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THE LITTLE VILLAGE THAT COULD  - 1952—FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION STATE OF NEW YORK ANNUAL CONVENTION

Town/Village of East Rochester
/ Categories: Local History

THE LITTLE VILLAGE THAT COULD  - 1952—FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION STATE OF NEW YORK ANNUAL CONVENTION

By Anita M. Mance, Historian, Research assisted by Seth Wagner, SUNY Geneseo Intern  

     It began during the spring of 1951 when members of the East Rochester Volunteer Fire Department considered requesting that the state convention be held in our hometown.  With support from the community leaders and letters of endorsement from various area officials, the firemen went to the convention in New York City in August 1951, and urged that the 1952 convention be held in East Rochester.  To help encourage the delegates to vote in ER’s favor they took 10,000 brochures describing our village, pins (East Rochester in ’52), and large banners which they hung from the hotels.  The delegates were so impressed with the sincerity and earnestness of the claims of the firemen from ER that they granted our request.  And so, the convention held in New York City in 1951 with its population of 7,000,000 came to the village of East Rochester with 7,000 residents in 1952.  The headline in the ER DESPATCH read:  FIREMEN DUE IN ’52.”    

     Hosting the convention was one of the most ambitious plans in the history of the East Rochester Fire Department.  The 8oth annual convention (August 18-22) brought more than 2,500 officers, delegates and members as well as thousands of spectators to East Rochester.  To accommodate the delegate meetings, mutual aid demonstrations, tournaments, parade, and carnival, venues all over the village were needed.  With no hotels in our village, accommodations in Rochester were used, especially the Powers Hotel.   

     The week began on Sunday with a banquet at the Powers Hotel for Past Presidents.  On Monday registration of delegates and members and meetings were held in the high school (now the Morgan Middle School) on East Avenue.  Edmund Lyon Park was the setting for a first aid contest.  On Tuesday, the convention formally convened in the high school auditorium.  That evening the Kiddie Parade was held at 6:00.  Later that evening firemen could attend the Famous Artists Country Playhouse performance of Remains to be Seen with Jackie Cooper, or go the carnival.  The carnival was held on the grounds of the Firemen’s Exempt Club (Country House) on Linden Avenue.  Wednesday’s highlights included mutual aid demonstrations on Harris Field (now the site of our PreK-12 School) and at the Eyer Building.  On Harris Field an estimated crowd of 8,000 saw various fires set and extinguished.  At the Eyer Building, pans of oil were set on fire on the roof and three high school students were carried down ladders on the shoulders of firemen to simulate evacuation of the building. 

     On Thursday, the annual tournaments were held.  On Main Street thousands watched as firemen from over 40 departments took part in races including the bucket brigade, hose coupling battles, and ladder climbing contest.  With rain early in the day, the events were made even more dangerous.  Spectators remembered the smell of smoked rubber that filled the air.  The climax of the week was the grand parade Friday afternoon.  The parade route went from South Garfield Street to West Commercial, down East Commercial to Lincoln Road, then north on Lincoln to Linden Avenue and across the street to the grounds of the Exempt Firemen’s Club.  Eighty fire companies took part in the two-hour parade.  Fire fighting equipment, marching bands, ladies’ auxiliaries, and of course, firemen, took part.  Trophies were given for:  most women in line (ladies auxiliaries), most men in line, best drum major, best band, best appearing apparatus, coming from the greatest distance, and oldest piece of equipment. 

     After the week’s events concluded, the Fire Department thanked everyone in the community for their support and cooperation, as well as the police department for maintaining law and order.  And so, the “greatest little town in the world” had a very special summer memory of which to be proud.  Thousands of people came to our community and left with a glimpse of small town hospitality. 

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AS SUMMER TURNS TO FALL – 1954

AS SUMMER TURNS TO FALL – 1954

     In looking through our old East Rochester Herald newspapers, I happened to find an interesting series of articles from late summer, early fall of 1954.  The stories brought back many memories.

     For many years summer recreation centered around our village parks and outdoor pool.  In particular, there were many activities offered in Edmund Lyon Park.  Children could make potholders, make things out of boondoggle, paint plaster of Paris plaques, and take part in contests in costume, dog, doll, and hat shows.  The August 20th issue of the paper described highlights of the annual costume show.  Prizes (ribbons and candy bars) had been given for the prettiest, funniest, most unusual, best cowgirl and cowboy, best clown, most original, and best foreign costumes.  The summer season at the playground would end August 20th with a picnic when the highlight of the day was the selection of a playground king and queen to rule over the day’s festivities.

     The August 27th issue described the moving of a home from where the new interchange cloverleaf was being built to link the eastern thruway connection with Fairport Road.  The stucco home, built in 1930, was moved from near Harwood Lane to the corner of Washington Street and Fairport Road.  There, Frank Cilento’s family would live.  The two hour move on a huge trailer was assisted by RG & E line crews who were on hand to cut wires wherever progress was impeded.

     The September 3rd issue focused on the beginning of the school year.  A detailed listing of the 71 teachers for grades K-12 was included.  In 1954, the two school buildings on East Avenue (elementary and junior/senior high) were our whole district.  Student enrollment was about 1700.  The Board of Education was going to hold a faculty reception on Sept. 7th, with classes starting on Wednesday the 8th; kindergarten would begin on the 9th.  St. Jerome’s school was adding a class for third grade.  The classes were still meeting in the CYA building.  In 1955, classes would move to the new school building next door.

     The September 10th issue had several articles of interest.  One honored three little girls (Jane Thomas, Marcia Ramph, and Donna Jean Rosen).  The girls had gone door to door in their neighborhood to collect money for the polio emergency fund drive.  They collected $20.00.  The polio epidemic was a very real fear during the 1950s.

     The issue also contained a full report from Sherman Reed, Swimming Pool Director and physical education teacher.  The summer season had lasted from June 26-September 6th (Labor Day).  When the Kate Gleason Memorial Pool had opened in 1954, it was one of the first outdoor community pools inthe area.  Throughout the 1950s and 60s the pool was packed seven days a week.  Attendance for the summer of 1954 was 34,525.  Swimming class enrollment was 271.  Mr. Reed was pleased to announce that there had been no serious accidents or injuries.&a

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PROJECT NOTIFICATION – WEST AVENUE

Dear East Rochester Resident:

The Town/Village of East Rochester will be installing new sidewalks on the north side of West Avenue from Roosevelt Road to approximately 100 feet east on Forest Road.  The project has been awarded to Villager Construction and is set to begin this week.  The majority of work will take place within the road Right-of-Way and will temporarily impact driveway access and parking along West Avenue near Concrest Park.    

During demolition and installation of the sidewalk, driveway access will be temporarily restricted. Stone will be placed to maintain temporary access during construction.     Residents will be provided a 24-hour notice of driveway closure. During the installation of the new sidewalk, driveway access will be restricted for 72 hours after the concrete has been poured.  Parking on adjacent streets and at Concrest Park is available.

Once the concrete sidewalk is cleared for reopening, stone will be temporarily placed again to allow access until repaving of the driveway apron.  All driveway pavement affected will be replaced in kind and disturbed areas restored with topsoil and seed as part of the project.

For questions or concerns please contact Tom Fitzgerald at MRB Group (585-381-9250).

Sincerely,

Thomas Fromberger

MRB Group

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