An Attempt to Provide a Context: Hidden and Forgotten Moments in The History of The Woodstock Library

I am looking at my previous posts about the Woodstock Library.  These are a few years old, but are just as important now as they were then.  DJ Boggs  2016

Much is hidden and forgotten about our attempts to improve the Woodstock Library.  By the end of the 90’s, our building was not adequate to the demand we could feel growing around us.  The community was changing.  There was not much value in asking people to sit and read quietly.  That time had passed sometime in the 1950’s.  We added a bit in the late 80’s, but, even then, we knew it was not enough. 

In the early 90’s we started to think about further additions.  Tom Collins, who was President at the time, asked our neighbor, then Mr. Boyd, if he would be interested in selling us the field on the southern side of the library.  It would have been the easiest way to add with the least amount of destruction of the present building.  We received a definite “No” as an answer, and, I believe we asked again in early 2006, but this question has not been asked in a long time and should be reconsidered.

Next, when Mr. Ottoson, our neighbor directly next to us on Library Lane, passed away, the Friends made an attempt to purchase the two buildings on that property.  The idea was that the Friends could get a mortgage and manage their own properties. The Friends would move their activities to the front building, rent the second building for income, and vacate the room being used by the Friends for library use.  We were out-bid, and the project fell through. Our friends’ organization lost its creative, ambitious edge with the resignation of some key people, and, shortly thereafter, became content to occupy the book barn and produce book sales. 

And, then… we looked around and noticed the vacant fire house.  Trustee, Janine Mower and I made a proposal, all neatly written and presented in a nice binder, to Jeremy Wilber and council person Steve Knight, asking that the Library acquire the fire house to use for archival storage for the Historical Society, Library and any other town entity that had significant historical collections.  In addition, it could be used for programs, displays and an interpretive center for the town.  It would be a tourist destination on the usual walk through the village.   We also hosted a well-attended series on historical preservation for all local entities that had archives.   Jeremy and Steve responded by ignoring the proposal completely.  When I inquired, I received the answer that any proposals were very premature.  We were hopeful that a new, adequate and functional building would be built for the police on the lower parking lot of the Comeau. 

In the mean time, we noticed that the floor in the children’s room was on the point of collapse.  We had to move out the entire children’s collection and replace the floor, joists and all.  We also noted that when moving the door to the children’s room in the 1970’s, they had cut into an important supporting beam.  Although we received assurances that the roof remained safe, there still are an unsettling amount of cracks in the walls of that room.  Then, in a hasty move for cosmetic improvement, the Board replaced the old linoleum in the front room, but did not give full consideration to the underlying support beams. 

At present, the document produced by Architecture Plus, the Schenectady firm that was chosen to develop plans for a new library building, is being called a “feasibility plan”.  It is worth looking at the whole plan again.  It is the library Woodstock really needs. Of course, the old plan contained many extras that would have been eliminated or modified to bring down costs.  The board added some $700,000 to the budget representing a onetime cost to start the process of floating a bond.  It was a huge mistake and caused our budget to be soundly defeated.   We should have done it a different way and not added cost to the budget even though, in doing so, we would have saved quite a bit of money. Using cash to start the process saves on the interest costs.  However, Woodstock voters, and, by that I mean the people who actually vote, tend to be very wary of higher taxes.  Any campaign that raises the fear of a higher tax bill will bring out an additional three hundred voters, minimum.   

We don’t need to tack another building on the old building.  The old building is finished.  There would be many ways of preserving the small part of the building that is part of the old Dr.Hall residence actually historic to Woodstock.  The community could float a bond and, once and for all,   give up the idea that sufficient funds can be raised from private sources to fund a public library building.  Many of our residents are second home owners and, although they make use of the library services, they might remain unaware of the mechanism of funding a special district. The question is do they remain uninformed at their own choosing? An analysis of local voters is necessary as is an accurate look at our local population statistics showing how many people are usually here using our local resources.

