Delmar DustPan

From the Bi-State Weekly December 17, 1954

UNIFORM FACTORY ENTERTAINS EMPLOYEES

Jacobs Brothers, Inc of Baltimore entertained their employees at dinner last night at the Fire House with dinner served by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fire Department.

Nathaniel Jacob, president of the organization greeted some 60 employees. David Bornsten, business manager and Harold Lurie, production manager gave short talks.

Mrs Helen Porter is manager of the local production unit.

Yes, it is that time of the year again when thousands of household pets have silly Santa hats put on their heads and have their picture taken. This is one of our cats, Simba, enjoying the Christmas attention.

As I think is typical of most people in Delmar, I do the majority of my shopping in Salisbury, which means I pay Maryland Sales tax. Now if I know I am going for a higher dollar item purchase I will go to Seaford or Dover and save that 6% on top of the purchase price but for most of the daily purchases (which the sales tax wouldn't offset the price of gas) I end up in Salisbury and I am sure the tax adds up over a year's time. At one time you could deduct sales tax paid on your individual Federal income tax form. I use to save all my Maryland receipts in order to claim that amount, probably somewhere in the attic they are still stored as we never throw anything away in this house.

The Maryland sales tax was first started in 1947 - at 2%. The then Governor William Preston Lane (the one the bay bridge is named for) had an $18 million dollar shortfall in his budget and his planning department determined that a 2% sales tax would yield him the $18 million. Well it was a windfall and he produced $23 Million in sales tax money in the first year. Maryland saw they had a goose that laid a golden egg. Now a tax that is a percentage of sales price you would think would have a built-in adjustment for inflation, but government greed can never be under estimated and now the sales tax is 6%. It had been 5% since 1977 but this year it went to 6%, why? The excuse was people were not buying as much so instead of accepting that and reducing spending they simply added another percentage point to the tax. Taxpayers are fools they will do whatever government tells them to do. Our founding fathers would hide their heads in shame for what they produced.

It is interesting and pathetic that in most States, government entities employ the majority of the workers in that state. This means those workers are the largest voting block in a state and we know they aren't going to vote for reduced government and become unemployed so you can only assume there will be higher taxes (and so called user's fees) in order to hire even more governments workers. They reproduce their selves likes rats. I read once that a government in trouble will try and hire as many people as they can, so they will not be overthrown and replaced. I think the United States has reached that point.

More than 50 years ago, then-General Motors President Charles Wilson, altho misquoted, reportedly said “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” It was this type of arrogance from General Motors that made it hated from the 1950's forward. In Charlie Wilson time GM controlled 50% of the US Car market. The company was a dominant political force then and still is, spending tons of money to influence congress. In the 1950's it led a successful effort to destroy the streetcar system in America’s cities in order to force people to buy cars, rather than take public transportation. The type of vehicles they sell today only add to gas consumption and emission problems but as long as you can buy off congress it doesn't matter. No bailout money for the auto industry, let them go under!!!

In 1953 the Delmar School Board hired a 25 year old native of New Zealand to teach music and band at Delmar High School. Mr Bruce Hendrickson (Henrickson) was born in Whangarei (Safe Harbor) New Zealand. He taught at Avondale College in Auckland Australia for five years before coming to Delmar. Being single with a desire to travel to the United States he had spent four years, before coming to Delmar, writing letters to different school boards in the USA. Matter of fact he wrote over 387 letters to different school boards in that period.

Mr. Hendrickson had obtained a nine day visa to come to this country and interview for the job in August. After accepting the job he had to leave the country because of his nine day visa and apply for a work permit. He went to Canada where he encountered numerous consular problems and did not get back to this country until December. He stayed about two years in Delmar High School and I am under the impression he married while he was here.

Back in September Southern Boys Concept, a company made up of the brothers Tom and John Knorr, came to the town council and made a presentation to built a microbrewery in the old IGA building. Frankly, it sounded like a good deal for Delmar but I also thought maybe they were using us for leverage with Salisbury in order to get reduced hookup fees. I rode by the IGA building today and saw Temco builders is busy at work on it, so maybe it will come true.

I don't know if many you remember watching movies in Maryland prior to 1965, before the main movie would begin the seal of approval by the Maryland State Board of Motion Picture Censors would be flashed up on the screen.

