Elmira’s Most Eligible Bachelors (1888 Edition)

By Kelli Huggins, Education Coordinator

When I was doing research for “Seduction” our most recent installment of our History They Didn’t Teach You in School series, I found the most delightful Elmira Telegram newspaper article from 1888.  Now, it is no secret that late 19^th century journalism is one of my strange passions; it’s brutal, hilarious, and descriptive in ways that reporting can’t be today.  And this piece, entitled “Pointers for the Girls” is about as good as it gets.

1888 was a leap year.  As the lore goes, during leap years, women could initiate a courtship or propose marriage to a man, which was the only reprieve from strictly held Victorian beliefs of courtship propriety.  Typically, single women could not address men without introduction. And don’t even think about something like riding in a closed carriage with a man who wasn’t a relative! 

As the Telegram staff wrote in the article, “For the first time in four years the dear, delightful darlings who have failed to hail the matrimonial chariot are privileged to drive a man into a corner and propose matrimony to him.  In this year they are give the heaven-born privilege of the men and can make love to whom they wist, providing however, that man is willing to wist.”  Elmira, it was reported, was “prolific in marriageable men” and the article highlighted the “choicest flowers in the matrimonial garden.”

The descriptions are hysterical and are clearly meant to be satirical.  For example, alderman Morris Gladke was described as the “handsomest man in Elmira. Got curly hair and a little mustache.  No flies on him.  Been spoken of as a mayoral candidate.  Devoted to his mother and would hate to leave her.  Afraid of girls anyway… Been sick lately.  Discreet lady nurse might get the inside track.”

Here are some of my other favorites:

David Hill

David Hill (the Governor of New York State): “May be president next year. Has no bad habits. Doesn’t chew tobacco, stay out nights, or go to dog fights. Is bald-headed but real smart, and would be a regular prize. Wife can keep a hired girl, and ride in the street cars. Got some money.”

Levi Little

Levi Little (Chief of Police): “ Good looking and six feet tall. Got a trotting horse and affectionate nature.  Would probably accept a satisfactory offer.  Isn’t afraid of the cars or good-looking girls… Can’t raise whiskers.”

George Cotton

George Cotton: “The dandy of them all.  Dude.  Wears tight pants, and is a politician. Thinks of running for mayor. Is a ladies’ man and a great hand for society… Got a good appetite, and likes pie.”

J.S. Root (Dentist): “Handsome young man… Strongest drink is buttermilk…Likes a joke and eats Frankforts.”

Mark Bennett

Mark Bennett (Journalist): “Writes poetry as a pastime. Little bit bald, but has a mustache. Color of seven cent sugar… Been as far away from home as Buffalo.”

Light One Candle

by Rachel Dworkin, archivist

             Today is the first day of Chanukah.  We Jews like to joke that all of our holidays are about survival in the face of religious oppression and food, and Chanukah is no exception.   The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC following years of religious oppression by Syrian invaders.  After the temple was looted and the Jewish religion outlawed, a group of religious insurgents lead by the Maccabee family fought a bloody two-year war to drive the Syrians out.  As part of re-consecrating the temple, the Maccabees light the Eternal Light but only had enough holy oil to keep it burning one day.  By some miracle it lasted the full eight days until more oil could be made. 

 

Book of Chanukah prayers published by Temple B'Nai Israel, ca. 1990s

Prayer for lighting the candles from Temple B'Nai Israel prayer book

            While the traditions associated with the holiday vary based on denomination and nationality, all Jews celebrate by saying certain prayers and lighting and displaying candles in a special holder called a menorah for each night of the 8-night celebration.   Some families also exchange gifts.  Eating foods fried in oil is also an important aspect.  Potato pancakes called latkes are my personal favorite (and specialty) but jelly-filled donuts called sufganiyot are also popular.  Hungarian Jews also make fried cheese pancakes and Spanish Jews make sweet fritters.  The whole holiday is basically a heart attack waiting to happen.

 

My menorah.  They are supposed to be placed by your front door or a window facing the street to draw attention to the miracle and holiday.

