"A PROFESY

Now don't look so gay

For it isn't much fun

When you've shoveled all day

And can't see what you've done.

And don't sit and stare

At the ground that's now bare;

Some day there'll be snow,

Ask Raphie-she'll know !

It will sift thru the rifts

Round the windows and door,

And pile up huge drifts

As it has done oft before.

You'll start for the barn

Then turn to go back,

This sounds like a yarn,

But you can't see your track;

for the wind-how it blows !

Ask Raphie-she knows !

It comes light as a feather,

Or as heavy as lead;

It doesn't care whether

You're up or abed.

It comes with a roar

That will rattle the door,

And you'll wake with a start

In the dead of the  night;

Then you'll know in your heart 

That Raphie was right.

When you've piled the banks high

And are weary and sore,

And you glance at the sky

And know there'll be more,

Or the plow with its blade

Rolls part of its load

In the path you've just made

Down by the road;

'Twill hurt you a bit

As you sit down to rest,

but you'll have to admit

That Raphie knew best.

Nettie A. Bullis

May 15, 1948"

FROM DECEMBER, 2008

 (Today, we are once again sharing with you "The Joys of Reading," first posted five years ago today.)

THE JOYS OF READING

Renewing old friendships of heroes and heroines;

Traveling to faraway places without leaving home;

Expanding the mind to learn anew;

Studying the past and learning from our ancestors
and much more.

Give yourself the gift of time this winter,
settle down with a good book.

You won't regret it.


HAPPY HOLIDAYS
THE BULLIS ROOM COMMITTEE

3-D PRINTING

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 6 PM, Macedon Public Library's Community Room. That's the time that Jeff Davignon, Director of Walworth-Seely Public Library, will demonstrate the 3-D printer that is now in residence at the Walworth library. Jeff's presentation has made a big hit at other area libraries, and we're anticipating an enthusiastic turnout that night.

(As we look around the Bullis Room, we wonder how much different this new technology is from the technology that produced the books that fill this room. Perhaps like the difference between Star Trek stories and those written by Charles Dickens, perhaps?)

In other presentations, Davignon's special printer has produced whimsical things like an owl, Spongebob Squarepants, and other small figurines. The printer has also churned out usable sockets for a wrench set, brackets for library shelving, a glow-in-the-dark cellphone case, and a life-size medical model of an inner ear, based on an MRI scan.

What would Nettie and Charlie Bullis have thought of such a machine? We think that  Nettie may have been impressed with its efficiency and Charlie, with the novelty of the thing.  Charlie may have even decided to try to build his own version of the machine.

Please plan to come and see this fun demo. And if you'd like to visit the Bullis Room after the 3-D presentation, we'll be glad to give you a quick tour. (But we have to be out before 8 PM! Or else we may turn into a plastic Spongebob Squarepants.)

WINTER TALES

The winter season with its reduced daylight hours allows us to stay inside more and enjoy some good reading. If we have children (or grandchildren) around, we have the potential to share quality time as we read to or with them some currently-popular literature as well as the classics.

If you're looking for some classic children's literature, we suggest you take a look at this book in the Bullis Collection:

The Man of Snow, and Other Tales

by Harriet Myrtle, published by W. P. Hazard,

in Philadelphia, 1853

The "coloured" frontispiece gives the reader a good idea of what to expect in the clever "Man of Snow," and the story does not disappoint either child or adult in both entertainment value and inspiration. The other tales in this book are ""Winter Pleasure" and "Christmas-Eve at the Cottage." They, too, are good reads that gently and effectively relate their encouraging messages.

In the opening pages of the book, the author writes: "In every change and at every time there are beautiful things for those who can see and feel them. Kind hearts can shed a warmth like sunshine, and deeds of love will bring gladness into every season." What good thoughts for us to remember, when the gloomy days weigh heavy.

Harriet Myrtle wrote other books, among them The Pet Lamb and Little Amy's Birthday, which is highlighted in our post back in September.  Little is known about this author. However, the fact that there are two of her books in this collection leads us to believe that generations of Bullis children enjoyed them. We hope you will, too.

GOING (OR GONE) SOUTH

From our observation post by the window in the Bullis Room, we watch the trees swaying in response to the strong push of the gusty winds outside. This scene is a reminder that some among us will soon be climbing in their RVs (if they haven't already done so) and heading south, not to return  until the geese come back.

For the "Snowbirds" who haven't made that journey yet, we suggest you stop by the Bullis Room before you leave and take a look at some of these books in the collection:

For those of you staying within the U.S.:

To Florida; the Sunshine State:

The Rich Man's Playground and the Poor Man's Paradise

by Tavares & Gulf R.R. published 1915?

