March Wrap-up

Well my favorite month is about over. Spring has arrived in Georgia. The beautiful dogwood trees are all abloom and the pollen is drifting like snow. I love this time of year. I know you all still have some piles of snow up North to contend with. I sure hope you get dug out sometime before May or June.

My 70^th birthday was very enjoyable. Nanci and I enjoyed a lobster club sandwich feast and a good friend baked me a birthday cake to go with it. I received many good wishes from you all via Facebook as well as cards in the mail. Thank you all for your kindness in remembering me on this special birthday.

The downside of the month was the cold I came down with a couple weeks ago which I am still dealing with a little. But those things happen, so we forget it and go on. I am also still dealing with a bad left ankle that doesn’t want to respond to physical therapy. The doc and the therapist are still working on a way to fix it. Meanwhile, I continue my exercises and weekly therapy.

I’ve been busy professionally this month with some writing outside of this blog space. I entered my book, The South End, in the National Indie Excellence Awards. A win there will result in marketing assistance and a more national exposure for the book. Wish me luck.

A short story I wrote to go into my new book of short stories I decided to enter into the Gooseriver Anthology contest. I will send that out to them this week. They are located up there in Waldoboro. If my story is selected, it will go into the anthology and I will see some monetary reward. They only have a one-time publishing right, therefore I will be able to use it again in my own book.

My new book is coming along, if slowly, and I now have three or four stories ready for that project. Of course they will have to be polished up before publication.

I will also be involved in writing some non-fictional pieces for an online marketing company. I could be writing on anything from home improvements to psychology. It should be interesting. I have already written several pieces that are now floating around the internet. It will also give me a little extra income, which is appreciated.

As for the future, I look forward to coming home to see all of you this summer. I will probably make the trip around Festival time, as usual. I would like some kind of head count on interest in having another blog picnic down at Sandy Beach Park. We had a good time last year and it would be fun to see you all there again. Everyone is welcome. Bring a picnic lunch and share some south end stories with us. You’re welcome even if you don’t come from the South End. We love you too. Email me with your thoughts on this.

Check out last year’s picnic in the archives for last August. I also have a project in mind to improve the beach area of the park which I’ll talk to you about later. For now, save the Tuesday after the Festival for the picnic. Talk it up and ask your friends to come with you.

MARCH MADNESS: This is my favorite time of the year, sportswise. The UCONN boys are already in the Final Four and the women’s team is on the way, although they gave me a scare yesterday. Go UCONN.

Thanks for listening.

Kissin' Kousins

A couple summers ago, our family had a “cousins” reunion over at the farm in Breman. Diane Hilton O’Connor now owns the homestead and has added a beautiful addition next to the historical Hilton salt water farm. We’ve had a lot of family reunions at the farm over the years. My dear Aunt Freda always gave us a good time, usually with lobster and fresh corn off the farm. She cooked most of this feast on an outdoor fireplace under the big trees beside the house. We usually had up to 50 family members attending in those days.

These days, those of us who were little then are now in retirement. The family is aging. We really don’t have too many little ones running around. We are kind of in a transition mode right now. It will take a few more years before all these grandchildren and great-grandchildren start carrying on the name. My sister has two beautiful young grandsons who live on the left and right coasts. She spends her time these days being a Nana and flying back and forth between grandsons.

The family as a whole is very spread out now. It’s rare that we can all accumulate at the same time in one place to visit with one another. The generation above me is gone, on both sides of the family, expect for dear Aunt Virginia Poletti. I am now one of the cousins who are considered the “first generation.” This designation seems strange to me still although the old folks have been gone a while now. It will seem stranger to me in years to come when I have to explain to some little one the relation between them and those old pictures they are looking at in some dusty family album.

Our family is a bit unique because we have double relations. The Sylvester and Emery families are intertwined. Let me explain. The Sylvester-Emery link began when my grandfather, Frederick Sylvester married Ida Emery; while around the same time, Frederick’s sister, Clara, married Ida’s brother, James. You understand that? It is very confusing even to some of us in the family. People we normally called Aunt and Uncle were really cousins removed a couple times. It was so confusing to some of the younger cousins that we just started calling ourselves, “Kissin’ Kousins.” Those two branches spread out as each couple raised a bunch of kids.

The Sylvester side was in danger of dying out unless my father married, because his father died when he was very young. There were other branches of the Sylvester family, but we didn’t generally associate with them. It took a while for the Sylvester side to broaden its family tree. My two brothers married, but Harlan’s son died as an infant. Ted had three sons, two of whom have married and had three more sons between them. So yes, we are getting there.

Over the years, all the kissin’ kousins have done their level best to keep an accurate record of our geneology. Several members make it a hobby. Today our family has many names including: Sylvester, Emery, Tolman, Wass, Gray. My grandmother, Ida Emery Sylvester, remarried and had five more children besides her Sylvester children, my father, Ted, Sr., Frederica, and Ruth.

One of my kissin’ kousins is a mere 26 days older than I. She is the Diane of the Breman farm. We grew up together. Our mothers used to dress us alike. If we were out together and some adult asked us if we were twins, we’d answer, “yes, we’re twin cousins.” In actuality, we really don’t look that much alike. We liked the idea of having a “twin” though. This picture was sent to me recently by Diane. She says we were about four and Diane wasn’t happy because she wanted to hold the book.

Diane is one of my few real “first cousins” by blood. My father, Ted was brother to her mother, Frederica. Whether it was a “kissin kousin” or a first cousin, we’re all one big happy family and we all look forward to seeing what the next generation can add to our heritage.

Thanks for listening.

A Little Bit of the Old Sod for St. Patrick's Day

Irish saying by Leprechaun

It ’is easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song.
But the man worth while is the one who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears. 



More Irish sayings, poetry from http://islandireland.com

Irish Diplomacy...

is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip.

The Mouse on the Barroom Floor

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor when the pub was shut for the night. Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse and stood in the pale moonlight. He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor, then back on his haunches he sat. And all night long you could hear him roar, 'Bring on the goddam cat!'

An Irishman's Philosophy

In life, there are only two things to worry about— Either you are well or you are sick. If you are well, there is nothing to worry about, But if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about— Either you will get well or you will die. If you get well, there is nothing to worry about, But if you die, there are only two things to worry about— Either you will go to heaven or hell. If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about. And if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends You won’t have time to worry!

The Way We Tell a Story (Pat McCarty 1851-1931)

Says I to him, I says, says I, Says I to him, I says, The thing, says I, I says to him, Is just, says I, this ways. I hev', says I, a gret respeck For you and for your breed, And onything I could, I says, I'd do, I wud indeed. I don't know any man, I says, I'd do it for, says I, As fast, I says, as for yoursel', That's tellin' ye no lie. There's nought, says I, I wudn't do To plase your feyther's son, But this, I says, ye see, says I, I says, it can't be done.

Murphy's Law

Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect. And if anything can go wrong, It will, at the worst possible moment.

Legend of Saint Patrick

Good St. Patrick travelled far, to teach God's Holy Word And when he came to Erin's sod, a wondrous thing occurred He plucked a shamrock from the earth and held it in His hand To symbolise the Trinity that all might understand The first leaf for the Father And the second for the Son The third leaf for the Holy Spirit All three of them in one.

Remembered Joy

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free! I follow the plan God laid for me. I saw His face, I heard His call, I took His hand and left it all... I could not stay another day, To love, to laugh, to work or play; Tasks left undone must stay that way. And if my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss... Ah yes, these things I, too, shall miss. My life's been full, I've savoured much: Good times, good friends, a loved-one's touch. Perhaps my time seemed all too brief— Don't shorten yours with undue grief. Be not burdened with tears of sorrow, Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there... I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow... I am the diamond glints on snow... I am the sunlight on ripened grain... I am the gentle autumn rain. When you waken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush Of gentle birds in circling flight... I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry— I am not there... I did not die...