            Jews usually play gambling game using a 4-sided top called a dreidel.  The dreidel is inscribed with 4 Hebrew letters (Nun, Gimel, Hey & Shin) which form an acronym for the Hebrew phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham ("A great miracle happened there").   Each player starts with an equal amount of something, usually chocolate coins called gelt, plus a pot in the middle.  Each person takes a turn spinning the dreidel.  If it lands on a Shin, they add to the pot; on a Hey, they take half the pot; on a Gimel, they take the whole pot; and on a Nun, they get nothing. 

 

Gelt and dreidel.  It has landed on a Gimel so I win the pot.

         
   In North America, Chanukah has become a major holiday, mostly to provide Jews with a source of pride at a difficult time.  I know as a child I was often bullied by Christian students who would say I wasn’t getting presents because Santa knew I was bad and that my religion was stupid.  By honoring the Maccabees fight, we could celebrate the strength of our own faith and rest assured with the knowledge that our food was way better. 

            Except for the prayer books, all of the images in this post are of items in my own personal collection.  Sadly, while the museum has an excellent paper collection associated with Chemung County’s Jewish community, it has no objects.  To all my fellow Jews out there, please consider donating some Judaica to the museum this holiday.  It would be a mitzvah. 

Air Raids and Blackouts: Civilian Defense During WWII

by Erin Doane, curator

During the Second World War, Americans feared the threat of aerial attacks. While it was technically possible for the German or Japanese militaries to launch strategic bombing attacks on major cities on the east and west coasts of the United States it was unlikely to happen. It was even more unlikely that small cities like Elmira would be targeted. That did not make the fear go away, though. It was logical to think that this area could be targeted because of all the factories producing materials for the war effort. Many cities and towns across the country were in the same situation. As a way to ease the minds of its citizens, the U.S. government created the Office of Civilian Defense in May 1941. The Air Raid Warden Service was part of that.

Air raid warden helmets were painted white so that they

could be identified more easily during a blackout.

Civilian Defense broke cities and towns into sectors, each containing the homes of about 500 people. Each sector was controlled by an air raid warden’s post that was staffed by a senior warden and three or more assistant wardens. Each post had to have 3 to 6 wardens. From 4 to 15 posts were grouped under a precinct warden who reported to the chief warden. Air raid wardens were members of the community who volunteered for service. They were trained and issued a handbook that served as a reference manual and explained their duties. It contained information on the chain of command, how to equip the warden’s post, how to write reports, and how to respond to attacks using magnesium bombs and war gases.

Handbook for Air Raid Wardens, 1943

An air raid warden’s primary responsibility was “to see that everything possible is done to protect and safeguard those homes and citizens [in their sector] from the new hazards created by attack from the air or by enemies from within our gates,” according to the handbook. To that end, they were trained in first aid, methods of combating incendiary bombs, and protection against gas. They had to have detailed knowledge of their sector’s streets and buildings as well as of the people who lived there. It was important to know if there were firefighters, police officers, or doctors living in the sector. It was also important to know where the elderly or disabled lived as they would need more help in the case of an emergency.

Air raid warden whistle, 1940s

“The whistle is furnished you to use in drawing attention to your

presence in an emergency, not to sound a general warning. Do not

run about blowing it to supplement the siren warning.”

- 1943 Handbook for Air Raid Wardens

Air Raid Wardens were also responsible for overseeing air raid and blackout drills. Blackouts were ordered only on the authority of the War Department and everyone needed to be ready and know what they had to do when that happened. On January 4, 1942 a county-wide blackout drill was held. The local newspapers advertised the drill in the days leading up to it.

Elmira Star-Gazette, January 3, 1942

Horseheads used its fire siren to announce the blackout while Elmira Heights used its factory whistles. Upon hearing the signal, people were asked to stay where they were. If they were in their cars they were to stop and find shelter in the nearest building. People were also asked to make sure that no light could be seen outside their homes, offices, or factories. Any light that was visible from above was a target for airplanes on a bombing run. Street lights were turned off and all traffic lights, except the one on Lake and Church Streets which had a special shade, were turned off as well. Factories only blinked their outside floodlights to show that they could blackout if necessary. They were ordered by the federal government not to interrupt defense production for the drill. WENY was also ordered to keep its flashing beacon lit on it 425-foot transmitter tower in Southport so that airplanes would not be thrown off course during the drill.

Elmira Star-Gazette, January 3, 1942

I’m sure it comforted people to know that there was a corps of well-trained, local air raid wardens ready and able to respond in case of an actual enemy attack.