If you're thinking of venturing beyond these borders:

Seeing South America

by William Backus Guitteau,

 published in Evanston, Ill, Row, Peterson and Company, c 1929

and

Mexico and Her People of Today; 

an account of the customs, 
characteristics, amusements, history,

and advancement of the Mexicans, and the

development and resources of their country

published by L.C. Page, Boston, 1907

Last, for those of you who want to get really far, far away:

My Winter on the Nile

published by Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1891-1876

Florida, the Nile, Mexico, South America - wherever you go, have a good journey and return to us safe and sound. In the meantime, we'll do our best to carry on without you.

FINDING OUR PATRIOTS

This week we came upon a Bullis Collection book which could be useful for those of you who are researching ancestors who may have served our country more than a century ago. If this is your "thing," we think you will be interested in taking a look at:

Directory, Grand Army of the Republic,

Monroe County Patriots: G.A.R. Posts,

U.V.U Commands, Women's Relief corps,

Sons of Veterans, Ladies' Aids.

Thomas H. Lake is listed as the author of this book, and it was published in Rochester, NY by the Democrat & Chronicle (1899?). 

The book is well-organized and easy to use. In between the data are photos of local military leaders as well as unique advertisements for local products of that day. So even if you aren't searching for a specific patriot, we think you'll still enjoy spending some time with this book. (You're invited to do so.)

THE LURE OF THE ANTIQUE

Yesterday, the Friends of MPL sponsored an Antiques Appraisal Day at the library. Two appraisers skillfully valued a variety of items brought in by more than 30 people. The scene in the Community Room was similar to one on a popular TV show, and the individual outcomes were the same -- some people pleased and surprised by the results of the appraisals while others were a bit disappointed that their keepsake didn't have the monetary value they'd anticipated. Still, it was fun for everyone -  both participants and observers.

As we watched this process, one question came to mind: Why is there so much interest in antiques? This book in the Bullis Collection,

The Lure of the Antique, by Walter A. Dyer

Published in New York by The Century Company, 1921

offers one answer to that question.  In Chapter I, Dyer states: 

...I have yet to find the American, however practical-minded, 

who can hold in his hand his great-great-grandmother's Betty lamp, 

or sit in his great-grandfather's Windsor chair, 

without some slight sentiment.

Is that the simple answer? That we love antiques because they are our connection with our ancestors? Whether they belong to our great-great-grandmother or to someone else's? Perhaps so.

By the way, this little book has lots of cool illustrations, showing tea sets, pitchers, clocks, copper jugs, brass kettles, stoves, and antique furniture. If you're into antiques, give us a call and arrange to have a look at it.

IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY - UNITED STATES TREATY

Treaty Belt on Display

Currently on display in the Bullis Room at the Macedon Public Library is a reproduction of the Canandaigua Treaty Wampum Belt of 1794.  The original wampum belt was commissioned to symbolize the treaty between the United States and the Iroquois Confederacy.  This treaty is still commemorated today.   Treaty Day is on November 11 and officials from both governments will be on hand in Canandaigua for the commemoration.  The belt will be on display at the library until November 15.  Please stop by the library at 30 Main Street during normal hours to see the Treaty Belt. 

AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE

Current news on health care reminds us of Abraham R. Bullis, Jeanette A. and Charles R. 's grandfather, who was a physician in Macedon and Farmington in the mid-1800s.  Life was much simper then and so was health care. It was also much more affordable. And people back then did not have the option of health insurance.

From what we can find in various informational sources, health care insurance was first available around 1910 and HMOs grew in popularity in the 1970s. So how did people in the 1800s afford health care? Some folks were able to pay their doctor a standard fee upfront, of course. Others paid what they could, when they could. Still others used the barter system, giving doctors farm goods or services of one type or another.

You can get an idea of the 1800s health-care expense by looking at Dr. Bullis's account books that are in this collection. They contain amounts received but do not indicate any amounts that may have been owed. We're confident, however, that no one was refused medical care by Dr. Bullis or any of his colleagues due to their inability to pay. But then, as we said, those were simpler times.

WORLD POST DAY

Did you know that today, October 9, is officiallyWorld Post Day?  (We didn't!  Until a few minutes ago.)

Universal Postal Union (UPU) was established way back in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland, at the start of the global communications revolution.  In 1969 at the UPU Congress in Tokyo, October 9th was declared World Post Day, and it's been recognized internationally ever since.

Here in the Bullis Room today, we silently paid homage to World Post Day as we looked over the statistics for this blog. We are privileged to have visitors from Lithuania, Germany, Ukraine, Canada, China, United Kingdom, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland ... and so many other countries as well as countless villages, towns, cities and states within our own borders.

So to all of our readers, near and far, we say "thank you" for visiting us here on this blog. And let's all be grateful for the global communications revolution back in 1874 as well as all the advancements in this field over the past 139 years.

