https://omekaclassic4.nhlibraries.org/files/original/10316201b1dfdf0afdadd9a495c09482.pdf ffaa6ccc39b2de45af08d47bd1f69a26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The New Hampshire Troubadour Subject The topic of the resource Troubadour Description An account of the resource The New Hampshire Troubadour was a publication of the State of New Hampshire's State Planning and Development Commission in Concord, NH from 1931-1950s. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The State of New Hampshire Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The State of New Hampshire Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1930s-1950s Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource NHSL Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource State of New Hampshire Troubadour PDF files of the Troubadour OCR OCR of the Troubadour The New Hampshire Troubadour COMES TO YOU EVERY MONTH SINGING THE PRAISES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, A STATE WHOSE BEAUTY AND OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD TEMPT YOU TO COME AND SHARE THOSE GOOD THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE HERE SO DELIGHTFUL. IT IS SENT TO YOU BY THE STATE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AT CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE. FIFTY CENTS A YEAR ANDREW McC. HEATH, Editor VOLUME XVIII September, 1948 NUMBER 6 out ion AUTUMN >eS5 bu L^arl ^Afunt k The poet Lowell wrote of June and its rare weather. Yet it seems strange that one from New England should choose that particular period to immortalize in verse, unless it better suited the rhythm and meter of his mood. Because to me the harvest season is the more beautiful. Spring holds forth the promise which autumn fulfills. It is the crowning of man's efforts and nature's proclamation of that ancient call, "The King is dead. Long live the King." Wherever one turns, hills and valleys are robed in royal purple and gold intermingled with rich crimson and darker green. This is the season when the very heavens strive for superiority over the colorings of earth. Morning, noon, and night proclaim their majesty. The babbling brooks may sing less loudly, but in them is reflected that perfect blue of heaven and along their banks is found the wine-tinted blue closed gentian blending with the royal purple of the wild aster and the delicate silvery-lavender of the joe-pye weed. New Hampshire Troubadour GUY SHOREY An inviting path at White Lake State Park, Tamworth In every direction one sees fields of blue and white asters, and "goldenrod lighting the retreating footsteps of summer across the field." Ferns which were a rich green all summer assume an ethereal soft yellow, made the more beautiful by contrast with the red clover. Sumac and woodbine vie with the red of maple and oak. The white birch changes its summer's garb of delicate green for one of pure gold which becomes more vivid against the dark green of hemlock and spruce on the mountain side. And then nature, as though fearful of having over-painted the landscape in colors too vivid, changes the grasses, beeches, and some of the oaks to softer tones of brown blending the whole into a beautiful tapestry beyond the power of artist and color matcher to reproduce. Even the fields of shocked corn take on the semblance of an Indian bivouac and one imagines curls of smoke arising from each tepee. The golden pumpkins are the war drums ready to sound the festive dance. The September 7948 Cattle foraging in field and pasture serve only to magnify the peaceful beauty of the season. In autumn we can the more clearly understand the meaning of that blessing from above, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Were I a modern Lowell, I should sing of the rare days of the New England autumn when the mornings blanket the meadows in a soft mantle of delicate white crystals and the hills and valleys are clothed in a Joseph's coat of many colors. HOPKINTON HOLIDAY er bu IAJ. cJ.. Urodd and J4. ryf. /■bark- Every year thousands of people — city and country folk alike — head for the many fairs held in New Hampshire during the late summer and early autumn. Typical of the New England country fair is the one which has been held at Hopkinton during the first week in September for the last thirty-four years. The Fair's slogan is boldly imprinted on the gay little programs: "Competition Open to the World!" And the statement means just that. All entrants are welcome, regardless of where they may live, and every one has an equal chance to compete for the thousands of dollars offered as prizes. But money alone is hardly the greatest incentive, especially when you consider the labor necessary to prepare entries, the expense of transporting livestock and produce for many miles. It's easy to understand the real reason when you see the exhibits. A farmer takes real pride in what he has developed through his own efforts, whether it happens to be the largest pumpkin in the county or a powerful team of oxen. The exciting atmosphere of the fair stimulates visitors the moment they pass beneath the gay banners which mark the entrance. New Hampshire Troubadour 5 ;;;^-^i:¥i;;;S;;::.;:; 1 iSS'* .