We are pleased to report that our search for someone who knew Katie Shaw, sister-in-law of Fannie Shaw who married Bert Cook who had the traveling movie show, showed movies at Cooperstown’s Centennial Celebration in 1907, and eventually ran the first movie show in the Bowne Opera House here in Cooperstown, has proven to be successful. We had asked in last week’s column if anyone might remember Mrs. Shaw who lived on Eagle Street. As a result of that column, we received a telephone call from Jean Lyon, of Eagle Street, who told us that Joan Butler was quite good with Eagle Street history. Consequently when we went to the Cooperstown Crier office last Friday to pick up our copy of the paper, since one once again had not been delivered to our house, we stopped in to talk with Joan who works for RBC Dain Rauscher right next door to the Cooperstown Crier.

Joan, who does remember Mrs. Shaw, told us that Perry and Madge Hanor and their daughter Ginger, lived at one time in the same house as Mrs. Shaw. So she thought if we could find Ginger, she might be able to tell us more about Mrs. Shaw. Unfortunately, Joan could not remember Ginger’s married name. So, we then placed a telephone call to the Mayor of Eagle Street, Tom Lyon, and asked if he might be able to help us as Madge Hanor had lived, until her death, on Eagle Street. Tom told us Madge Hanor’s family still owned the house on Eagle Street and suggested we contact Robin Lettis since she lived next door and might be able to help us contact the daughter. So, we called Robin and left a message on her answering machine.

When Robin called us back she said it was very timely that we had called her as she had just come in the house from talking with Ginger Hanor Lawler who just happened to be next door working in the yard. Robin wondered if we wished to talk with Ginger as she would be happy to put her shoes back on and take the telephone next door. We said we would and, thanks to Robin’s help, we had a good conversation with Ginger who will get back to us so that we can put her in touch with Kathryn Fuller-Seeley.

The entire process was all so very Cooperstown that we can hardly stand it. And, even though we have found someone who does remember Mrs. Shaw, we do wonder if there are other people who might also remember her. If so, please let us know.

We were somewhat surprised to learn at a recent Village of Cooperstown meeting, that the parking set aside on Fair Street next to the Village Library Building would be an appropriate place to park to pay one’s water bill at the village office. We must say we never thought the signs posted in that location, which say "Village Official Parking Only," indicated to us that we could park there while paying a water bill or maybe even a tax bill, although that was not specifically mentioned at the meeting. Instead, our reading of the sign was that parking was only for village officials, a category into which, thankfully, we do not fall. Obviously, we must have misinterpreted the sign by thinking that "village" modified the noun "official," instead of thinking that "official" modified the noun "village," thus indicating that parking was reserved for those activities considered to be official village business. We must say we have no idea how we could have made such an error in interpreting the signs. However, given the number of vacant spaces that we have ever noticed in that location, we still think we shall continue to mail in both our water bills and our taxes.

In closing, the wee-we related a story to us about the problem he was having with hazardous materials in the scene shop at Kenyon College. He decided he could very easily do without them and so called the appropriate person who is in charge of disposing of such wastes at the college. In going through the cabinet which held the offensive materials, a jar of petroleum jelly was found. The wee-we assumed the jar could just be thrown away. However, he was told that was not true as it contained petroleum, a hazardous waste. He pointed out that if he had a baby, he could smear the petroleum jelly all over the baby’s behind, so how lethal could it possibly be? Basically what he was told was that since the college owned it, it was lethal, whereas if he had owned it, and it was in his home, he could throw it away. We suggested that perhaps he should just take the petroleum jelly home and dispose of it there. However, we were assured that was not possible. It belonged to the college and had to be disposed of in the college way. Somehow there is a part of us which wishes the wee-we had not told us about all of this. We think we might sleep better nights not knowing.

We remain,

In these Otsego hills,

The Ellsworths

The Ellsworths may be reached by mail at 105 Pioneer St., Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326, by telephone at 547-8124 or by e-mail at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com. They look forward to hearing from you.

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