WALKING TO SCHOOL

Today is International Walk to School Day -  and we've been musing about the change in that behavior that has occurred over the last century. What would Nettie and Charlie Bulls (and their ancestors) think about the fact that a special day had to be set aside for that purpose?

We have no indication how far any of the Bullises had to walk to school and how many hills they walked up and storms they braved in the process. We can only consider what other people of that era have recorded and assume that the Bullises seldom if ever were given a ride to their local elementary via horse and buggy.

Why the change? Well, there's the improvement in transportation for one thing. And another thing occurred to us in our rambling thoughts - it was a lot safer "way back then" to walk to school. There was much less traffic so walking along side the roadway was usually safe. And then there were the shortcuts through the open fields that often made the walk much shorter.

So International Walk to School Day is just another reminder of us here in the Bulls Room that these books that surround us came from a much simpler, safer world than the one in which we live. And although we value the advancements of the age in which we live, it's refreshing to occasionally take a mental trip back to those simpler days. Stop by the Bullis Room and take the journey with us.

HAPPY AUTUMN!

Autumn is here. Another one. We refrained from mulling over those thoughts like "where did the summer go" and "the holidays are just around the corner," and instead we took a look at what's in the collection on the subject of Fall.

We got several hits, and one that is rare in this collection - a child's storybook:

Little Amy's Birthday and Other Tales: A Story Book for Autumn

by Harriet Myrtle, published in 1846, London: Joseph Cundall

This is a book you'll want to stop by and take a look at during this colorful season. There's an illustration titled  "Making wreaths in the autumn woods" that shows chubby-cheek Little Amy at work. The story titles are:

"An Autumn Flood"

"Little Amy's Birthday Party"

"The Adventure of the Kite"

"The Elves"

"The Pleasures of Autumn"

So ... here is your official invitation ... to stop by the Bullis Room, look at this charming little book, and sit for a spell and admire the fall colors through the Bullis Room window.

BACON AND FRIDAY THE 13TH

Today is Friday the 13th.  We have been told by folklorists that this particular combination of the day of week and date can be unlucky.

Rather than dwell on the possibility of experiencing bad luck today, we challenged ourselves to find a connection between Friday the 13th and Bacon--the subject of last week's post. And we did!

Lord Francis Bacon's book entitled:

The Moral and Historical Works of Lord Bacon: Including His Essays, Apophthegms, 

Wisdom of the Ancients, New Atlantis, and Life of Henry the Seventh

(published in London by Bell & Daidy, 1873)

is part of the Bullis Collection and includes his essay "Of Superstition."

So if you'd like to know what Bacon thought about superstitions, this is the book for you.  It can be accessed online or, for those of you who like the feel and aroma of a classic book, it's here in the Bullis Room. Just give us a call if you'd like to stop by and take a look.

BACON and CUSTER

This past week people from all over the world celebrated International Bacon Day. So of course, we  Bullis volunteers had a look in the data base to see what we could find with that "meaty" keyword. 

And ... we found nine entries, including three by Elizabeth Bacon Custer.  Custer? Yes, as in General George Custer. Elizabeth was his wife, and after the bad press he received following his defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn in June 1876, she feared that he would be made a scapegoat by history. So she began a campaign to remedy this situation. She gave speeches and wrote three books that are in the Bullis collection:

Tenting on the Plains; or, General Custer in Kansas and Texas

published by W. L. Webster & Company, New York, 1887

Boots and Saddles; or, Life in Dakota with General Custer

published by Harper & Brothers, NY, 1885

Following the Guidon

published by  Harper & Brothers, NY, 1890

To those of you interested in that time in our country's history, these books may offer some interesting tidbits for your consideration.

As for the "meaty" bacon, we'll let you know next week if we find any books or materials in the collection  that may reveal more about the history of that breakfast favorite. 

NATIONAL DOG DAY

This week -- Monday to be exact -- was National Dog Day. Since then, we've spent some time looking through the Bullis database for entries on canines (animal, not dental).

We had several hits, which gladdens our hearts because now we can give equal blog time to the animal often referred to as "man's (and woman's) best friend."  (Our October 15, 2009 post tells about the Bullis family felines--so it's only fair that we now acknowledge the dogs, don't you think?)

Well anyway ... here are two of the Bullis books about "pooches." We offer them to you for your consideration and in honor of National Dog Day on August 26:

Rolf in the woods; the adventure of a boy scout with

Indian Quonab and little dog Skookum.

by Ernest Thompson Seton, published 1917, Doubleday and Page in Garden City, NY

(Over two hundred drawings included)

The Dead Shot: or Sportman's complete guide: being a treatise...with

rudimentary and finishing lessons...dog-breaking, etc.

published 1863 by W. A. Townsend in New York

If you're interested in taking a look at either of these two books, just let us know. And if any of you out there have a dog named "Skookum" we'd love to hear from you, too.