- ^^m- ■:::.,.,>..y'*:My..M-^M^^ ...;;::: :::;^:->^ f Ti W. L. CROSS, III Pulling contest at the fair. Matched horses lunge powerfully as the teamsters shout to urge them to drag the stone boat across the line. In the distance can be heard the voice of an announcer over the amplifying system: "C'mon over to the pullin' contest, folks! The events are about to get under way!" You've missed one of the big attractions of the country fair if you haven't seen a pulling contest. To describe the event in the words of one old farmer, "Matched pairs of hosses each takes a crack at haulin' granite slabs on a stone boat. The team kin haul the heftiest weight acrost the line wins a blue ribbon and sixty bucks prize money." Mixed cries resound from the audience. While the crowd surges eagerly around the large enclosure marked off by a red snow fence, the perspiring announcer shouts the name of each team taking its turn, and the weight for that round. "Nine sixty on the boat!" That means nine thousand sixty pounds of solid New Hampshire granite piled on the sled-like 6 The September 7948 1 runners of the stone boat! The two matched horses give a powerful lunge as the teamster shouts and urges them on. "Come on, Lem! Butter down that prize money and let's go home!" "Git a tractor, Pete. You ain't got a chanct against them bays!" Slowly the field narrows down, and the excitement reaches a high pitch when only two teams are left. Each spectator cheers for his favorite — maybe it's a pair of dapple grays or a black and white. One suddenly realizes the amazing power of a horse, as the smooth muscles are seen rippling under the heavy coat. It is an amazing sight to watch the stone boat and its tremendous load — ten thousand pounds — moving inch by inch over the rough ground. But there are so many other events to see! A country fair is a conglomeration of everything imaginable. The sound of carnival music pulsates from the heart of the colorful Midway — with its usual ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and assorted booths. Right next to the Midway at the Hopkinton Fair, you will always find a large circus tent with colored banners flying at every pole. This tent houses the agricultural exhibit, an indispensable feature of every country fair. The inside is as vibrant with motion as the legendary Santa Claus workshop. There are all kinds and sizes of farm machines on exhibit, many of them in operation. Labor-saving devices include such contraptions as a baling machine with spidery arms and a crocodile-like earth scoop, with a snout which can literally "eat" into the earth. There are samples of a hundred different products, from vitamin tablets for the goats to "dessert biscuits" for your dog. "Do Not Feed the Animals." No, its not an exhibit from the zoo, but the long livestock tent, with its collection of cattle and sheep, poultry and hogs. Animals are, after all, one of the primary reasons for the existence of the country fair. You see husky black stallions with white forelocks, Berkshire hogs as fat as an overstuffed sofa, and Hampshire lambs with wool that reminds you of creatures out New Hampshire Troubadour 7 of a Disney film. Small children peek into every corner, staring with complete fascination at an assortment of Naragansett turkeys, white Pekin ducklings, and newly hatched geese. An interesting feature of every fair is the presence of the old timers who describe the fairs of their boyhood. "This one's purty good, but it ain't what it used to be in the old days. . . ."It seems that in the "old days," for instance, a person had to be "a right smart craftsman" to carry off any of the prizes. The women who entered home-made clothing in those days had to do more than just cut and sew the material. The rules stated that they also had to spin and weave the cloth. Not only that, but the wool had to be sheared from local sheep. Such rules had a real basis, because the country fair was one of the first direct means by which our forefathers made American industries independent of foreign markets. It seems also that a surprising number of new inventions were exhibited in the early fairs — along with home-made clocks, boots cut from local leather, and even (in one instance) a somber collection of granite gravestones. If you want to see real country cooking, just browse around the food exhibits at any New Hampshire fair. You'll find yourself in the midst of an appetizing array of golden peaches, juicy blueberries, deep-red strawberries — all as sweet as honey biscuits. Perhaps you have a craving for something more saucy — tomato pickles, vegetable relish, or spiced watermelon. Just thinking of all these delicacies preserved and stored away for the winter months makes your mouth water. Every one who knows will tell you that age means nothing at a country fair. The best peck of Green Mountain potatoes may have been grown by a ten-year old lad or by his grandfather. One of the finest events at any country fair is usually the horse show. At Hopkinton, entries are drawn from every state in New England, with as handsome a collection of thoroughbreds as can be found anywhere in the country. Even for a layman who knows 8 i 1 I nothing about the fine art of horsemanship, it is a beautiful sight to see the flawless grace of the animals. Every movement is as perfected as the rhythms of a trained ballet dancer; every rider is completely at home in the saddle. It takes real skill to bring home the blue ribbon when the competition is so keen, and it takes a mighty good eye to judge the events. Perhaps the biggest attraction of the Hopkinton Fair is the series of trotting races on the half-mile oval track. Here the biggest prizes are offered — usually more than three hundred dollars for each purse. A large white tent, set up by the United States Trotting Association, serves as both stables and club house, where the drivers gather together in friendly groups. The rainbow colors of their caps and jackets stand out against the white of the tent like flowers Thrilling moments at the daredevil show are interspersed with the antics of a clown and an old jalopy, which emits fire, smoke, and loud explosions. w. L. CROSS, III — The bridge to Pierce Island, Portsmouth. DOUGLAS ARMSDEN in the snow. And the races are always crammed with excitement, from the moment the announcer calls the entries to the starting line until the last sulky has finished the race. The form of a good trotter or pacer affords a fascinating sight. The trot is a smooth-flowing rhythm in which the horse's legs move in diagonal pairs, while the pace has more the appearance of a dance — the horse touching ground first on his right legs and then on his left. Towards the end of the afternoon, as darkness approaches, the fair becomes magically transformed. The colorful lights of the ferris wheel and the daisy chains of bulbs strung throughout the grounds begin to sparkle with color. This is the hour when the loudspeakers burst into life and boom forth their invitation to the evening events. The thrill show will soon begin —an exciting me- 10 The September ,948 lange of daredevils, in speeding autos and motor cycles. There will be acrobats and clowns and vaudeville acts, a spotlighted figure swaying dangerously at the top of a hundred-foot pole, and many other colorful figures. Each year, the Hopkinton Fair closes with a spectacular display of fireworks. After the last prize has been awarded and the livestock entries are already being loaded on trucks, after the Midway has begun to close and the final event of the thrill show has run its course, the crowd gathers in the center of the park. With the band playing its loudest, the night sky is emblazoned with the colorful spectacle of rockets and flares, pin wheels and Roman candles. Then darkness falls once more, and the satisfied crowd streams away from the park, certain that this year's fair was the best of all. PICKLIN' TIME bu ^hrauan ^_X [-^eardon in Country Flavor \s There's a tantalizing, spicy, sweet-sour smell coming from the farm kitchen. On a sunny September morning when the countryman is cutting the late rowen, when blue haze hovers on the mountains across the valley, and all earth lies quietly in the fruition of autumn, Mother begins to make the season's batch of pickles. Picklin' time is an important date on the season's calendar. What would home-baked beans be like without pickles? Could one be expected to enjoy a juicy roast of pork on a blizzardy January noon without their tart, biting goodness? And with the fried potatoes for everyday supper what goes better than a generous helping of green-tomato pickles? New Hampshire Troubadour 11 There are all kinds of pickles: green tomato, chutney, beet relish, pickled baby beets, corn relish, sweet mustard pickles, sweet ripe cucumber, bread-and-butter pickles, and others. Each has its place; each is a natural companion for some good dish. The chief point is — it's picklin' time. The pungent, penetrating, tantalizing aroma is all through the house. It spreads into the woodshed where a twelve-year-old lad is stacking chunks of solid oak and maple against the time of cold, and it makes him stop, sniff in appreciation, and smile in anticipation. Mother bends over the bubbling kettle on the stove and inhales critically. Is it strong enough of this or too strong of that? Her menfolk have preferences. As the countryman comes into the kitchen for a midmorning drink of cold water, he whiffs the air with a commendable degree of authority. :cI always like picklin' time," he says. "Smells good." A TREE HAS TURNED RED The letter said: "How's for coming up on your day off? Give careful thought to the invitation. A tree has turned red on the junior mountain across the way that you should see." The letter was from one of our spies who tips us on newsy things. He is taking a late vacation in a summery cottage in the heart of the New Hampshire peaks. We liked the tone of it. He might have said brusquely, "Dig out your mittens. Autumn has arrived in the hills." His gentle and subtle suggestion that the season was changing even before the official Almanac date, makes it easier for us to accept the warning that summer is on the homeward stretch of the roller coaster. Save for the chill in the morning, it was difficult some days the 12 The September 1948 A. N. BOUCHARD Pickerel fishing at May Pond, Washington, Lovewell Mountain in the background. September, with the return of cooler weather, is a popular fishing month for bass, pickerel, and perch. Fly fishing is also enjoyed on northern trout ponds at this time. past week in Boston to discern that autumn was nigh. Those sunny, warm afternoons were deceptive. So we were glad to get that letter from our underground agent in New Hampshire. He bolsters our surmise. But to make doubly certain, early this morning we are headed for the hilltop rendezvous to see the tree that has turned red. Beyond mere confirmation by our own eyes we feel that in a much more important way it will do us a lot of good. After a week of those headlines about strikes, the stock market, Russia and the meat shortage, China and that World Series ticket, the little tree, in this man-made, topsy-turvy world, may reassure us that the eternal verities are still constant. — From the Boston, Mass., Post, Sept. 15, 1946 New Hampshire Troubadour 13 Front Cover: Harvest scene at Jackson. Color photo by Winston Pote. Back Cover: Countryside near Derry. Photo by Douglas Armsden. Frontispiece: Student golfers at Colby Junior College, New London; Shepard and Colgate halls. Photo by William M. Rittase. COMING EVENTS Major country