Thursday, December 19, 2013

Dec. 13, 2014 Briar Crier


BRIARCRIER
 Dec. 13, 2013, Friday, 12:15, The Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club.

                                                                            TODAY IN HISTORY
1769: Dartmouth College in New Hampshire receives its charter.

MEETING LEADER: President Anne Cargill

PLEDGE: Anne Cargill      SONG: Sy Yuter      PRAYER: Rev. George Higgins

HAPPY THOUGHTS: Anne, we made $1600 on auction; Mark, sorry for repeated emails. Other happy thoughts but not correctly recorded.

ROTARIANS PRESENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: 16 Rotarians present. Ernie, grapefruits in Monday at Recreation Building lower level, and each member responsible for at least five cartons.

GUESTS: Rev. George Higgins, Rachel's dad; Karen Smith, co-president of Briarcliff-Scarborough Historical Society. 

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT: William Sharman on Old Briarcliff.


SUMMARY OF TALK
Bill Sharman came to Briarcliff when he was four and here another 83 years. He is the oldest living resident of Briarcliff Manor. He is an architect and graduate 1950 of Cornell University, School of Architecture. Bill remembered his memories and antics as a youngster living in Briarcliff, walking or bicycling to many places. He sewed buttons on laundered jackets by the Briarcliff Laundry. The history of Briarcliff Manor is given in Mary Cheever's book, which is available for sale by The Historical Society. The area was first known as Whitson's Corners. Walter Law, the founder of Briarcliff Manor in 1902 with only a small number of residents, did not like street names. So the only street in Briarcliff is Stratfort Street near Macy Road. In early years there was only one traffic light in the village, near the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Also, Briarcliff was a speed trap, especially on Route 9A. There were three other ways to get to the village: by North State Road, Route 9 (the Albany Post Road) and via the railroad. The Fire Department was started before the village and was always voluntary. He mentioned the old timers, Police Chief Arthur Johnson, Village Inspector Max Vogel and some of the old Fire Department chiefs. The Ambulance Corps was and still is part of the Fire Department. He went to elementary and high school where Atria is today. He remembers attending dancing class in sixth grade. There were sports for boys and girls. He played in the orchestra. During World War II most Briarcliff men served in the army. Some things never change, like the Memorial Day parade. He remembers skating on the village pond (then much larger than the pond at Law Park). There was also a skating pond on the golf course. There were apple orchards, and on Long Hill Road a pump for fresh water. The village pool was the first municipal pool in the county. The tennis courts are still there. He remembers playing ball on donkeys.

This Friday,  Kristen Linder on Art

Elinor Yuter, Reporter
Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter