By Connie Sychowski
Editor Genealogy Corner
Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by immigrants fleeing Ireland’s potato famine. Favorite pranks of today, egging, shaving cream or toilet papering differ from those that happened in New England which included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.
With Halloween comes the Jack-o-lantern, this custom probably comes from Irish folklore. As the tale goes, a man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and trickster, tricked the devil into climbing a tree. Once up that tree Jack carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping Satan. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.
According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the frigid darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.
The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember.
Trick-or-treating did not originate with the Irish, but with a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.
Happy Halloween!
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“Springs Valley Gazette”
The French Lick Red Devils open their 1932-1933 basketball schedule against the strong Mitchell Five at Mitchell. The schedule is one of the strongest in the history of the school. Both first and second teams will play. Owing to the request of the Mitchell School, the main game will start at 7:15 and the preliminary at 6:15.
The players who will represent French Lick during the season will be as follows: Paul Pershing, Leroy Mayfield, Wayne Wilson, Clyde Prow, Thomas Robbins, Leon Stevens, Provie Winninger, and Lynn Crowe. Second Team: Warren Pruett, Forest Hobson, Hugh Atkins, George Drabing, Harold McIver, Harold Owens, Charles Thurston, Roscoe Thurston, John Gruber, Ishmael Burton, Herman Dejernett, Paul Haynes, and Noble Kendall.
Coen Beatty is the student manager for this year’s team. He assists with the care of the lockers, training and conditioning of the members of the team, checking up on the equipment and many other things which have to do with the welfare of the team. Coen has not easy or unimportant position, so to make his work easier and enjoyable please help him when he asks it?
Volley Ball Teams
Four teams of boys and girls have been organized to play volleyball during the noon hour every school day. These players are mostly from the rural districts and have had more at the game than have the town boy and girls. They have been having some very good games. Volley Ball is one of the games highly recommended for postural development.
The Origin of Basketball
Basketball was first played at the training school of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, under the direction of James Naismith, the originator. This sport was invented for the purpose of taking the place of baseball and football during the winter months. With surprising rapidity it spread to the schools, colleges, and athletic clubs all over the United States and after a time made it’s way across the Atlantic to the British Isles. Basketball at the present time is one of the most popular games.
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Atkins, Hewitt, Josselyn, Leighton, Prescott, Shephard, Stone
Cemetery - Corinna, Maine
ATKINS
Everett M. 1857 - 1936
Addie M 1852 - 1918
Flora M wife of A.L Atkins d: Aug 28 1886
age 31 yrs 4 mo 29 days
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ATKINS
Joseph W. Aug 11 1832 - Jan 17 1904
Abbie W. Mar 30 1833 - June 1 1924
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ATKINS
Nathaniel A. died May 10 1877 Age 83 yrs 3 mo
Olive died April 1 1866 age 69 yrs 11 mos
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HEWITT
A.E. died Jan 6 1869 - age 43 yrs 6 mos
Olive A. died Sept 25 1861 age 26 yrs 2 mo 15 days
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JOSSELYN
John D. died Sept 16 1879 age 88 yrs 3 mos
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LEIGHTON
Ezekiel died Aug 21 1857 age 89 yrs 3 mo
Lydia died Aug 9 1854 age 80 yrs 2 mo 24 days
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PRESCOTT
George H. died Jan 23 1912 age 65 yrs
son of Martin and Evelina PRESCOTT
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PRESCOTT
Lydia J. died Sept 26 1836 age 2 yrs 5 mo
Franklin died Mar 28 1845 age 1 yr 9 mo
Children of Wedgwood and Edith PRESCOTT
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PRESCOTT
Sylvia died May 11 1854 age 65 yrs
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PRESCOTT
Wedgewood. died Jan 5 1862 age 62 yrs 2 mo
Edith died Mar 3 1882 age 77 yrs 3 mo 11 days
Catherine died Feb 8 1886 age 45 yrs 4 mo
Sarah J. wife of W. B THURSTON May 31 1837 - Dec 26 1906
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SHEPHARD
Clara H died Sept 28 1853 age 2 yrs 10 mo
Dau of John H and Louise SHEPHARD
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STONE
Alfred M. Sept 21 1816 - Aug 23 1896
Nancy C Dec 12 1830 - June 5 1913
Williston M 1857 – 1911
Published in U S Legacies Magazine October 2003
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