 Grants are useful, but they are a pittance compared to the amount actually needed, and competition for privately raised funds is intense as the Historical Society also needs an addition to their building, and the Town of Woodstock is asking for contributions to improve the Community Center. 

At the moment, the idea of discussion with the public by appointment of an entity called a “task force” to write a document of advice is in favor.  There are many bright people in Woodstock who like community affairs, but have not spent one moment trying to understand the nature of public library service and what is necessary in a building.   Many are quite fond of their own personal evaluations and choices.  They over-value public debate while thinking logic and power will win out and resolve the problem. Yes, we all know in our hearts that listening is necessary for dialogue, but first listen to yourself, understand your assumptions, and, then, listen to others.   The Library Board is the publicly elected entity that makes the decisions, so elect good people.

Then again, there is always the “A Modest Proposal” sort of idea which would eliminate most of the book collection in favor of electronic forms of information acquisition.  The space could stay the same.  Modern public libraries are not always custodians of books.  Of course, the children’s collection, local history, and a collection of popular fiction would have to be retained, but most of the rest could go.  The art books could be offered to SUNY Ulster, Bard and Vassar.  Out of the question?  It would not surprise me a bit.   Millions of people attend events that host electronic games played in stadiums.  You probably have a Kindle or read “books” on your phone.  Perhaps, it is purchasing electronic files for the community that is the major role in the long run.  There is going to have to be a thoughtful effort to pull our library into the twenty first century.  I hope harassers and bullies don’t harm the library and cause it to lose its fine advantage of excellent staff and service.

As always, I wish the Library Board good fortune, and a speedy recovery from the unwarranted, mean spirited attack they have had to endure. 

A Country Store: The way it looked and the way it was

I have been thinking about Henry’s store, the way it looked, and the way he had arranged things.  The photo above is from about 1929.  At this point, he had built the structure that would essentially remain the store for many years.  It is unknown how long he tried to have a restaurant, but that attempt did not last, and I do not remember that sign.  I was born in 1943, and my main memories extend over the fifties. 

He had created the store to be a practical place of useful retail as well as a location for his many interests and activities.  Henry had a love of auctions.  He purchased objects both antique and unique, and they would end up on the upper shelves of the store for sale. Henry was a man of feeling and interior thoughts.  Henry’s favorite saying was “Believe In Yourself”.

The main entrance was on the north or street side.  There were large windows along that wall, as seen in the photograph, making the inside spaces seem larger than actual.  There was a counter facing the entrance and behind it was a refrigerated section.  The store featured a limited amount of meat and cheese all purchased from Forest.  Bologna, Salami and American cheese and hot dogs were always available.  Henry also filled special orders of chops, lamb and pork.  He separated the chops using his cleaver upon a beautiful, heavy butcher’s block which was behind the counter. 

The candy counter was a glass covered display case on the east side of the store.  The regular items were all there:  Life Savers, Necco Wafers, chocolate bars of all sorts, and, my favorite, Cracker Jacks.  In those days, the prizes inside the Cracker Jacks were actual little toys, metal cars and animals, and I always hoped for a horse.

Ice cream was served in a cone or dish, a real glass dish by-the-way.    The flavors were always chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.  The brand was Sealtest.  There could be small offerings of fruit depending on what Henry could procure in Saugerties that day. Bananas were a favorite of his.  Many in the local community were not really familiar with them and were shy of them at first.   There were two scales, one for deli items and the other for fruit or some other items such as flour and coffee.  Tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cigars and pipe was also kept behind the counter, and Henry was careful not to sell it to kids.  He, himself, did not smoke and did not approve of the habit, but he rarely commented on the practice.  He also did not drink coffee preferring to have Postum [i]as his morning hot drink.  Orders were rung up in a good, old fashioned cash register that kept a total but did not run a tape of individual items.  The sum, however, was first listed and figured on the outside of a paper bag as the order was packed, and this served as a customer’s receipt.

Newspapers were available on Sunday, The Daily News and local Saugerties papers.  There was also a ballot box to vote for Miss Rheingold.[ii]  Every year there would be a new crop of glamorous faces, and I always had my favorite, a girl with black hair.  I did not like my light brown hair and wished to look a bit more like Veronica from the Archie comics.

The upstairs was as tempting as the basement was ominous.  A Malaysian flame sword, a souvenir from the war, decorated the stairwell wall. It was always used on special occasions to slice the celebratory cake.  

There were more swords and interesting looking knives upstairs.  Norman teased me by saying they were all from the war, and if I were to look up close, I would see blood on the blades.   At the top of the steps was Henry’s machine shop.  The machines ran using a series of belts attached to an electric motor.  There was a lathe, planer, table saw, and drill press.  There was also a severe warning published:  “Stay away from the machines!’  A few years back, Ernie had sliced off the top of his index finger.  I had often seen the blunt end of that finger, and it was enough to keep me away from the machines.  Anyway, there was so much more to discover upstairs.

The walls were lined with shelves filled with labeled cigar boxes.  The letters were in Henry’s unique style of capital letters with dashers between each word:  -NAILS-, -SCREWS-, -BOLTS- .  Henry saved everything.  He salvaged all hardware for future use.  He also saved buttons and sorted them by type and color, and there were hair combs and buckles and many other hidden treasures. 

On the south wall there were stacks of shoe boxes.  They were rubber bathing shoes.  Henry had purchased a whole bunch of them at some point with the idea of selling them to ladies who were on their way to one of the many area swimming holes like “The Patch”.  I would try them on hoping for my size, but they were always too large. 

There was a small door that led to a passageway to the eaves.  I had to crouch over and walk on the boards that had been laid between the joists.  Carefully stored along the sides were two large coffee grinders with big flywheels.  There was a model car, wooden and big enough for a child to sit on.  I always mean to inspect it more closely, but I did not dare to actually disturb it.  After all, I was only up there exploring because people had temporarily lost track of me. 

At the very end of the tunnel through the roof space, there was a little alcove with a window.  There were many boxes stored.  They were hidden away, and as I think of it now, they were probably filled with my grandmother, May Van Bramer’s possessions.  Henry had been very upset at his wife’s severe illness and had probably packed her belongings and hidden them away.  My mother told me he had buried all of their correspondence and her jewelry with her.  People do things like that when they are feeling deep grief.

In one little chest, there were letters and a piece of preserved wedding cake.  I would sit back there looking at things and thinking about who knows what –probably horses and my next riding lesson.  I am lucky enough to have one of my grandmother’s letters that I found among Henry’s possessions after his death at age 83.  It seems to be the letter that plans their elopement.  She had been engaged to another, and their marriage was a big surprise to their families.

If your memory includes a vision of the store as it was in the 1950's, please add your remembered details in the comments section.  Thanks.  dj

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[i] ·  Postum is made from wheat bran, wheat, molasses, and maltodextrin from corn. This 10‑calorie beverage was caffeine-free, fat-free, trans-fat-free, sodium-free, and kosher. In addition to the original flavor, there was a coffee-flavored version.

·  Postum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postum

Wikipedia

[ii] Beer drinkers voted each year on the young lady who would be featured as Miss Rheingold in advertisements. In the 1940s and 1950s in New York, "the selection of Miss Rheingold was as highly anticipated as the race for the White House."^{[  From Wikkipedia}

Mark's Big Painting for Woodstock '94

In 1993, the library had acquired a new thing, the internet, and, by the spring of 1994, droves of people were coming in to see what it meant and leaving somewhat confused and not at all convinced that it would make any difference at all in their lives. It was thrilling to run a listserv (a very early social network) about Woodstock, and we were hearing from people all over the world who intended to come to the Saugerties festival.  The festival itself was to feature a sort of internet café.  The whole idea was new to most people with the exception of people associated with colleges and universities.  I had email, but my only contact outside of library colleagues was a High School friend and physicist, Rudi Thun, who was at the University of Michigan. 

