Main Street – July 8, 1948

By Morris Rote-Rosen

Granville places with television sets attracted record crowds to witness the Louis-Walcott heavyweight championship bout held at the Yankee Stadium in New York. Perhaps never in the history of sports was such an interest aroused as in this fight, if one can tell it, that, after seeing Walcott's terpsichorean ballet combined with a display of jittery shadow boxing. Not only men, but women and children, were eager to witness the fight and every business place in Granville with television was crowded to capacity. Even "Jack" McHenry's "private" party in the store made the store walls budge with interested boxing fans.

We saw the first fight at Dwyer's and we wondered if Walcott would repeat his imitation of the fawn dance at the last fight. We predicted in "Main Street" two weeks ago that Louis would win by a knockout in the sixth round providing he could catch Walcott. We were close except that it took Louis eleven rounds to catch the runaway Walcott. We witnessed the "fight" at Idylwild where Alton and Clifford Ellis installed a television set. And there were more than one hundred spectators there. The best part of the program was when a young lady from the seat in front of us turned around and said: "Will you have a kiss?" Startled in the darkness at such a strange request from a pretty little blond girl we finally noticed a bag of candy "kisses". It was the sweetest part of a sour program.

The fight was a disappointment until Joe Louis unleased his famous hay-maker in the eleventh round. Neither of the fighters gave one the impression that a championship was at stake. Louis was cautious, remembering what happened to him in the previous Walcott fight, when he it the ring with his seat twice. Walcott, scared to death, hoped to repeat his fifteen round "victory" by jabbing and running. From the result of the fight, it is apparent that the champion and challenger are both fit for retirement and the sooner the better for the boxing sport. Louis can retire with his crown and Walcott with his pipe dreams.

We didn't see Hiram D. Evans when he was in Granville, but over the telephone we felt the enthusiasm of Hiram for his lovely little daughter. That of course is as it should be. We hope some day to listen to a fatherly debate between Hiram Evans and Mac Manchester about the merits of their respective daughters. The flow of oratory would make a side show barker look like an amateur. But it would be fun nevertheless to hear the two to whom the late Major Paul Manchester, used to refer, when they were small boys, as "those two little devils". And wouldn't the major get a kick out of it all.

Hiram, in his few moments' conversation over the phone, harked back to the day when as a little boy we took him to the lake for an afternoon's outing. Offered some chocolate cake, Hiram, like any other boy, asked: "Can I have all the chocolate cake I can eat?" And he did. Then we gave him a fish pole and as he pulled the rock bass in, one after another, off the dock, he became so excited he shouted: "Pull for the shore boys, pull for the shore." And when the day was done Hiram Evans was returned to his home a tired but happy youngster. And he still talks about it today.

The passing of Will Forman of Pawlet, which saddened a host of his friends, brings to a close a triumvirate of old Master Masons of Morning Flower Lodge, F. and A. M., of Pawlet. These three had as much to do with the popularity of the Pawlet lodge as any of the members. They were Henry Warner, Charles Leach and Will Forman. Visiting Master Masons, to old Morning Flower, will have many pleasant recollections of Will Forman. We will remember him as he sat behind the desk of the lodge room, on a cold winter night, warming the lodge with his personality and kindness of heart. His wrinkled face, wreathed in smiles, his eyes blinking, his snow white hair showing under the brim of that famous high silk hat he wore on ceremonial occasions at the conferring of the side degree "The Sword of Bunker Hill".

His ready wit, his quick thinking, his ability to draw a laugh from any situation, which seemed bewildering to the candidate, but which had the members on the side lines rolling in their seats with convulsive laughter, made Will Forman a prince of good fellows. He would make any one happy in his company and strangers who visited the lodge for the first time felt that they had known him all their life. Will Forman was a part of the living spirit of Morning Flower lode and those who frequent the lodge will find a vacancy in the room which will be hard to fill. We mourn the passing of a good friend, a good man and a good Mason.

The song "Let's Stop Pretending", with the words and music written by "Dave" Lewis, a Granville man, now residing in Saranac, will, no doubt, have wide circulation ... Hats off to John Dekalb for the fine job he is doing on the Quaker street cemetery. John never worked any harder on a job than he did on this one and all for the satisfaction of having the resting place of the early pioneers - the members of the Society of Friends - not be a disgrace to the fine community they founded ... Few children possess the radiant personality of six-year old Karen Fragnoli, a remarkable little girl for her age.

Samuel G. Ayres, sizes up the rain barometer as follows: "It is natural for a rooster to crow, but let him crow continually during the day and you'll have rain within a few hours." ... Is the circulation of money tightening up in Granville? Two days before the dead-line of the village tax collection less than one-half of the village budget had been collected. ... Elwyn Holcomb of Fort Ann had the New York Conservation department remove four beavers from his property for damming and flooding four acres of land. Whenever Elwyn opened the dam, the beavers had it closed the next day.

Rev. William Barlow, former pastor of the Granville Baptist church, now of Riverside, California, writes in part as follows: "Just a few lines to convey my greetings for you and tell you how much I enjoy reading your column in the Granville Sentinel". Mr. Barlow, in his letter refers to the pictures of the high school honor students, and of Mary Betty Stevens which were published in a recent issue of the Sentinel and he sends greetings and best wishes to all. He writes that a huge $3,000,000 stone granule plant was opened in his vicinity, to furnish material for the Johns-Manville company. Mr. Barlow wonders if Granville hasn't over-looked an opportunity since Granville is able to furnish all the natural color slate stones from the local slate belt. "What a pity", writes Mr. Barlow, "that this plant was not built in Granville."

Recalling our pleasant association with him while he was in Granville, Rev. Mr. Barlow states: "There are a great many things that I would enjoy discussing with you. I am wondering if the solution of all the world's problems is not God. This is a moral universe. We are creatures, God is the Creator. God's will, word or law is beneficent when we turn to it and do it. We can not break that Will. It breaks us if we try it. Read Isaiah, first chapter, opening verses, and note if we have made as much advance over the people of those days."

Rev. and Mrs. Barlow are in the best of health and their friends in Granville will be pleased to learn that they enjoy their new home in Riverside, California. Mr. Barlow mentions Frank B. Jones who also is in California and who is employed as an electrician with a large manufacturing company. Frank was recently assigned to an electrical job in a Kaiser-Frazer iron mine. He lives with his wife and daughter and aunt Carrie (Jones) Smith near the Barlows. Mr. Barlow concludes: "Greetings to all my old friends in Granville. Of the many people I have known in Granville, however, I shall remember, as one of my high spots, the pleasure of knowing you as one of my sincere friends." ... Thanks Mr. Barlow. Best of luck and let's hear from you again.