NINETEENTH AMENDMENT

This week was the 93rd anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the amendment that guaranteed women citizens of this country the right to vote.

Several of our posts over the last few years have focused on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the role they played in getting this important privilege for women. (Please see our posts of August 27, 2009, March 4, 2010, and March 3, 2013, in which we thank these women for their support of women's suffrage and for drafting the text of the amendment.)

However,  there is another person we haven't thanked--Harry Burn, a 24-year-old Tennessee assembly member who cast the deciding vote, making Tennessee the 36th state needed to ratify the amendment. According to a report on public radio this week, Burn had originally planned to vote against the 19th amendment and changed his mind when he received a note from his mother encouraging him to be a "good boy" and vote for suffrage.

So, in honor of the 93rd anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we again say "thank you" to Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--and "thank you" for the first time to Harry Burn.

(Hmmm...this would have made a good Mother's Day post. Oh, well.)

A SUMMER IN ALASKA

Okay, maybe it is too late to contact the cruise company and pack your suitcase and stop your mail and for one more trip before the kids go back to school.

Perhaps you need to put this on your "to think about list" and then stop by the Bullis Room and look through the book A Summer in Alaska by Frederick Schwatka (1849 to 1892).

J.Y. Huber Company, Philadelphia,  published this book in 1891, just one year before Schwatka's death. During his lifetime, Schwatka earned degrees in medicine (from Bellevue Medical College in New York) and law, served as a lieutenant in the United States Army, and explored northern Canada and Alaska...all of this accomplished in 43 years. (We almost forgot to mention that he received world-wide recognition: the Roquette Arctic Medal from the Geographical Society of Paris and a medal from the Imperial Geographical Society of Russia.)

The subtitle, "A popular account of the travels of an Alaska exploring expedition along the great Yukon river, from its source to it mouth, in the British Northwest territory, and in the territory of Alaska," tells you what to expect when you open this 120-year-old book. You won't be disappointed. Please plan to stop by and spend some time enjoying this book and others in the Bullis Room.

ATHLETIC SPORTS AND RECREATIONS FOR BOYS

The title of this post is also the title of a Bullis Collection book by J. G. Wood published in London in 1861.

It's really a neat book. Lots of illustrations (125 to be exact) that show how to properly execute a wide variety of games. There are chapters on:

Cricket, Croquet, Gymnastics

Knock-Em Down, Lawn Billiards, Broadsword

Archery, Fencing, Skating

Riding, Rowing, Sailing, Swimming

So if your son or grandson is getting a bit bored as summer vacation draws to a close, we suggest stopping by the Bullis Room and looking through this book to get some new ideas on some old games. And you might even find a game that is new to him, even though it's been around for more than 150 years.

ABNER DOUBLEDAY

QUESTION: What do the Battle of Gettysburg and the American sport of baseball have in common?

ANSWER: Abner Doubleday (1819 - 1863)

Yes, the man who is best known as "the man who 'invented' baseball" is the same General Abner Doubleday who served admirably on behalf of the Union in this country's Civil War.

Early this month, the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) was commemorated with a reenactment on its 150th anniversary. For those of you who experienced that event and want to learn more about that battle and the war in general, we recommend that you take a look at this book in the collection:

Chancellorsville and Gettysburg

by Abner Doubleday, published by C. Scribner's Sons, New York, 1882

General Doubleday commanded the entire First Corps after the death of General Reynolds early in the morning of that initial day of the battle. He used his first-hand knowledge in writing this book, which includes astute insights into Generals Meade and Howard and analyses of both battles.

So ... as we think of the Battle of Gettysburg or the sport of baseball, let's quietly pay homage to a versatile man who could both defend and entertain his country.

COOOOL!

We are at the beginning of another week of very warm, muggy weather here in this area. And as we do our gardening, ride our bikes, or hike the canal path, some of us wish for a cooler environment in which to carry on these summertime activities. However, we know that we have no control over the outdoor weather and that we simply have to endure.

However, if the hot weather gets too unbearable, we can seek more moderate climes indoors--and that includes the Bullis Room. One of the needs of preserving older books is climate control, and this room has a special system that maintains the heat and humidity at optimum levels year round.  The books in this collection "live" in a cool climate that is ideal to maintain their good condition.

When the snow is flying outside, some of us humans find the Bullis Room temperature a bit chilly. This time of year, however, the room feels so cooool ... and we love it. So we invite you to stop by the room to sit a while with us, and while you're there we'll show you some of the books that make this collection so cool.

If you're wondering what kinds of books we're talking about, just browse back through our posts from the last year or so to get an idea of some of the good reading that awaits you in this cool room.

INDEPENDENCE

Since Independence Day is fast approaching, our  curiosity kicked in this week when someone mentioned that this collection contains a lot of books on that subject. So we searched the data base and came up with 21 hits. We'll list a few of them here to give you an idea of the variety of information on that subject that can be found here in the Bullis Room.

