Through An 'Old Timer's' Eyes
By Howard 'Mac' McDonald

Many of us take our libraries for granted.

Benjamin Franklin knew what he was doing when he founded the first library in the colonies right here in Pennsylvania.

In April 1985, when we were watching our six-yearold granddaughter for several weeks, she spent many days at the library here in Emporium. She learned so much there and enjoyed the Story Hour.

Later, when passing by Abilene, Kansas, six-yearold Leanne had a chance to go through the Eisenhower Presidential Library. Just as they were getting ready to leave, she turned to her grandmother and said, "Grandma, the other library has more books."

Yes, the local library impressed her more than Ike's library did. We have a firstclass asset. The staff is courteous, knowledgeable and always ready to help you. Within the walls of this building a wealth of knowledge awaits you.

Speaking of firsts in Pennsylvania, we have more covered bridges than any other state.

In 1829, the first commercial railroad began running in Pennsylvania. Lancaster, Pa., was the capital of the United States for one day.

The famous board game, "Monopoly," was invented here by Charles Darrow. In 1907 in Philadelphia, Irvin and Claree Scott invented paper towels.

People have resided in Pennsylvania since 10,000 BC. The only president from Pennsylvania was James Buchanan and Hannah Penn was our only female governor.

There was also one witch trial in Pennsylvania. Margaret Mattson was tried for witchcraft on Dec. 21, 1683. She was found guilty, but because her infraction was so minor, she was not burned at the stake. Instead, she had to pay a fine of 50 pounds.

After reading all the "Harry Potter" books, I am sure that in my lifetime I have run across a couple of witches. One in particular that I remember was my eighthgrade teacher. She had this uncanny way of knowing that I was about to do some dastardly deed and would clip my wings before I could put my plan into action.

Once when I put some carbide in her inkwell on her desk, she grabbed it before it erupted and stuck it down the back of my pants. I had a hard time explaining my blue-stained butt to my mother.

The Liberty Bell isn't the only thing that is cracked in Pennsylvania. The Game Commission's mismanagement of our deer herd fits this category.

Cameron County should be the poster county for Pennsylvania, because we have all the things the state likes to brag about. We have the state animal, which is the whitetailed deer; state flower, mountain laurel; tree, hemlock; fish, brook trout; bird, ruffed grouse. We also have the state insect, which is the firefly, and many of the state dogs here, the Great Dane.

Do you remember the name that was given to the Pennsylvania Turnpike? It was called the "superhighway." This road to the future opened on Oct. 2, 1940.

Motorists lined up at 11 ramps for the delight of being the first to ride the "pike." The road had no traffic lights, stop signs or intersections, and no speed limit.

In 1949, my brother was assigned to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. I had just purchased a 1948 Oldsmobile and it was the first car in the neighborhood that would do 100 miles per hour. I volunteered to drive him to McGuire.

I loaded my brother, his wife and my wife in the car and we boarded the turnpike at New Stanton. I immediately kicked the buggy up to 100 mph. Everyone was as nervous as a bunch of long-tailed cats in a room of rocking chairs, but I held my speed.

It was a beautiful, clear morning and as we were cruising along I could see a car about a mile behind us in the rear-view mirror. I told my brother that this guy was gaining on us. He said, "No way, brother!"

About a minute later, this guy went by us like we were stopped and in another minute he was out of sight. This man was driving a 1949 Hudson.

Isn't it ironic that neither the Hudson nor the Oldsmobile is no longer manufactured? Like the oldest-timers, they just up and faded away.