The ‘‘Our towns’’ column is compiled each month by Carol Johnson of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection. The entries have been copied from the June issues of the New Paltz Independent. To get a closer look at these newspapers of the past, visit the staff of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at the Elting Memorial Library at 93 Main Street in New Paltz, or call 255-5030.
The 246th anniversary of the coming of the twelve patentees to the Village of New Paltz was celebrated in pageantry Tuesday by the people of the village and the Normal School, with all the pomp and ceremony befitting that occasion and also the Tercentenary celebration of the settling in the New Netherlands of the Walloons (French and Belgian Huguenots) of which larger celebrations now in progress along the Atlantic seaboard, the New Paltz Pageant was a notable part.
On Tuesday, June 3, 1924, New Paltz was the mecca, not only for the people of Ulster County, but for many others, some of them, formerly of New Paltz, who have gone far afield to take up their residence or engage in business. About 6,000 visitors made up the great audience, for practically all the townspeople had some active part in the pageant itself, which was unique in this respect that the scenario was prepared by New Paltz people and the entire pageant with its various scenes and its splendid musical accompaniment was thought out and prepared without calling outside experts to do the training, a remarkable feat in itself. So cleverly were the orchestral selections chosen and so well were they played by Scofield’s 21st Regiment Band of Poughkeepsie that they seemed to fit in naturally as an integral part of the event.
Special mention should be made of the singing of the big choir of over a hundred voices under the leadership of Miss Amy E. Clark. While it was all excellent, the singing of the old Psalms, sometimes unaccompanied; of the Indian melodies and the old historic hymns was surprisingly fine. And the costuming of the choir in dark greenish-blue smocks over white blouses, as they sat or stood behind a screen of cedar trees, made them so inconspicuous and so much a part of the landscape that the music itself was the more pronounced.
From the time that the first auto began to arrive until the Pageant was over, there was added to the general excitement the ever-present uncertainty as to whether sunshine or shower would prevail. Neither did. A soft gray sky offered an ideal light in which to witness the great spectacle and added a sense of mystery to the picture.
The historic pictures were staged with natural scenery unsurpassed for such an event: in the distance the blue and purple of the Shawangunk mountains; below, rich meadowlands; then the placid Wallkill River, more or less hidden from view in lush growths of trees and undergrowth in their first June beauty. Full as much praise is due for the arranging of historic fact and romance into one complete story which held the constant and enthusiastic interest of the spectators.
At a regular meeting of the Village Board on Monday night, it was decided to order a motor fire apparatus of the American-LaFrance Fire Engine Company, of Elmira, NY. Delivery will be made in 90 working days.
The town board has purchased two voting machines from the Automatic Registering Machine Company of Jamestown, NY for use in each election district. These machines not only will curtail the election expense about half but will also give the voting public the returns in about a half hour after the poles are closed.
This is a tent caterpillar year. He is having a good time in this neighborhood. It is said that in Westchester county he has been doing more damage than ever before and that the supervisors have appointed a committee to deal with the situation. With the tent caterpillars we may hope for the appearance of the yellow-billed cuckoo, in search of food. He is a bird that shares a useful taste for hairy caterpillars with his cousin, the black-billed cuckoo.
At the Po’keepsie regatta on Tuesday, the varsity race which was over a three-mile course, was easily won by the University of Washington. Time 15:02. Wisconsin, Cornell, Pennsylvania, Syracuse and Columbia followed in the order named. The last named crew was only 27 seconds behind the winner, hence a splendid exhibition of grit and pep on the part of everybody seems evident. The Pennsylvania stroke broke the oar within 30 seconds after the race began which made a fresh start necessary. The Junior Varsity and Freshman races, each over a two-mile course, were both won by Pennsylvania.
Work on the reconditioning of the Hudson River Driving Park for the automobile races to be held there July 4, is under way. It is expected that some of the best dirt-track racers in the East will take part in these races.
Cliff House at Lake Minnewaska will open on Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Smiley will be host and hostess there and Mr. and Mrs. George Smiley are at the Wildmere. There were about a hundred guests at the Wildmere over the weekend. The laurels are now coming into bloom. This is “laurel year” and there will be a wealth of blossoms.
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