(By the way, don't you just love some of these long titles on these books from the 1800s? In some cases, the titles serve as a synopsis of the content - which is handy for researchers and casual readers, alike.)

Anyway, here are some of the books on the subject of independence that we thought you might be interested in:

Camp-fires of the Revolution:  or The War of Independence,

by Henry C. Watson, published in Philadelphia in 1850 by Lindsay and Blackiston

The Pictorial Field-book of the Revolution; or, Illustrations, by pen and pencil, of the history, biography, scenery, relics, and traditions of the war for Independence,

by Benson John Lossing, published in New York by Harper & Brothers, 1860

Karl Marx and the Close of His System: A Criticism,

by Eugene von Bohm-Bawerk, published in New York by Macmillan, 1898

A Centennial Edition of the History of the United States:

from the discovery of America, to the end of the first one hundred years of American independence;

with a full account of the approaching centennial celebration.

by Benson John Lossing, published in Hartford by T. Belknap, 1876

The Rise of the Dutch Repuiblic: A History,

by John Lothrop Motley, published in New York by Harper & Brothers, 1868-69

The Centennial History of the United States: From the discovery of the

American continent to the close of the first century of American Independence,

by James Dabney McCabe, published in Philadelphia by National Publishing Company, c 1874

Well, that's all folks. Hope you see something here that grabs your interest so that we can see you in the Bullis Room in the near future. In the meantime, Happy 4th of July.

JUNETEEN

Yesterday was Juneteen - a date set aside to commemorate the day in 1865 when Union troops commanded by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over, and that all remaining slaves in Texas were free.

Last year our Juneteen post focused on an MPL presentation on slave quilts, sponsored by the Friends of the library. This year, in memory of this occasion, we looked for some Bullis books on the subject of slavery.  We found several, and chose this one to highlight this week:

A Journey in the Seaboard Slave States : with remarks on their economy, 

by Frederick Law Olmsted, published by Dix & Edwards, New York, in 1856

Frederick Law Olmsted was a journalist and landscape designer of city parks, and his most famous achievement was Central Park in New York. He was also a passionate abolitionist who took many journeys throughout the south in 1853 and 1854. 

This book has lots of fascinating and witty descriptions of the author's encounters and experiences on those journeys through the southern society, which was on the verge of overwhelming change at that time.  If you are unable to celebrate Juneteen with fireworks and feasting, consider spending some time with this interesting book.

GARDENER'S AND FARMER'S REASON WHY...

Now here's a book that offers interesting and useful information to those of us who are into growing, whether we are farming a multi-acre plot or tending a potted geranium on our front stoop. Yes, we realize it was published well over a hundred years ago and much of the information, naturally, is  in need of updating. And yet, when we carefully leafed through the book this week, it caused us to occasionally mutter one of those "hmmm...so that's why..." remarks.

We're talking about the Bullis book Gardener's and Farmer's Reason Why... written by Robert Kemp Philip and published in London in 1860.  (This author wrote a series of these "reason why" books that covered the general science, natural history, the Bible, history, and housewife's areas. They are all in the question/answer form, with a helpful alphabetical list of all questions in the Table of Contents.

Mr. Philip used the knowledge of well-recognized experts of his day to write this book, among them: Sir Humphry Davy,  Professor of Chemistry Baron Liebig, and "Mr. Lawes of Rothamstead Park, whose papers have been published in the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal."

Some of the questions addressed are:

Air, why is it necessary for the germination of seed?

Caterpillars and moths, method of destroying

Gravelly soils, how they may be improved

Horses, why does their excrement develop so strong a heat?

Light, its effect upon vegetation

Mushrooms, why do they grow by moonlight?

Nitrogen, what is it?

Ploughing, rule for.

Sap, what causes the flow of it

Yoking horses, best method of

Winds, varying, why beneficial to vegetation?

In his preface, Mr. Philip states that the farmers' and gardeners' mission is to "enrich and beautify the earth." That's a big order for those of us with soil under our nails...one that requires us to be as knowledgeable as possible about the growing process. This book is one of many in the Bullis collection that offers this knowledge. You are invited to spend some time with it on your next visit to the Bullis Room.

BICYCLES

The Friends of Macedon Public Library has scheduled another interesting program this summer:

BICYCLES: THEIR HISTORY, PROPER MAINTENANCE

AND BASIC ROADSIDE REPAIRS

Zoltan Vigh of The Wheelwright in Canandaigua will give background information on bicycling and demonstrate bicycle maintenance and repairs in this program at the library on Monday, July 8, 6 PM in the Community Room at the library.

