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MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2024
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153rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Macro Photo of the Month Holds Decoration Day Ceremony in Bath in honor of Elmer Whitesell
A fly on a leaf; photo by Gregory Morgan Photography
NOTEWORTHY NEIGHBORS 153rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment from left to right: Neil Coddington, Captain Rick Eisenhart, Tom Mulkern, Christopher Holub, Mark Tramontina, Gary Weaver (flag bearer) and Dave Seier By SAVANNAH BROWN Memorial Day weekend is full of remembrance, celebration, pool openings, family, friends and good old fashioned hot dogs and hamburgers. However, Memorial Day isn’t as widely understood as some may think.
Originally known as Dedication Day, Memorial Day began on May 30, 1868 as a day to honor and mourn fallen Union soldiers following the end of the American Civil War. However, there were similar ceremonies that took place in both the North
Looking by Back Ed Pany A cement worker contract From 1950
The year is 1950; we will be attending a union meeting of Local 18 Nazareth Cement Company. The meeting is being held at the Holy Family Club in Nazareth. The invitation came from Mr. Roland Roth, a member of Local 18. Roland would have a long career with the United Cement, Lime and Gypsum Workers International Union. The union members will be discussing their 1950 labor agree-
ment. The contract will continue until April 1952. Representatives of Local 18 are Paul Wukovitz, C.F. Caflin, Stewart Buss, Aloys Yost and Roland Roth. The District Representative is V.H. Thomas, and the President of Nazareth Cement is H.B. Robeson. Now, let’s look back at the 1950 wage rates. No employee
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and the South as far back as 1861 with much debate surrounding the founder(s) of Dedication Day. The national day of observance gained official recognition as a holiday amongst a number of states in subsequent years, and the aftermath of two world wars molded it into a day of remembrance for all U.S. military members that fought and died in service. In 1971, Congress changed the name from Dedication Day to Memorial Day and changed the day of observance, so that the holiday would always occur on the last Monday of May. Christopher Holub is a U.S. History teacher at Jim Thorpe Area High School and a member of the 153rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry who was gifted Private Elmer F. Whitesell’s discharge paper in January. Holub didn’t have much to go on, but he began his four-month search for more information on Whitesell right away. According to his discharge paper, Whitesell was born on Jan. 3, 1875, making him 24 years old when he enlisted. He was 5 feet 4 inches tall with blue eyes, black Continued on page 16
TheBath HomeArea News isCommunity seeking essential
Chorus prepares for 12th Annual patriotic program
workers in the community to interview for a new, ongoing feature, Noteworthy Neighbors. Emergency responders, teachers, local government, bus drivers, of those participants, a By SAVANNAH BROWN farmers, etc.; if you doOut essential The volunteer-based Bath Area core group of singers decided work for a living, we want to hear Community Chorus got its start they wanted to put on another from Ifthe you are interested in in 2012, you. following Borough program at Christmastime, and of Bath’s 275th anniversary. alas, a chorus was formed. being interviewed and sharing with Director Sharon Schrantz, Although they had no formal thehas community the work that you do, who been singing in choral title when they formed in 2012, please groups sinceemail the age AskUs@HomeNewsPA.com. of seven, they received generous commushared that prior to the anniversary, the Bath Area Council of Churches would get together on the eve of Thanksgiving. The churches involved would hold a Thanksgiving celebration where a chorus was formed. Members of the chorus were from several local churches who came together out of a shared love of singing. Upon Bath Borough’s 275th anniversary, Christ Church of Bath put out a call to other churches in the area for a Flag Day Program that was to be held at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. Support for the program exceeded expectations and amassed 45 participants.
nity support and have been putting on two programs per year since then, in June and December. Every June, the 24-member chorus puts on a patriotic program for Flag Day where they honor military veterans and first responders. Then, in December, the chorus puts on a Christmas Continued on page 2
83rd Year, Issue No. 22 www.homenewspa.com
USPS 248-700
45 Years