What Shall I Say About the Irish?

The utterly impractical, never predictable, Sometimes irascible, quite inexplicable, Irish.Strange blend of shyness, pride and conceit, And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat. He's spoiling and ready to argue and fight, Yet the smile of a child fills his soul with delight. His eyes are the quickest to well up with tears, Yet his strength is the strongest to banish your fears. His hate is as fierce as his devotion is grand, And there is no middle ground on which he will stand. He's wild and he's gentle, he's good and he's bad. He's proud and he's humble, he's happy and sad. He's in love with the ocean, the earth and the skies, He's enamoured with beauty wherever it lies. He's victor and victim, a star and a clod, But mostly he's Irish— in love with his God.

The Irish...

Be they kings, or poets, or farmers, They're a people of great worth, They keep company with the angels, And bring a bit of heaven here to earth

An Irish Welcome

Here's Céad Míle Fáilte to friend and to rover That's a greeting that's Irish as Irish can be It means you are welcome A thousand times over Wherever you come from, Whosoever you be

Irish Men

There are only three kinds of Irish men who can't understand women— young men, old men, and men of middle age.

Irish sayings from the same site:
                                                                  

Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you fight with your neighbour. It makes you shoot at your landlord-- and it makes you miss him.

If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at who He gives it to!

There never was the worse use made of a man than to hang him.

No man ever wore a scarf as warm as his daughter’s arm around his neck.

A family of Irish birth will argue and fight, but let a shout come from without, and see them all unite.

An Irishman has an abiding sense of tragedy which sustains him through temporary periods of joy.

The Irish are a fair people; they never speak well of one another. —Samuel Johnson 1709-1784

The Irish forgive their great men when they are safely buried.

You can accomplish more with a kind word and a shillelagh than you can with just a kind word.

In every land, hardness is in the north of it, softness in the south, industry in the east, and fire and inspiration in the west.

of a useless fellow He's fit to mind mice at a crossroads.

to someone who committed some small fault 'Tis only a stepmother would blame you.’

of a tall, large woman That's a fine doorful of a woman.

of a gossiper She has a tongue that would clip a hedge.

of a poor, thin creature The breath is only just in and out of him, and the grass doesn't know of him walking over it.

of a coarse, ill-mannered person using poor language What would you expect out of a pig but a grunt?

on trying to change a stubborn person's mind You might as well be whistling jigs to a milestone.

of very bad music Aw, that's the tune the old cow died of.

of one who overstays their welcome If that man went to a wedding, he'd stay for the christening.

of a talkative person That man would talk the teeth out of a saw.

of a person who paid too much for a cow He bought every hair in her tail.

of a clever thief He'd steal the sugar out of your punch.

in praise of strong whiskey I felt it like a torchlight procession going down my throat.

said of a woman who had made a bad marriage She burnt her coal and did not warm herself.

of bad aim in shooting He wouldn't hit a hole in a ladder.

of an impish child That one suffers from a double dose of original sin.

of an unfortunate one He is always in the field when luck is on the road.

of very wet weather It's a fine day for young ducks.

of someone who always plans carefully If he's not fishing he's mending his nets.

1941--Me and the War

March 5, 1941, on the day I was born, the world was at war. The attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7 was a short three months earlier.  I, of course, remember nothing about the war. However, as I researched this blog, I found out many interesting historical facts and events that took place in the early years of my life.

The picture here was taken in July, 1941. It’s my favorite picture of my brothers and I. Harlan, 7, is on the left, and Ted, 9, is holding me. I was four months old. Notice the sailor-type shirt Harlan is wearing, as well as his short pants. They still dressed small boys in short pants in 1941. It’s one of the few pictures where Harlan is smiling in spite of the fact that he isn’t looking at the camera. He rarely did in early photos of him. I like to think, however, that he was more interested in me than in the camera. We called my big brother, Teddy, then, as he was a Junior and it was easier to identify him that way. True to form, my mother probably took this picture as it is located beside the famous “electric meter” on the house at Mcloud Street.

What was happening in the world on March 5, 1941? A look at the New York Times for that day reveals some interesting facts that don’t bode well for America and her allies. It was a case of who we wanted to believe I think. It seems that our enemies lied a lot. It’s a shame we didn’t see them as threats sooner.

A case in point is the story of five of Hitler’s emissaries going to Turkey to pressure them into ending the war with Italy. They asked Turkey to aid Italy and Greece to make peace. (I apologize for the spelling of these foreign names. The newspaper I read was blurred in places.) A message from the Reichsfuahrer said the Nazis “wanted to look after Turkey’s 'interest and well-being.’”

Well we know how well that went don’t we. Please see the separate blog on Hitler’s Directive on March 5, 1941. It won’t look like someone wanting to make peace to you. It sure didn’t to me.

Meanwhile, Winston Churchill was in conference with Japanese ambassador, Mamoru Shigenmitaru, who said “Japan does not threaten Britain’s interests in the Far East and does not want the Europe war spread there.”  Well Churchill took that statement with a grain of salt and it’s well he did. Another liar--on the Japanese side.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but not really very helpful. America was still naïve. We had never had a foreign war on our own soil. The possible imminence of such a thing happening was very real to us after December 7 in Pearl Harbor.

In that same newspaper we see that Germany continues to march into Bulgaria. The Nazis also attacked Cardiff by air in Great Britain and in return the R.A.F. bombed Cologne, including German bases.

On the homefront, a story in that New York Times relates the story of several clergymen who opposed the Lend-Lease Bill. This bill was enacted on March 11, 1941. The bill allowed America to provide the Allied nations with war material while the U.S. was still officially a neutral country. The clergymen opposed it, calling the proposed bill “a piece of machinery of Fascist character which is novel in the history of our nation.” So it seems some of us didn’t even trust our own government at that time.

I also came across a small story on an inside page about several scientists, some from Harvard, who were traveling to Great Britain to collect information on new weapons being developed by Britain. Does that sound like we are a neutral country to you and was this information ever used to develop the A-bomb, which finally ended the war? We’ll probably never know the answer to that question.

Believe it or not, amongst all this news of wars and useless conferences, there appears a quarter page ad for Silver Fox coats at a store on Fifth Avenue. They did have to sell their papers after all.

So what did all this mean to those of us who lived on the East Coast, closest to Europe and especially to Germany and their U-Boats? I reread some of Paul Merriam’s chapter on the “First Years” of the war in Home Front on Penobscot Bay, Rockland During the War Years, 1940-1945. (See the blog on the review of that book.)

Here’s some of what that chapter had to say.

We had men from Rockland in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. We were all concerned for their safety. After December 7, we intensified patrols of our coastline, especially off Snow’s Shipyard in the South End, Snow’s was very involved in government contracts during the war.

Citizens were also urged to become involved in Civil Defense efforts. Fishermen were asked to be on the lookout for strange craft when they were out on the water. Several trawlers belonging to O’Hara’s were confiscated by the government and outfitted as coastal patrol boats.

We began to see restrictions in our daily lives during the early years of the war. The first one was tires. Others soon followed, including restrictions on long-distance phone calls, to keep the lines free for government use.

Women went to work to fill in for the men who were overseas. This was the very beginning of the use of women in the workforce. Women proved time and again that they could do most any job as well as a man.

My mother didn’t work outside the home at that time. My father worked at Bath Iron Works working on our ships that had to be readied for use in the war.

On March 5, 1942, rules and regulations were imposed on blackouts at night time. We coastal people were always on alert for the dreaded U-Boats. Some believe they actually snuck close to our harbors.

In July of 1941 when this picture was taken, the war seems far away doesn’t it. I feel safe sitting in my brother’s arms and all is right with the world as far as I know. I’ve learned a lot in my 70 years since then. Hopefully, some day the U.S. and the world won’t have any more reasons to go to war.

Thanks for listening.

Hitler Spoke with a Forked Tongue

Hitler, while proposing peace to the world, issued this directive to his armed forces on March 5, 1941. See the related blog: “1941—Me and the War”


The Leader’s Headquarters. 5th March, 1941.


Directive No. 24 – Cooperation With Japan


The Leader has issued the following orders for cooperation with Japan:


1. The purpose of the cooperation based on the Three Power Pact must be to induce Japan to take action in the Far East as soon as possible. This will tie down strong English forces and will divert the main effort of the United States of America to the Pacific Ocean.
In view of the military unpreparedness of her enemies, the sooner Japan strikes, the greater her chances of success. Undertaking Barbarossa establishes particularly promising political and military conditions for this.


2. In preparing for such cooperation it is important to strengthen Japanese fighting spirit by every means.


For this purpose Commanders In Chief of the branches of the Armed Forces will respond generously and comprehensively to Japanese requests for information about German experience in the war, and for economic and technical assistance. Reciprocity is desirable but should not impede negotiation. In this respect, priority will naturally be given to those Japanese requests which could have an early effect upon the conduct of the war.
…
(a) The common aim of strategy must be represented as the swift conquest of England in order to keep America out of the war. Apart from this, Germany has no political, military, or economic interests in the Far East which need in any way inhibit Japanese intentions.


(b) The great success attained by Germany in war on merchant shipping makes it appear particularly desirable that powerful Japanese forces should be devoted to the same end. Any possibility of support for the German war on merchant shipping is to be exploited.


(c) The position of the three pact powers in respect of raw materials demands that Japan should secure for itself those territories which it needs for the prosecution of the war, particularly if the United States is engaged. Deliveries of rubber must continue even after Japan’s entry into the war, since they are vital for Germany.


(d) The seizure of Singapore, England’s key position in the Far East, would represent a decisive success in the combined strategy of the three powers.
…
The Chief Of The High Command Of The Armed Forces.
Keitel

Irish Beer for St. Patrick's Day

   

 A little green beer makes St. Patrick’s Day complete. This information comes from:

http://beer,about.com/od/beerfestivals/p/St.PatsDay.ht . Check that site out for all things Irish.

Stout:

Guinness may be the unofficial stout of the day but don't stop there. There is a whole world of stouts out there; every one of them perfect for toasting the day. Check out the Layman's Guide to Stout.

Green Beer:

This day brings out the green in everyone. If it's just not St. Patrick's day to you without a pint of green beer, add one drop of green food coloring to a pint of your favorite brew. Naturally the green shows through better with lighter colored beer but any beer will do. Even a jet black stout will get a distinctly green head if you add a drop of color to the glass before pouring.

Twisting Stout:

If a pint of stout or green beer doesn't put you in the spirit maybe you need to put a spin on the usual. The black and tan is popular. It's very easy to make. Take a regular pint glass and gently fill it half way with pale ale. Then carefully fill the glass the rest of the way with a stout. The stout will float on top of the pale ale forming a distinctively black and tan beer. Traditionally Bass and Guinness are used but I encourage you to experiment until you find the perfect blend.

Still not enough? How about a stout sangria? Or maybe you'd like a stout float - just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Irish Pub:

Another vital part of any St. Patrick's day is a stop at a local Irish pub. Luckily Irish pubs have become the most ubiquitous bar style in the world. Virtually every city has at least a handful but in case one just isn't handy, you can always opt for an inflatable Irish pub!

Beyond Beer:

Maybe you'd like something a little stronger to toast the day. Irish whiskey is the natural answer. Here's some whiskey wisdom including a healthy dash of the Irish and be sure to check out this Guide to Celebrating St. Patrick's Day from About's Guide to Cocktails.