You are invited and we look forward to seeing you at this presentation, which is paid for through the Friends' endowment. And while you're in the library, we invite you to stop by the Bullis Room. One book on the shelves that is of interest to bicyclists is:

The Wheels of Change; A Bicycling Idyll

Written by H. G. Wells and published in 1905 by The Macmillan Company in London, the book is a commentary on the political scene surrounding World War I. At that time bicycles were beginning to become very popular and were actually a part of the social changes in England because people could move quickly and rigid class structure was beginning to crumble.

Between now and July 8 we plan to spend some time with this book so that we can tell you more about it when we see you at Mr. Vigh's presentation. In the meantime, remember that we're always glad to help you find other books in the collection. Just give the library a call and let us know a convenient time for you.

WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT

The Wayne County Endowment Advisory Committee (together with the Rochester Area Community Foundation) announced last week the awarding of $29,400 in grants to eight nonprofit organizations serving the Wayne County community. Organizations receiving grants are: Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Services, Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service, Historic Palmyra, Home Meals Service, Lyons Community Center, Montezuma Audubon Center, NAMI Rochester, and Rochester Chapter of Young Audiences, Inc.

This permanent endowment fund was started in 1984 with charitable gifts from the estate of Nettie Bullis, who believed strongly in  her community, education, and projects that improved the quality of life.

This community is grateful to Nettie Bullis for these most-recent gifts. As we pointed out in a post a few months ago, her New England frugality and business acumen allowed her to accumulate the capital she used to create an endowment that will benefit this area for generations to come.

Again, we thank you Nettie Bullis.

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

There have been several posts on this blog about Nettie Bullis's Uncle John Lapham Bullis who fought in the Civil War and continued his military career on the western border. His contributions were recognized in many ways, including the naming of Camp Bullis in his honor.

We thought of John Lapham Bullis this week when we heard about the Friends of Macedon Public Library scheduling a June 19 presentation of the Wounded Warrior Project. Mr. Bullis, we feel sure, would have supported such a project in his day, not only because he himself was wounded in the Civil War but also because he was so conscientious about caring for his comrades who suffered such a fate.

We encourage you to come to this presentation  on June 19, 6 PM, here in Macedon Public Library's Community Room.  LCpl. J.M. Gonzalez will explore the project's mission (to honor and empower Wounded Warriors) and its purpose (awareness, enlist public support,  help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and provide unique and direct programs and services. He will also include general background on the organization.

We hope to see you on June 19. And in the meantime, please tell others about this presentation.

OUR WESTERN BORDER

In 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure creating the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, whose members came to be known as WACS. Long before this event, however, women participated in combat situations in various capacities and several books in the Bullis collection record their experiences.

One book, Our Western Border ... gives us an idea of the level and manner of participation that pioneer women took in the battles in the Ohio Valley, on what was then our western frontier.  If you're into women's history, you will find this book interesting and informative.

Written by Charles McKnight, Our Western Border ... was published in 1876 by J.C. McCurdy in Philadelphia. Included in its 756 pages are 15 plates as well as illustrations. We suggest you stop by to spend some time with this book and take an armchair journey to the Ohio Valley in the latter half of 1700.

CANALS

The Erie Canal officially opened for the season yesterday, and this event is welcomed not only by boaters but also by those of us who hike and bike the towpath. (Why? Because watching the different types of watercraft gliding by on the water and waving to the occupants adds to the fun on the path.)

There have been articles in the media recently about the engineering accomplishment this canal system represents  as well as its commercial and recreational value to our state and country.  For those of you who want to know more about this subject, there are several books in this collection about the Erie Canal as well as canals in general.  We are highlighting two of them in this post.

History of the Canal System of the State of New York,

together with brief histories of the canals of the United Sates and Canada,

by Noble E.  Whitford

published in Albany, Brandow Printing Company, 1906

(This book is a supplement to the Annual Report of the State Engineer

and Surveyor of the State of New York for the

fiscal year ending September 30, 1905)

And

Report of the Committee on Canals of New York State,

published in New York, 1900.

You are invited to stop by the Bullis Room and look at all the books on canals. We're always glad to assist you.

RHODE ISLAND

This week we focused on two books in the collection about Rhode Island, the first of the 13 original colonies to declare independence from British rule. Rhode Island made this declaration on May 4, 1776, two months before any other colony did so.

If you'd like to learn more about Rhode Island and its people, we recommend these two Bullis books:

History of Providence County, Rhode Island

by Richard M. Bayless

published in 1891 by W. Preston, New York

and

Re-union of the Sons and Daughters of Newport R.I.

by George C. Mason

published in 1859 by F.A. Pratt, City printers

Though both of these books were written many years following the colony's 1776 declaration, they include information about Rhode Island's early days. These books are a good lead-in to another celebration of our country's independence that is just two months away. Please give us a call if you'd like to look at either of them.

