Scarier than Halloween? Kissing Bugs! Chester History Talk & Plantation Auction!

 

 

Future Kissing Bugs of Ridley Park!!! A class of Students from the old Tome Street School about 1895

 

 

KISSING BUGS SWARM AT RIDLEY PARK IN 1906 

 Handsome Men Becoming Alarmed Have Taken to the Woods

Pretty Girls Form Socials

     THERE ARE TWO FACTIONS SO TO SPEAK, AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF Ridley Park, as far as the organizations of two unique social societies are concerned.  Quite recently a number of the young folks, whose ages range from 15 to 18 years, formed themselves into an association known as the Kissing Bug Senior Social Club, and elected the following officers:  President, Miss Mattie Pomeroy; vice president, Miss Ida Emerson; secretary, Rodman Stull; treasurer, Thomas Haydock.  It was decided to meet every other week at the home of the different members.

     Not to be outdone by their superiors, in point of years, the younger members of the juvenile population of the pretty borough immediately set about to organize a similar society, with the result that within a week after the Kissing Bug Senior Social Club was formed, a new one named the Kissing Bug Junior Social Club was organized with the following officers: President, Margaret Bentley; vice president, Ala Hall; secretary, Helen Black.  Meetings are held every other Friday afternoon between the hours of 3 and 5 o’clock.  The meeting tomorrow afternoon will be held at the home of Gart Jones.

     Each of the peculiar titled organizations is composed of about twenty members.  Personally the members of the opposing societies are on good terms with each other, but as a whole they wage a continual factional warfare, which, though bitter at times, is nonetheless interesting and frequently amusing to the older folks.

           

This Tuesday, November 1, at 7:30pm the Chester Historical Preservation Committee, Inc. is sponsoring a free talk by popular, local historian Nancy Webster on "What Chester Makes, Makes Chester" at Hedgerow Theatre.
You'll find out how Chester became an industrial and economic powerhouse. What events led to Chester importance. How events of the mid 19th century led to the changes that took Chester from a small town to a city.
Nancy was named County Historian by the Delaware County Historical Society in 1988. A Delaware County native, she has a BA from Harvard, and a double MA in American history and museum curatorship from the College of William and Mary. She was Principal Planner with the County Planning Department for 25 years, was head of historic preservation for 20 years, and 14 years won state and national awards.
For further info call 610-872-4497.