As this unusual and often frustrating school year comes to a close, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at what for many defines their years in high school: The YearBook.
The Summersworth museum carries a large selection of those precious reminders of years gone by with the first dating back to 1947 when it was known as The Echo. So much work goes into yearbooks, even today, and almost everyone that visits the museum as part of a class reunion or just on their own, loves to browse through the pages as a reminder of times gone by.
One of my personal favorite yearbooks features a certain infamous character called Toppie. Toppie was the brainchild of popular high school teacher Martha Leferve. Toppie is a doll who made his debut in the 1965 yearbook and came to be seen in various poses which were designed to guide those who attended high school that year through the trials and tribulations that come with those often fraught years.
Toppie is the consummate gentleman and can be found driving his date to the prom, at various clubs and behaving himself in the classroom as he endeavors to complete his studies.
Now, I assume, he achieved his diploma and like many of the classmates he moved away. Here is where the similarity stops as he was never to be seen again. Noone knows where Toppie is now and the class of 1965 would love to find him as would the Summersworth Historical Museum. If you have any idea where he might be, please be sure to drop me a line and let me know.
Back to other yearbooks though. The Summersworth Historical Museum which is located at 157 Main St. in the city as I mentioned before has a large collection of Somersworth yearbooks. Over the coming weeks, they will be offering some of those yearbooks for sale as well as making them available at class reunions. Quantities are limited and all will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. If you are interested, you can drop by the museum any Sunday from 12.30 to 3.30 p.m. or email Summersworthmuseum@gmail.com
Can you believe how cold and rainy this past Memorial day weekend was? Fortunately, on Monday morning the clouds cleared as many gathered at the Somersworth Veterans Memorial on Main Street and remembered those who had sacrificed all for the love of this country. As part of the ceremony which was organized by the Somersworth American Legion and VFW, Mayor Dana Hilliard recited a poem that was penned by a local Somersworth girl back in 1871 when Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day. It is a beautiful and haunting poem and I felt it was worth repeating here. I hope that you enjoy it as much I did:
A Tribute To The Brave
By Miss Sadie G. Ham
Green wave the trees, above the graves
Of heroes, now at rest –
Their forms are hidden from our sight.
Their spirits with the blest.
Just as the brightest dreams of life,
Were opening on the eye,
The Father called them up from earth
To dwell with him on high.
The fragrant flower – love’s special gift –
We gladly scatter here;
And while we “halt” we listen to
The solemn voice of prayer.
No more the battle cry is heard,
Our hearts no longer fear;
But a tender sadness fills our souls
And bids us to gather here.
We weep, and yet ’tis all in vain
Our tears in sorrow flow.
We hope that in the better land
Their spirits resteth now –
For while with us, a glorious hope
To many souls was given –
Reaching beyond the clouds of earth
To the pearly gates of heaven.
We love their memory, ’tis a boon
To our sad spirits given –
A precious record, speaking less,
Far less of earth than heaven.
We’ll treasure it in loving hearts
“Till our last hours shall come;
And hope that with a faith like theirs
We may approach the tomb.
The love of country bade them go
Into the southern land,
And on the blood-stained battle field
Our noble brothers fell.
A power that hushed the voice of love
That bade them longer stay,
Transported them from things of earth
To the realm of endless day.
Patriots, farewell we weep and yet,
We bless the chastening rod,
We’ll seek with faith beyond the vale
The path which thou hast trod.
In heaven, around our Father’s throne
Our songs with thine shall blend —
We’ll gather, an unbroken band
When time with us shall end.
That’s all I have this week, but I’ll be back next week. Hopefully the weather will prove to be a little more summer-like in Somersworth over the coming week. On the plus side though, we seriously needed the rain and my flowers and vegetable plants certainly appreciated it as I’m sure yours did, too. So until next week take care and please be kind to one another.