BROOK TROUT

Yesterday a local TV station reported that 200,000 trout were being released in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario over the next six weeks. And, of course, that reminded us of this Bullis book:

The Brook Trout and the Determined Angler

by Charles Bradford

published in New York by E. P, Grow, c1900

The rest of the book's title describes it as: "...a little pocket volume containing several descriptions of a fly fisher's paradise and a few practical suggestions for the young angler."

In his day the author was a well-known fisherman and a prolific sporting writer who contributed articles to the American field sports press of that era. This book is a collection of some of these articles. Chapters include:

"Fly Fishing for Trout"

"Trout Truths"

"Trout and Trouting"

"Trouting in Canadensis Valley"

"In the Pocono Mountains"

"The Trouter's Outfit"

"Little Casts (trouting tips))"

"Tackle Talks"

"Borrowed Thoughts"

All of these are illustrated by full page black and white illustrations, photos and a number of small pen and ink sketches. It also has several descriptions of a fly fisher's paradise and a few practical suggestions for the young angler.

So ... the book is here in the Bullis Room and we urge you fishing enthusiasts to stop and take a look at it (and any other books in the collection that "catch" your fancy.)

HOW TO PLAY GOLF

Yesterday in the Bullis Room we happened upon the book  How to Play Golf  written by Henry James Whigham, which was published in Chicago by H. S. Stone & Company in 1897. Our first reaction was, "Did any of the Bullis family play the game? And our second thought was, "Hmmm."

Anyway, this is a cool little self-help book that we recommend to golfers (both avid and casual) as well as those of us who enjoy the game from the gallery.

Topics covered are:

Training and tournament lay

Iron game

Putting

Rules and etiquette

Proper grip

And, there are lots of illustrations, including:

Top of swing

Coming Through and Finish of swing

Refinement of driving

Perhaps you golfers are familiar with the author, but we weren't so we went to Wikipedia to find out what qualified him to write a book on this subject.  We learned that Henry James Wigham (1869-1954) was a Scottish writer and amateur golfer who won the U.S. Amateur in 1896 and 1897. He wrote this book following his first U.S. tournament win. 

Before winning tournaments and writing this book, however, he came to this country in 1893 to demonstrate golf at Chicago's World Fair.  He remained here and became a college lecturer, then drama critic for the Chicago Tribune until he left to work as a war correspondent. He later served as editor-in-chief of Town and Country magazine.

We end this post with a special invitation to all you golfers and golf fans out there to stop by the Bullis Room, look through this book, and tell us how it compares to today's golf instruction. And while you're there, we'll be glad to show you any other books or memorabilia that catch your fancy. Hope to see you soon.

THE PONY EXPRESS

Buffalo Bill and the Overland Mail, or, where crooked trails meet, by Howard W. Erwin  is one of  a series of books by Howard W. Erwin--and the only one of Erwin's books in the Bullis Collection. This Bullis book was published in 1916 by Street & Smith (New York), and some of the other titles in this series include (all titles beginning with "Buffalo Bill's") ... Dance with Death, ... Diamond Mine,   ...Hidden Gold. So if you're a Buffalo Bill fan and you're looking for a different kind of read, we recommend ...the Overland Mail.

That term "overland mail" reminded us that the Pony Express began it's 18 months of service between St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California on April 3, 1860. And until the telegraph was established, it was the main source of communication between the east and west. Average time for a message going between the east and west coasts was about 10 days.

So if you're feeling a bit nostalgic and sorta weary of the pace of modern life, the Bullis Room is a great place to "get away" for a while, to sit and enjoy a good book while letting the rest of the world speed by. We hope you'll stop by sometime.

ALL THINGS FRENCH

On this day way back in  1893 the Eiffel Tower was opened, serving as an entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. After 124 years the tower's still "going strong" and is one of the most recognized structures in the world.

There are no books on the Eiffel Tower in the Bullis Room, but there are  several books  with French connections, such as:

Love = "L'amour": from the French,

by Jules Michelet, published by Carleton in New York, 1868

History of Louis XIV,

by John S. C. Abbott, published by Harper in New York 1899

Patchwork,

by Basil Hall, published by E. Moxon in London, 1841

Ninety-three,

by Victor Hugo, published by Harper & Brothers, 1874

(For you Hugo fans, he wrote Ninety-three (his last novel) after the bloody upheaval of the Paris Commune in 1793 during the French Revolution.  And for those of you interested in travel books, Patchwork contains travel descriptions of France as well as Italy and Switzerland.)

If any of these books strike your fancy, please stop by and ask to spend some time with them.

REMEMBERING NETTIE BULLIS

Jeanette Aurelia Bullis was born 120 years ago today.  This is a special day for those of us who admire and respect her, a day to remember her generosity to her community that continues through her scholarships and grants.

