledge. They should be so good
Z that the children of the poor will have every
opportunity to obtain good education ;
while the rich will be unable to find better
ones for theirs
This concern over the building of char
acter in the young seems to have a complete
ly modern ring to it at a time when many
are concerned over the attitudes of youth in
postwar world, as does the same editors
comment to the effect that zone of the most
pressing questions of the day and which is
receiving careful thinking of all thinking
men, is that of Woman's Work. There are
some positions for which she is by nature,
particularly fitted, and we defend woman's
claim to many kinds of work now monopol-
lied by man." This might we'll have been
written today as a plea for a greater place
for women in postwar work.
Files of the Milford Chronicle record in
detail the communitys part in the Spanish
American War and in the First and Second
World Wars.
The comfort from perusing old time edi-
torial comments and news items arises not
alone from recalling that America has fought
great battles before, and braVely, but also
from the delightful rediscOvery that life and
human nature are always the same from gem
GRAFTON to generation though dressed TODAY in
slightly different costume and custom than in
the Gay COS. Births, marriages and deaths
proceed irresistably whether the First World
War or the Second World War is being fought
and whether the depression of 1893 or of
1888 is gripping the economic structure of
the Nation; children play the same pranks
and adults get into similar petty difficulties
with the police.
Men and women Outlived bitter political
and personal quarrelS in the past, and most
OF them seem of absolutely no Importance to
this editor now looking back on them Even
the folks of old North Milford" and old
South Milford" have ceased to care about
the old municipal boundaries; but some of
the news and editorial comment printed in
the Chronicle of that period reveal how bitter
was the dispute between the Kent County
and the Sussex County portions of our city
This dispute has faded into the past, and
similarly our own personal mountains will
be less than mole hills when thrown into the
perspective of five decades or more Nature
was certainly as ardent in her rush to re.
elothe herself in blossoms and greenery in the
June of 1868 as in the June of 1949 The
world is still beautiful and will be more beau
tiful when peace has been finally achieved.
&SO(SS
A WORD OF ADVICE
Frank Saylor, publisher of The LabO,
Herald of Wilmington, writing in his col
umn Pertinent Comment" in last weeks
issue Of his paper had the following to say
Zone of our valued subscribers, a fellow
unionist, objects to our statement last weel
that the proposed steel pension is hidder
wage increase. He also resents the idea thai
the pension would be paid for by people
many of whom have not pensions to look for
ward to and whose lot is worse than that Of
the aVeraon steel Nrnrlrar No rnnn4Anr Ln,rr on,