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Alfred • Allentown • Alma • Andover • Angelica • Belfast • Belmont • Bolivar • Caneadea • Ceres • Cuba • FilLmore • Friendship • Genesee Houghton • little genesee • portville • richburg • Rushford • Scio • shinglehouse • Ulysses • Wellsville • west clarksville • Whitesville
Flickering memories of one who worked at the Babcock in Wellsville BY KATHRYN ROSS
WELLSVILLE — Ray McClure may have earned his stripes in World War II, but he was in uniform long before he wore U.S. Navy white. McClure was the guest speaker at the Babcock Movie Theater Preservation Society’s (BMTPS) public meeting July 29 when, among others, he shared memories of working at the Babcock Theater when it was owned by movie mogul Jack Warner in the 1930s and 1940s. Bracing himself at the wooden podium, the 99-year-old came into focus when he recalled, “I always wanted to go to the movies when I was a
kid. There wasn’t much other entertainment except for our Philco radio. Back then it only cost 10 cents for a ticket and 5 cents for popcorn.” His father had introduced him to the movie magic when he played piano for the silent movies. When McClure was around 14, he went to work as an usher at the Babcock Theater. He was paid 50 cents a night and the theater was open every day. “We had a tuxedo uniform, and we wore a cap and carried a flashlight. We helped people find their seats. At the matinees, kids would get rowdy, and it was our job to calm them down and clean up after
them,” he recalled. In those years the theater routinely provided stage entertainment prior to the featured films. “Sometimes the acts were so bad, we had to pull them off stage with a hook,” he said. McClure also cleared up the mystery of the locked trap door on the stage floor members of the BMTPS found when cleaning up behind the screen. He explained that it was used when people had to disappear from the stage as part of a performance or magic show. McClure’s job also included helping the projectionist, a disabled man named Charlie, who needed help walking upstairs and
carrying the heavy film canisters. The movies, McClure explained, would arrive once a week on the train and had to be picked up at the station and taken to the theater, where they were carried upstairs to the projection room. “Charlie taught me how to thread the film into the projector, change reels and show the movies,” he remembered. The young man’s duties also included using a long pole to change the metal letters on the marquee every Sunday. It’s a chore done the same way today when members of BMTPS
Photo by Kathryn Ross Ray McClure shares his memories of working at the Babcock Theater of Wellsville.
Ray McClure continued on PAGE 4
Amity Daze for the people set for Friday-Saturday in Belmont BY KATHRYN ROSS
BELMONT — The Belmont Rotary Club is making final preparations to host the 38th annual Amity Daze on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8 and 9. There are some changes in store for visitors this year. Rotarian Mary Fuller said, “Most of our events will be taking place in Wilmac Park,” explaining that space for vendors was limited in the Schuyler Street park in the center of the village. “We needed more room, and we already had many events already taking place
in Wilmac Park, so we decided to move most of the event there,” she said. “Vendor space was limited in the Schuyler Street park due to the growing popularity of the car show.” Wilmac Park is located along Willard Street, a short block away from downtown and before crossing the Genesee
River. The bulk of Amity Daze will take place there on Saturday. Amity Daze gets underway Friday morning at around 8 a.m. when 41 residents will open their yards, garages, driveways and porches for rummage sales. This “one man’s treasure” event is always very popular at Amity Daze. The yard sales will go on all day, Friday and Saturday, across the village. Listings of the sites are available at the Town Hall and at the library. At 6:30 p.m. Friday, there will be a concert at the Gospel Fellowship Church on Hood Road.
(The road is across from the former propane company.) The musical presentations will feature the Fountain Art Center Youth Choir and an instrumental ensemble. On Saturday, activities will start again at around 8 a.m. when the yard sales reopen. The fun in Wilmac Park begins at 9 a.m. with a pickleball tournament. Players can be preregistered for a fee. Vendors, artisans and a food booth sponsored by the Rotary and the Genesee Valley Central School Interact Club will be open in the park starting in the morning.
took the event over from the Belmont Betterment Association several years ago, sponsors Amity Daze for the community, it doesn’t raise funds for Rotary charities and activities. “We just do it for the people and to bring the community together,” Fuller said. Last year, Amity Daze featured a sand sculpture by noted area artist Eric Jones of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the edge of the downtown park. It lasted for several months. There’s no sculpture planned for this year, “But who knows about next year?” Fuller said.
There will also be kids’ games in Wilmac Park, including a bounce house and dunk tank. A flag football/ kickball game will also take place. Near noon, eyes and ears will turn to the downtown park when antique and classic cars and hot rods cruise into the village before heading downtown to the park for the Cruise In Car Show. Awards for the cars will be presented at 2 p.m. Steve Fleischman is in charge of the car show. Call him at (585) 610-6254 for more information. The Rotary, which
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