fairs in New Hampshire this year: Aug. 30-Sept. 4, Pittsfield; Aug. 31-Sept. 2, Canaan; Sept. 3-6, Lancaster; Sept. 3-6, Derry; Sept. 6-8, Hopkinton Fair at Contoocook; Sept. 9—11, Cheshire Fair at Swanzey (near Keene); Sept. 15-18, Plymouth; Sept. 20-26, Rochester; Sept. 30—Oct. 2, Deerfield; Oct. 12, Sandwich. ^jor Five years ago in New Hampshire we bought a little farm house which nestles at the foot of a mountain beside a splashing brook. But we are not fortunate enough to occupy this interesting place all seasons. We have but two short weeks and a few week ends to enjoy the beauty of New Hamp- shire scenery and swim and fish the many lakes which surround the country near the farm. There we and many of our friends have spent very happy days of relaxation during the past trying years. It was such a release to get away from a busy city to the peace of the hills. It meant such a lot to our morale during those hectic years of war. Our guest log, which I have before me, is proof of what it meant to some. Men sick from mental exhaustion and overwork went back to their positions in war plants — better and well enough to carry on again. One boy, just back from overseas, spent his last days on earth with us, happy and less bitter. But the house and buildings got to a stage where repairs became necessary and we had neither the time nor the money to arrange for them and we couldn't bear to allow such a charming old house to deteriorate. There is something about an old house a new one can never have. So we unhappily decided to sell. The place has been sold and extensive repairs will soon be under way and a landmark of bygone days will remain for years to come. Mrs. Irene V. Batghelor Upper Stepney, Connecticut 14 The September 1948 BOOKS AND AUTHORS John Goffers Mill by George Woodbury, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, $3. The story of the author's adventures in turning an obsolete rural industry at Bedford, New Hampshire, into a design for happy living. Cannon Mountain Panorama, a chart of the view from the summit, identifies more than 200 mountains, published by Arthur E. Bent, Exeter, New Hampshire, $.25. A letter in the May Troubadour states that Frog Rock is located in Francestown. Frog Rock is in New Boston, south part of town on old Colby Farm —just off the highway on Colby Hill Road. I have seen it. Sincerely yours, Harriett L. Dodge Pioneer: The first organized summer camp for boys was established at Asquam Lake, New Hampshire, in 1881 by Henry and Elliott Balch, a couple of Dartmouth students. And they didn't know then that they were founding an industry. — From Neal O'Hara's newspaper column New Hampshire Troubadour Nourishing to the soul are September scenes along New Hampshire roads where maples turn to gold over stone walls and vistas extend over wide valleys to blue mountains beyond. Welcome scenes to more materialistic autumn motorists are the roadside stands which many New Hampshire farmers pile high with colorful produce. In order to toughen them for the campaign of next fall it was suggested that the older members of the Harvard football team meet and take a long tramp through the White Mountains, but the plan has been abandoned. This is to be regretted. All who feel an interest in the venerable University are keenly impressed by the fact that its football eleven is not up to the required standard. We know little of football, but have great faith in White Mountain air and exercise to make hardy and resolute men. If Harvard would organize a part of its mountain climbing contingent into a football team, they might possibly save the expense of much training and wipe out old scores with Yale and Princeton. — From Among the Clouds, August 17, 1897 15 RUMFORD PRESS CONCORD. N. H. •■:'•■:■' '■■■■X-<y'y^x--yy-:-yyr SEPTEMBER'S PROMISE by fadine CLLdt Rich summer s breath still lingers here — The hot September sun Pours over grass and brilliant bloom Whose season is not done. The foliage spreads, thick and green, Against the sweep of sky — And birch trees ripple silver leaves', As warm, slow winds fan by. Yet — stabbing beauty through the heart — With just a whispered sound, A gold leaf loosened from its bough Now flutters to the ground. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available State of New Hampshire Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context troubadour091949 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource State of New Hampshire Title A name given to the resource The New Hampshire Troubadour September 1948 Description An account of the resource The September 1948 issue of The New Hampshire Troubadour. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1948 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant New Hampshire Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource COPYRIGHT UNDETERMINED: This Rights Statement should be used for Items for which the copyright status is unknown and for which the organization that has made the Item available has undertaken an (unsuccessful) effort to determine the copyright status of the underlying Work. Typically, this Rights Statement is used when the organization is missing key facts essential to making an accurate copyright status determination. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/ Language A language of the resource eng Subject The topic of the resource Jackson (photo) Derry (photo) Colby Junior College (photo) New London (photo) Hopkinton Fair Hopkinton Fair (photo) Portsmouth (photo) Washington (photo) County Fairs Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. New Hampshire State Library