Harlan Sylvester's Art Exhibit at Thomaston Library-Guest Blog - Brian Sylvester

Photo by Brian Sylvester

The following is a press release I received from my great-nephew, Brian Sylvester, who is head librarian at Thomaston Public Library. Harlan was my brother and his great-uncle. Following the press release I have added photos from my own private collection of Harlan's work. Many of his pictures also featured Maine subjects. I have also included a photo of the book cover he designed for Home Front on Penobscot Bay, Rockland During the War Years, 1940-1945. 

The Thomaston Public Library unveiled the next exhibit in the ongoing
Community Displays Program this March with a display of artwork by the
late Harlan Lee Sylvester, of Thomaston.  A sampling of Sylvester's body
of work, including oil paintings, watercolors, and acrylic paintings,
will be on display in the library from March 1st to April 11th.

Harlan Sylvester was born and grew up in Rockland before joining the Air
Force and serving during the Korean War. He settled down in Thomaston
with his wife, Kay Sylvester, where they raised two daughters. He worked
for 27 years at the Maine State Prison, and was an active member of the
American Legion and the Midcoast Community Band.

Sylvester was a self-taught artist and worked primarily with
watercolors. He won numerous prizes and recognitions in amateur artist
events at the Maine Lobster Festival and the Union Fair, and enjoyed
giving artwork as gifts to his friends and to benefit charitable
organizations. He passed away in August of 2006.

The paintings are now owned by Kay Sylvester, a member and current vice
president of the Thomaston Public Library Board of Trustees. The display
showcases artwork with a southwestern theme and features desert scenes.
For more information about the community displays program, call the
library at 354-2453.

This is the book cover Harlan designed.

This watercolor was painted in 2004.

Harlan did this watercolor of the cats I had in 1995.

 From left to right, Willie, Sissy, the Manx inside my shirt,

 and Tiny, a long-haired calico.

 He had never attempted to paint animals before this.

This is a watercolor Harlan did of our family crest.

Harlan did this watercolor of "The Baum House" in 1955 at age 16.  I have a copy of the original done on ordinary paper which my brother Ted owns.The original was done in very basic watercolors such as a child uses. It was saved in another program so I cannot show it in color here. This is the view we saw across the field on Mcloud Street when we were growing up. You can see the beginnings of his talent here. This same picture is found in the masthead of this blogspace, as well as on the cover of my 2009 blog CD. I also use it as  wallpaper on my computer. I see something different every time I look at it. It has a very nostalgic feel to it and it reminds me of those carefree days in the old neighborhood in the South End. Most of all, it reminds me of my dear brother Harlan, who I miss very much.

Love Poem Contest Answers

Here’s the answers to the Love Poem Contest:

1.What a grand thing, to be loved!
What a grander thing still, to love!
 - Victor Hugo

2. Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.
 - William Shakespeare –

3. Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
 - The Bible : 1 Corinthians 13:4 –

4. One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:
that word is love.
 - Sophocles –

5. You don't marry someone you can live with,
you marry the person who you cannot live without.

Author Unknown

6. If you have it [love],

you don't need to have anything else.
If you don't have it,
it doesn't matter much what else you do have.
 - Sir James M. Barrie – author of Peter Pan

7. There is no remedy for love but to love more.
 - Thoreau –

8. Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
 - The Bible : 1 Corinthians –

9. Love: A fruit always in season.
 - Mother Teresa –

10. We all want to fall in love. Why?
Because that experience makes us feel completely alive,
where every sense is heightened,
and every emotion is magnified.
Our everyday reality is shattered
and we are flung into the heavens.
It may only last a moment, an hour, or an afternoon,
but that doesn't diminish its value,
because we are left with memories
that we treasure for the rest of our lives.
- From the movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces" -

(starring Barbara Streisand)

11. What therefore God has joined together,
let no man separate.
 - The Bible : Mark 10:9 –

12. Grow old along with me
the best is yet to be.
 - Robert Browning –

13. Who knows where the road will lead us
Only a fool would say,
But if you let me love you
I'm sure to love you all the way.
 - From the song "All The Way" -
(by Frank Sinatra)

Words by Sammy Cahn

Literary Review - Preserving Rockland's History

The project began one day as friends and former South End boys met for coffee at one of Rockland’s local eateries. Terry Economy, Paul Merriam, and Ted Sylvester thought it might be a good idea to write a history of Rockland during the war years, 1940-1945, when they were all young boys.