Mark, who was still very annoyed at the trade marking of the words “Woodstock Festival”,   made a bulletin board display of the many booklets from Woodstock’s past that had the words “Woodstock Festival” clearly in the title, and he composed a time line of the history of festivals in Woodstock.  Next, he created a block print of a dove behind bars, and began his own limited poster campaign that, for the most part, involved leaving many copies in the library.  Soon, Bill, a local tee-shirt entrepreneur and friend to Mark, took the imprisoned dove image and put it on a shirt.  Bill also made bumper stickers of Mark’s semi-provocative sign, “Woodstock Walk to Saugerties Festival” which resulted in a visit by the State Police to check to see if Mark was planning some sort of political action. 

Suddenly, Mark was arrested for taking his bumper stickers out of a local store.  He protested that he had not given permission for them to be sold, so the owners, new to Woodstock, had him arrested.  Bill bailed him out and convinced him to stay a while at his house on Overlook Mountain to cool out for a few days.  When Mark reappeared, he had clean clothes, washed hair, and a new idea.  He had been invited to submit an artwork to the festival, and he had big plans.  He would paint a 20 foot high youthful Buddha with a guitar on his back.  It would be a contemporary design but following all the rest of the color traditions required.

I did not see Mark for days.  When he disappeared, I got worried and went to check his house.  Papers with a detailed design of his Buddha project surrounded him.  (He studied engineering before going to law school, so the design was quite exact.), and on the lawn were four sheets of plywood.  The trouble was he needed help, so Mark Wetterau stepped in with his construction knowledge and tools, and together, they created a structure that could be easily disassembled and moved.  I added a very tall wooden ladder, and the project was launched. 

My brother, Norman, and I stopped by to see how the project was going. Mark was having his own festival on his lawn on Old Forge Road. More exactly, he was balanced precariously on the top of a tall ladder painting while people watched, commented, brought soda and pizza, sat in the grass and enjoyed the scene.  Congo Ritchie brought his drum, and his companion Maxine contributed some paint.  Everyone seemed mesmerized by the unique sight:  Mark on top of a huge ladder painting a twenty foot high, guitar toting Buddha, people sitting in the uncut grass of the little lawn.

Mark was also asking people what they thought the meaning of “Woodstock” might be.  He asked Congo Ritchie his thoughts on the ideal art colony.  Congo said that it would consist of a drum circle around a campfire similar to the events in the Magic Meadow.  The circle would be only men.  Women would have a role in providing cigarettes and beer to the circle of men.  Mark listened to Congo with great respect asking questions and nodding at the answers.

I did not attend the festival.  I don’t like crowds.  Mark told me he managed to go in the festival area a couple of times during the weekend just to check on his work.  It had been placed inside the grounds near stage number 2.  When the event was over, people walked off with a good deal of the art projects.  The Buddha’s head was stolen, but Mark told me it had eventually been returned.  I do not know who ended up with the work. 

When the video of Woodstock ’94 came out, Mark scrutinized the screen for about two hours and finally located a picture of his Buddha.  Placing the videotape on pause, we could see that it had stood unharmed and uncrushed during the general mayhem, rainy weather and mash of humanity. 

The 1969 Festival anniversary is still celebrated by some although the memory of that event as a world-changer is fading.  Now, Woodstock has moved south near the original Yasgar’s Farm, and it is a pleasant music venue with a museum devoted to hippie baby boomers and their youthful styles and hopeful politics.  Woodstock, New York, is still secure in the feeling that it reflects the magic of the hippie era.   On Sundays, a drum circle absent Congo Ritchie and Maxine both of whom passed on some years ago, takes place on the Green and is enjoyed by many.