A Celebration of Learning: Memorials and Tributes

Attention, Franklin Township Residents!

Franklin Township Historical Society is preparing to publish an updated book on the history of Franklin Township Schools. A Celebration of Learning: An Updated History of Franklin Township Schools is planned for summer of 2010. Many of you purchased copies of a 1988 publication, Readin', Writin' and Rememberin', and the new book will highlight many of the changes since that time.

To offset the cost of publishing, FTHS is inviting individuals and local businesses to place notes of appreciation in the book to (1) honor someone, or (2) in memory of someone who has been a positive influence in your life. The costs of these tributes are: an eighth of a page ($25); one-fourth of a page ($40) and a half page ($75). Space is limited. The deadline for placing this information in the new book is April 30. The name of the person being honored may have 10 – 15 words of description (sample at right).

For information regarding the placement of these tributes, phone 862-8822 or e-mail kimgada2004@yahoo.com. You may also contact any member of the “Celebration of Learning” committee: Sylvia Henricks, David Ostheimer, Barb Fengya, Linda Hayward or Diana Stevenson.

2010 Events

The FTHS has a full schedule this year!

In 2010 we celebrate our 35th anniversary! Plus, we have a new book in the works (more on that later!), and we're working on some very special programs for our membership.

The first date to save is May 15, 2010. We'll be hosting an old-fashioned croquet tournament! For those not participating in the lawn games, Melissa Heigl of The Ideal Pet will offer a performance featuring her amazing trained cats. Melissa and her performing cats have been featured in The Indianapolis Star and on Fox 59.

Stay tuned for more free community events, brought to you by the Franklin Township Historical Society!

Four Corners Home Economics Club

Photo: (L to R) Phyllis Reasoner, Iona Wise and Eleanor Radcliffe preparing soup in the kitchen of Acton United Methodist Church.

In what has become a tradition, the members of the Four Corners Home Economic club met recently for their January soup meeting. Everyone began arriving with a small container of chopped vegetables which were added to a simmering meat broth that would soon be ladled out as a delicious vegetable soup. There is no need to remind readers of the delicious aroma guiding the group into the kitchen. “We meet monthly, and several years ago, we started out the new year by gathering together and making soup for lunch at our first meeting of the year,” stated Phyllis Reasoner, a long-time member of the group.

Beulah Rabourn and Juanita Wilson, charter members of Four Corners Club were in attendance at the meeting and recalled a time when the group had lots of members and there were several Home Economics clubs active in rural communities. Home economic clubs were started in Indiana about 1915 and were intended to strengthen families and communities through education and leadership training. Extension services reached out to more than 70,000 homes in Indiana by the 1950s, focusing on health, nutrition, sewing and other homemaking skills. “Today, we have twelve members and most of the time, we just go out to eat,” says Jan Schildmeier, the current leader of the club. “We still do some community service projects, but our club is primarily a social gathering.” In the recent past, Four Corners Club has completed projects with Riley Hospital, some local nursing homes and a Christmas project with Veterans.

Members of the group are Garnet Denney, Sandy Gilkerson, May Jamison, Barbara Rowe, Carol Waterman, Sandy Weber, Phyllis Reasoner, Iona Wise, Eleanor Radcliffe, Beulah Rabourn, Juanita Wilson, and Jan Schildmeier. Eight additional members are inactive due to health issues.

A brief meeting with a speaker from Franklin Township Historical Society allowed time for the soup to cook. A relish tray was assembled and a tempting pretzel salad dessert with cherry topping was placed on the counter. One could tell that this group of women knew all about homemaking and hostessing at its finest.

article by FTHS president Diana Stevenson

"Indiana Experience" at IHS

Nothing FTHS-specific today, but if you're interested in local or state history, you might want to check out the new "Indiana Experience" at the Indiana Historical Society.

Follow this link for more information.

2010 Open Hours Begin!

Join us this Saturday for our first Open Hours of 2010! The Meeting House (located at 6510 S. Franklin Road) will be open for visitation from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The Meeting House is open to the public on the first Saturday and third Sunday of the month from March through October. During open hours, visitors may tour the Meeting House and Big Run Cemetery, read and purchase FTHS publications, research their family's local history, view our collection of artifacts, period photographs, vintage clothing, township school yearbooks and athletic records, and more.

Remembrances: Acton Camp Ground

Today, we bring you one of Sylvia Henricks' "Remembrances." You can read more of Sylvia's columns weekly in The Franklin Township Informer, or in her book From The Ash Grove (available directly from the FTHS, and via the web site).



At right is a photograph of the “lake” on the Acton Camp Ground. You can see it is a more modest expanse of water than last week’s photo. (If you can identify the lake shown last week, please call the Informer or me.) This lake originated when, in the late 1800s, the directors of the camp ground decided to construct it as a means of fire protection and for recreation. They dammed up the creek that runs through the grounds near the corner of Southport and Acton Roads. The camp ground papers include a list of cottage holders who made $5 and $10 contributions toward the cost.

The Society has two photos of the lake, about 6 x 8 inches in size, sepia toned and mounted, similar, but taken from slightly different angles. They are the work of amateur Acton photographer Oscar Meacham (1871-1944). The late David Meacham, Oscar’s son, was one of our long-time Society members. He gave us many of his father’s photographs, a few of his glass plate negatives, and some of the film processing equipment he used..

David also wrote a biography of his father of which the Society has a copy. Oscar became head of the family when his father, a medical doctor in Acton, became ill and died at age 53. Oscar was 17. “He dropped out of the Acton Academy and went to work for the New York Central Railroad as a telegrapher at the Acton station. Later he was an operator of Dix Tower (Dix Road, Acton), and of a tower near Cincinnati, and was the Station Master of the Acton Depot.”

Oscar Meacham was also an amateur photographer. “He built a studio or ‘gallery’ behind the family home at 7735 Swails Street (then Washington Street). He attended photography school and photographers’ conventions at Winona Lake. He made many portraits. He took pictures of people, places and things using his studio camera mounted on a folding tripod. He took ‘trick pictures’ of himself as well… He traveled around the countryside on his bicycle with his camera, taking pictures of people lying in their coffins as requested by their families. (This was a custom of that time.)”

We have Oscar Meacham – and his son David -- to thank for many of our early photos of the Acton area. A favorite is one of a Big Four engine standing in front of the Acton Depot. Oscar is in that photo, David told us, standing at the front, with his hands on his hips.

New Mailing List!

There's a new way to stay up to date with the Franklin Township Historical Society! Sign up for our e-mail list at our website.

We won't e-mail you very often, and we will NEVER sell your address to advertisers or spammers. We just want to make it easier for you to keep in touch!