They decided to include others in town who could contribute their expertise to the task at hand. Tom Molloy, another Southender, joined the group soon after that. John and Betty Knight also joined the project.

The men formed the Rockland Cooperative History Project (RCHP) to develop a community activity the whole city could take part in. The intent was to donate sales from the book to the scholarship fund for Rockland District High School. RCHP received support and encouragement from the City of Rockland and numerous individuals in town. Project members were also guests at the home of former Senator, Margaret Chase Smith, at her home in Skowhegan. She and her staff were very helpful in the research efforts for the book. Home Front on Penobscot Bay, Rockland During the War Years, the book which came out of this project, raised a total of $20,000 for the scholarship fund.

Home Front on Penobscot Bay, Rockland During the War Years (1940-1945), herein called simply, Home Front, is a very unique history of the Rockland area during World War II mainly because of its authors, Paul G. Merriam, Thomas J. Molloy, and Theodore W. Sylveter, Jr. Each man is an expert in the area he covers in the book.

Paul G. Merriam is an historical writer and former professor of history at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He helped author Rockland Area Lime Industries, a history of the lime industry in Rockland; A Bibliography for Dayton, Ohio, 1850-1950; and also authored by himself, To Oregon by Sea, Maritime Immigration 1834-1860; and most recently authored a history of Fisher Engineering in Rockland.

Merriman was well suited then to write the first part of the book: Historical Narrative, which included chapters called The First Year; The High Tide of War 1943-44; The Last Year, 1945; as well as the history of Military Facilities in Part Two of Home Front.

Thomas J. Molloy was a long time official of Rockland’s City Council, serving several terms as Mayor. Educated as a teacher, he also taught school at South School for several years. In 2009 he was named “Person of the Year” by the Penobscot Regional Chamber of Commerce. It has been suggested recently that South School be named after him, a boy who grew up in the Southend, and who then served the neighborhood as a teacher.

Malloy took on all the government and teacher- and education-related sections of the book. He authored Part Two sections: “Home Front at City Hall…”; and “Rulers and Chalkboard: Schools in Rockland, 1940-46”, reporting on the role of city hall in overseeing the school system during that period. He also handled part of the Appendix having to do with city officials during that period as well as the teachers of the day and graduates from Rockland High School from 1940-45.

Theodore W. Sylvester, Jr. is a respected journalist, having retired from the Bangor Daily News as its Bureau Chief. He was involved in the printing, publishing, and newspaper business most of his life, having begun as a typesetter at The Courier-Gazette, Inc., now known as The Herald Gazette. While working for the Bangor Daily News, he was honored by the paper for his part in dispelling an incident at the old state prison in Thomaston. One inmate was killed and a guard taken prisoner. Sylvester convinced the inmate to give up by promising to be a witness that he wasn’t harmed in the process. The inmates were protesting prison rules and asked for a reporter and a TV crew to document their demands and concerns within the prison. Sylvester was also honored by being inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Maine Press Association in 2007.

Sylvester called on his experience as a journalist then to write several sections in Part Two: Topical Essays. He reported on “Crimes of the Forties;” “Snow Shipyards Inc.;” “Sardines for Soldiers;” and “Railroads of Rockland, 1940-45.” His reporting tells us how all these aspects of Rockland life during the war years contributed to the war effort. I especially liked the story about sardines being used as food for our soldiers and how a fish paste, used as food for Axis prisoners, was developed by the Lafayette Canning Company of Rockland.

