-810-LancastM’ Farming, Saturday, July 22, 1995 %'t % ** • i a How Would You GAY BROWNLEE Somerset Co. Correspondent SALISBURY (Cumberland Co.) Hi, all you kids in LAN CASTER FARMING territory. I was just wondering if you know what bicentennial means. Everybody here is worked up be cause Somerset County is having its bicentennial birthday and we’re all supposed to be celebrating. Bicentennial means 200. Somerset County is 200 years old this year. Some of its towns, like Salisbury, my home community, are also 200 years old. The bicentennial celebrations are supposed to go on all year long. Now, I’m not usually a grip er, but has anybody ever celebrat ed your birthday a whole year without stopping? Paul and Mona Miller have a bunch of grandklds on their wagon for the Appalachian Wagon Train. They are all from around Greensburg, Westmoreland County. In the wagon are Danny Moyer, 4; Laura and Kaitlyn Llprando, 6 and 7; and Danny Moyer, 7, in back. Grandma Is holding Matthew Moyer who is 18 months. Elam Bender Is a wagon train chaplain and circuit rider. He holds his Bible and his circuit horse. He and his wife, Mildred are from Meyersdale, Somerset County. ids, “No,” you say. Well that’s what I say, too. We have just one day to do our favorite things and eat all we want. I tried to imagine being 200 years old and couldn’t Umm .. . let’s see ... that would mean I had lived 73,000 days. To get that number just multi ply the days in one year 365 by 200. Actually there's an extra day every four years in February. That would make SO more but I’m not including them. Now, if I was 200,1 would be as creaky as a door hinge that needed oil. Probably my hands would have been washed at least 365,000 times during my life. And I would have eaten 219,000 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners if I didn’t count snacks in between. Like To Be 200 Years Old? ■ a Yvonne Durst of Fort Hill, Somerset County was so excited about going on the Ap palachian Wagon Train for the first time that she sewed five new dresses that are hanging on the horse trailer. She made ruffled bloomers to wear underneath. Oopsl Something Is showing below her skirt. Yvonne can pretend she’s living on “Little House on the Prairie,” because It’s her favorite TV show. In 200 years of life, if I drank four cups of milk each day that would be 292,000 cups, or 73,000 quarts, or 18,250 gallons. Here’s how I figured it. There are four cups in one quart. There are four quarts (or 16 cups) in one gallon. And I already told you there are 73,000 days in 200 years. Now get busy with your math to see if I’m right Or take a gallon jug and a mea suring cup and experiment with water. Sixteen cups of water will fill it. I suppose I would have eaten a good many eggs in 200 years, and slices of bread. But it’s harder to calculate them. I know that the people must have had milk, eggs and bread back in 1795. Not ice cream, though, or pizza, hot dogs, fries and shakes. I wonder what their desserts were. If I had never known about electricity then I wouldn’t miss it But since it’s part of my life today I can't imagine not having it It’s just the same with the telephone. You and I can call anywhere in the world anytime of the day and talk to someone. Big satellites above the earth make it possible to com municate this way. Some people I know like to pre tend they are pioneers. Every year they go on the Appalachian Wa gon Train for one week. They camp out in coveted wagons and ride horses. It’s their way of hon oring the real pioneers of long ago. This year the Appalachian Wa gon Train came to my town so I went to visit the camp. They were helping celebrate the bicentennial of Somerset County and Salis bury. I was surprised to see how many kids were along. They were with their parents or grandparents, having a high old time. Their clothes looked Early American not modem. One woman was very happy be- or-nei?* This picture shows how horses and wagons are brought to a campsite before a wagon train can be formed. Isn’t It funny how modern people try to be pioneers? Even though they still need to use trucks, cars and campers, they are showing honor to the real pioneers who died long ago. cause she was going on the wagon (preacher), a wagon master (boss), train for the first time. She was ex- and a chief scout, and other scouts, cited about living like the family The scouts ride horses and help on Little House on the Prairie, the chief scout They report to the That’s her favorite TV program, wagon master and prevent prob- She had made all new pioneer lems. They also direct traffic at in dresses and fancy bloomers (un- tersections. You see, the covered derwear) for each day she was on wagons and buggys sometimes the wagon train. use main highways and pass The wagon train had a cook, a through towns, postmaster (mailman), a chaplain (Turn to Page Bit) DRAW A LINE TO THE CORRECT ANSWER 1. CONESTOGA WAGON a. boss of the wagon train 2. BUCKBOARD b. hat for a woman 3. CHAPLAIN c. food wagon 4. BRIDLE d. time for the wagons to move 5. WAGON MASTER c. a light wagon with four wheels 6. REIN f. rope or strap headstall for a horse 7. BLOOMERS g. carries out orders for the wagon master 8. BONNET h. says the prayers, leads church services 9. HALTER i. leather strap 10. CHUCK WAGON j. big wagon for freight 11. WAGONS HO k. underwear for a female pioneer 12. CHIEF SCOUT 1. a head harness; for headstall, bit and reins QUESTION: Which of the above words originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania? IS3M JU3M oiim sioouoid sip JOj spßiu ara* suoSbm atp aioqM s.tßip osnco -aq Xau«A BSotsauoo sip J3IJB paimm sbm uo3bm bBoisouod :«^suy (8) “Z\ (P) TI (3) -01 0) -6 (9) ‘8 00 m L (!) 900 -S (l) >OO 'i ( a > 2(D T :SWMSU V 1/
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers