Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog number |
1997.2.1754 |
Object Name |
Clipping, Newspaper |
Date |
1962 |
Description |
TITLE: Performers Check In AUTHOR: Dick Barrett PUBLISHER: Oct 14, 1964, San Jose Mercury News Seems as though, that mention here last Sunday of an old school program at New Almaden with a listing of the participants stirred up some interest. A few of the performers are still around, and quite a few people remember most of the others. One of the first to be heard from was Mrs. Leon E. Boardman, who was Lillian Hawke in the class of 1887 at New Almaden School and one of the fairies listed on the program. Mrs. Boardman says she especially enjoys the articles about the old mining town. "I don't remember All in a Garden Fair," she adds. "We had a big extravaganza each year at the end of the term. So many of these people have passed on." A Mrs. Villa whose mother was a member of the Aredondo family at New Almaden talked to Susie Edwards, now Mrs. Arthur Gilman of 456 Jerome, about it. Mrs. Gilman recollection was that she played the part of the queen of the fairies, but, the program lists her as "Prince Felicard." She also thought Ernest Hopkins was the king of the brownies, but he is listed as "Cholly Bouteniere." She also recollected that Helen Harris, now Helen Trengrove, was a butterfly. But I do not find Helen's name listed, so it may be that these people figured in a different extravaganza. The program I have lists Lulu Carson as Queen Mab. (Jim Carson was principal of the school.) Mrs. Gilman counted '46 on the list who have died. Another for whom the item had special meaning was Alvin Hodge, 463 N. 10th, poultryman and county fair director. The Bird and Nellie Hodge who took part in the extravaganza were his uncle and aunt. I made one error in spelling in referring to Wesley Troy, which should have come out "Toy," instead, as pointed out by his brother Clarence. Clarence said the family moved out of New Almaden in 1902 and Wesley now lives on Williams Road. Clarence estimates that the program in question must have been given somewhere between 1898 and 1900. Clarence says the Louisa Pascoe mentioned was related to Harry and Frank. Pascoe, for many years in the plumbing business here, and Bertha James was kin to Stanley James who has a feed store. James Kessel still has a sister in these parts. Louisa and Bertha were listed among the fairies on the program. Wesley played the part of "Tut," his companion, "Frutti," being enacted by Bert Harry. And oh yes, about the Hodges. Bird was "Punch-em Quick" and Nellie was Rose, the garden variety, her companions including Violet, Sunflower, Snow-drop, etc. In case you think the school was the only source of entertainment, the old record book of the surface foreman also yields a program for a play titled, "Among the Breakers." The cast included R. A. Bulmore as the keeper of the Fairpoint Light; Eugene Hoefer as his assistant, Hennen Jennings as the Hon. Bruce Hunter, Sidney J. Jennings as his ward, Louis Lieber as a newspaper reporter named Peter Paragraph, George Carson as a servant, Miss Lottie Bulmore as Hunter's niece, Florence Gay as Bess Starbright who was cast up by the waves (can't you just imagine, that plot element?), Edith Jennings as a fortune-teller and Lily Hopkins as an Irish girl named Biddy Bean. On this list, the Bulmores are unquestionably related to Lawrence Bulmore, the New Almaden historian who has just moved back to these parts from the east bay. And would this Louis Lieber be the sign painter who used to have a studio on Second Street? (It is my recollection he had a shop over the Lyric Theater.) probably someone will know the answer to that for sure. The stage manager was Kate S. Jennings, the business manager, . C. O'Brion and J. U. Hall, Jr. was in charge of properties, which are noted in parentheses as thunder and lightning. O'Brion was the dutiful keeper of the surface foreman's report. Mention of J. U. Hall, Jr., excites my interest because it hooks up with a piece of unfinished research. Recently when Don Milligan held open house at his wholesale book and magazine plant at 150 N. Autumn, he told me that his newly-cleared parking lot was the site of the home ,of a Dr. Hall who was an ancestor of Superior Judge Marshall Hall. In checking my references I found the name of Dr. Joseph Underwood Hall and of his son, J. U., who was studying medicine at Cooper Medical College at the time "Pen Pictures From the Garden of the World" was published in 1888. I would suspect this was the judge's kinsman. The doctor's old barn is still standing, by the way, and Milligan is using it s a carpenter shop. We'll have to prospect the surface foreman's report for some more goodies at another time. |
People |
Bulmore, Charlotte Ann "Lottie" Bulmore, Robert Carson, George Carson, Lulu Edwards, Susie (Gilman, Mrs. A. G.) Gay, Florence Hall, J. Underwood (Jr., Sr., Dr.) Harris, Helen (Trengrove) Harry, Bert Hawke, Lillian (Mrs. Leon E. Boardman) Hodge, Bird Hodge, Nellie Hoefer, Eugene Hopkins, Ernest Hopkins, Lily (Lillie) Jennings, Edith Jennings, Hennen Jennings, Kate S. Jennings, Sidney Leiber, Louis O'Brion, Charles F. Pascoe, Louisa Troy, Clarence Troy, Wesley |
Cataloged by |
Boudreault, Art |