The Maryland State Board of Motion Picture Censors was a three person panel who would review all motion pictures shown in Maryland. I don't know that the board has officially disband but they sort of ceased operation in 1981. They had the authority to remove scenes or reject the entire motion picture from being shown in Maryland. You had to go to DC to see the actual uncut picture.

In 1965 Ronald Freedman ran the Rex Theater in Baltimore. he showed the films that had nudity in them and was constantly at odds with the Maryland State Board of Motion picture Censors. Eventually he sued the board all the way to the U S Supreme Court. Freedman vs the State of Maryland The Supreme Court agreed with Freedman that the board had no right to cut or ban films, they turned the decency question over to the state courts. This Supreme Court decision eventually brought the end of censor boards around the country except in Maryland, where the law was rewritten to preserve censorship in the state's sympathetic court system.

The Maryland Board was legendary since it had Mary Avara on it who was a grandmother, bail bondsperson, and devout Catholic. Her comments about the movies she reviewed was "I didn't learn about any of this filth when I was growing up, and I had 11 brothers and sisters, when one of my sisters asked where babies come from, my mother beat her unmercifully." Time magazine did an article in 1970 about the board. Avara use to say she wore "the armor of the Lord" in her battle against porn.

From the BiState Weekly December 9, 1960

The Bank of Delmar has acquired the property formerly occupied as Marvil Cut Rate which adjoins the bank premises, Ralph E. Nichols, cashier, announced this week. The bank bought the property from W. Virgil Davis, who had bought it from Mr. Marvil a few weeks ago.

Definite plans have not been made for the property, Mr. Nichols said, but it will be used as part of the bank premises.

Well I came out of the house this morning to discover a flat tire on my van. Since I have never changed a tire on this van in the two years I have had it I guess I can really thank God that he gave me an opportunity to locate the spare, jack and lug wrench all in the convenience of my own driveway on a day that was neither too hot nor too cold and not raining or snowing. After putting the donut on I decided I really needed a new tire instead of having it patched. I took the tire to Carl King Tire Co in Delmar. Carl Kings is located next to the Delmar Commons Shopping Center and is a decent place. They wait on you professionally and quickly, the waiting room is clean with a TV and WiFi Internet, altho most times I have been there the coffee pot is never on and of course there is no sales tax.

This is something that was a common item to print by companies and fraternal organizations back prior to the 1950's

From the Bi-State Weekly December 6, 1940

RESOLUTION OF RESPECT

WHEREAS, on November 10, 1940, God in His infinite wisdom permitted the Angel of Death to remove from our midst Edward E. Gordy, one of the Directors of the Bank of Delmar; and,
WHEREAS, thru his death The Bank of Delmar has suffered the loss of one, who since his election to the position of director on January 10, 1939 had displayed an active interest in the affairs of the institution and was always ready and willing to do his part to discharge the obligation imposed in his trust; and
WHEREAS, his counsel and judgement in all matters presented for consideration though given with restraint, was always sound and conservative and highly valued by the Board; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Bank of Delmar hereby express their deep sorrow because of his death, their great respect and esteem in which they held him, their appreciation of his sound and conservative judgement and his wise and valued counsel and that they herewith extend their deep and sincere sympathy to the bereaved family; and, be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this Board of Directors meeting, a copy sent to the bereaved family, and a copy published in the Bi-State Weekly.

Ralph E. Nichols,
Secretary of the Board.

From the BiState Weekly December 6, 1940

POLICE CHIEF TAKEN TO NAVAL HOSPITAL

Chief of Police Arthur L. Godfrey of the Maryland side, this city, was rushed to the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia late Sunday, after he had been suddenly stricken with an infection of the left leg. Chief Godfrey, a World War veteran, and chief of police here for fifteen years, had been suffering with pains in the leg for about a week, but it was not until Sunday that his condition grew worse necessitating hospitalization.

Chief Godfrey suffered a wound in the leg in the World War, and two years ago received a fracture of the same leg, when a truck backed into him knocking him under the wheels. The trip to the hospital was made in the Salisbury Fire Department ambulance and arrangements was made with the hospital by Frank B. Tappan, a member of the local American Legion Post of which Chief Godfrey is a member.

The family physician stated that the officer had been suffering from varicose veins for some time in the leg, and Sunday a form of blood poisoning had set in, and he advised immediate hospitalization. He described the condition as not serious, but one requiring close attention.

The News Journal had an interesting article today about a piece of property that the Christina School Board had acquired in the 1880's, part thru condemnation. It seems now the school board wants to sell that property to the University of Delaware for $1.6 Million. It seems at the time of condemnation there was a state law that said ownership would revert back to the original titleholder if the site ceased to be used by the school district. The Univ. of Delaware is asking the court to rule on whether any of the original titleholder's heirs can claim a right on the property. Now I am against condemnation (unless it would be the Lecates building uptown) by a government entity and I think by all means this property should be returned to the heirs of the original property owner. The property was used for a school from the 1880's to 1907 when it sit empty until 1935 when it was used for school purposes until 2005 when it has just been a storage building. When the original school was given up in 1907 the property rights should have been returned to the original owner. Obviously it would have been difficult with a building setting on the condemnation property with the other pieces of property owned outright by the school, but nevertheless, it should have been returned to him. In typical lawyer fashion laws have been passed to prevent this from happening, once again screwing over the individual.

The Mason Dixon Flea Market at the intersection of State Street and the Railroad tracks in Delmar is of course associated with the Mason Dixon Auction.

If you know the person you are giving a gift to likes collectibles than this is one more place to investigate on your shopping trips. Being a flea market place it has an esoteric mix of items. There is a large selection of VCR tapes and DVD's, depression glass, art work, and just plain stuff.


The almost definite hours are Friday 2 to 9, Saturday 9 to 6, Sunday 9 to 5, so how come I was in there today? If you see the door open and the flags outside they are open and they are open today.

I was out shopping for a couple Christmas decorations and I went to the Barn on Line Road in Delmar. It is a nice place with a lot of "Country" stuff. It also had a goodly supply of Christmas oriented things.

Hours are Monday to Saturday 10 to 5, Sunday 1 to 5.

For some reason when out book shopping I tend to forget Henrietta's Attic. I am not a lover of Barnes and Nobles but I do tend to forget there are still a couple of other bookstores in Salisbury. Henrietts's Attic is on Maryland Avenue (across from the south WAWA) and she sells new and used books plus an assortment of other stuff. Being a fat person in a winter coat it tends to be a difficult store to navigate. They have a great collection of new and used local history books, genealogy etc, plus an assortment of books on every subject under the sun. I was looking for a copy of the old WICO Cookbook, which they did not have, but they did have an assortment of other local cookbooks.

From the Salisbury Advertiser December 21, 1907

The proposed shell road from Salisbury to Delmar, by way of Leonard's mill, is fast working into a much to be reality. The project was taken up several weeks ago by those owning farm lands on both side of this road, and the County Commissioners gave it their hearty co-operation, President Cooper of the Board giving the construction of the road his personal attention. Work was begun in front of the farm of Mr. J. O. Phillips, where the shelling stopped last year and up to the present times has been continued to the Leonard farm which was recently purchased by Mr. Wm. Freeny.

Grading is being pushed on the balance of the road, and it is hoped to extend the shelling to the Leonard mill, 4 1/2 miles from Salisbury this winter. This work is being done under the supervision of Mr. Minos Oliphant, the road supervisor.

Beyond the Leonard mill, work is also being pushed on the improvement of the road. Mr. James E. Ellegood has a large force of men ditching and grading the road bed along his farm property on the same highway.

Delaware was the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution, which it did on December 7, 1787 at the Golden Fleece tavern in Dover. From this act of ratification Delaware became known as the First State. 75 years ago the State Of Delaware made December 7th Delaware Day. Due to Pearl harbor, Delaware Day is a day often put on the backburner of days to celebrate. Nevertheless Happy Delaware Day!!!

2,008 Department of the Navy Telegrams
109 Marine Corp Telegrams
228 Department of the Army Telegrams

Dec 12
Washington DC 11 206A
Mrs. Paxton T Carter
4507 Elizabeth St Bell Calif

The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your husband
Acting Pay Clerk Paxton Turner Carter United States Navy was lost
in action in the performance of his duty and in the service of
his country ^ The Department extends to you its sincerest sympathy
in your great loss ^ To prevent possible aid to our enemies please
do not divulge the name of his ship or station ^ If remains are
recovered they will be interred temporarily in the locality where
death occurred and you will be notified accordingly

Rear Admiral C W Nimitz Chief of the Bureau of Navigation


Delaware had least two exceptional people at Pearl Harbor
George Ames Penuel and Lt.George Welch