This year we also remember that Nettie Bullis's generosity was a result of her New England frugality and her business acumen. Although she never heard the term that's currently being tossed around, Nettie Bullis began "leaning in" more than a century ago. And she continued in that manner throughout her life.

Nettie Bullis was truly a woman ahead of her time. The results of her actions speak louder than words. We can only again say, "Thank you, Nettie Bullis, for being you."


These two links will give you more detail about Miss Bullis's life and accomplishments:
http://www.palmaccsd.org/community.cfm?subpage=357790
http://bullisbookchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/03/nettie-bullis.html

HAPPY PI DAY

Today is March 14 - also known as 3/14 - also known as 3.14 - also known as pi.

We couldn't let this day go by without putting in a plug for all of these math and engineering books on the shelves here in the Bullis Collection.   Several generations of Bullises used these books in their professions, and it's interesting to speculate how they applied the knowledge they gleaned from these volumes.

You are invited to stop by anytime (it doesn't have to be pi day) and spend some time with these volumes.  (And for those of you with a special interest in pi, you might even find out how far pi was carried out in the days before calculators and computers.)

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Around the globe International Women's Day is recognized in many different ways. Those of us who are privileged to work with the Bullis collection celebrate this day quietly in two ways. First, we again acknowledge (and thank) Nettie Bullis for her generosity to this community. And second, we review the collection's books on great women. We've already posted information on this blog about most of these books; thus we're listing below the posts for your reference.

Please link to our posts on:

March 26, 2009, "Women's History Month," for Bullis books on everyday women who have achieved great accomplishments;

August 19, 2009, "Women's Equality," for Bullis books on Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton;

November 5, 2009, "Women's Sufferage," for Bullis books on Susan B. Anthony;

and

September 10, 2011, "Two Amazing Women," for Bullis books on Sojourer Truth.

March is Women's History Month. We invite you to stop by the Bullis Room during the month to learn more about women's accomplishments and contributions to our society.

VERMONT and the BULLIS FAMILY

Vermont became our fourteenth state on March 4, 1791, two years to the day after the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first Federal Congress met in New York.

The Bullis family's connection to that great (and beautiful) state is through Charles Bullis, who was born in 1723 in Greenwich, Connecticut and later moved to Manchester, Vermont. He served in the Revolutionary War in Captain Gideon Brownson's Company, Warner Regiment, Vermont Militia. Charles' descendants came to Macedon from Vermont in 1837 and bought the property on Canandaigua Road in 1839. Sometime after that they started the collection that fills the Bullis Room today.

The Bullises were obviously interested in their home state, because there are two books on Vermont in the collection, both worth your time to look through. They are:

The Green Mountain boys; 
a historical tale of the early settlement of Vermont,

written by Daniel B. Thompson
and published in 189? by A. L. Burt of New York.

and

Ethan Allen and the Green-Mountain heroes of '76:

with a sketch of the early history of Vermont,

written by Henry W. De Puy 

and published in 1860 by Phinney, Blakeman & Mason, New York.

We'd like to show (show off?) these books to you. Hope you'll stop by the Bullis Room the next time you're in the library.

CENSUS BOOKS

On March 1, 1790 President George Washington signed a measure authorizing the first U.S. census.  (Prior to that date "...a census was taken in Virginia, and people were counted in nearly all of the British colonies that became the United States." (Wikipedia article, "United States Census")  Since 1790 a census has been conducted every ten years in this country, with the last one completed in 2010.

While the census statistics are used by the government in various ways, they can be of use to private citizens also. Those of us who are into genealogy usually find them quite helpful. In fact, census reports may be one of the first sources we go to when researching family trees.

The Bullis Collection has many books that may be of interest to those of you researching your ancestors.  We're describing three of them in this post. Two of these books cover the New York state census, which we've been told were conducted every ten years from 1825-1875, in 1892, and then again from 1905-1925.

1. United States life tables, 1910,

published by the Washington Govt. Printing Office, 1916,

65 pages including tables

2.  Census of the state of New York, for 1865: taken in pursuance

of article third of the constitution of the state, and of chapter

sixty-four of the laws of 1865,

published in Albany: printed by C. Van Benthuysen & Sons, 1867, 743 pages

3. A Gazetteer of the state of New York: comprising its topography, geology,

mineralogical resources, civil divisions, canals, railroad and public institutions,

together with general statistics, the whole alphabetically arranged; also, statistical

tables, including the census of 1840, and tables of distances: with a new township map of the

state, engraved on steel, by J. Disturnell, 1842, 479 pages, 2 leaves of plates, map

(Wow! We challenge you to read that last title in one breath!)

These books (and a lot of others--most of which have shorter titles) are in the Bullis Room for your use. If you're interested in using them to aid in your family tree search (or for any other research), please call the library and arrange for a time to meet with one of us volunteers.