UHS: The class of 1958

What an honor it was for me to attend the 60th reunion of the Unionville High School class of 1958 at Hood's BBQ on June 20.
Bill Heyburn gave a heartfelt speech after dinner, saying how wonderful it was to see everyone, even if  they were all walking a little more slowly, and reminiscing fondly about his and his classmates' youthful hijinks. He spoke about how fate's twists and turns have made him appreciate life more these days. 
Among the guests were Sue Smith Dreisbach and George Dreisbach Sr. (high-school sweethearts who have been married for 59 years), Roland Riggins and wife Velma; Janet Darlington Haldeman and John Paul Haldeman; Janet Hassett Kane; Charles "Chuck" Lawrence and wife Arlene; Victor "Vick" Brinton and wife Nancy; Joan Madron; Judy Reed Harvey; Shirley Lyng Annand (who went on to serve on the school board); and Susie Washburn Spackman. (I apologize if I didn't get everybody's names.)
I heard lots of conversations about kids, grandkids and the drastic changes that have taken place in the school and the once-rural area. Several people brought their yearbooks. Bill mentioned Skip DeHart, a classmate who did all the artwork in the yearbook but suffered serious burns in an accident his senior year and never got to graduate. Someone suggested that as he still lives locally, perhaps the school board could issue him a belated diploma.
Thank you, class of '58, for your kind welcome! 
Coincidentally, a few members of the class of 1963 (among them Helen Martin and Lou Mandich) met at Hood's for lunch on June 19 to plan their upcoming 55th reunion.

The UHS Class of 1958 yearbook.

ENGLISH: A few pet peeves

It would make Tilda very happy if people would stop saying and writing "brutal murder" or "brutal assault." Murders and assaults are by their nature brutal. It's redundant.
Another thing that drives Tilda crazy is the increasingly common use of "around," as in "a discussion around immigration." Who started this usage anyway? When you talk "around" something, you avoid the topic. Why not just say, "a discussion about immigration"?

AVONDALE: The bridge is open!

Jubilation reigned across southern Chester County as motorists realized that the State Street bridge in Avondale has been reopened after nearly a year.
I was invited to an impromptu celebration at the bridge at 6 p.m. June 21, just minutes after the barriers came down, and drivers were honking their horns, whooping and pumping their fists in delight.
The bridge is a tiny one but is on a key road leading to schools and new developments, so during the reconstruction drivers had to take lengthy detours and traffic backed up in unexpected "downstream" places like downtown West Grove and even Jennersville. Everyone seems to have a story of how the closure inconvenienced them, from dealing with an onslaught of cars on their normally quiet road to allotting more time for daily errands.

UNIONVILLE: Rescue Dog Parade

I had the pleasure of stopping by the third annual Rescue Dog Parade, held at noon on June 20 at Plantation Field. This year 22 rescued dogs took part in the parade, with prizes for the biggest, smallest, oldest, youngest, and hairiest and the dog that was rescued from farthest away.
Among the winners were Ginny, a half-bearded collie/half-border collie, rescued from Chicago (hairiest), and Daisy and Duncan, a 12-year-old brother and sister half-English bulldog/half-pug pair (oldest). The dog rescued from farthest away was from New Mexico!
Sponsors of the parade were PetValu and Penn Vet. Proceeds benefited All Mutts Matter and the Rescue at Greenmore Farm.

KENNETT: Clifton Mill bridge closed

This is going to cause problems for the folks who use Old Kennett Road to commute to Delaware. Due to "structural concerns," on June 22 PennDOT mandated the immediate and indefinite closure of the Clifton Mill bridge, the small bridge over the Red Clay Creek where Route 82 and Old Kennett Road meet (the Clifton Mill antique shop is in a big red barn right at the crossroads). Detours will be posted.

COCHRANVILLE: BBQ and wine news

I'm told that Cochranville will soon have its own BBQ joint. Sullivan's Heritage BBQ is supposed to be opening at Routes 10 and 41; you can keep track of their progress on their website.
In other Cochranville news, the 10 & 41 antique shop has received permission to sell wine, and they are featuring "a variety of varietals" made by and bottled at Manatawny Creek Winery, a 90-acre family-owned farm in Douglassville, Berks County.

VACATION: Summer break starts

An Avon-Grove elementary school teacher friend who was eagerly counting down the days until the end of school now finds herself bored and tired of "doing nothing" during the day. She has already applied for a waitressing job.

ABVM: Reusing a former church

The former Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic church in the middle of West Grove has been sold, remodeled and turned into a performance and event space. The religious artifacts have been removed, and the columns have been given a faux-marble finish.
On the announcement board out front that used to list the times of Masses, Confessions and Rosary recitations is the new name, the "West Grove Chapel." It's now available for parties or receptions.

TRAFFIC STUDY: Cruise control

So, Tilda, how's that driving-the-speed-limit thing going? A few weeks ago I mentioned a suggestion made at the June West Marlborough township meeting that we should all drive the speed limit in an attempt to discourage motorists from using our quiet country roads. I decided to try abiding by the speed limit (I know, a radical act) just to see what would happen.
I would wager that I have done my share to frustrate the drivers behind me by sticking to 40 mph on Newark Road, 45 mph on Routes 841, 842 and 926, and 25 mph through downtown Kennett. On the Route 1 bypass I was "passed by" everybody when I set the cruise control at 55 mph. Somebody actually passed me on Hood Road, shooting me a dirty look, when I slowed for horses. I was nearly rear-ended when I braked for that sharp curve on southbound 841 near Laramee Road.
On Route 82 out here in the country, vehicles were on my tail from out of nowhere.
I found that the stretch of road where it was hardest to obey the speed limit was on Newark Road near the New Garden airport, where the limit is 25 mph for quite some distance. 

WEST GROVE: Momma Fox 1, George Fox 0

This June 24 event was on my schedule, but it looks as if the West Grove Friends were outfoxed. In their words:
CANCELLED - Summer Solstice Celebration & Worship
Please note, we have had to cancel this event due to unusual circumstances. We will NOT be meeting at New West Grove on Sunday as originally announced. It turns out a family of foxes have made their home in the basement and Momma fox brings dead things for the babies to eat, emitting some odors which waft through the air and upstairs. Between the possibility of odors and the heat, we decided to cancel the planned solstice-time worship at New West Grove. We can try again for the Fall equinox . . . the fox family should have moved on by then.