That Personal Touch

Almost every week something new (well, at least new to us) comes into the museum.  Sometimes we are lucky enough to get the story behind the item which makes it more than just an item;  it adds a human element to it and gives it much more meaning.  Here are 3 examples:

Joan Weger brought in a floor model Victrola record player and related this story:   “I inherited the Victrola from my Godmother, Elenora C. Ricker.  The Victrola was purchased by her father, C.M. Ricker, for the family’s enjoyment.  As a young child, I always enjoyed visiting my Godmother.  She would play records for me.  One of my favorites was “Uncle Josh Keeps House.”

June Dunlap tells of her toy fainting couch:   “Sometime around 1916, a Mr. Strayer sold bags of popcorn with a ticket for a prize in one bag at the Marbletown baseball park. My mother’s  (Velma May) dad, John May, bought her a bag of the corn and it had the prize ticket.  The prize was this fainting couch.  It was covered in gray velour, but over time it deteriorated.  My dad (Lawrence Ladd) took the covering off for a pattern and recovered it.”

Marietta Morris shared this information about her old manual typewriter:  “In the 1940’s, most boys did not take typing, it was a girl’s work.  Burl Morris wanted to learn how to type so he was about the only boy in the typing class.  It paid off, because when he joined the Navy in Sept, 1943, an officer asked if any one could type and he raised his hand.  They put him in an office (during boot camp) and he was typing, looking out the window while the men were marching.  The Navy put him in the Hospital Corp and he was stationed on Long Island at a navel hospital during 1944.  He was sent to the Philippines on a landing ships tank (L.S.T.) during 1945.  He was discharged in May 1946.  He went to Palmer Chiropractic College and set up practice in Delphos in 1952 at 627 W. 5^th Street and bought this typewriter.”

Perhaps you have an article with an interesting story you would like to share.  The canal museum is open Thursday mornings from 9 to noon and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3.

Printed in Delphos Herald May 14, 2016