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 Coasting at the top of Prospect Avenue in early 1900. The building on the right is the Idlewild cottage, probably the oldest building on the hill. It was moved farther south and was considerably altered in appearance. |
While some of the hotels provide entertainment for their guests, most of the social activities of the local residents revolved around the church. From the date of its construction until the turn of the century, the Methodist Sunday School building was the center of all types of community activities. Many non Methodist organizations met in the building, which had a large seating capacity. In fact, the Methodist Church was something of a community church, its official board including several members who belonged to other denominations.
For many years the Christmas Eve parties were outstanding affairs, and youngsters of the various faiths shared in the distribution of presents of candy and fruit. For several days during the early part of December, the older Sunday School boys and girls would fill large burlap bags with laurel picked in Carpenter's Woods behind the German Tabernacle. Long ropes were stretched between the backs of chairs which were held in position by people sitting on them. Adults would tie the laurel sprigs to the rope. When the laurel garlands were finished, the men of the Church would fasten them in the ceiling corners of the Church and Sunday School rooms. Both buildings were ideally constructed for such decoration, and the effect was beautiful. I also recall threading miles of popcorn and cranberries to be used in trimming the Christmas tree. Speaking of Christmas trees reminds me of one we had around 1907 or 1908. Mr. Charles Bell, who at the time was the Superintendent of the Sunday School, found a fantastic idea in a magazine. Mr. Bell asked me to help him carry out his plan. I didn't have the slightest idea what it was all about, but I followed his instructions. I remember that we had seven or eight wire hoops or rings of graduated sizes, ranging from six inches to about two feet. It was my task to fasten two cross pieces within each hoop. A clothes line was threaded through a hole in the center of each cross piece and knotted so that the hoops were approximately a foot apart. A wire was attached to the top of the rope, reeved through a pulley in the ceiling, thence to a second pulley and back of a curtain in the rear of the platform. The lower end of the rope was made fast to the floor. Pulled taut, the rings separated. Heavy black thread was then fastened from one ring to the other at numerous points so that the rings were evenly spaced. The structure was opened wide and Mrs. James Van Nostrand and Mrs. George Cooke carefully tied sprigs of spruce to the hoops and decorated it like a Christmas tree. It was then carefully lowered to the floor. A snow bank of cotton was arranged so as to hide the tree completely. The night of the entertainment, much was made of the fact that there was no Christmas tree. Then a sweet young girl dressed as an angel slowly waved her "magic wand"; the man behind the curtain did his job, and the Christmas tree, all trimmed, grew out of the snow bank. For that same Christmas entertainment, May Niblette's father, (and, incidentally, my uncle Charles E. Edwards) had built an enormous windmill in the corner of the Chapel. It was large enough for several men to walk around in, and was so constructed that the blades, or arms, could be made to move by turning a crank on the inside. A large chute extended from the front of the mill. Of course, the mill was "Santa's Workshop" — but on the night of the entertainment the mill refused to function. Under Mr. Bell's direction everyone sang and whistled to provide the necessary wind, but without success. Then everyone had to blow as hard as possible, but that idea had to be abandoned very rapidly be cause some of the children who had stood on chairs became dizzy and toppled off. Fortunately, the mill suddenly began to operate, and presents came tumbling down the chute. Of course, Santa had carefully marked the name of the teacher on each package. In those days, not only did the teachers and children exchange gifts, but the Sunday School Society gave candy, an orange, and a small present to each scholar. During the early 1900's John T. Pirie, who had defrayed the cost of building the first Methodist Church, also paid for the annual steamboat excursions to Glen Island. On that particular day, practically every boy or girl in the village was a Methodist. My father, who was secretary of the Sunday School, handled all the details in connection with the excursion. He made certain that any child who came down to the dock was given a ticket to board the steamer. And each one who received a ticket received another one entitling him to a plate of ice cream. After the St. Luke's Parish House was erected, some of the social activities were transferred to that building. Mr. Wood, owner of the "Woodshed" on Central Avenue, who conducted a gymnasium in New York City, installed valuable athletic equipment in the building. The "Knights of King Arthur," "The Heroes Club," and the "Apollo Club" met in the parish house. Membership in these organizations was not restricted, and boys of all faiths were active. Under the management of John Muller, Lay Preacher in St. Luke's, the "Apollo Club" became a traveling baseball team, eventually the home team of the village. Incidentally, the Reverend George Groves, Pastor of St. Luke's, was virtually the father of basketball in Sea Cliff. It was under his influence that the first local team played in the old Lyceum. St. Boniface Martyr Catholic Church, erected in 1900, was famous for the St. Patrick's Day dinners served annually on the lower floor. For some years after its construction, the large meeting room in the parochial school was frequently used for entertainment. |