From the Dec. 14, 1951 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
The Vineyard woke yesterday morning to behold the landscape dusted, and a little more than dusted by the season’s first snowfall. The temperature was cold, and there was also a real winter bitterness.
Last night’s low was 17 degrees at the Gazette’s station, and there was little warming up as the sun rose. The week seemed bent on being a cold one throughout.
Susan Aylward of Edgartown, aged seven, presented the Gazette yesterday with a bouquet of pansies, a hardy variety considering the wintry weather, which she had plucked in a Katama road yard. The pansies are yellow and purple and put a brave face on the fact that they are distinctly out of season.
The program of face-lifting and of change, continues in Vineyard Haven, and the returning summer residents next spring are due to be greeted by a brand-new village scene. Work in progress now, and due to begin in the near future, plus strong possibilities of still other changes, will affect to a considerable degree the entire center and business section of the village.
Already in progress is the new front on the Bodfish Block, recently purchased by Morrice Florist, and where the first floor will be entirely devoted to the display and sale of flowers. The work is being done by Leo P. DeSorcy, local contractor.
Work also in progress, includes the razing of the three upper stories of the Lane Block, so-called, and a new front is to be given this building, together with other changes, for the greater part of the building’s length. The front will be advanced toward the street by some two and a half feet, to eliminate the present “jog” near one end. Leslie’s Drug Store will be enlarged to include the present upholsterer’s shop. Fronts on this end the Morrice building will be of red colonial brick, with white trim, but will have modern display windows. Those of the Lane Block will be of the modern variety, similar to the Vineyard Dry Goods Store. Morrice will have his entire front of brick and glass, and one side for display, also.
S. C. Luce Jr. announced this week that the post office building is also to have a new front, also of colonial brick, and that the alterations will provide for expansion of the post office space and quite possibly the handling of mail through the rear-entrance.
From credible sources but lacking official confirmation as yet, the Gazette learns also of the probable fruition of the freight transportation plan announced a year ago. This will mean the construction of a freight terminal at Vineyard Haven, capable of allowing loaded trucks and vans to enter and be unloaded. While the actual site has not yet been indicated, the last land purchase by the Steamship Authority would lend itself to this development.
Engineers were on the Island during the past few days making the preliminary survey preparatory to drawing the necessary plans, and the same source of information indicated very strongly that there will be little delay in starting operations.
Engineers have also visited the Island within a week’s time, making similar preliminary surveys for the First National Stores. No formal announcement of plans has been made public, and indeed, there has been no purchase of land so far as the Gazette has learned. But the fact that the officials of the First National Stores have looked with favor upon at least two building sites in Vineyard Haven, is now public knowledge.
As matters stand at the present time, it looks very much as if the coveted Goodman Trophy, offered for the largest pollock landed on light tackle in 1951, will be won by a lady. Mrs. Adelbert Jernegan of Edgartown is on record with a fish that weighed 16 pounds, 2 ounces, topping anything previously landed. Although numerous people are competing for the cup, it is not considered at all likely that this record will be beaten before the last day of the year.
The Goodman Trophy, offered by Weir Goodman, of Cincinnati and West Chop, is a handsome silver bowl suitably engraved and which is a permanent award. The main purpose of Mr. Goodman in offering this trophy is to increase the amount of available information on fish through the recording of weights and measurements in the files of the International Association of Sportsfishermen.
Larry Ellis, a Fox Movietone cameraman, is on the Island to take pictures today of the women scallopers of Chilmark. Mr. Ellis will be helped in his project by Benjamin F. Morton, secretary of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce. The story of the Chilmark woman scallopers has attracted widespread attention, and incidentally emphasizes the Vineyard’s forward place in rights for achievements by women. The Island had the first woman movie operator, registered pharmacist, and town treasurer in the state, and as far back as 1858 a Vineyarder was heading a petition to the legislature for votes for women.
Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
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