Sylvester also conducted eight interviews for Home Front from local people in Rockland during the war. They related their recollections of living through that period in the Rockland area.

Sylvester’s interviews come at the end of Part Three of the book: First-Person Accounts, “Youthful Recollections.” All three authors contributed to this section as well as John L. Knight, Betty Holmes Knight, and Terry Economy. This section of the book is more personal and very enjoyable to read. All three authors were young boys during the war years. If you look closely you’ll find a picture of me and my two brothers in this section.

There were many other people who helped to bring Home Front to the “forefront” so to speak. The Knights, John and Betty, were of immeasurable help, especially in finding all the names for the Honor Roll at the end of the book. Some are missing, but they did a stellar job just the same.

Betty Knight also contributed a piece on servicemen stationed in the area who married local people as well as a piece on music for that era.

Home Front on Penobscot Bay as published by the RCHP and printed by The Courier-Gazette, Inc. in 1991 performed a distribution miracle by pre-selling the book. Such a thing is unthinkable in the publishing business.

The RCHP held two major public presentations to promote the book and to raise funds. The first presentation included comments by the RCHP members, a display of photos in the book, newsreel footage, slides, and a locally produced color documentary film about the Rockland area in 1940.

The second presentation was a ceremony at City Hall to dedicate a plaque commemorating the 50^th anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s visit to Rockland immediately after his Atlantic Charter news conference aboard the Potomac which stopped in Rockland on August 16, 1941. He drove in a motorcade through the business district. Former Senator Margaret Chase Smith was the honored guest and speaker. A commemorative program produced by the RCHP about the President’s visit was distributed free of charge.

 These activities helped in their marketing efforts so that people then bought the book on faith at a special book reservation sale where the price was reduced to $20. The printing, therefore, was paid for ahead of time. The people of Rockland came together for a good cause once again as they have throughout the history of the city, especially during WWII.

The book has received national recognition in two publications. A review appeared in a national publication, The Public Historian, which is published by the National Council on Public History and the University of California, Santa Barbara. They printed a 1,700 word review of the book in 1993. A quote from that review states, “The authors drew on the expertise of their friends and neighbors, and the result is a very well-designed and produced work with a striking cover and an excellent selection of photographs…It is a work of deep and visible affection, produced in the spirit that used to erect monuments in the town square.”

The cover, by the way, was designed by my brother, Harlan L. Sylvester.

The other national article appeared in History News, a publication of the American Association of State and Local History in Nashville. Merriam sent the organization a copy of the book and they in turn phoned Sylvester one day asking for a 1,000-word essay on the project and the book. Sylvester and Merriam put together an article for them which appeared in 1992.

I give you a warning now. This book is fast becoming a collectible book. It will soon be out of print. There are at this time copies of the book for sale on line on EBay and Amazon. Many of them are signed by all the authors. I found one book selling for $50. Home Front originally sold for $25. Rock City Books lists a used book, signed, selling for $45. The Reading Corner has copies for sale also. You can also read it for free at local libraries. I say buy it while you can. It is a wonderful asset to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Sylvester recently updated me on what happened to the memorial for the honor roll. The old memorial was erected on a vacant lot where the Farnsworth Museum store now stands. It was dismantled after the war. Some of the names were given to the families. The rest were placed in a memorial at the high school on Lincoln Street where they remained until the high school was sold and turned into an arts center. It was then relocated to the present Rockland District High School where it is currently located.  My question is, where will the memorial go now that the school district has changed to include Thomaston etc? Perhaps the RCHP should re-form to place a new memorial somewhere in town. It would be a good community project to be sure since we’ve had other conflicts since then to add to it. 

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Home Front on Penobscot Bay; Rockland During the War Years, 1940-1945. Published by the Rockland Cooperative History Project of Rockland, Maine. Printed by The Courier-Gazette, December 7, 1991. Written by Paul G. Merriam, Thomas J. Molloy, and Theodore W. Sylvester, Jr.